STAFF: There are 1-2 staff per class. The staff are all friendly, knowledgeable, understanding, and…read morehelpful. Not a day goes by that I don't receive a warm welcome at the door or input on how to deal with a new behavior. FACILITY: Each room is fully decorated with kids' art - and is frequently changed with the season and corresponding holidays. Each kid has their own (or a shared) cubby. There is a mountain of toys and books throughout the classrooms. The rooms, bathrooms, and common areas are always exceptionally clean. A argument could be made for the lack of natural light in the building - although, I like the fact that our son is in a safe environment with limited windows and a single point of entry that is near the director's office. OUTDOOR SPACE: The pick-up/drop-off lane and parking areas are all clearly marked - with plenty of room for everyone. I've never had an issue. There is an outdoor play space, which, to be honest, is a bit small; however, as you can see, the size of the space is only one of two minor complaints I have. ACTIVITIES: Seasonal parties, visitors (e.g. balloon artist, Children's Museum puppeteers, etc.), options for the Gymagic Bus or Happy Feet programs, movie days, and other fun special events are a part of the regular monthly schedule. There are also weekly slots for a music teacher, the use of sensory bins, and designated days for the letter and number of the week. COMMUNICATION: We receive a daily "report card" detailing our child's mood, meals, nap, diapers, and activities. We receive a monthly newsletter and calendar that covers all activities, curriculum, and other notes of interest. Simply, the open line of communication is exactly what I would expect and prefer. OVERALL: We are very happy with APTG and everything it has to offer. We are confident that our child is receiving the very best type of education, interaction, and activities. We know he is in good hands every single day. He is happy to go to school - and even more excited to tell us about his day. We've found that he is not only developmentally on par with other children his age but often exceeds even our own high expectations for him. I wholeheartedly endorse APTG as a superb childcare learning center for even the choosiest of parents.

Amazing daycare! The staff is caring, professional, and truly treat the kids like family. My child…read moreloves going every day, and I feel so confident knowing they are in a safe and fun environment. Finding a daycare you can fully trust is not easy, but A Place To Grow has truly exceeded our expectations. I would recommend them to any parent looking for a safe, loving, and enriching environment for their child.

I want to write this review while my child is still there! He will soon begin a public school…read moreMontessori with his big sister... I have now had a combined 7 years of experience with Tender Care, Shadyside - my daughter attended this daycare from 2009-2012 (infant room to preK), then my son attended from 2015-present (infant room to just now starting preK). So, this might be a long review. Overall, the daycare has been an absolutely great experience. My children have been safe and treated with respect, but I think most importantly, the daycare is run with the intention to teach children to respect each other and care for each other. These ages for young children are difficult, because they are learning so much from each other and, more importantly, from role models like their teachers. I have never seen a teacher shame a child, I have never seen a teacher yell at a child - they deal with the emotional outbursts that children inevitably have with a commendable amount of patience and caring. Children learn when they need to take a minute and how to express boundaries (my 3yo son's favorite expression to his big sister harassing him is currently "I don't like that, no thank you!" hahaha). This socialization and healthy respect of each other is something that I value a lot, and Tender Care has an amazing investment in supporting this from the leadership down. In terms of education, which goes beyond the basic needs of needing my child to be safe and around positive role models, Tender Care also has impressed me a lot. Most weeks, a lesson plan is sent out via email to let me know what they are trying to focus on during the week. This is great, because then I can ask my child "did you work with such-and-such" rather than (or in addition to) "what did you do today?" The latter question almost always yields a "I don't know" or something completely random, whereas the former question gets them excited to talk about whatever it was. The plans are widespread in terms of skills - from fine and gross motor skills to sounds/letters to quantity to weather to creativity to social/emotional development, plus more. When my daughter moved to the public school Montessori program, her transition was effortless - a lot of the "work" in a Montessori school was similar to the things she did at Tender Care. Additionally, she was very well socially adjusted when entering public school. I read some comment about communication being not good, and in my experience, I have to disagree. I have been given "boo-boo" slips when anything has happened physically to my child (not very often, and more often than not, it was a normal kind of thing - I think my daughter was bit once, which is completely normal in a group of very small children and is no fault of the staff at all, but it was not a recurrent issue and was discussed in a manner both respectful of my daughter and respecting the privacy of the other child). Every day, we get a list of things that happened in the day - what was discussed during circle time, what they ate, when they slept, when they went to the bathroom, any other notes. In the past year, they have transitioned to a paperless system that is AMAZING - it sends the daily stuff either by text or email or both, and can also send pictures of what happened in the week from time to time - these pictures are completely adorable. The director is Allison - she came to Shadyside when my daughter had been there already for 6 months, and the changes she made were amazing. She is a highly professional individual that somehow is, at the same time, a genuinely kind and nice person. My 9yo daughter still likes to come in and say hi to her, and to the current assistant director Vicky, who was my daughter's last teacher there! Allison has been able to hire staff in a field that overall has high turnover, but the staff she hires tends to stay for many years. In the 3 years between my daughter leaving and my son starting, we were surprised to return and see many of the same faces. The staff tend to be younger professionals, with a lot of positive energy. Many of them are working on degrees in the field of early education or psychology, and you can definitely tell that they are there not just to earn a paycheck, but because they really are interested in helping small children develop. I have come to rely on their experience with both my children and other children to help navigate and address things as a parent! I could go on and on - the preK has a little indoor greenhouse that the children have been helping to plant things in! The music and lighting during nap time even makes me want to sleep! The things that are on the shelves in the different areas of the classroom encourages exploration. The outside area is small, but my children get enough exercise that it has been fine, and when they add sprinklers in the summer for "water play," it is a highlight of their week. So - yes, I definitely recommend Tender Care Shadyside. :)

This location isn't currently open. Regardless, I can't recommend this company. We had our kiddo…read morethere (he started a little after 12 months), and there was a range in the quality of teachers like at most other daycare. I did notice some teachers in the older kids' classrooms sharply yelling/screaming at kids from time to time (not what I wanted for our kiddo, but he wasn't in that room, so it was a "cross that bridge when we get to it" situation). The problem was the purposeful lack of communication and withholding of information. The director and company knew their lease was up. They knew their new space wasn't finished yet (literally not built, and no occupancy permit). They knew in January it wasn't going to be ready and ended up asking for lease extensions for about 4 months. They never told parents about this tenuous situation; it was always just, "oh, we'll be moving in [insert new month]." Not a word that construction wasn't even going on at the new place because BUILDING PERMITS hadn't been issued, and that they had no other backup plan. Well, the lease extensions ran out entirely and the building owner told them they had no more extensions and had to vacate. Did they tell parents? No. They waited until there was just 2 weeks before abruptly telling parents their only Pittsburgh location was closing. Oh, but we could request to be put into one of their suburban locations, the closest of which was 30 minutes+ each way with traffic (and at least 45 minutes driving near the end of the day because of rush hour). So, at least 2 hours each day of driving to/from daycare; out and back, out and back. Even getting a straight answer from them about which suburban location they'd place my son at was a nightmare. We had no other option, because they purposefully waited so long to tell us parents what they had known for months. We did the 2 hour drive for two weeks to see if it would work, while frantically searching for other daycares with open slots. The suburban location also treated anyone from the city like a second class citizen. Suburban staff acted like the Pittsburgh kids weren't their problem, they were just taking up space; it really seemed like there had been no planning or communication about the Pittsburgh kids coming. NO PLAN for parents to sign kids in and out; wouldn't let us use the electronic sign-in/sign-out system the suburban parents got to use, wouldn't give us door codes like we had at the other location and like they had for their suburban parents (until Pittsburgh parents repeatedly complained), no bins for kids to store stuff like extra clothes (and they literally had empty bins in my son's room; I heard a Pittsburgh teacher politely ask if they could use them for our kids since they were empty, and she was VERY FIRMLY shot down, "No. You CANNOT use them." No explanation.), not enough hooks, etc. for coats/hats/mittens, and they crammed all the Pittsburgh kids into one classroom regardless of age: infants, one year olds, and older toddlers all in the same room. Napping was a nightmare. I felt so bad for the Pittsburgh teachers. All in all, I wouldn't trust this company or the Pittsburgh Director (Maggie) again. The two stars is only because we had one excellent teacher who we really liked and miss. Hilarious note: the company employee's five star post was posted AFTER they closed this location.

My son has been at Hartwood for about 3 years now. I absolutely LOVE this place!! This is the…read moresecond daycare he has ever been at and there was/is a substantial difference of the two daycares. The ladies are so friendly, welcoming and loving to the children. The learning program they have and follow is amazing. My son thrives here and loves his teachers and the friends he has made along the way. I know when I drop him off, he is in good hands. They communicate well with the parents and offer multiple fun activities that the kids can participate in "outside" of the daycare (i.e. Gym Bus, Happy Feet, etc.). When my husband and I moved this past year, a big part of our location was so that our son could still attend Hartwood. If you are looking for a daycare that helps your child learn, grow and feel apart of something, I promise you won't be disappointed!!

We absolutely love this daycare. The teachers were exceptional, and I feel like took care of my…read morebaby as their own. The staff here are just wonderful. I can't say enough good things about this daycare. I know that whenever I dropped my baby off, he was in good hands- and as a mom, this was so important to me. Very highly recommend!

Words can't express how much we LOVE this KinderCare! The seasoned teachers and long-standing…read moreleadership are clear to see from first interaction. While I was nervous to start my son last July (mid pandemic), KinderCare always made me feel comfortable with the procedures in place to keep the kids safe! Now my 2 sons attend and the teachers could not care for them any better. Shout out to the infant teachers who have really raised two happy happy happy boys in those difficult months- both developmentally and mentally for me! Rose, Tia and Poli are the best! My toddler is always smiling on drop off with Janelle and Tracy. I have a demanding career in healthcare (what a time!!), and I know everyday they are so well taken care of and loved! The kids are thriving and LOVE coming to school. They are also so tired at the end of the day from the physical and educational stimulation that they sleep 12 hours straight (always helps!). I guess the only negative would be that the location might not be convenient for the work from home'rs, but I would recommend all my friends to this childcare without any hesitation, esp if it is convenient! Plus; they have an enclosed playground right on the square! Kids LOVE!

I recently went on a tour of the program and although I liked what I saw, I did not like the…read moreattitude of the director. In my opinion, she was not very warm or welcoming to me. She kind of had a serious tone and wasn't helpful with giving me payment options and asking if I could afford it or not. She was very blunt about telling me the registration fee. It's like she was wearing a fake smile. Due to the impression that she left on me, I will not be enrolling my child. It sucks because kindercare has a great reputation and I want the best for my child but I do not want to have another interaction like that again with the director.

I scheduled a tour of the Goddard School a few weeks ahead of time. I received several reminders,…read moredirections to the school , as well as parking suggestions. I arrived to find the building very secure, being on Fifth Ave,can be of some concern. The director pointed out that all entrances require special admittance and there are two windows, only, in the gym, which are also safely closed. I met with Brian, Director/owner. He was extremely knowledgeable (as he should be), well spoken, and able to put me at ease in several instances. We spent at least 30 minutes discussing the curriculum, which I am extremely impressed with. I don't want just a babysitter, especially at such a high price. I asked what a typical day is like for the two year olds, and he was quick to point out, that every day has the same schedule, which it is important for toddlers to have continuity. We reviewed my particular needs, and Brian explained that my requirements were out of their ordinary, but he would make it work. As we proceeded to the "gym", Brian described the cleaning procedures of the school. Strict attention is taken to prevent spread of germs. But I have to tell you, I was amazed at this activity area, WOW. Large, appears safe, and decorated to the Pittsburgh area, including points of interest, historic sites, and sports teams. This is important to me, because I want my grandson to be familiar with his roots. We visited the classrooms, but unfortunately it was nap time. I do want to point out that this is a school, with education and growth in mind. Brian appeared "compassionate ", which is also important for children of any age. Brian answered every question I had, and never made me feel pushed, or in a hurry, despite that, I later found out, he had another tour, right after mine. I have to say, that my grandson is presently in a program that I am not completely comfortable with. This of course helped me to ask certain questions. Even though i haven't yet experienced the actual intervention, I am looking forward to enrolling my grandson in the program and continuing to watch him grow. I may write further reviews as time goes on.

My daughter has been at the Goddard School for two months and we absolutely love it here. This is…read morethe third center we have tried after being disappointed with the other centers. Everyone that works here is extremely kind and professional, my daughter loves all of her teachers and always has a big smile for them. The facility is bright, clean, and there are so many amenities for the children (I mean seriously, there's a climbing wall for little kids!). I'm not ashamed to admit that I wish that I could play here all day rather than work. It is very expensive but in my experience, you get what you pay for and this is absolutely worth every cent.

Nothing but love! We just moved to Pittsburgh this year and…read moreneeded to find a daycare for our 5-year old son. Due to our busy work schedule, most daycare centers' hours just won't work for us. We were almost desperate until we found Gloworm, what a jewel in the rough! It would stay open till 8PM during week days and open on weekends as well. You can purchase 50-hour full-time package or 30-hour part-time package, and they would charge you based by the hours your kid stays there. For any unused hours during week days, you can use them during weekends for errands or shoppings in nearby malls. All the teachers are loving and sincerely care about my son. They arranged all sorts of activities during the day so the kids can learn and grow. My son always said that he had so much fun at Gloworm and made friends with kids of all ages because they have group session with everybody participating! We also send our 9-year old son during summer and he enjoys Gloworm as well much to our surprise. He would draw, cook, play sports and games during his stay there, and he loves the teachers and facilities there as well. One thing I really like Gloworm is that they will send multiple photos and videos everyday through Tadpoles and emails so I can see my kids grow and have fun everyday while I am away. Lots of great memories captured! I would highly recommend any parents who want flexibility in their schedule and love environment for their kids. They will have great fun and experience there!

Took a tour of this facility and was blown away. It put me at peace so quickly that I will have no…read moretrouble dropping my child in their care. It accommodates my flexible shifts and is super clean. Best part is their learning center and different activities that include a lot of physical involvement for development of my child. At least my child will not be in front of a TV all the time. Hannah k

After moving from my hometown to Pittsburgh with my preschooler, it was really important for us to…read morefind a school that was warm and welcoming while also providing a challenge for a late fall birthday baby who's been through a year of preschool already. After lots and lots of research and so many phone calls, we chose Shady Lane School. The staff at Shady Lane are all incredibly friendly and welcoming. Drop off and pick up usually take us longer than I expect because my son wants to go around and visit different teachers and say hi to everyone. Everyone learned his name quickly and greets him warmly even when he's being grumpy. Whenever I have to talk to the administrative team, my son is thrilled to play at the large train table by the front desk. His teachers are so dedicated, and I think that is such a big part of why this school is special. Our family is big and complicated, but my son's teachers have gone out their way to learn names and faces. They offer positive encouragement and praise as well as boundaries and redirection. My son used to argue with me about going to school at his last learning center/childcare provider, but now he's always eager to get up and go. I am so thankful that we found Shady Lane, and I will certainly keep them in mind if/when we have another child.

Great executive director and educators. Children are loved and cared for. Play based while still…read morelearning and is developmentally appropriate. NAEYC accredited with 4 Keystone Stars and DHS licensed.

Our family has had the BEST experience with this school! The owners are wonderful! The teachers are…read morefantastic and treat our children like they really enjoy seeing them! The facility is beautiful and designed with safety in mind. Healthy food is served, with a daily report on what your child actually ate at the end of the day! We love everything about this school-but especially the people! Everyone that I have encountered has had a positive, calm, and nurturing demeanor. I would have to say that our children are the true fans though! They absolutely love going to school and love running in each morning to greet their teachers and friends! I would recommend this school to anyone looking for great care for their children!

We are new to Primrose this year and have had a wonderful experience. The operational-owners are…read moreinvolved in the business day-to-day to meet parents, and staff is always available, and very responsive, to assist. Given the limitations in the industry, we have felt very fortunate for our daughter to have been placed with some of the finest Pre-K teachers we have encountered. Communication is consistent, clear and helpful to maintaining our daily routine with our child. The facility is top notch, spotless, and extremely inviting and comforting. Parent-teacher conferences were offered early in the year and proved valuable in translating the progress our daughter has made. The staff was attentive, willing, and more than able to answer all of the questions we had prepared. I would recommend this location to anyone considering a trusted, private daycare/Pre-K solution in the area.