Very confused as to why this place has bad reviews, from reading them it seems as if it was the…read moresame group of people writing the same thing. Happy to report this place was a blessing to our family, we experienced nothing but the best service and our son was treated with respect and love. He enjoyed going to school and we saw a beautiful shift in his behavior and development after just one week of going to this school. The staff has been here for many years and that's something I loved as many places I visited before making my decision had new members or people that weren't as qualified. This place ran like a well oiled machine and we never once had a covid scare while attending this school. They run a tight ship and do it well. Only reason we pulled our son out of this school is because we are moving a few hours away otherwise we would have kept him here until he grew out of it. Highly recommend this location now known as DaVinci academy. Thank you for taking such amazing care of my son Sebastian and got making us feel so welcomed from day one.

Our son went here for about 3 months a few years back. They're not friendly to children with…read moredisabilities/delays. They claim to be before enrolling but teachers like Ms. Ana say that your child "has something wrong with them" and that they "don't come to work to deal with one child." Some of the staff are nice but they're clearly not equipped to deal with children with disabilities and shouldn't profess to be. Also - very bad experience with "assessments" and eventually leaving the daycare.

Our son loves going to this family run daycare! He has attended since 8 months and is now going on…read moretwo years old. They are patient with him through his teething and growing phases. The app they use provides real-time updates. The curriculum helps him to develop and grow, I love when he can do new things at home he has learned at school. They send home art projects on a regular basis including all major holidays. I highly recommend this daycare!

The staff creates a very fun, safe environment for the kids, my daughter has been going for a year…read more(she just turned 3) and we really enjoy it.

SUMMER CAMP!!! after vpk,she went to kindergarten and 1st grade and is now in second grade our CJP…read moreOG crew go back for summer camp!! Love seeing how much she loves going back and being with her friends (we all stayed pretty close) and the ones that aren't part of our original crew we get to see them and reconnect- so it's a wonderful time... she loves the splash day every other friday and pizza friday and movie day alternating with splash fridays.. They keep the kids entertained and they have so much fun.... ::heart::

As a first-time mom going back to work, I was anxious about sending my little one to…read morepreschool/daycare. After a couple of weeks of calling various places and getting wait-listed, a light bulb went off one night, where I said to myself, "How about the Children's Journey Preschool near my workplace?". My husband and I called the very next day, scheduled a tour with CJP, and enrolled our little one that same day--that's how much we were confident with their dedication to children. The staff have been so wonderful and our little one is always smiling during drop off and pick up. Her teachers are so engaging and attentive. They care for her like she's part of their own family. I know that our little one is in good hands when I drop her off in the mornings. They have served the community for 50 years, which says a lot about their skill, love, and dedication to caring for children. Highly recommend :)

I am so happy Kiddie Academy of St Cloud opened up in town. Since the day I went on the tour to my…read moreson's time there it's been truly positive. We got a full run down of all their safety procedures, what the curriculum is (even for infants), and how they care for the kids. Plus they also have cameras, and send end of day reports, and have one of the most secure entryways I toured. The process to enroll was also great and I felt like even then they still cared for our family. Once there I can truly see how my son is happy and loves being there. You can tell loves Ms Andrea and everyone at Kiddie academy since he is all smiles when I drop him off. I am so grateful for the peace of mind I have as a first time Mom just returning back to work. - Ana V

My son recently started here and is doing great! They work with him and don't force him to nap if…read morehe doesn't want to. Having a camera for extra assurance that my son is safe is definitely an added bonus. The teachers are very nice and assuring and positive for my son which I really appreciate.

Mery Carpio has been wonderful with my son. He has been enrolled in her home daycare for almost 2…read moreyears now, and his education level is light years ahead of his age, thanks to the learning and lessons provided daily by Mery. She isn't just a daycare, she is family. She loves all of her kids attending her daycare like they are family, and that love extends to the families as well. My son used to go to Kiddie Academy, and was sick every weekend. Since he has been enrolled in Carpio daycare, he has NEVER come home sick from her house. The level of cleanliness quality that she upholds is better than any chain daycare. She is the most affordable daycare I know of, and the value she provides to her children is above par! We love her, and I will always recommend her.

My daughter has been attending for 2.5 years and loves it. The owner is amazing and takes great…read morecare of the kids. Trustworthy and would recommend.

My family's experience with Amazing Explorers was deeply disappointing and unacceptable. Based on…read morewhat my husband, my son, and I personally experienced, I do not recommend this location. We had repeated concerns involving communication, professionalism, cleanliness, supervision, confidentiality, curriculum transparency, cultural awareness, and leadership. When we raised concerns, we were often met with dismissiveness, disrespect, defensiveness, and a lack of accountability. Owner Marcelo asked me, "What kind of mother are you?" because I had not brought a towel for my son. I found that cruel and inappropriate, especially while I was trying to understand why my child had been placed in another child's underwear. That was alarming, unsanitary, and deeply upsetting. Instead of receiving an immediate apology and explanation, I felt blamed. Marcelo also told me he was in Las Vegas and would address the matter when he returned. A serious concern involving a child's hygiene and care should not be delayed because an owner is traveling. In my experience, he appeared more concerned about me leaving a negative review than correcting what had happened. Kelsey promised to follow up with me regarding an important concern and never did. Her failure to respond made me feel that our concerns were not being taken seriously. Based on my experience, she showed the same lack of accountability I experienced from Marcelo. The current director, Aya, Mary, and regional director Mio were also extremely disappointing. In my opinion, all three need serious additional training in childcare administration, communication, professionalism, confidentiality, conflict resolution, and accountability. During one call, Mary told me she would hang up while my child was still physically inside the school. I did not yell, curse, insult anyone, or behave rudely. I was calmly asking questions about my son. Threatening to hang up on a calm parent while that parent's child is inside the facility is a serious problem. Parents should also not be denied information about the school's curriculum. Families have every right to know what their children are being taught and how the program is structured. Refusing to provide that information raises concerns about transparency. I was also disturbed by what appeared to be gossip involving parents and private family matters. Information allegedly shared about families made its way back to several mothers. Parents should be able to raise concerns without fearing that their private business will be discussed with others. My son was sent to school clean, neatly groomed, with freshly braided hair, clean clothing, and quality shoes. We spend hundreds of dollars each month making sure he has everything he needs. Yet I repeatedly picked him up extremely dirty, with food or other substances around his mouth and on his clothing. I understand children get messy, but there is a difference between normal play and failing to provide basic care after meals and activities. The cameras were unreliable, the playground lacked adequate equipment for an extended period, and I did not feel Black history or Black culture was meaningfully represented. After repeated disrespect, broken promises, poor communication, hygiene concerns, unreliable cameras, gossip, lack of curriculum transparency, and a complete loss of trust, my husband and I removed our son because the school was no longer a good fit for our family. The school may deny or dispute this review, but I would never invent something this serious. This is what my family experienced, and I have retained documentation relating to my concerns. Based solely on our personal experience, I do not recommend this place. Parents deserve honesty, professionalism, transparency, accountability, properly trained staff, and respectful communication. Most importantly, children deserve better.

Warning!!! Be careful enrolling your child in VPK!!! Amazing…read moreExplore Academy is deceitful, dishonest, unprofessional, and took advantage of me. My son used to go there. Around May, they sent an email saying that if I wanted to register him for VPK, I needed to fill out a form indicating "yes" and pay $100 to save his spot. They took my $100. My son was taken out for summer break to spend time with family, and he was supposed to return last Tuesday. Last Friday, I decided to stop by to make sure everything was good for his return on Tuesday. The lady at the front desk told me that he would not be in the VPK program because they had not received the form I filled out, and they had given his spot to someone else. I explained that no one had called me, left me a message, or tried to reach me. I also asked what the point of paying $100 was if they were not going to save his spot. They told me he could stay in the 3-4-year-old class. I have emailed them, but no one has responded to me. Basically, I feel like they took my money without providing what I paid for. Luckily, I found a better school for my son, and he is so much happier there. The staff is also wonderful.

I have two kids in Horizons, a 1 year old and a 4 yr old, and this is my 4 yr old's second year in…read morethe school. Last year he had Ms. Amani and this year Ms. Dena and they have both been amazing teachers. Also, the director, Ms. Shahama, has bent over backwards to make accommodations for my son who has a language delay. Before he started at Horizons I took him to another Muslim school that I had sold my car to pay for the over $2,000 in various fees plus steep tuition only to have him kicked out after three weeks with no refund because he would have daily accidents and they "don't potty train". However, he was potty trained and only needed help with getting his pants up and down, which they refused to do. He was also bullied there and would not talk in class at all because he did not feel safe. Then when I took him Horizons it was the exact opposite. There fees are much less; $175 for registration, and the tuition depends on age, and you can pay monthly or weekly. He was always happy to go to school and was learning rapidly. Ms. Shahama recognized his speech delay and set up a speech evaluation with an amazing speech therapist who he now works with, and Ms. Dena works with me and the speech therapist so that she can adjust the instruction for my son. Ms. Shahama is always friendly and available for any concerns that you have. This school is sooo much better at helping kids transition into a new environment instead of being so strict which is not appropriate for a 3 yr old. This kind of environment, where the children are happy, helps them to learn better. They constantly do activities with the kids such as circle time, painting, and drawing where they incorporate the lessons such as letters, numbers, colors, etc. They also have Arabic and Quran lessons. Last year the VPK class memorized 16 surah. They have a nice playground, and also have frequent field trips and events, on the holidays they will get a bouncy house, cotton candy machine, and they have a Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/HorizonsChildCareandLearningCenter) where you can see the pictures from the events. Some of their events are Eid, International Day, Disney Character Day, Pajama Day, Mother's Day, and Graduation. They also have halal healthy meals provided for breakfast, lunch, and snacks.

My family absolutely loves The Learning Experience! From the clean rooms and facility, to the…read moreamazing staff and teachers - you can rest easy knowing that your baby is in good hands. The price is fair, and they make sure your student is taken care of with activities to fill their day, and feeling loved. My son absolutely adores his teachers, and enjoys going to school! If you have not already, check out this location - you won't regret it!