I was not impressed with the "teaching" staff. I was even less impressed with the director of this…read moredaycare center.

Just called to ask if they had availability for my daughter, and the response was an impressively…read morerude, curt, "Nope," followed by a long pause. Glad I won't be going there. I would have expected at least a LITTLE more friendly customer service. Maybe an, "I'm sorry, we are full but we would be happy to put you on our waiting list..." etc etc. I expect a much higher level of professionalism from an institution that is caring for, and educating, children.

We joined Wild Rose, a Wildflower offspring, at the early stage and grew together over the years…read more WR started with 9 kids and now has over 40, with about half in primary and the rest in elementary. The teachers are kind and experienced, helping kids learn more about social values instead of test taking. Kids are given autonomy and expected to contribute to the school system by shopping for food, cooking, cleaning up the classroom, setting up projects, etc. We experienced some growing pains but overall was well worth it. Parents are expected to be involved but this has been reduced to about once a month instead of per week. The low teacher to kid ratio ensures more attention and opportunity to aid the kids in their weaker areas. The school is looking to grow into middle school (grade 5+) and is actively looking for children aged 9-11 for the next academic year. It is well worth taking a tour to see if it is the right fit for your family!

My 5yo son attends Wild Rose. The things that I think make it special are:…read more - it's deliberately a small, one-classroom, shopfront school. So it's a very close-knit group and the teachers have a lot of autonomy and passion for making the best school they can. - it's true to the Montessori tradition without falling into dogma -- observation and experimentation are important elements. The school cooperates with researchers at the MIT Media Lab that are studying new methods and materials. - it's a mixed-age classroom. This creates so many wonderful opportunities for younger children to learn from older children and for older children to practice being leaders and teachers.

I have nothing but positive things to say about my child's time at LCS:…read more The staff were full of love and brought so much care and attention to my little one every day. All of the teachers/caregivers work very well as a team and take the time to get to know and love each of the children they look after and it really does show on the faces of the little ones attending the program. The learning curriculum is engaging for the kids and the communications with parents are frequent and clear . The Brightwheel app updates are amazing; seeing photos of my kid every day really brightened my mood. The physical space within the daycare is fun and inviting, with each classroom mocked up as a house or building in a neighborhood (hallway). I'd HIGHLY recommend this daycare to anyone in the Brookline/Boston area looking for somewhere their LO can socialize, exercise, learn, and grow in a safe and loving environment.

Both of my kids spent several years at LCSH, starting (for kid #1 at age 4, and kid #2 from 9…read moremonths). Between them, they passed through every classroom. There was not a single room that we (and they) didn't love! My son left for Kindergarten a year ago and my daughter is leaving now at age 3 to be closer to our home for pick-up/drop-off reasons. I'm so incredibly grateful we had LCSH to care for our children. First, the leadership. Lissy and Gladys are wonderful. They are experienced, kind, friendly, professional, and very responsive. They clearly love and know each one of the children and care for their staff. There is very little staff turnover, which both creates a very nice family atmosphere for the kids and speaks to Lissy and Gladys' leadership. When the pandemic hit, Lissy and Gladys did everything they could to keep the children safe while understanding the needs of working parents. I also have compared their tuition to many other places and they are very reasonable. Second, the staff! They are such wonderful people - my kids loved them all because they are warm, loving, and great educators. My son was fully ready for Kindergarten and my daughter has learned fine motor skills, sharing, listening, resolving conflicts, and fairness. Often teachers from previous years would see my daughter in the hallway and give her big hugs. It meant a lot to us that they felt surrounded by people who care. Third, the other programs. Lissy and Gladys keep things fresh by bringing in music teachers, having field days, sports, and many other activities. My daughter looked forward to every Thursday when Ms. Monica would come to her class and bring instruments for the kids to play and to dance. Finally, the community. The parents and other children are a lovely group of people. We are sad to leave LCSH, but grateful we have the memories. If you visit the school - especially Boylston street - it's not the most beautiful location. But don't judge based on that! The school itself is very nice and the teachers get the kids out and about to the local parks for sports, water parties in the summer, and playground fun. Ultimately, LCSH is a great place with people who truly care about kids and families.

After hearing nothing but praise about this establishment, I was beyond disappointed with my…read moreexperience of trying to get BASIC information from their staff. Run-a-muck was highly recommended to us as the "best in Salem/Danvers", and was 1 of 2 preschools recommended by my PEDIATRICIANS office for my son. However, after contacting through their website, them via email, it was like pulling teeth to get any information. I still have no clue how much it would cost - and I asked about tuition 3 times! Finally, I requested that Valerie (the lady in Salem that was not giving me any information besides that they had a wait list, and only accept full days/weeks students) to give me the name, address, and phone number of someone in Danvers. I was given a name (Gretchen), and a phone number that was disconnected. She also stated that she forwarded my emails to her. When Gretchen emailed me, it was basically the same information - Please let me know what questions you have....yet nothing had been answered. In her defense, I didn't bother to respond. I'd already made up my mind, thanks to Valerie and her lack of information. Needles to say, this has left a very poor impression on me. I don't want to seems my child to a place that can't even figure out how to give information out to inquiring parents. If you are looking for someplace that refuses to answer questions, this is your place. I'd you want to know the ins and outs, and *gasp* talk to a real person...keep looking.

My son has been at Run A Muck since he was three (he is now five), and we have nothing but…read morewonderful things to say. He has never been bit, hit, pushed, shoved or hurt in any other way except for accidents on the play ground, such as a skinned knee. Even when this happened, the school called me right away to let me know and I was given an incident report when I picked him up. But kids will be kids, so I expect him to get hurt, I did when I was a kid! The staff are very attentive, friendly, helpful and great teachers. My son can now count to ten in three languages (four if you include English) and he tells us amazing facts that he learns at school. I highly recommend Run A Muck!

My daughter reported to me that she got the bruise on her right cheek at daycare from a teacher who…read morehit her. She has reported the same thing to me on separate occasions The daycare has terminated my daughter enrollment at this daycare as retaliation

Our 12mo old has been going to Diki for the past 6 months, and she squeals with delight when we…read morering the front door bell every morning. Amongst our children this has been our third infant room experience (we've been at two other child care centers), and Diki has been the best. The teachers in the infant room are so enthusiastic, energetic, and kind, and take advantage of being in such a central location with frequent visits to the amazing nearby playgrounds, green spaces, and the children's room at the Cambridge Library's main branch. We appreciate how the head of the center fosters a sense of community through teacher appreciation and parent/teacher/child events. The teachers in the infant room (and other rooms) have been at Diki a long time and seem very committed to the center's future.

TLDR: Triple check your start date, go out of your way to make sure they've sent you any paperwork…read morethey need, ask for a supervisor if they won't attempt to rectify their mistake . I would not use Kindercare in the future because of their poor communication and I hope that people in the future do not have issues like I had. -- In July 2022 when I was in my second trimester of pregnancy, I sent in an application and $200 registration fee for this daycare. I asked for a start date in April 2023 and they agreed that was likely. Later I got an email that there was a new director. When my baby was born, I emailed the new director to say, yes we still want that spot. No response after a few tries. After calling the center, I learned there was another new director. She and I communicated and she told me in writing that she confirms my spot for April. No mention of paperwork or next steps except that I could come for a tour if I wanted. It was December so I figured she'd ask for the extra paperwork closer to the start date. In February I reached out to her to ask about paperwork. No response. I learned from a friend that they have yet another director so I got her email and asked about next steps. She told me there's actually no April spot. This was very worrisome since I was going back to work in April. The July/August start date they offered would not work for me because we would moving out of the area. She declined giving back the $200 since it's not technically used to the "hold" the spot. I understand that the 200 is not a guarantee of a spot but after they told me I had a spot how would I as a first time parent know if there was even more to do? Even now I don't see what more steps I could have taken to ensure that they kept their word. The director basically agreed with me and said they dropped the ball but would not give me a refund when I asked a second time either. After asking to speak to a supervisor she agreed to send the $200 back. Whatever she did didn't work so when I reached out about the status she connected me to a support team who was able to send me a check. All this to say, I had to be very, very proactive to get any information or anything moving along. Also to clarify, after the first email communicating a director change, the subsequent changes happened without any notification. One more thing - at least one other parent I know was promised an April spot and then told there isn't one. Now I think and hope these issues won't happen when there's a consistent director. I understand that this is not the fault of the current director. I think it's appalling that they can put parents in this position without childcare by their own mistake and then not even offer to refund money deposited. I would not use Kindercare in the future because of their poor communication and I hope that people in the future do not have issues like I had. I gave 2 stars instead of only 1 because I do think some parents/kids have a good experience there and the people I spoke to were at least polite.

We brought our son here when he was 3 months old and stayed until we moved out of the city (~11…read moremonths old). Our experience at this Kindercare was excellent, and our appreciation for this place only strengthened after enrolling our son at a new day care in the 'burbs. The staff here is friendly and caring; they're always happy to see your child in the morning and to tell you about his/her day in the evening. They were very communicative both ways (I can't stress the importance of this enough). They really felt like extended family. We also appreciated that they had curriculum which, although it seems silly for an infant, provided structure and gave us comfort that they were assisting our child's development. Suffice it to say, we really miss this place.

My son attended the school for 2 years and from ages 3-5. The teachers are very/very mature,…read morecaring, and organized. Their arts and crafts followed the seasons, events, and holidays. I was consistently impressed with the art work he brought home. In addition, the children would write their own names-every day. This repetition gave him confidence and joy to write. The Director is very accessible, friendly and hand-on. I would highly recommend this preschool.

My daughter has been in the preschool program for a year and my son just entered the toddler…read moreprogram last month. I am impressed every single day at how the director and teachers pour their heart and soul into what they do. I love how every week is an interesting theme and the kids come home with multiple creative projects that they make each day. In addition, the toddlers focus on learning 2-3 letters and a number each month along with a shape and a color and the preschoolers practice tracing their names, letters, and numbers along with scissor skills and lacing. The teachers are so wonderful and nurturing and the kids are stimulated, learning, having fun, and so proud of themselves. I couldn't be happier with this school.

We love Kids on the Hill Preschool!…read more My son has attended since he turned 2.9. Kids on the Hill follows play-based education, in a good way; my son recently turned 4 and loves to read, write, tell you the months of the year (in song!), knows all the planets and so much more, it's amazing! The staff is so wonderful, in particular Miss Hope. She is such a special person in our lives. She is so caring and nurturing and attentive to his needs. She is a fantastic teacher and a lovely person. We are lucky to have her. Highly recommended to any Belmont/Watertown/Waltham parent!

The teachers at Kids on the Hill are so warm and caring. The kids always seem to be having a great…read moretime. Recommend!