Our family cannot recommend this center enough. Our eldest just left for kindergarten, but we have our other two kids here and they just love it. The staff treat us just like family. One thing that is really unique here that I have not seen at any other childcare places (oh yea, we toured almost all of them in Reston/Herndon) is a dedication to smaller classes for the young ones. For example, other facilities will have a class for age range 2-3yrs old. That's shocking because a 2 yr old is so different developmentally from a 3 yr old. Therefore, I've always appreciated that they have classes with roughly 6mos age range (12-16mos, 16-24mos, 2-2.5yrs, 2.5-3yrs). It allows for an age appropriate curriculum, smaller classrooms, and the amazing staff really knowing your child. Since RESCC is a non profit, they really pour money into teacher training and extra activities for the kids. Our kids love showing us their yoga moves, randomly counting in Spanish and the names of various musical instruments. They have great weather policies (thank goodness for those of us who are dual working parents) and they use the Good Food Company, a local, organic, catering kitchen, for the kids food. I loved this place after I toured it, but I'm not from this area so the price was higher than what I was used too. Therefore, we went to three different places to save money, but we ended up here because RESCC is just the best and therefore worth it! I wish we would've just started here. We had terrible experience with staff, unprofessional administrators, and other medical issues at those previous places (not surprisingly two of them closed down). For us, it was worth the price to see our first child thrive here. We could tell immediately how much more comfortable he was, and honestly, how much better the staff was. RESCC has been providing childcare for over 25 yrs. so that really says something. Yea, they know what they're doing and have very experienced staff. It was then and is still now worth the temporary budget prioritizing for our kids to go to an amazing place that focuses on their development, staff who treats us like family, and the fun and loving parent community. I don't know how RESCC do it but I love listening to my kids tell me things that they've learned - planets and different moons in the solar system, the butterfly lifecycle of the pulpa turning into a crystalis. Or maybe it was the other way around - hmmmm - I think I have to have my kids teach me again. read more

We have one child at Simon Center and another who graduated a few years ago. We have been very pleased with the staff, curriculum, and environment. There are many teachers who have been at the Center for a very long time (some even decades!) and many more families like ours who have happily sent multiple children through its program. It is clear that the staff have a passion for education and love being around children. When I drop off my son at school, I have full confidence that he will learn, laugh, and play with his teachers and friends in a safe and nurturing environment. Aside from the main teacher's day to day thematic instruction, which in our case is summarized in a daily log complete with photos, we love that there are also many "specials," such as yoga, music, Spanish, art, which are led by specialists. On the more practical side of things, we also appreciate that it is centrally located in Reston (very close to the toll road and Reston Town Center), has plenty of parking spaces, provides nutritious meals and snacks, opens from 6:30 to 6:30, follows federal government (as opposed to FCPS) for weather-related closures, and operates year-round (do not need to look for summer or winter camps). Finally, given that my child has a food allergy, I can also attest to the fact that the staff is very careful about checking the ingredients of the provided meals/snacks and monitoring the expiration date for any needed medication to prevent/mitigate any mishaps. All in all, we have been extremely pleased about our experience and are sad to leave the Center once my younger child graduates. We feel very fortunate to be a part of this amazing community! read more

A job change had us looking for a new childcare option for our twin boys we had used a nanny and a home-based daycare. From my first phone call setting up a tour through the end of the tour, I knew this was the right place for us. I felt right at home from the moment I walked in the doors, every space in the center is well thought out and we could just tell our boys were going to enjoy learning and playing there. I loved the fact that RESCC is a NAEYC-accredited, nonprofit child development center with a parent directed board. It was great knowing that all the center's children would take part in special additional programs including: cultural music, creative art, Spanish, yoga, and interactive musical and dramatic performances. The families from the center will often meet up for play-dates on the weekends at parks in the Reston/Herndon area. It really feels like an extended family. Communication was/is something that we were concerned about when we were exploring childcare options. Communication with the staff has been amazing. I have never had a conversation with the staff and walked away thinking that they just weren't understanding what I was trying to say. The daily blog and newsletter during the school year helps us reinforce and build upon the themes learned during the day at home. Our boys have thrived as individuals at Simon Center and I am amazed everyday by how much they know and have retained from the curriculum. read more

Our 4 year old has been attending this center since he was 1, and we will be sending our new baby there shortly. It has been a fantastic experience all around; part of a former job involved monitoring daycare quality and safety, so I scared admin at many daycares before settling on the Simon Center, which was happy to answer all my questions, let me observe how safety protocols were implemented, and talk to other parents. They've helped my picky eater learn to try new foods, enriched his life with yoga, music, Spanish, art, literacy, and other classes, facilitated potty training, reinforced kind behavior, and more. Every teacher he's had has seemed truly invested in his success and engaged in their job, and the parent community is kind as well. I can honestly say that after the first week passed, I have never worried about leaving him there. read more

I strongly recommend the Simon Center...we have had at least one child there for nearly 6 years and I will be so sad when our youngest graduates at the end of this year! The staff are amazing, they all know and love all of the kids, we get lots of information and opportunities to talk with them about how our child is doing, and they use approaches to teaching young children through play that are research-based. The food is great, the activities are amazing, and it really feels like a community of families. My older child is turning 8 and still has play dates with Simon Center friends. I have felt good about being a full-time working parent with little ones in part because my kids have been so happy here. Check out the website, and take a tour...hopefully you will love this place as much as we do. read more

Our baby has been nurtured, taught, loved and given a safe space to thrive and grow at RESCC. I feel fortunate we are part of this amazing school, esp during the pandemic. The staff celebrate our baby's development milestones and unique traits. Due to the pandemic, there are safety protocols which limit physical interactions with teachers and parents; however, the nursery staff adapted and have ways to connect. The teachers keep us informed of our child's day through thoughtful notes and photos. the teachers have years of experience and most importantly care about their contribution in raising our baby. we wanted a center where our child could grow and have develop over the years and knew RESCC offered the best in the Reston area. read more

We have a one year old who attends Robert E Simon Jr Childrens Center and we have had an extremely good experience here. Things we like about the Simon Center: (1) very low staff turn-over, (2) the teachers and other staff know all the kids and siblings (who don't even attend) by name (3) our daughter is literally happy and excited to get to school in the morning (4) there is very good communication between the school and the parents, (5) the school just plain has a good feel. I like being there and I feel really good about my daughter spending time there. read more

My daughter has attended the Simon Center for two and half years and for the wonderful teachers she's had and community of families we've become a part of I would recommend the center to anyone looking for childcare. I felt really great about the center from the tour we took before she was even born, and that feeling has been maintained throughout our child care experience here from the wonderful nursery teachers when she was an infant, to the toddler teachers, and the pre-school teachers--who have nurtured her at each step along the way. read more

Our children have attended RESCC over the span of the past 6 years after hearing great things about the center from our pediatrician. We have been thrilled with the quality of staff there due to their education, experience, and passion for working with children. There is minimal staff turnover, plenty of natural light, and an array of included enrichment activities such as yoga, Spanish, music, and creative art. read more

It has been an extraordinary four years for our family at the Simon Center. We are so grateful for all the love, care and thoughtful teaching that they have given our children. Both our children have grown so much and RESCC has been key to their development. Thank you so much for everything you have done for us, and will continue to do for so many other families. -Laurits read more