My son has been attending Westport since 2025 and my infant daughter only since April this year…read more The staff members take the time to know every child, even if they aren't in their classroom. Donna, the director, is the eyes and ears and surely makes us feel comfortable leaving our children there. Shout out to all our previous and current teachers : Ms Lynnsie, Ms Catherine, Ms Connie, Ms Amanda, ms Emily x2, Ms Janiyah, Ms Miranda, Ms Melissa. My children have known and learned so much socially and intellectually. Would recommend anyone looking for a smaller center

My son attended Westport from infancy through the 3-year-old class. The setup is concerning:…read morebabies, toddlers, then suddenly 3-year-olds placed with 4-5-year-olds in a larger room. That alone shows how little thought goes into the children's development here. This daycare receives funding, yet when I was one of the top two contributors of a fundraiser, the money went to an employee's personal house fire relief instead of the children. You would think a go fund me account would be started instead of using money from a fundraiser. Where's the integrity? Without cameras, parents have no way of knowing what really happens during diapering or bathroom routines, and children can't always explain it. That lack of transparency is unacceptable. Daycare is supposed to support working parents, not make us question our child's safety. Trust is everything in childcare, and this place failed at the most basic level. On top of that, tuition rates were sketchy. I asked multiple times about a rate adjustment after my son was potty trained with moving to the 3 year old bigger class, and got vague answers until his last day--when suddenly the rate dropped by $40. This center has been in business for years, but that doesn't mean it's safe or trustworthy. Longevity without integrity means nothing. I am grateful my child no longer attends Westport. Parents, be vigilant and push for cameras in every classroom, because without them, we'll never truly know what's going on. ------- ------- Updated Review after Business Response: Thank you for your response. I want to clarify a few points for parents who may be considering this daycare. Classroom setup: While ratios may technically follow state guidelines, my concern was with the developmental mix of children. My son's experience showed that compliance and what is best for children's growth are not always the same thing. Fundraiser funds: The center did communicate that fundraiser proceeds would be directed to teachers affected by a house fire. While I sympathize with their loss, I personally felt that using funds raised under the impression of benefiting the children and center was not the most appropriate approach. A separate GoFundMe or designated collection would have offered parents a clearer choice. Safety and transparency: The response did not address my concern about the lack of cameras. In childcare, parents value reassurance and transparency, especially during moments when children cannot fully express themselves. Tuition adjustments: My questions about tuition changes after potty training went unanswered until my son's final day, when suddenly the rate dropped. Clear communication about costs is a basic expectation for parents budgeting for care. Finally, I want to add that I was asked multiple times to leave a review while my son was enrolled, but I chose not to at that time. Reading the tone of the center's reply to my concerns has only confirmed that decision. Rather than addressing my feedback constructively, the response came across as defensive and dismissive. This type of communication does not build trust with parents, it further erodes it. I understand this center has been in business for decades, but longevity alone does not equal trust. My review reflects my personal experience, and I encourage prospective parents to ask detailed questions and tour thoroughly before making a decision.

This is a day-care Of a lot of stuff The food is good I like…read moreit because it's a good thing to play with. We eat and more! Great start! Thank you Ms Ashley

Top notch! You won't find a nicer early childhood center to…read morework. I am impressed with the Applebaum curriculum as well as degreed teachers! The families make this the icing on the cake. We are fortunate enough to work for a family owned and operated preschool where hard work, dedication and love define the culture at Chesterfield Kids Academy.

Christina had an opening for us when our other daycare shut down the classroom. Incredibly…read moreaccommodating and enjoyed everyone. Our child loved attending, enjoys her ABC's, knows her 123's and made some great friends. Thank you for everything!

As of February 2017, our daughter has been going to the Creve Coeur Kindercare for nearly two…read moreyears, ever since she was 6 weeks old. Even after moving out to Ballwin, we've kept her at this same Kindercare location because of the bonds she's made with the other toddlers and her teachers. WHY WE CHOSE THIS LOCATION: When we were looking for daycare for our daughter, we did a lot of online research. Some of that research was looking up ratings for each place, like you're obviously doing now. Throughout the reading-up-on-reviews process, we kept in mind that negative reviews are often more common, as people with great things to say about places tend not to be very vocal on Yelp or Google. We also looked at data that's less subjective or disputable. What incidents were reported at the locations you're considering? Are they licensed? Are they accredited? (There's a good description of accreditation and why it matters here: http://www.kindercare.com/about-us/who-we-are/accreditation.) I encourage you to do as much research as you feel comfortable with. This is obviously an important decision. So, we saw that, at the time, the Creve Coeur Kindercare was licensed, accredited and even working toward a second accreditation (I think it has gotten it, too, since then). We saw it wasn't too far away from home, so that was nice. We visited a couple of other locations nearby and, to be honest, they seemed dirtier, or more chaotic, or less safe. That's partially where that accreditation comes in. The weekly rate did seem like a lot until we did more research and we saw that it was competitive with other daycares' rates. Yes, it is still a decent amount of money, but the safety and education of your child is worth it. And again, it's nowhere near the cost of Montessori school, for example. Plus, rates go down on your child's second and third birthdays. SAFETY & FOOD: [This section was deleted to save space. Please speak with the location for these details.] CURRICULUM: Each day, teachers will send home a report on your child's activities, what they learned and how they acted. It's really helpful to follow along for those parents who are interested. Our daughter has responded seemingly very well to their teaching style. Her communication skills are very advanced for a child her age, and she has really taken to learning as much as possible. Of course, it's hard to say if this is just our daughter or if this is Kindercare's doing, but I just had to brag on my little girl some, I guess! Again, when you visit, ask what the kids are learning at the time. They have lesson plans they follow, so the answer should be an easy one to get. Also, in case you're worried, they don't have TVs in the rooms, so they won't just be watching Barney all day. STAFF: Everyone has been wonderful to me. I like to stick around when I drop my daughter off and when I pick her up and talk to her teachers. I'll ask how she did, what her mood was, if she did anything (positive or negative) noteworthy. All the teachers have seemed invested in our daughter's care, education and growth. Some have decades of experience with professional childcare, even at Kindercare. Others are going to college to study it. The woman who previously managed the location was wonderful, but recently left to pursue an altogether different career. Her replacement is very kind, knowledgeable and vibrant and, while I'm no expert, she seems to be doing a fantastic job in the month or two since she started. BONUS: Once a month, on most months, the center will host a "Parents' Night Out" where, for an extra $15, they will feed and watch your child until 9. This is a wonderful way to have a built-in date night on the cheap, especially for people like us who don't have family close by to babysit on a regular basis. They also provide crackers for the ride home, which really come in handy with kids once they need snacks to keep them civil during car rides. There are plenty of smaller details, but this should cover the bulk of it. To be fair, this is the only daycare we have ever brought our daughter to, so we don't have any other experiences to compare Creve Coeur Kindercare with. But I'm just happy that my daughter is safe and learning everything she can in an environment that is well-suited to her. I hope this covers any questions you may have about the location. Good luck with your little one!

Little Sunshine Playhouse-University City provides a warm, engaging, and well-run environment for…read morechildren. The staff is welcoming, diverse, professional, and genuinely nurturing. The school balances structure with fun, offering creative themes and activities that keep children excited to learn. From the beginning, the environment has felt intentional, secure, and thoughtfully designed for kids. Our family enrolled our daughter in August 2025. Before that, she stayed home full-time until age two and was very much a "stage 5 Velcro baby." The transition was emotional at first, especially at drop-off, but the growth we've seen since then has been incredibly encouraging. She now confidently gives hugs goodbye, happily says "bye-bye," and walks into her classroom with ease. She genuinely enjoys school and is happy during pick-up, which gives us peace of mind. There have been a few instances where we needed to remind staff to clean our child's face, hands, or nose after meals or messy play, as well as change her into clean clothes when needed. Parents are asked to provide at least two sets of weather-appropriate spare clothes for this purpose, and on occasion, changes were not made as promptly as we would have preferred. There have also been times when personal items were misplaced. That said, staff consistently communicated with us, made genuine efforts to locate items, and worked to improve. We understand that managing multiple toddlers and their belongings is a common challenge in any preschool setting. What matters to us is that concerns are taken seriously and addressed, which has been our overall experience here. Leadership has been a major strength. Ms. Katelyn, the Director, played a large role in our decision to choose LSP. As parents who were understandably nervous, she spent significant time with us before enrollment, both on the phone and in person, explaining the school's philosophy, operations, safety measures, and procedures. She remains approachable, responsive, and consistently kind. Ms. Lucy, the Assistant Director, is equally welcoming, knowledgeable, and easy to communicate with. Staff shout-outs: Ms. Amanda, a head teacher, is exceptionally friendly, caring, and highly creative. Her warmth and creativity are evident throughout the school. Mr. Daniel is upbeat, professional, and consistently friendly during evening pick-ups. Ms. Alina, another head teacher, is more reserved and has a straightforward, businesslike communication style. Her creativity is visible in school projects and displays. Ms. Niya, our child's current lead teacher, met with us prior to enrollment, gave us a full tour of the school and playground, and offered reassurance during the transition. She is warm, attentive, and a strong educator. Ms. Victoria, Ms. Sabrina, Ms. Jaela, Ms. Wafae, Ms. Nabila, and Ms. Cassie have all been kind, professional, and attentive in their roles. Communication is excellent. Phones are always answered, and messages through the app are returned promptly, usually within the hour. When concerns are raised, leadership responds quickly and respectfully. The school is clean, beautifully decorated, and secure. Drop-off and pick-up are smooth, classroom ratios are followed, and security measures (controlled entry, cameras, and app communication) are strong. Meals and snacks are included, hours are 6:30 AM-6 PM, and nap time is well-structured and age-appropriate. One important note for families is cost. It's expensive. Little Sunshine Playhouse is on the higher end and is priced as a premium program. Overall, our family is very happy with Little Sunshine Playhouse-University City and would confidently recommend it to families seeking a safe, nurturing, and enriching environment for their child.

This the Behavior Modification Plan that Little Sunshine's gave my 18 month old baby:…read more-Dismissal Criteria (sent home for the day): 3 biting attempts in a 2 hour timeframe or one successful bite. -Suspension Criteria: 2 consecutive days meeting dismissal criteria will result in a 3-day suspension from the program. -Disenrollment Criteria: 2 bites in one day will result in disenrollment from the program. When my daughter turned 18 months, the LSP UCity Director, Katelyn, said she had met with the owner, Rochette, and they decided my daughter was biting too frequently. Together they crafted an initial Behavior Modification Plan stipulating that she would be sent home for 1 bite or 3 biting attempts in a day. I was not included in any of these discussions I was given zero notice that this BMP was even a possibility. Katelyn coldly sent it via email with no warning- no app message, no phone call. I was blindsided. The very 1st day the BMP took effect, I got a call 20 minutes after drop off. The assistant director said my child had attempted to bite 3 times and I needed to pick her up within the hour. They continued sending her home almost every day. My daughter was not acting or biting with the frequency they claimed outside of daycare. The changing stations at LSP are oriented so that the teacher's back is to the classroom while changing diapers. This meant that the teacher frequently didn't see what instigated the bite for us to even identify triggers. At the direction of my pediatrician, I went back through her previous biting incident reports to find a pattern. I was shocked to see that LSP's default response to my daughter's biting was to give her a toy. Messages in their own app read: "your daughter bit a classmate, we gave her a toy" over and over. When I shared these findings with the LSP team, I naively expected some ownership so that we could collaborate on an action plan together. The response was the opposite. Katelyn said they did not have the resources to provide a consistent response to biting and that some parents may actually want them to give a toys as a response. They also updated the Behavior Modification Plan to include suspension and expulsion. For context, another baby could randomly stick their hand in my child's mouth (because it's a baby classroom and that had happened before) but if she bit down twice, she would be expelled. I did everything I could think of. I had my child professionally evaluated by First Steps, our pediatrician and a speech therapist. They ALL concluded her behavior was developmentally normal because she is an 18 month old baby who doesn't have words and is actively cutting teeth. They all wrote letters/evaluations (that I shared with Little Sunshine's) reiterating that her behavior was developmentally appropriate and giving toys in response to biting is an inappropriate response that would make the habit even harder to break. None of it made any difference. As our LSP director frequently reminded us: their waiting list is long. My family was easily replaced. The worst part was probably the things the director said to me. She told me it was her professional opinion that my 18 month old was biting without cause, had a behavioral issue and that she shouldn't even be around other children. That's why I had her evaluated by so many people- because our director was adamant that there was something seriously wrong with my child. I switched my daughter to a new daycare and they broke her biting habit within the first TWO DAYS. All this new daycare did was consistently communicate biting was wrong, separate her from the situation and give her a teething necklace. Her new teachers say that now when she gets upset, she'll go grab her teething necklace and put herself in the quiet corner. She picked up this routine by the 3rd day. These are the simple steps I had begged LSP for and they insisted they did not have the resources to provide. Finding new immediate childcare for an 18 month old was incredibly difficult and stressful. I was only able to find a T/Th opening until a full time spot opened up. For 3 months we have been hobbling by with babysitters and using all our vacation/ sick leave. It has been an enormous emotional and financial strain on our family Looking back, my biggest mistakes were 1) assuming that paying a premium ($2k/ month) for daycare meant I was getting more resources or that the teachers at a minimum would be expected to provide appropriate responses to developmentally appropriate behavior and 2) that after 2 years and 2 kids, LSP would care enough about my family to work together on a solution. Don't make the same mistakes I did.

I have worked here since the day we opened. I absolutely love my job and the people I work with. We…read moreare not just a daycare so if you are looking for a true early childhood education for your child this is where to look. I have made some of the best friendships of my life from people I work with. My bosses are supportive and caring. I feel truly lucky everyday to work with such amazing people and to get to be part of the lives of some amazing families. The facility is clean and well maintained. We have an onsite chef who makes most all our food from scratch and cares about children and their allergies. I have loved working here every moment for the last 11 years and look forward to many more.

Writing a review of a daycare is difficult, because there are so many different types of people…read moreinvolved. The teachers at the goddard school are great, the families are great. This review is about the management, and more specifically the owner. In my years of experience in daycares/ preschools I have never worked under anyone as disrespectful as her. Many of the teachers in that building expressed the same feelings about the management to me in my time there. I worked at Goddard for two and a half years, and was a lead teacher for a large portion of that time. I won't claim to be the best teacher ever, there are absolutely areas I could've approved in, but I was a good one. One who cared and put a lot of effort into assuring the kids in my care were safe and happy and learning. I wouldn't have worked there for so long or been promoted from resource teacher, to assistant, to lead if I wasn't. Then, one day after informing the bosses that I had an interview at another Goddard closer to my home, I was fired. The owner and the assistant director pulled me into the office and berated me with blatant lies about my job performance for half an hour before terminating me. This happened during nap, never even giving me the opportunity to say goodbye to the kids I cared for for so long. The owner told me herself that she spoke with the director at the other Goddard giving her "opinion" of me, and then unsurprisingly I did not get that job either. If you are considering bringing your children to this school or working here, keep this in mind: when I went to the owner looking for help in figuring out how to teach a child much younger than most of my other students, she told me "from a financial standpoint, I would put an even younger child in there if your room was the one with space for them". I believe a school should focus on what is best for the children, not only what will make them the most money.

Nina is AMAZING!!!! If you want your child to be able to count to 100, start writing, start…read morereading, know their body parts, have independence, identify shapes, colors, and animals and more, then choose Nina. She is very kind and very experienced in her daycare business. What I appreciated the most was that on my daughter's first day she really noticed my discomfort to leave my child alone and she noticed my daughter's behavior as well. She personally sent me videos and pictures of my baby adjusting within 2 minutes of me walking out of the door, and I was able to see her jumping and playing and everyday after that my baby did not want to leave her house and come home. She knows how to help babies grow into little awesome people before they start kindergarten.

I am new to the area and searched many daycares. After a long search I found a Nina's Daycare Ad…read more My son has been with nina for the past 8 months. He has learned to walk and talks more and more everyday. Nina doesn't only provide many educational activities but fun field trips and is loving and naturing to my son. The daycare is very clean and organized.

23 minutes ago NEW I…read morewent for a visit to this place last week to enroll my son. I told them he has autism and is non-verbal. They said they need a copy of his IEP. After dropping him off for his first day, they called me about 2 HOURS later saying he can not return and this is not going to work. I asked why, they said he was "loud" and mouthing toys. I went to pick him up immediately afterwards. I don't want him in a place that doesn't want him. After requesting for a full refund, they gave me the run-a-round and made a threat to call the cops. They are not inclusive. They didn't even want to give my son a full day/week to adjust him to a new environment. The kids are like zombies. Unable to be kids. Not a friendly place. Rude Ladies. Un-Trustworthy.

My daughter has been coming here for 1.5 years now and is in the Pre-K program. I like the staff…read more They inform you of your child's day. Drop off and pick up are easy. Lunches are included. Breakfast is $1 a day if you need it (which when we're running late is great). They take government daycare assistance. For full-time 5 days a week care it runs around $130/week. The front play area is spacious. The back classroom area is set up like a school room. The outside area is kinda small though, which is kinda a downside I guess, but they do what they can with their limited outdoor space. They only take cash or check though, no credit cards. Not the end of the world though. I really like this place and even when my daughter goes off to kindergarten this fall, will most likely continue to use them for before school care.

BEWARE!! Webster Groves Child Care will QUICKLY cash your deposit with no intention of providing…read moreyou childcare. We were told the average wait time is 15 months but we would be priority and get the next available opening. It's been 15 months and no communication from the owner Lisa Jones unless I inquire about openings. We instead have been sending our precious kiddo to a local Montessori and absolutely LOVE it.

We have used WCCC for over two years now. We were hesitant to use outside care at all, but we have…read morebeen very impressed with WCCC in many ways. Their teachers are engaging, knowledgeable, and caring. Their staff and administration are always available and very involved in all aspects of the center. Their curriculum supports proper development at all stages. Our child is engaged, learning, making friends, and very happy!

My kids are in their 4 year old classroom. I'm impressed by the variety of activities they…read morepartcipated in every day. Mr. Tim is an excellent teacher and does a great job engage the kids in learning and help them grow. I see significant growth in the language and self-help skills as well as confidence of my children. When I have questions, Mr. Tim always provide quick and detailed answers. The watch me grow camera system also helps give me comfort knowing I can check in on my kids. Despite the challenge of the pandemic, the school does an outstanding job making sure everyone's healthy, safe and happy.

Overall they have done a great job of taking care of my son over the last (almost) two years. Staff…read moreare very children focused in a good way. My complaint is the amount of days of closure, shortened hours and holidays they observe. It is extremely frustrating, and in speaking with family and friends using other companies, they don't have similar issues. If you plan on using this location, anticipate using over a week of PTO to cover when they close for real or imaginary reasons. It's very inconvenient when you and your spouse both have professional jobs.

I am truly thankful to work at Cadence Academy Preschool as the before and aftercare teacher…read more Carrie, Rebecca, and Amanda are amazing directors that are available to answer questions and step into a classroom to help out where they can. I am the lead teacher for the clubhouse, and I provide a fun, engaging, educational environment for my school agers to learn and grow. I enjoy having a child-centered classroom, where the children are able to choose the activities they want to engage in. I provide the students with activities including air dry clay, perler beads, rubber bands, and playing the Wii on days off. After school the students work on homework and reading. If I am not available to help them, Alex does an awesome job working with the students to help them finish their homework. During days off, I work on planning engaging short lessons that focus on Kindness. The month of November we are taking part of the You Matter Marathon. We provide a educational spring break and summer camp and travel around to different areas of St. Louis for field trips. As the before and aftercare teacher I have been fortunate to meet all the wonderful families and children of the Cadence Academy preschool family and love getting know new children as they come in. I have the opportunity to be at both buildings to help out where I can.

Overrated and over priced. This school has made a turn for the worse. The current director only…read morecares about her image. She does not do anything to help out the staff or the children. She has left a single teacher with 17 four year olds when the ratio is 1:10 (Missouri law) for hours... WHILE THE DIRECTOR AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR DID NOTHING. Both were fully aware of the situation and they both were able to stop what they were doing to help. The place is a revolving door or teachers. Please don't take your children here. Keep them happy and safe.