The Day Nursery is incredible! They go above and beyond to help the children. My daughter has…read moreflourished while attending both academically and emotionally. The support and loves she's received in a very tough year is unmatched. We were incredibly blessed she was placed in the sunshine room with the infamous Ms Kira and Ms Latrice! My daughter feels so loved, loves going to preschool, and has made lasting relationships. I would recommend them to any family looking. Your child with be loved and individualized in their approach. It's hard to trust other people to care for your children, this is one place you'll never have to worry!

The Day Nursery offers a great program and strong overall childcare, however, do not plan on their…read morefacility being open consistently. Do to a combination of Covid-related restrictions that are in place per the Oak Park Health Department and additional restrictions that the Day Nursery puts in place, we have been unable to consistently rely on the Day Nursery as a childcare provider. In the last 6 months our daughter's classroom has repeatedly closed for 5 days at a time, with the latest closure happening despite zero cases of Covid in her classroom. Communication with parents has been minimal, inconsistent, and reactionary. Our experience has been not been a unique one, with similar closures occurring in all the classrooms. There is a significant movement among school families to remove their children due to the ongoing lack of consistent childcare as well as a lack of future strategy. **Full disclosure, we are a vaccinated, science following, and mask-wearing household.

Lovely, secular, diverse, NAEYC-accredited, developmentally appropriate, play-based nursery school…read morethat welcomes and honors all families! And was able to safely care for my little peanut-allergic son, and quite a few other children with food allergies. And provided lots of music, movement, arts & crafts, and vigorous outdoor play time in all seasons. There is a volunteer Board of Directors as well as other opportunities for parents to get involved. My two children are both older now and have moved on but look back very fondly on their Pilgrim days and have maintained friendships with their Pilgrim classmates and the staff, too!!

I cannot say enough good things about this place. My kids have been going here for 4 years now and…read morehave never once resisted or complained about going to school. The teachers are all incredible and passionate about my kids. My oldest is in Kindergarten now and is fully prepared academically and more importantly socially for her school career. The school has definitely helped us to make this community feel like home and has become the center of our life in Oak Park life with so many other great family social activities to meet other parents.

We moved to the area at the start of the pandemic and by 2021 were ready to send our 4 year old to…read morea Montessori. So began our hunt for the best of many in the Oak Park area. We didn't know any folks who had sent their kids to one near by so had to do cold calls and tours. I reached out to a few in the area and Mrs Eggerding was the fastest to callback and schedule a tour, starting us off on a great foot about how well the school had their act together. We got to observe a classroom and we're extremely excited by the vibe of the guides (Montessori speak for "teachers") and the children. There was just so much independence and respect that we knew we found the right school. At first our 4 year old was resistant. He had been with his grandmother for the last 1.5 years of the pandemic so I get his resistance. But even after day 1 he was excited to share his experiences. We eventually sent our second child there too in a different classroom, which they were happy to accommodate. We couldn't have been happier with our choice even with a 10+ min drive every day. We're definitely planning to send out third there as well. At first it doesn't seem too different from other schools as far as what they're able to do but by even a few months in they're showing so much more independence and eagerness to do more. It's a challenge to me to expect and enable them more at home. The guides have been wonderful about getting to know our children and guiding them on their journey. We've had a few parent teacher conferences which are helpful to peek behind the current as they're often exhausted in a good way by the end of the day. Our child's guides and the front office staff were very receptive to questions and helped us both understand Montessori better but also our child. It was funny for us as parents to go from a city daycare that sent us his eating, peeing, pooping, and activity schedule with activity photos nearly as they were happening to come to Montessori which is really trying to put the child first and focus on them, not logging everything they're doing. I had been a Montessori student so expected that but it was still funny. We get photos and reports every couple of weeks and had parent teacher conferences that did align with what he was saying or what we figured was going on.

If i could rate this place half a star i would. i took my daughter here for preschool and she loved…read more1 teacher only 1. as soon as she got into her 1st year at that school she was getting bullied by everyone and the teachers because she had a physical disability. the classrooms are VERY packed, my kid was in a class of 35 from preschool to 6th grade. she was the happiest little girl and she loved dressing up and having parties, but as soon as she got into 1st grade she was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. she was CONSTANTLY having fights with her teachers because of her depression, later she was diagnosed with explosive anger issues. because of her teachers . she was coming home crying because of the kids bullying her. she eventually had to leave in the middle of her 6th grade year because her mental health was super bad. she is now happily at gwendolyn brooks middle school and doing much better.

Love this place!! It was the best start for my 3 boys. Caring teachers, small classes, great…read morefamilies! Just a wonderful preschool & we're so lucky to have found it. It's not all play, my boys did very well here academically& it's a place we still miss as they're older now. Fond, fond memories!

Can't say enough great things about First United. Our 5th year here, we love it! Wonderful,…read morecaring teachers and staff and a really great environment. While it's a play based preschool so much learning has happened during our time here.

As an employee of Alcuin, I can speak highly of this school's teaching faculty, who are among the…read moremost intelligent, talented, and committed Montessori teachers I have met in the field. The families who send their children to this school seem highly committed to helping their children reach their highest potential, and see their children as whole beings with social and emotional needs, as well as academic ones. As a teacher here, I have greatly enjoyed my relationships with parents, as they have been so collaborative and positive. We have newly begun a terrific adolescent program, and I encourage anyone interested in finding an alternate middle school, or a high-quality educational program for any age child to inquire. I have been so happy to work at this fantastic and excellent school, which is truly a haven for Montessori teachers who love to nurture and challenge children!

We absolutely love Alcuin. Our son has thrived in the Primary classroom, and our daughter is new…read moreto the Toddler class. Both children are happy and actually look forward to going to school! Since starting at Alcuin, my daughter has shown significant progress with her verbal skills and interest in potty training/toilet learning. It's only been a short time, but the difference in her is truly remarkable. For those considering a high-quality, Montessori education in a loving environment, look no further!

My daughter loves going to school everyday, has a great community, and has risen to the standards…read moreof the school. Thank you for changing her life's course.

I am a parent to two Children's School graduates and I am thrilled to share that both children and…read moreour whole family had an excellent experience at TCS. We had children enrolled for 8 years. Both kids were wholly engaged in the curriculum and supported in all aspects of their development while building beautiful, meaningful relationships with the other students, parents, teachers and the two amazing directors. They especially enjoyed being able to delve deeper into subject matter with TCS's project-based learning style. They loved being outdoors, having loads of field trips, learning art, music and theatre in addition to reading, math, history, civics and science. They learned to be critical thinkers, problem-solvers, good citizens and helpful friends. They were both welcomed and honored for their uniqueness and learned to further celebrate the diversity of others. Progressive Education at The Children's School was the right fit for my kids. Both of my children thrived at TCS and are now doing very well at our local public high school. It was a financial investment for our family but one we are so glad we made. I'd enroll them again in a heartbeat.

This is a newer school in Oak Park so I was a little nervous at first. The class sizes are small so…read morethe teachers are very attentive. Pricing is better compared to some in the Chicagoland areas. My daughter is taking Japanese classes here and so far so good. She really likes her teacher which I feel is important. The space also promotes learning, rugs and pillows everywhere but also small classrooms for teaching. On the weekends the environment is very quiet. Had a chance to write this review while sipping complementary coffee while waiting for my daughter. The staff here are always so welcoming!

I am Cynthia R.'s husband. We signed up for the whole summer back in January and have the email to…read moreprove it. When we showed up with our daughter for day 1 of the 2nd 6 weeks, we were shocked when they said we had not enrolled. Then they lied to us and said the session was full; we had a friend call the next day and found they had room. It wasn't until after repeated calls and emails that the director (does not deserve this title) informed us it was due to our child's behavior. We were only notified once of any issues and we immediately addressed them. In addition, we asked every day how things were and were always told "good" and "fine" and were never again contacted about any behavior issues. If we had been, we would have dealt with them but the lies and deceit are so very unprofessional and unethical. We have filed a formal complaint with the BBB of Chicago and have done the same with the Village of Oak Park. Our child did love Academia and is heart broken, is this how an institution of child learning acts and behaves? Buyer beware with this place!!

Our 4.5 year old is in her second year at MLA. We are so grateful that she has been able to safely…read morecontinue to grow at school with her friends and teachers during this strange year, adding proper mask wear & care, mindful hand washing, and other health-and-safety focused skills to her practical life toolkit! We don't speak Japanese at home, but we incorporate songs and phrases that she has picked up from school, and we sometimes watch Japanese movies and videos, learning together casually at home. Similarly we don't aggressively augment her learning of letters or math, but instead follow her lead regarding what she is working on and enjoying at school enough that she wants to do it at home, too. It's been wonderful to see her drawings develop naturally, to overhear her speaking with her toys in Japanese, and to know what she means when she wakes us up to say she's "peko peko" every morning. As she's gotten older, we hear more about what she's learning and it is always with such true confidence, contagious enjoyment, and deep understanding: cycles of a pumpkin and a flower, details of different planets and their temperature, and how to cut out a heart (& not waste the folded paper with the outline!). She has always loved to do things her own particular way, which we have encouraged within the boundaries of safety and kindness -- it's clear that her teachers similarly support (and enjoy!) that individuality, while thoughtfully guiding her towards opportunities for growth in herself and collaboration with others. Clearly I could go on forever--we love this hidden gem of a community so much! Thank you, MLA!

We originally chose MLA because it is a dual-language Japanese Montessori school. While already…read morefamiliar with the Montessori approach for learning, what we did not expect was dedication of the school's director, Yoko-sensei, to your child's emotional as well as educational development. We also appreciate how the director is willing to offer-up constructive and honest feedback about your child. Our daughter's other schools were quick to say "she's doing fine" - minimizing amount the personal attention they would have to give. That is certainly not the case with MLA - they go out of their way to address your child's individual needs. MLA is so important to us that when we moved to another city 30 miles away, we chose to commute a total of 90 minutes each day just to keep her there.

We have been absolutely thrilled with the caliber and quality of Intercultural in Oak Park. The…read morecommunity we've created with other parents, the support we feel from the school administration and teachers, and the leaps we've seen both our kids make academically, emotionally, and socially are all reasons we've stayed all the way through kindergarten for both kids. The Spanish immersion was a no-brainer, but the Montessori method was new for us - I truly credit this method in helping shape our kids into little world citizens who are independent, inclusive, curious, and kind.

Um, I was sad after reading the first review. Not knowing what sort of experiences others have…read morehad, my daughter seems to love it at Intercultural. It's a wonderful departure for her from regular day care, and I love the fact that she is getting a healthy dose of the Japanese language every morning. The teachers communicate well and are good at sending home what the children have been working on. My daughter just started at the beginning of November and is happy every morning that she attends school as opposed to not wanting to go to her previous day care. Obviously I don't have as much experience with the school as others do- I am interested to hear what others think. I give it 4 stars simply because it is super expensive. (As are all private schools of quality) We're shelling out a lot of cash monies to read a bad review of this place..... eeek. Thought I'd update my review - Feb. 08 - my daughter does not attend this school any more. We took her out at the end of last school year. She seemed to be the one kid who couldn't handle not understanding the language. She wouldn't talk to, or hardly look at the (Japanese) teachers. It made me sad to take her out because I really wanted her to have the early understanding of another language. She also seemed to dig the Montessori learning techniques. She's super happy at her new school and seems much more comfortable. comfortable

We are thrilled with Kindness Creators!…read more They're a preschool located at the Oak Park Arms retirement community where the retired residents volunteer in the classroom and the kids go visit the residents who aren't physically able to come down. It's like my daughter has 50 grandparents watching over her at preschool and it is heart-warming to see the seniors light up around the kids. Jaime and Pam do a fantastic job educating our daughter. With more and more research highlighting how critical social skills are to kids' success in school, we were excited to see that the emphasis is on social/emotional and empathy. Since she's started school, our daughter has done a great job making friends at the park and dealing with disagreements. She's still a 4 year old, but it's fun to see her confidence grow. Of course, she's also getting great with her numbers and letters. There are a whole lot practical conveniences to Kindness Creators that are a great bonus. They are really flexible on their hours, you can have your kid go to preschool year round (if you like), they meet you outside for pick up and drop off which definitely saves time and the kids don't have to be potty trained when they start. Kindness Creators is great for my daughter with the added benefit of bringing a lot of joy to Oak Park's senior citizens.

We have been at no less than five preschools in the area, and are just in love with Kindness…read moreCreators. Pam and Jaime are both early childhood certified, and have special ed and ESL endorsements, so they are very qualified to be teaching our kiddos. KC focuses on social/emotional development, which is why we have moved our son here this year rather than a traditional after-kindergarten program, since that is very important to us. The program is in a senior citizens home, so my kid gets to mingle with seniors, which is a win-win for everyone involved in my book. There are ice cream socials every Friday ;) In addition, there are education college students helping out in the classrooms as well as seniors from the center. It is well-run and I love that I get to spend as much time as I need every day talking to Pam and Jaime at pick up. I haven't found that anywhere else. We love it so much, we are transferring my other son here next year. I wish it had been around years ago when we first started in preschool!