Children's Discovery Academy in Little Canada is horribly run and fails to provide children with…read moreemotional support and stability. The director refuses to address any issues that are brought to her attention. She often blames concerns on state regulations that do not exist. She also continually changes her mind with regard to plans, and leaves families feeling unheard and disrespected. Her lack of ability to serve as a manager is highlighted by the high staff turnover, which she refuses to take any responsibility for, or even notify families of in a timely manner. As a result, there is no consistency for students and they are left without the necessary psychology safety when at CDA. The co-director is equally ill-equipped at child care and creates an environment where children are scared of her. Exacerbating all of this is the COO's complete lack of oversight of her staff. She refuses to take charge in matters, and will not intervene, even if families raise concerns. Families are not included in their children's learning, and when ideas are raised they are outright dismissed. Our experience at this school resulted in lasting emotional and psychological damage for our child that we are continuing to address via therapy.

My son started with CDA as a toddler and throughout the past few years has not had a consistent…read morelead teacher for more than several months. It's been a difficult time for childcare providers and my partner and I were supportive and understanding until he started having behavioral issues (that were age appropriate per our doctor). I meat once with the director and COO to discuss and they told me in that meeting that the solution would be moving him to the next age group class where there's a consistent lead teacher. The director told me at that time that in her 20+ years of teaching she hadn't had this much difficulty with a kid, which felt unprofessional and unhelpful to hear. She mentioned as an afterthought that if he "started throwing furniture" (which he never has done) or was unsafe they would need to ask us to find a new daycare, but reassured me that was the worst case scenario and not expected at this point. We continued to be in close communication with his new lead teacher about both "good" and "bad" days and never were given any specific communication about major safety or behavior concerns that were out of the norm for his age. We got one phone call saying he had a "really tough day" so I asked if I could visit the daycare and observe him and help out. I was told that might not be an option for parents anymore and never heard anything else about being able to visit. After about one month a teacher brought him in from the playground to use the bathroom and wasn't watching/listening for him. He returned to the playground alone and according to the director that was "the last straw." Him going back to the playground was pegged as a "behavior issue" when really staff were not adequately supervising a four year old. The teachers in general are amazing but the leadership handled this whole situation extremely poorly. the day they notified us he needed to find new care, the director said that she should have asked him to leave sooner which was never communicated to us so we could look into other care options. This daycare's leadership failed our son and failed to support their lead teachers and ensure their success in providing safe and supportive care. I do not recommend CDA of little Canada unless their leadership receives coaching and further education on how to manage age-appropriate behavioral issues.

We feel incredibly blessed to have found Kinderhaus Montessori through some internet research a few…read moremonths ago and perhaps I can shorten your path to a great school with an endorsement as a parent. If you are reading this review you may be wondering (just like we were) about the best place for your child to begin their education. What do you look for? Will your child feel comfortable and welcome ? What can you expect from a Montessori education? This school had everything we were looking for and more. They offer morning and afternoon sessions and they offer both 3-day and 5-day programs. The class sizes are small and social and you likely won't find more caring and passionate educators than Miss Nora and Miss Susan. Plus, the tuition is affordable and some assistance is available. We are almost done with our son's first year and we are planning to enroll him for a second year in the fall. Our daughter will be going there, too - no doubt in my mind. You should know that this is a small school with a close-knit connection between children, teachers and parents and they ask for parents to play an active role in the school if you can spare the time. This isn't the "drop your kid off in the parking lot" kind of place and we love how our son has blossomed in the quiet and challenging environment under the Montessori philosophy practiced at Kinderhaus Montessori. I urge you to take a tour and see for yourself.

From the owner: Kinderhaus Montessori is a private, non-profit, parent-administered preschool. We believe that…read moreparental involvement teaches children that learning is both important and valuable. We are now enrolling for Fall! Call today for a tour. We are a part-day program. We currently offer morning sessions (8:45AM to 11:30AM) MON-FRI and afternoon sessions (12:45PM to 3:30PM) M/T/TH.

My son had learned so much there, and it is obvious that the teachers truly cared about him and his…read morewell being.

Oh jeez where do I begin. Do not take your kids here. The staff are under qualified, and only work…read morehere because it's an easy job to get. I overheard a female who works in the toddler room talk about how she "forgot" one of the kids in the bathroom I've. She was laughing about it and said "that's what he gets for peeing his pants" I overheard this woman at a public location. My jaw dropped when she said this and mentioned this exact location to be her employer. MY BABY girl almost went here but there weren't any available slots. Be aware.

Best place ever for our child. She is loved, safe, and learning SO MUCH. Everyone here is so…read morewonderful and you can tell they LOVE THEIR JOBS! And love all the kids. We are so thankful to have found this place. Highly recommend checking them out!

Paidea is my daughters happy place. In short: this is a…read morechild-centered, kind, safe, and emotionally aware learning environment that has allowed my toddler to flourish despite a pandemic. 100% recommend to any parent, and am looking forward to sending my infant there when she is ready. Their incredibly experienced teachers, and the fact that paidea graduates who are grown now send their kids there is no stronger testament to the type of magical environment this is.

How am I the first review? Ive trusted this school with both my children. They've taken care of…read morethem from infancy through pre-k...through the pandemic. Through everything. What could be more important? Ive struggled with daycares in the past and coming here was an enormous relief. I found myself not worrying about them during the day, because I knew they were not only safe, but cared about. My kids wanted to go to school each day and the teachers take the time to get to know your kids as individuals. I just can't recommend a place more. Searching for daycares is tough. This is a safe bet.

From the owner: Children's Discovery Academy offers swimming lessons, music lessons, spanish lessons, computer…read morelessons, gymnastics lessons, soccer lessons, and dance lessons. Our teachers offer daily lessons rich in math, reading, writing, science, social studies, art, physical education, american sign language and much much more!

Our daughter has been going here since September and she absolutely loves it, hence, so do we!…read more It's obvious that the teachers there love what they do and are invested in each child. She is learning a ton and amazes her father and me with the things she learns and tells us. The hours work well for working parents, they are open 7-5:30 and serve a breakfast, lunch and 3 snacks during the day. The lunches seem to be very nutritious with a main, veg, fruit and grain component. They have a religious tone that doesn't bother us at all but you might want to keep in mind if you're considering them. They do an excellent job of sticking to a theme each week and build on it as the week progresses. The program seems to work well for both full time kids as well as part time (M-W-F or T-Th). The school is accredited at a national level as are all of the teachers which is nice. They track her progress throughout the year and keep it in a book so we can see how much she's learned as the year goes by. For instance, they had her try to write her name early in the year and will have her do it again so we can see them side by side at the end of the school year. We are already planning to send her again next year so that she will be well prepared for kindergarten and we will most likely send her sister, barring any moves.

The GREATEST teachers and other staff! Both of my youngest have gone here and truthfully feel so…read moreblessed to have been able to have all of the Redeemer family in our lives.. they helped both my littles through there first year of preschool and they LOVED it... everyone here is so nice and kind.. you can tell they are in it for the kids.. they love them as if they are there own family!!

My brother Seth and I used to go to Carol Matheys when we were younger and we always elaborate on…read moreall the great memories they have provided for us. I love this place so much and I miss everything about growing up with the best family their is. I couldn't ask for a better childhood so thank y'all so much for all your love and support!

This is a fulltime all day preschool/daycare. It is great for working parents and affordable. It is…read morea family environment and the teaches are fantastic!! My three year old is learning so many important skills. At 3 and a half, he is able to count to 40, read books (read pictures) and predicts the endings. He can write his name too. He is also learning important social skills such as how to understand and express his emotions and how to play with others. He has made many good friends and loves all of his teachers! My 5 year old attended last year and is now in Kindergarten. He is very advanced in reading, writing and especially math!! Although he loves Kindergarten he loves to attend Carol Mathey's on non-school days. It is great that I have found a place where my kids are in a healthy, learning, fun and safe environment while I am at work.

OK, in full disclosure, this is my first daycare experience and my first ever kid. And I'll admit,…read moreI'm a neurotic, anal-retentive, worried parent! I was scrambling looking for infant daycare in the Twin Cities. I had looked at several top rated places in the Highland Park area, and unfortunately, the wait lists were SUPER long! I originally thought I had a spot secured at the Jewish Community Center (JCC), and that ended up falling through... so I was urgently scrambling to find a place that met my expectations. Someone had recommended Jardin, so my husband and I toured it immediately. We met with Jardin's Center Director, Hortensia. She was kind, professional, and very patient with all my numerous (read "neurotic!") emails and questions. It was a brand new facility when I toured it (it just opened up in Feb/March of 2017) and was shiny, clean, brightly colored, and new. My husband and I were immediately impressed with Jardin... and we weren't even looking for a language immersion daycare. We ended up enrolling our son there within a few days (we knew their infant spots were going to fill up fast!), and I'm so glad we secured a spot! What I love about Jardin-St. Paul? I love the three daycare providers in the infant room - Isaura, Marisol and Jesica are so kind and gentle with our child, and I feel really good about leaving our kid here. He's always smiling and happy while here, and when I've dropped by several times (to randomly breastfeed him when I have time), he seems very happy! I love how Cheryl (at the front desk) occasionally sends us pictures of our son interacting with the teachers, as it gives me some peace that he's happy there. I also love that I can come and go to breastfeed as needed. What are some other pros? While my kid isn't eating food yet, they serve organic food here (Their menu looks so good, I want to eat there!). And they are super eco-friendly. They use cloth diapers during the day (You bring your kid in their regular diaper - we use disposable - and they change him in and out of cloth diapers throughout the day. They also change him at the end of day so you go home with a disposable diaper). They provide diaper rash cream, as needed. You don't get nickel and dime'd for everything (e.g., diapers, meals, etc.). They have a great fenced in outside playground and an indoor gym. (Plus, Tori Ramen is right across the street so you can grab a quick meal before you pick up your kid!). The cons? It's not in the best area of Selby-Dale/St. Paul. And the hours (7:30AM-5:30PM) are very narrow if you have a job that has earlier or later hours. Occasionally, the door has been locked at 7:30AM, so I've had to call to be let in. That said, the pros outweigh the limited cons, and we've been super happy here. Nothing negative to review at all so far! Overall, I couldn't be happier. Love this place so far. Two thumbs up!!!

The jardín is a very careful childcare center, its employees are very friendly and the office…read morepeople are very kind and respectful people who treat others with care, the teachers are human beings very trained to the needs of children, and the food served to children is prepared with care and cleanliness all food is organic for the well-being of the children

What a great preschool! Our son absolutely loves it and looks forward to going to school each…read moremorning. We think the teachers are kind, organized and thoughtful about their approach to children's development and the curriculum. There is music, science, great art projects, a little Spanish language, a naturalist, field trips, & daily play. In the fall parents can choose to have kids learn soccer after school as well. We love it and think our son has developed leadership and interpersonal skills. It has helped him to communicate better and to make friends. He is ready for Kindergarten next year! The parent co-op aspect insures that it's a small close-knit community and parents can have be as involved as you wish. I've been able to volunteer in the classroom regularly and been delighted by the fun, warm atmosphere and seeing the happy children playing and learning. It's in a great little building and is safe and has a small playground next to it for picnics or snack and play after class. Pick up and drop off is a breeze. You don't have to live in North Oaks to attend- it's open to all. Come check it out!

My son attends this school and is absolutely thriving here. The community is close-knit, relaxed,…read moreand engaged. The teachers are engaged, caring, and deeply committed to each and every child. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

I have two children at MN Waldorf school and have found it to be a wonderful experience for them…read more The focus on outdoor play and cross-disciplinary learning is wonderful. The focus on love of learning and having confidence in yourself and your ability to solve problems sets children up for success in today's world.