I just want to say that this place CAN thrive. However, let me touch base on a few non thriving points. I've noticed that it is a fake environment, and I don't recommend anyone to bring their children there. This place is more so a show place than it is a learning environment. When I was given a tour, I was told that this school was one of the best in the neighborhood, CLEANING wise! Nothing about EDUCATION at all! You would think that if you are showing a school, you would talk about how wonderful the education is in your center. Not talk to me about how great the cleaning is and ask me how much money I make, and personal stuff. I just met you! Yes, the school looks great, well organized, clean, and smells like way too much bleach and Lysol. Which, I am pretty sure spraying Lysol is illegal when children and teachers were in the building? Is it not? Any deep cleaning or MOPING!? Yes, I think that's a safety issue. So, I decide to give this place a shot. First mistake. All mistake! *The place is too expensive *The children aren't taught what you're being told they are being taught (The music classes, Spanish or language, and the librarian never comes in) *No field trips -where's the learning in that? *Kids are sent home with work sheets which look like are put in front of them to color on to keep them busy - no educational format here *The teachers look miserable. In fact, whenever I see a teacher, they are cleaning. Not watching the children! - safety issue *Different teachers all the time / High turn over rate. - I wonder why? *Horrible Micro managing! Hmmm... I think I can go on. In fact, this school should be renamed Smart Stuff Cleaning Center. I never see enough teachers with the ratio of children that are there. I'm pretty sure that's a DCFS law. And again, a SAFETY issue. Oh... also know that if you enroll your child into that school, you're required to NOT ONLY bring in materials for your child like markers, crayons, color pencils, glue... which is fine, but you need to bring in CLEANING SUPPLIES! Oh, big surprise. The list is lysol, bleach wipes, paper towels, etc. Why am I buying CLEANING SUPPLIES for a school? Also, those materials you bring in for your child to have his/her own markers, ends up in a SHARED box for everyone to use. There's no personal materials like the owner states. Not to mention, in that list, you have to also bring in snacks and juice. Does the food program not pay for this? Cause, I'm pretty sure that's what a food program is for. Also, why are your teachers not eating with the children? It's state law that they eat with them. So you have your teachers watch the children eat while they are hungry? Oh.. no, that's right, while the children are eating, the Smart Stuff cleaning crew, is CLEANING. Hmmm... I really hope your teachers didn't go to school for Early Childhood Education and get their degrees to clean. Poor women. Let me touch base on tutoring too. This place likes to express that they offer the best tutoring, and the prices are very high for "sessions." Well let me tell you that in these "sessions," the owner "tutors" your child while walking around the school "managing" her teachers and answering her cell phone and checking her computer almost the WHOLE time your child is supposed to be tutored. Then let me tell you about the boss. Or bosses. It's a husband and wife duo! You know what, I better not. When you have nothing nice to say, better keep it to yourself. Just an fyi, if you're thinking about enrolling your child in this school, NO! If you're thinking about working for this school, NO! SERIOUSLY GO IN THERE, COUNT THE CHILDREN, COUNT THE TEACHERS. SEE WHAT THE CHILDREN ARE DOING. Usually, if it's a great environment for the children, the routine is set already, the children understand where to be, when, and how to act. You can tell this a fake place. Welcome to the neighborhood, Smart Stuff CLEANING Center. read more

Smart Stuff is as good as it gets! Yes it is extremely clean which real educators and great parents all love and can relate to! Preparing kids to get excited about learning is no easy task but the Smart Stuff owners rise to the challenge everyday. I love that they started their own learning center to be around their daughter...awesome! To me that is a sign that they care deeply and are passionate about what they do and the service they provide. If it's good enough for their daughter, it's good enough for any body's kids. New parents considering bring their kids here can even sit in on a normal class day to witness the program in action. The children learn important beginning skills such as writing, reading, science with math by sizing, measuring and patterns. They also learn to build their social skills like sharing, playing and getting to know each other and their community. I thought it was so adorable when we took a field trip to the local firehouse and after played at one of the neighborhood's popular parks. We also went fishing with the CPD one year during their summer camps for older kids. In the colder months the music teacher, librarian and the Mad Scientist come to the center. Kids absolutely love coming here, from the big kids to the little ones. It's in the neighborhood, run by a local and well known family. I recommend sending your little ones here year round because the hours are great for the price. This is QUALITY care. I wouldn't listen to bad reviews by Ex disgruntled employees. I personally worked for Smart Stuff Learning Center for 3+years and never had a problem with the workload. It's not for everyone as you can see from "Concerned Parent" comments. When you are good at putting a of plan of action into your day, the children are the ones who benefit from an organized educator. I ate, played, danced, taught, sang and read hundreds of books with my classes. Everyday was fun! I was a tutor and educator, I absolutely loved my time at Smart Stuff with the kids and coworkers, including the owners. It's a real family friendly environment. I'd still work there if I still lived in Chicago and I know I have a place to work if I ever move back. Kids go home happy because they are safe and cared for in this healthy environment. THANK YOU SMART STUFF for the opportunity to work and grow with you, I MISS YOU! Love Miss Linda read more

My kid was home with a nanny for 3 years and we were really hesitant to put her into daycare. I visited 5 other south loop daycares and chose Smart Stuff after meeting directly with the owner. The other centers felt a little corporate and I really appreciated that the owner was present and she was a former pre k teacher. The care and quality of her practice shows in the following ways: The classes were smaller than the other day cares I saw. The kids are allowed to move around and it feels like "home." The teachers go above and beyond. My kid still cries every morning I drop her off. This is developmental and normal. The teacher, Ms. Jen always stops what she is doing to comfort my kid which allows me to get to work on time. I cannot put a price on my child's safety or well being. I don't care if my kid is learning to spell her name (which they do teacher her to btw) or if she knows her colors. I care most about my kid being treated with compassion and fairness. The teachers at smart stuff are overly compassionate and have a family oriented attitudes. At other centers I toured I felt the teachers were a little sterile. I notice at smart stuff every teacher knows my kids name - not just the names of their kids in their classes - this speaks volumes about the school community feel that smart stuff offers. Smart stuff feels like a little private school. I get emails about menus as well as emails that let me know what my child is learning. The other parents are also really kind and the over all environment is welcoming and friendly and super clean. The bottom of my child's school shoes are still sparkly Smart stuff was a lower cost than the other places I toured. The price had nothing to do with my choice. But it surely is an added bonus! The other day care close by doesn't have outdoor access. Every day at smart stuff my kid gets to go outside and walk to the playground- giving her much needed excersize and vitamin D! I could go on and on and on about the many reasons why I am so relieved to have my child here- but I think you get the point. If you can get your kid a spot here - especially in Ms. Jens class- you'll be a very happy parent !!! read more

I don't normally write reviews but after reading Concerned Parent, I felt I must. I have sent 2 of my children to Smart Stuff for both school and their summer camp program and I can't speak highly enough. Both my girls ended up being accepted into the gifted program at Skinner West. I have 2 more children and am sending my 2 year old there starting next fall. The owners (Carla & Mike) and staff treated my children as if they were their own. My daughters to this day still ask to stop in and say "Hi" when we drive past the school. I knew when they were dropped off they were being left in a SAFE, CARING and FUN environment. As to the cleaning, yes they do take cleaning to an above and beyond level; not to an extreme, but you know what? Neither of my children EVER came home sick. They do all their heavy cleaning at night when the school is empty as is evident when you drive by there at 8pm at night and see the lights on and what they are doing through the big glass windows. Yes, they do ask for supplies and such, but their list is NO DIFFERNENT than the one you receive when you send the kids to grammar school. My one daughter is in Kindergarten and I am required to bring snacks in for the entire class once a month. I don't know any school they doesn't do community supplies. The tuition is not insane either, I don't know what Concerned Parent is talking about. When you compare the cost to the Catholic schools' pre-school around the neighborhood and the extra hours and education you are getting, their prices are reasonable. This school is filled with children under the age of 5, not sure what type of field trips they should be taking but I think it's just silly to say it's an issue. Where are they suppose to take these kids in the winter and than have to put the burden on parents to be chaperones? It can wait until their in grammar school. Overall, the school is great, the staff is wonderful and in the end I felt my children received an excellent pre-school education that more than prepared them for Kindergarten. read more

We started the learning center for our daughter at 2 years old and I have not had a concern when leaving her with her teachers. I was very nervous because she had been cared for by grandmother so this was a big change in her life. Honestly, the transition took about 2 weeks but afterwards my daughter accepted and welcomed the care and attention her teachers offered her. The teacher in the 2yr old class did an excellent job with accommodating to my daughter's needs as she was shy and needed extra reinforcement to participate in the class. In no time she was an active student helping other children. I cannot say enough good things. She is currently in the 3-5 yr class and her teacher recently stepped into the lead and has been amazing; planning, playing, and simply caring for these little ones. They are super attentive and make sure each child is receiving individualized care. They ask questions and care about the answers to make sure your child is happy - healthy - and growing! These ladies keep everything CLEAN. The school is very clean, shoes off when you enter, wash hand, wash baby's hands... it's fantastic!! The directors have been responsive if a question or issue ever arose and are overall amazing. I am happy to say we will continue ongoing relationship as our daughter will move on to the same preschool our director's daughter currently attends. Thank you everyone at smart learning who has made a tremendous impact on my daughter's development and happiness into the beginning stages of learning. read more

I recommend this center to any caring parent wanting to help their child excel in beginning learning skills like writing, simple math and developing their social skills. We have just our daughter and we were worried that she may have issues with sharing and being around new experiences. We sat down and spoke to Ms. Carla about our concerns and she listened and gave us great advice. We are not educators and everything she said made sense and made us feel at ease. We immediately felt comfortable with this learning environment compared to other learning centers in the area. Our daughter has learned to share, make friends and most importantly spell her name at Smart Stuff. She loves the books that are read, the teachers and watching the big trucks and buses pass by. It's Chicago, its our city..it's not the forest preserve..what does Amanda J expect? As first time parents and one more on the way, we are certainly sticking with Smart Stuff for our next kiddo. This place is something special and I recommend it to all parents wanting quality care with an excellent learning edge. Kudos to Mikey, Ms. Carla and Ms. Angie. My daughter absolutely loves learning and growing with you guys. Thanks to the entire staff for all that you do. read more

Smart Stuff is a fantastic family-operated daycare with a committed, warm and professional staff. Our son thrived there. He clearly loved his teachers and would come home talking about them and about his friends. He and the other children always seemed happy when I arrived there. My son's friends would give him hugs, etc etc. Smart Stuff does a really good job of creating at atmosphere that's really friendly while also keeping the kids engaged and learning. I also like how they make a point of taking the kids outside and getting them to make pretty complex projects, not just doodles. I'd like to contradict two points made by an earlier unhappy reviewer: this place has plenty of space for the children, not to mention easy access to a nearby park (1/2 block) with a good playground. And it is by far the cleanest daycare we have seen (we've seen many). Cleanliness actually seems to be a point of pride at Smart Stuff. I'd recommend this place to anyone, and have done so to multiple friends. Daycare is a big decision and this is one is a great choice. read more

Our daughter has been attending Smart Stuff since she was 18 months and she recently just turned 3. All the teachers have done a great job transitioning her and making her comfortable very early on. She is also learning so much (i.e. words, mannerism, awareness) and has become so independent over that time frame. There are teachers that have been there since my daughter started and there have been new faces, but the culture and attention to detail have stayed consistent. Carla and her team do a great job keeping parents informed and are always accommodating and flexible to unexpected scenarios or ad-hoc requests. As our family grew, we now have a one year old that has been at Smart Stuff since he was 2 months old. Our family has been very satisfied with the level of care provided to our children. Kudos to Carla and her staff for the great work in maintaining the quality of the daycare. We would highly recommend Smart Stuff for anyone looking to place their child in a safe, diverse, and nurturing environment. read more

Love this place! I wouldn't choose any other day care. Their security systems they use to watch the children and employees is the most advanced technology. Which leaves myself, as a full time working mother, with a peace of mind. But what I really appreciate, is the fact that the staff are friendly and really involved with the children. And the owners, who are a super friendly married couple, are really nice and super involved with their facility. The price is right, It's crazy clean and my child really enjoys attending it. I think these are really important qualities to have for a daycare, especially when you are a parent having to leave your child in the care of someone else. I'm currently 9 months pregnant and will be sending my new baby at 8 weeks old. As tough as it will be to leave my new baby, I rest assure knowing that Smart Stuff learning center will take great care of her. read more

I would have to disagree with everyone on their reviews. I have my children in this daycare since 2012. Its safe, its clean and my children have learned so much. I would not go by the other comments to determine if you like this daycare. I've never felt my children were not being cared for, or felt the teachers weren't paying attention, and as far as price that should not matter, the safety of your child comes first. I was always notified a month in advance on the class schedule as well as events, closures and breakfast/lunch menus. There are 3 rooms and they are each perfect size for the amount of children in each room. My kids have never said they didn't want to go to school/daycare and never said anything that negative about it. For you all looking for school/daycare I WOULD Recommend this and not go by other peoples opinion. check it out for yourself. read more

Our son got into Kindergarten at the school we wanted him to get into. Smart Stuff knows what they are doing. He has excelled in reading and keeps asking when he is going back to Smart Stuff--"his school" he misses Ms Carla, the music teacher, dancing and playing the instruments during Music Time and of course his friends. I highly recommend this place. I never had any complaints about providing snacks or supplies that I knew my son would definitely use and snacks he loves and eats. My wife and I loved the worksheets he would bring home and display them on the fridge, he was very proud of himself and we are proud of him. The place is warm, sunny with windows and the kids love seeing big trucks and the firetrucks go by. If you want more bang for your buck, Smart Stuff is top of the line for not a whole lot of money like other preschools. read more

My daughter started here when she was about 18 months and one year later we are about to start our 3 month old. Smart Stuff offers the professionalism of a big-name daycare but the care of a family-run business, all at a much more reasonable price. The teachers are experienced and caring and always open to discussing the particular needs of your child. I was especially impressed at how they dealt with our daughter's biting phase. It would have been very easy to make us and her feel ashamed about this behavior, but instead they approached it as a problem to be solved together vs. disciplined away, and it she stopped after 1 week. They were also very helpful when it came to potty training, always willing to adjust to our daughter's changing needs and abilities (fyi, she stopped using diapers at 32 months). A great place! read more

Smart Stuff Learning Center has become my daughter's second home! She warmed up to the staff and other children there so much sooner and welcoming than I thought she would. I love to see how involved the staff is with each infant, toddler, and pre-schooler! With all of the negativity and shaming of day cares going around today, I'm glad to say without any reluctance that this is the day care I chose for my daughter. She's become quite comfortable and fond of her new routine and has broken out of her shell so much since starting here a few months ago! read more

I utilized Smart Stuff this past summer for 2 children, and I would use them again. I think their staff cared about taking care of my kids. I know my kids liked the staff that they worked with. And they had the kids do interesting and challenging activities. I appreciate that because I care very much about their education and development. I didn't check prices at other Bridgeport area daycare centers, but I called 2-3 places in Oak Lawn and Alsip. Those places were only marginally cheaper than Smart Stuff, and those aren't even 'ritzy' suburbs. read more

I am an employee at Smart Stuff and it is a really great place to work. All of the teachers genuinely care about each child, and we are well-trained to handle every situation. I had to take multiple online courses and had a background check in order to work there, so you can rest assured that your children are in good hands. We also sanitize everything daily and wear gloves when changing diapers and serving food so everything is sanitary. If I had children I would definitely feel more than comfortable bringing them to Smart Stuff. read more

This is one of the best educational centers I have ever seen! Very clean, organized plus the staff is amazing and kid friendly. They have such fun activities that incorporate education. They also provide the children healthy meals and snacks.The directors of this facility are educated and experienced with children and always inform the parents about their child's/children's progress. I definitely recommend this educational center for parents. They will definitely see their child/children reach their full potential. read more

My son attended Smart Stuff for 3 year old and 4 year old preschool. He is now entering 1st grade and he still talks about how much he enjoyed being there. It was a great experience for him and as an educator myself, I felt that he was beyond ready for Kindergarten. The program offered the structure my son needed to preapre for him for school, but also the freedom to learn through play and exploration. I would highly recommend Smart Stuff's preschool program. read more

My son attended summer camp at Smart Stuff learning center 2 years in a row. He loved it, the themed weeks that incorporated learning and fun kept him engaged. The facility was clean, organized, and the staff very attentive to the children. When I walked out the door and left my son in their care I was 100% confident he was being well taken care of. read more

My daughter has been here since she was two and she has learned so much in the 6 short months she's been there!! The staff are all so friendly and caring! My top priority when choosing a day care was the people she would be interacting with every day and I must say I'm so pleased! I send her to school every day knowing she's in great hands! read more