Leaving Kiddie Academy of Alexandria is so bittersweet for our family. Both of our children have…read morebeen here since they were just 12 weeks old, and watching them grow up in such a loving environment has been a beautiful experience. It's the kind of place where everyone knows your kids, greets them with a smile, and treats them like family. We are so sad to say goodbye. The wonderful teachers will always have a special place in my heart, and I cannot recommend this daycare enough to any parent looking for a safe, loving place for their little ones. They really are the best.

I enrolled my daughter at this location with high expectations for a safe, nurturing, attentive,…read moreand structured learning environment. Unfortunately, my experience over time raised several concerns that ultimately led to me seeing the truth about this location. One of my primary concerns was basic hygiene and attentiveness. On multiple occasions, I picked my daughter up with visible food residue still on her face. I also observed dried nasal discharge on her face and even on the back of her hand, as if she had attempted to clean herself. I began noticing similar issues with other children as well, including children walking around with excessively runny noses for extended periods without staff intervention. I'm sure this is why the kids are always sick. In addition, there appeared to be a lack of situational awareness when it came to children's comfort and supervision. There were times where clothing did not seem appropriate for the weather, which further reflected a lack of attentiveness to individual needs. They would take the children outside without coats while it's cold. More concerning were multiple safety incidents involving my daughter that were handled in an extremely dismissive manner. One incident I personally witnessed on camera involved another child pushing my daughter three times back-to-back until she fell to the ground, while a teacher stood directly beside them without intervening. Later that same day, I noticed a bruise on my daughter's leg. When I reported this to the director, Erin, I was told the video showed my daughter "falling into the teacher's lap," which did not align with what I personally observed on camera. I was also informed that no incident report would be completed because the injury was not from the neck up. Another incident involved my daughter being struck in the head with a toy by another child, leaving her with a swollen bruise and lump that was black, blue, and purple. At pickup, staff appeared very nonchalant about the situation, simply stating that they "put ice on it" and that these things were "normal." While discussing this incident with staff, another child nearby was actively biting another child while staff stood around without immediately intervening. When I pointed this out, the response I received was dismissive instead of reassuring. I also observed what appeared to be inconsistent treatment and favoritism within the center. When I inquired about my daughter transitioning to the next classroom as she approached the appropriate age, I was told it would not be possible because of lack of space and something regarding the way they pick who goes to the next class. However, I personally observed the director's granddaughter transition out of the same classroom within approximately 2-3 weeks. She doesn't talk, isn't potty trained and is only two months older than my daughter. Her mom confirmed these things to me personally. This raised concerns for me regarding whether policies and opportunities were being applied equally to all families. In addition to these concerns, I often was dismissed when attempting to advocate for my child. Erin's communication style frequently came across as condescending, defensive, racist and lacking empathy whenever concerns were raised. Rather than feeling supported as a parent, I often left interactions feeling unheard and uncomfortable. I also recorded my second raised concern that I had with Erin. So if anyone wants proof on the way she handles things, I will send you the video! There were also instances where staff appeared more focused on phones and side conversations than actively engaging with the children. The environment is more like passive babysitting than a structured educational setting focused on child development and attentive care. My daughter went from talking and being expressive to crying and whining all the time. When I asked to speak to the owner Erin continuously lied and made excuses. For $525 per week (approximately $2,100 per month), parents should be able to expect attentive supervision, professionalism, cleanliness, accountability, and equitable treatment. Unfortunately, that was not my experience. Also the front desk worker Suzie as well is extremely disrespectful. I just left the school so upset that this is the way they handle people who pay their hard earned money. Erin is a liar as well. She claimed I was rude and used profanity when my child was hit on by another child. Which is a lie! Watch the cameras for one full day while your child is there and I PROMISE YOU WILL NOT WANT YOUR CHILD ATTENDING THIS EXPENSIVE BABY SITTER! UPDATE: Notice every response is signed "Karim B. (Owner) mine is "Center Administration and Compliance Team". Erin is in fact a big part of the problem. Parents can draw their own conclusions regarding how concerns are handled when serious safety and supervision issues are raised.

This has to be the most unprofessional atmosphere we have ever observed…read more The leadership or "mentors" could care less about the children. They let them act unruly in public settings with screaming, kicking one another, while these adults converse with each other or stuck in their phones. We observed these multiple afternoons from a balcony next the playground and was in shock how misbehaved the children were. These children lacked the discipline and control from 4-5:30 daily, and disrespectful to the community as well. We are so disappointed to see the lack of effort in this "School" ... This place is a day care only and should be embarrassed... Do not have your children come here.

I have had the worst experiences when it comes to childcare in the DMV. When I first applied to…read moreCelebree, I could not believe how open, transparent, and informed they were. There was a little bit of a waiting period because the school wasn't open just yet. But during that wait period, my son and I still had a chance to interact with both the teachers and the parents. Every question I had was answered with meaningful intention. They truly and honestly made it feel like a second home for my toddler. The time and attention given to each parent, child, and staff member shows how much effort is put into upholding the Celebree Values. * Communication: 10/10 They use the "HiMama" app where everything from the fire drills to the daily report is consistently uploaded daily. Recently my toddler was sick and had to stay home for a week. If I didn't reach out to the team someone from the team would reach out to check on him. * Culture: 10/10 They focus a lot on the kids and parents comfortability. If my son isn't feeling well or is just having a bad day they go above and beyond to understand what's going rather than just brush it off as an off day. They have parent events to have the parents connect with not only the teachers but other parents as well. * Curriculum: 10/10 I love the structure the curriculum because it's geared more towards comprehension and not solely memorization. For example: He knows how to count to 20 but does he know what the quantity actually looks like. * Procedures and Policies: 10/10 Safety is a number one priority for me so I spent a lot of time interviewing them about the safety procedures and policies. They have a policy in place for every and any issue you could possible think of. They have an open door policy and I can't count the amount of time I have dropped in to say hi or ask questions. * Facility: 10/10 I love that everything is always clean and childproof. The playground is on top of the roof which I know sounds like the most dangerous thing but the security around the playground is very reassuring. The structure of the multiple fences does not allow any devastating accidents. They do not leave the building outside of fire drills. The toys and books are up-to-date and well kept. Everything is very aesthetically pleasing. * Staff: 10/10 Each and every teacher has been amazing! My son is extremely excited each day to go to school so that he can see his teachers and friends. Life happens and sometimes teachers have to rotate out but the quality of care does not change. The staff makes sure know each student whether they are in their class or not. The Admin team really is the DREAM TEAM! The work like a well oiled machine the way the support each other, the staff, the kids, and the parents. * Ms. Shawn has to be one of the best support manager. She takes her time to connect with every student and parent. When I have a problem she has already began working on the solution! One moment she will bring doing Admin duties and the next she is in the classes teaching the kids. She does a lot of work to make sure the needs of everyone in the Celebree Family is met. * Ms. Jana is AH-MAY-ZING! She is the conductor of this train. Although she has worked in childcare for many years she is not jaded and somehow is able to give each child and parent consistent love and care. She brought us in and made sure we felt like family. She has even improved my parenting with all types of advice, tips, and tricks. * Mr. Mohammad and Mrs. Ayesha have been welcoming and open from the very beginning. I was hesitant because you never really get to form a bond with the owners of a daycare but they make sure to not just "show face" but actively be inside of the classrooms assisting the teachers with anything they need. I really wanted to make sure that this team of amazing people received their praises! I really appreciate each and every person that is apart of the Celebree Family.

We love Bright Minds Preschool. Our daughter likes all her teachers. They're very patient and…read morereceptive. We enjoy the field trips and family events they host throughout the year.

We love Bright Minds Preschool! Our 3 year old daughter started attending in July this year and…read morewe've been so impressed by how much she's already learned in just a few months. The teachers made sure it was a welcoming environment where she was able to make new friends quickly. There are art projects and activities every day in addition to open playtime. In the summer there were pool sessions and in the fall they often visit local parks and libraries! There's also an app that keeps every parent up to date on daily routines with photos and descriptions of what the kids had for lunch! It's my new favorite app! Truly a perfect environment for toddlers and we could not be happier we chose this school. Thank you BMPS team!

This is a small, woman-owned business that I am happy to support. My house was undergoing some work…read morethat required me to be out of the home during the day, and since I work from home, it was challenging. I found Cowo and Crèche, and I am very glad I did! Clean, quiet location, very friendly staff, tons of space to work. I am very comfortable there. I have gone a few times now and will be back. This location would also be great for events. It's a place I will keep in mind for future events, as they have a great space. Highly recommended.

Great location for co-working and for hosting group events! Really enjoyed the time I got to spend…read morecollaborating during the group event I attended, and really grateful to meet the owners! Look forward to going again soon!

Director with the acent not very nice lady . I pulled my daughter out because she called her a…read morespecial circumstances baby when my daughter had a seizure all it was do to a fever but the way she spoke and said it was so mean and hurtful

I love Great Beginning - they have very much vested in every aspect of making sure a child feels…read moreloved, learns a great deal, and is heathy and happy. Every caregiver from the director to every teacher makes a great effort to love and care for the children. May Both Kids had the best time, developed incredibly, and made some deep friendships.

In our home, we often say that Yudith was a gift that fell from the sky. We used to travel quite…read morefar every day to a pretty good daycare to ensure our daughter was in safe hands. Then one day, by chance, I met Yudith at a park. We talked, and she invited me to visit her daycare, which happened to be close to where we live. When we walked in, we couldn't believe how beautiful, clean, and organized everything was. And on top of that, she seemed so honest and kind. Today, a year later, we can confidently say that Yudith isn't just as wonderful as she appeared--she's truly an incredible woman. My daughter adores her like an aunt, and Yudith has taught her so much! This month, our daughter started Pre-K and is well ahead for her age, thanks to her time with Yudith. Yudith follows the Montessori method, encouraging freedom of expression, fun, and friendship, while also maintaining a solid routine and impeccable transparency. It's a small daycare with only a few children, so the attention is highly personalized. You always know how your child is doing, what they're learning, how they're living--whether it's how they sleep, eat, or play. If you love your children dearly and can enroll them in this daycare, do it! It's a gift that will last them a lifetime. Yudith has been a blessing not only for my daughter but for our entire family. She has so much experience, is transparent, kind, and responsible. I can't emphasize enough how important these qualities are. She's organized and dedicated--we couldn't have been luckier. Our daughter was in the best hands we could have ever imagined. Oh, and the daycare is bilingual! The price is very reasonable, and we don't have a single complaint.

Yudy's place is exceptional. I'm so glad that I was able to send my son here. the place is very…read moreclean and Ms. Yudy always has thoughtful activities for the kids (painting, learning colors, letters, numbers, practicing writing, outdoor play, storytime, NO screentime). The best part is Ms. Yudy herself. she truly loves the kids like they're her own. when my child had to miss due to being sick, she always checked in on him. I can't recommend her enough.

We love American Day School! Our daughter has thrived in the infants classroom. She gets so excited…read morewhen she sees her teachers and classmates at drop off and she's always in a great mood when we pick her up. Her teachers are incredibly caring and loving and have helped our daughter grow into a happy toddler. She's learned so much at ADS and as parents, we feel so confident in the school and the community. Highly recommend!

When looking for childcare, times can get a bit stressful. As a family, we wanted to have our kids…read morein a comfortable environment where they would feel safe and taken care of. I am a military veteran and we were looking for childcare under the 'Childcare Aware' program. Within this program, we were blocked into looking at certain childcare centers and what we discovered is that is not necessarily a model built to take care of each family as an individual. As we know, there is no cookie cutter fit for each child into a particular center. Knowing this, we decided to seek childcare outside of the 'Childcare Aware' program and to go with one that fit our family.....our child. I can tell you American Day School (ADS), under the leadership of Ms. Pilar Mackay, Ms. Nicole and the rest of the educators, exceeded our expectations. Every morning while dropping off our daughter she was greeted (as well as us) as if she was the most important person around. They do this with each and every kid. We know the love and safety is a focus there because every time our daughter would see a friend of hers outside of school they would always run to each other and give the best hugs. They were always soooo excited to see one another. At ADS their goal is to provide a positive environment where the children develop a sense of community, are confident, and have fun learning. Having our daughter experience ADS set her up for success when she reached Kindergarten. During her time at ADS she developed her counting well beyond 100, was completing math equations, knew all of her letters (capital and lower case), and was writing her name. Kindergarten has been a breeze for her. She's been very confident and a leader in her class and the teachers have continued to work with her on her math equations once they noticed she was already performing well enough at them. There is no doubt from us that our daughter could her gone to first grade after her Pre-K year with ADS. Our daughter spent a total of two years with ADS (Preschool 2 and Pre-K). If you are looking for a great head start for you kid(s), I think you owe it to yourselves and your little one(s) to give ADS a look.

My daughter has been attending this "school" (I will explain why I used that word later" since…read moreOctober of 2012. She started a week before her 2nd birthday and has learned so much. When she started she was not potty trained. Ms Brooks (the owner AND teacher) has helped her blossom in so many ways. My 3 year old now knows some colors and numbers in Spanish, she recognizes her name by sight, can tell you how to spell her name without seeing the letters and she even knows how to write the majority of her first name. She is also fully potty trained. She knows letter, numbers, shapes (including octagon and hexagons) and what surprised me the most is that she knows all of her alphabets in sign language ( we go straight down the list, mix it up, and we even give her the wrong answers sometimes to see if she corrects us, which she does) Ms. Brooks is an excellent teacher, along with her daughters who help occasionally. I chose the word school earlier because that is exactly what its like. They wear uniforms, they have homework, art projects and more. My daughter loves her and she loves the kids right back. From a parents point of view, outside of how much she teaches the kids, she RARELY closes (outside of major holidays) and she is very flexible. Another plus is that the class setting is small for it to be a center. But they all learn so much and I love it!

Wow Ms. Carissa Jones you definitely have the wrong center. My daughter been at this daycare for 2…read moreyears now. I have never seen a roach, bug or any virus in this facility. I am not sure who you are because I have never seen you in this facility so you must have nothing to do but write bad reviews. Since going to this daycare my daughter is 3 years old reading, writing and talk very clear using words like Marvelous in a sentence or Awesome. I am so proud of her and I am especially happy with her teacher. I never see anyone come in and out of this child care center with hand/foot/mouth virus, the flu or and other virus because this facility is very clean. 5 stars to this center.

We love Creative Play School! Both of my children attend Creative Play School (2s classroom and…read morePre-K classroom) and we are so grateful to the Director, Kris, and the entire staff of teachers. It truly feels like a family and we are thankful for the community and other families we've met at CPS. Highly recommend!

Kristine Solberg, Director of Creative Play School decided to let me know that she's not going to…read morebe able to fit my son needs because he dose not take a nap .after I arrived to my appointment with my son.she did not even bothered to take me to her office she decided to inform me that in a parking lot.wested my son speech appointment wested my time to come all the way there when she have my email she could use to inform me . If you have a kid with some any sort of delay this is NOT THE PALCE .

I just wanted to share why I think Bright Horizons at Old Town Alexandria is such a great daycare…read moreoption. They offer both full-time and part, time care, which gives families flexibility depending on their needs. One thing I really liked is that they also have backup care, so you can pay for just a day to try it out and see how your child does before committing. They also do a lot to include families. For example, they held Donuts with Dads for Father's Day and Muffins with Moms for Mother's Day, where parents could come in and share breakfast with their child before drop-off. It's little things like that that make it feel like a real community. Their hours are super convenient, they're open from 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM. The teachers are very engaged, not only with the kids but also with the families. There's also an app they use to send updates and pictures throughout the day, which I love because it helps me stay connected with what my child is doing. Before your child starts, they set up an intake meeting where you get to meet the teachers, learn about the classroom, and ask any questions. It really helped me feel more comfortable and prepared with my two kids.

Make sure to ask current parents what they think of BH after the change in the center's…read moreadministration before joining the waitlist. What once was a truly wonderful and nurturing center has turned into an unsafe, unhappy place to bring my children, and it revolves around the new administration, not the teachers.