This daycare center may be the best-kept secret in Des Plaines. Their prices are the lowest I've…read moreever found. My 3-year-old son has high-functioning autism and had been kicked out of two other daycare centers because of that, but I-T Daycare Center toughed it out and made it work. He was always smiling when I picked him up at the end of the day. We attended for five months. The only reason we stopped going is because my son has begun all-day ABA therapy for his autism, which replaces daycare. There were no hard feelings when we left; Yun (the owner) agreed entirely that therapy was the best thing for my son. I am so grateful to Yun for taking my son under her wing and providing daycare that families on a budget can afford. The equipment isn't the newest, but the love and the caring for the kids and their families is real.

DO NOT send your child to this horrible place! If your child is there, take them out! The OWNER was…read morecaught ABUSING my 2yr. old grandson just recently!! There are NO cameras so NOTHING was done and the state did NOT follow up like they are supposed to! There is no structure, the place is filthy, food is substandard and the OWNER is an angry, impatient woman who should NOT be ALLOWED to watch over ANY child! This ongoing TOXIC environment was spilling into my grandson's home life, where he began acting out, hitting and having horrible fits of rage! Now that my grandson has started at another place he/she potty-trained within 10 days, thanks to the LOVING, CARING and COMPETENT teachers; he is HAPPY when he gets dropped off, and HAPPY when he gets picked up! There are other options and YOUR child is WORTH looking into them! Don't be fooled! The owner is a MONSTER. This place deserves NEGATIVE stars if that was an option.

I went to take a tour, looking for potential daycare options for my 14 month old son and I wasn't…read morevery impressed with this facility. It was small... Very cluttered and had a foul smell. The staff wasn't very welcoming and not very knowledgeable of common questions. The children would cry and i seen at least 2 staff members carry them out by their arms.. The rugs were dirty- and to think children nap on those!! I would be afraid to leave my son there...

This place started off OK when we first took our daughter when she was 18 months. As she grew, the…read morecenter did not. What I realized was the owners care more about the money they receive versus truly caring about the children and how equipped their staff is. They are fine as long as you don't have any issues. For example, if you question them they don't have clear answers which is unacceptable. Most of their teaching staff (primarily for the 3 year old class) is not up to standards. Sure they may have certain certifications, but what does that really mean when the teachers aren't professional, are very disrespectful and don't listen to parent input. The staff is a direct reflection of the very unprofessional owner. They appear to care, but are actually jokes! As long as you don't question their motives and go along with the program, you might be OK. But when it comes to your child, you should never let anyone give you half information and spoon feed you what they want to. I have witnessed several children walking around with running noses, wiping their noses with the backs of their hands (or licking it) and the staff not responding until someone else says something. Be prepared for a lot of days taking off work to care for your sick child...you'll basically be paying them for your child to get sick. The other turnoff about this place is the 'mandatory' fundraiser fee. Sure, most schools have fundraisers, but at this place, if you don't participate, they automatically add the $100 fee to your child's account. Ridiculous! As a parent you should be able to choose what you want to participate in. And then these money leeches will call you if you don't pay up. The only reason I know this is, one year we paid the $100 fee and they hadn't updated their records. When the office staff called (and before I informed her we paid well in advance), she said they will start imposing a late fee on the $100! If you have any sense, you'd steer very clear of this place unless you don't have any other options - and even in that case, find yourself another option!

It's cheaper in the area for a reason. I say cheaper because daycare is not cheap! Compared to…read moreother daycares in the area this was the cheapest I found, and at the time it met our needs. But my child's learning, growth and livelihood as made me change my mind. I'll pay more for peace of mind. Not even when during the registration process that I had to sign off that the facility informed me that they had done their yearly bug spraying, i kept on signing the paperwork. At least they told me they have bugs and took care of them right? No, wait until summer when your child doesn't want to wash their hands in one of the sinks due to ants/bugs going all around it. The highlight of the month is pajama day at this school. No field trips, dance/music class, foreign language...none. The carpet is cleaned yearly, but its very dirty and old. The toys and the play area in the back is very dated as well. The building needs an revamp/update.' My child has allergies and her nose was running year round being in this facility - this has change with the move to her new school. Another reason for pulling my child out was the fact that she would come home and ask me to watch TV show that she had never seen in our home. When I would ask her where she found out about this show, she would state from the phone from one of the teachers. Meaning after awhile, Frozen or Mickey Mouse Playhouse is taking care of my child. The final straw for me was with the food that my child was fed. One day in the stores, my child pointed to ramen noodles and called it chicken noodle soup. I was not understanding why she would do so - upon further probing, she informed me that ramen packets were served in her school and was called Chicken Noodle soup at school. I immediately called and spoke to one of the directors who confirmed this to be so. She informed me that yes they use Ramen Noodles packets, however that don't use the full flavor packets when making it and also add vegetables. I pulled my child out within the next week. I must say that some of the teachers are the highlight and saving grace of this school, as the directors were never really there. With the tools they were provided, the teachers tried (i still don't appreciate the watching of tv on phones). Even when I came earlier than 4 to pick up my child, the few times i did I saw them maybe twice. I can say for the 2 years we were at the school I only saw the two directors may 5 times. My child is now at Children's Land, which just opened literally down the street from One Leap Ahead. Prior to starting my child at One Leap, I was interested in getting her into this school based on the education programs, field trips, menu and cleanliness of the facility - however there was no opening in their Wheeling location. I am so happy that a new site opened right by us. It has been such a great move for our family!

This facility only fell on our radar through word of mouth referral of a phenomenal teacher. The…read morecenter is quietly tucked away just off the noisy hustle of Lake and Milwaukee Avenues. What we found after touring was an entire team of fabulous teachers at One Leap Ahead (OLA). After touring numerous facilities prior to making a decision we decided to go with OLA. In truth I can't say that we saw something wrong in the way the other centers were operated. Many of the sites were newer with more modern amenities. However, what we discovered with OLA set them apart from the others which helped make our choice easier. Our assessment was rooted firmly in the quality of care our child would receive. This is EXACTLY what we found at this site. The first telltale for me in the quality of the program and care was the number of professional families that are educators and in the health care field like myself. The teachers at this center are long-term employees; even assistants have a lengthy history with OLA. The owners and Directors are all former teachers at the center. This all translated to me as a love for the job they perform and it resonates in the way it's operated. Everyone in the facility is CPR certified including the Chef! The teachers are regularly in-serviced and educated in their field. Families supply "community" supplies once a year, keeping tuition competitively low for the area. Most of the items are easily picked up on a Costco or Target run. I have never been asked for another dollar outside of registration and regular tuition. Yet I've received countless projects including, photos, tie-dyed tees and the like throughout the year. No surprise fees! The teachers get even the tiniest fingers and toes involved in art and sensory discovery. I really appreciate the stream of activities to keep my little guy busy and the detailed notes I receive at the end of each day. The teachers keep parents informed on each little milestone reached on their watch; a true blessing for a working mother. They are able to seamlessly accommodate the individual needs of each child yet keep the group intact. While teachers have assigned classrooms they are all cross-trained in the rituals of other age-groups. They have the teamwork-thing down! There is indescribable warmth in this center you feel the moment you walk into the front door. I did not smell soiled nappies or hear background noise of constant crying. I'm not saying that the children don't cry but the frequency and duration are short lived. Children are a priority at OLA and their emotional needs are addressed accordingly. It's comforting to be able to leave your little one with a team of professionals and rest easy knowing he is not only in capable hands but in loving ones as well!

JoJo has been watching my son since he was 3 months old and he is now two. She is the most caring,…read moreloving and amazing woman I have ever met. When I first met her she was very willing to take care of my son who had horrible reflux and allergies, even though he would throw up on her all day long. Joann makes sure to show all the children love and affection to make them feel like they are at home. She makes art projects, reads books and teaches the children daily. She also makes sure to feed the children well balanced meals. The communication between Joann and myself is wonderful and I always know how my son did throughout the day and this includes adorable pictures sent to my phone. In the past year and a half Joann and her family have become our family. I look to her when I have toddler questions or just need to talk kid stuff. The best part of all is that my son loves JoJo and I would never imagine sending him to anyone else while I'm at work! I highly recommend Cradles 2 Crayons as an amazing home daycare.

As an elementary school teacher, I was very picky in my choice of childcare for our daughter. We…read moremet JoJo, as the kids call her, at a home daycare that I carefully selected. JoJo immediately made an impression on me as she always had Kendall's breakfast ready when we arrived, she carefully and lovingly managed multiple children at a time, and she planned art and sensory lessons everyday. At pickup Kendall's bag was carefully packed and I received a thoughtful review of my daughter's day. Essentially, I recognized early that JoJo ran the entire daycare. When Joann decided to start her own home daycare, I knew she would find instant success. Many families even took a leap of faith and followed her. They are all still with her today! I trust JoJo more than anyone I know. She is honest, dependable, hardworking, but most importantly compassionate and kind. My daughter is now at a montessori school in Lincoln Park and I have been told by many teachers at the school that she is advanced for her age. I attribute that to the emphasis that Joann places on differentiating her days to meet the needs of all of the children she cares for. I recommend Joann to care for your child without hesitation. My only thought is, now that I'm pregnant again, I hope she still has room for my little guy once the best kept secret gets out!

We LOVE this daycare, and most importantly, our son does! The teachers are really nice and…read moreknowledgeable. Our son is 9 month old now, and every time he gets there or leaves, he smiles to the teachers. One can tell that he feels very safe and comfortable and happy with them. They also give us very precious pieces of advice, which is great for us! The infant room is great, with plenty of toys, a lot of light, and room! My husband stops by here and then because he misses our son and he never witnessed anything like the people who gives bad ratings. Did I mention that the rate is more than great? We , all 3 of us, definitely recommend the place! Thanks a bunch to Ramona, Ramona, Mirella and Honi for doing such a great job!

My son just gradauted from this daycare and our experience was great. If you are looking for…read moresomething fancy, this is not it. If you are looking for a place where your child will be happy, will learn, will play and will grow - then this is a very good place. It is affordable, convenient to several neighborhoods and we had an overall great experience.

She Is Very Nice , Respectful , Great w My Kids , House Immaculate Clean , Great Area For The Kids…read moreAlways Available Always On Time . She Treats Kids Like Their Hers & Always Looking Out . We Love Her & I Highly Recommend Her Daycare For Others .

the lady every nice,respectful,professional good place for your child to go she teach them cursive…read morehelp with homework etc

I am the mother of three and I must relay that my babies' time at Little Debbie's was absolutely…read morepleasant. You can tell that the owner cared about each and every child who entered the home. My little ones always left clean and well-fed. And yes, homework was complete by the time I picked them up. How did I learn about the daycare? I was referred by a close friend. I was satisfied with Little Debbie's the whole time I was there and only left because I relocated. I can say that I believe the record-keeping was intact, but personally, I have never given a daycare or school any of my children's original documentation (those items are too important to play with). Also, it was always tidy and neat when I walked in. That was one compliment I always gave. A nice affordable daycare that worked with me when I was going through financial hardship.

This daycare is so unprofessional. This lady is a thief. She lost my baby birth certificate. House…read moreis nasty. When she drop off kids they do not be in seatbelts or anything. My child stop going here sept 7th 2024. She kept accepting my payments until Jan 2025. You stole from the state. You about to loose your license for stealing from the state

We switched to HPM after a more rigid schooling experience that excelled at academics, but did not…read moreaddress socio-emotional or physical aspects of kids development. I was so hesistant to leave the great group of friends we had developed, but I know I made the right choice. This is a warm and caring environment, I have had great relationships with all of the teachers and it is very kid-centered. The things I love most - the hands on math, the freedom, creativity, writing, conflict resolution skills, self regulation skills, climbing trees, getting dirty, and making up games. My kids will talk about 20 different games that they just made up .... so much critical thinking and interpersonal skill development. I am a professor myself, and I was looking for the environment that was community focused, truly diverse (socio-economic) and DRIVES intrinsic motivation. My kids LOVE to learn. That is a skill worth paying for.

Be cautious before enrolling. The camp advertises a refund policy if plans change before a certain…read moredate, but they did not honor it in my case. I received an email from the camp coordinator confirming I would get a refund, yet after following up four times, I never heard back. I lost over $500 between my two kids, and the lack of communication was extremely unprofessional