All 4 of my boys have gone here/still attending here. I love all of the teachers and the…read moreadministrative staff they are all so nice and caring. This daycare is clean and they are organized. I would definitely recommend to anyone with small children.

*specific location being reviewed: Elmwood Park*…read more Wonderful childcare center! Picket Fence owner, Ms. Toni, genuinely cares about the children enrolled at her facility; she even addresses /knows each child by name! Kind teachers/staff all around. The children enjoyed being there /being involved w/ classroom activities...happy, smiling children =always a good sign(: I was also impressed by the fact that numerous Picket Fence teachers have been at this Elmwood Park location since it opened, which I believe (if I can remember correctly) was 1994! Now that's dedication!

My daughter loves going to the "yellow house", as she lovingly refers to it. We are part time, per…read moreher preschool schedule. Lisa, the owner, and her assistants are always a pleasure to talk with. The kids and parents we have interacted with seem very content.

I brought my 12-month-old son to Small Beginnings Daycare to see if he would take to the owner, Ms…read more Griffin, and the atmosphere. I even contacted three references furnished by Ms. Griffin. Contacts used the same buzz phrases (i.e. "parents at Small Beginnings are like-minded", "kids receive nutritional meals", "children never wanted to leave"), which made me wonder, but we moved on nonetheless. Awful experience! My son did not receive treatment like it was "mom and dad". I don't mind paying some of the highest rates in Chicago for day care (even home day care), but this facility is not worth 50% of the price. I would not leave my baby/toddler here. The assistants are very nice women, but the owner is another story and I do not recommend hiring her. Ms. Griffin prides herself on administering a high caliber service for parents "who want the best for their kids", but she did not follow simple instructions on caring for our child; complained about diaper changes; and was very combative when addressed with concerns and requests for better service. I had verbalized and written notes regarding our son having meals solely from home. A couple of times I picked him up in the evening and the owner approached me with our meals in-hand announcing, "He ate my food today." However, the deal breaker was when our son repeatedly came home from Small Beginnings with diaper rashes (that would clear up on the weekends with our due diligence, but reappear once returning to Griffin's home). I verbalized, wrote, and texted instructions on the usage of diaper ointment and frequent diaper changes for our son - for a total of four times - before I directly approached Ms. Griffin with the problem. Ms. Griffin rebutted and debated on how the medicine in A&D diaper ointment was harmful to my son; his diet was an issue, etc. Ms. Griffin even bellowed, "Don't you come into MY house making accusations! This is a place of BUSINESS!" I had to remind Ms. Griffin that we were paying for her business and that her business was taking care of our son. Concerns were about our son; therefore, we had a right to "come into her house" and address inadequacies. After taking our son to his pediatrician, the doctor removed almond milk from his diet (which Ms. Griffin suggested we use instead of whole milk), and mentioned that the rash likely resulted from long exposure to wet diapers. After I explained the pediatrician's diagnosis (who has been in practice for over 30 years with Loyola) to Ms. Griffin, she insisted that our doctor was incorrect and that our son was abnormal. Once more, my son NEVER developed diaper rashes at home with his family. The rashes that grew while in Griffin's care would be eradicated after a weekend at home. When I pointed out the oddity of our results versus Ms. Griffin's results, she responded, "Maybe not so strange ... Maybe all the rubbing and so much medicated A&D." We never instructed this woman to "rub" our child's skin. I could just picture her facetiously scrubbing my son's bottom until she hurt him. I did explain to Ms. Griffin that she needed to apply ointment liberally. Additionally, how does our solution at home instigate the problem at her home? After sharing our situation with a lovely Caribbean woman who provides care for the son of a Fortune 500 Company CEO, in her beautiful Jamaican accent she belted, "What!? You're supposed to grease their bottoms!" I visited reputable day care centers and they listed A&D (among other ointments) for infants and preventative care supplies within their contracts! One of the directors even questioned, "Has she ever thought that your son may simply have sensitive skin and there's nothing else to it?" We finally decided to terminate services with Ms. Griffin after our son came home with a rash that was so horrific that the color of his skin was purple! Other cautions and highlights: I mentioned to Ms. Griffin that for her expensive weekly rate (which rivals some of the top day care centers in Chicagoland with waiting lists), we expected excellence. Ms. Griffin sneered to my comment, "$xxx a week ain't a drop in the bucket to pay my water bill." On one occasion I left Ms. Griffin's house on my way to work, but was prompted to stop for milk and return - only to arrive outside of Ms. Griffin's door and hear her slandering me and my son to another parent. This is the kind of unprofessional and immature behavior (and hypocritical of the Christian philosophy that Ms. Griffin claims to practice) to expect. Do not be fooled by the neighborhood or duped into thinking you're leaving your child with Mrs. Huxtable. The Small Beginnings owner is straight up Mz. Jenkins' style! PS - There is a review below that is not recommended: it's from the owner!

As a Black man that is self-employed, I was thrilled to leave my son at Building Blocks Learning…read moreAcademy because it's a couple incredible Black women that run this place. My son be packed and ready to go and learn. If you are looking for a place to take your kid that has a nice calm atmosphere and their going to learn things and come home felling like they can take on the World, send them here.

My daughter has been here since she was 6 weeks old. She's now in kindergarten and I have a 7 month…read moreold son who attends. I love the staff! They have become our family!

I was led to BHGD by a close friend almost 6 yrs ago. I was a 1st time mom and headed back into the…read moreworkforce a lot sooner than I had originally plan. Honestly, I had no knowledge of any childcare agencies or educational outlets for wee littles, but By His Grace was truly a blessing. Ms. Nikki, the founder and lead educator is the most nurturing individual. She loves what she does. The children have a daily schedule, wholesome meals and plenty of exploratory activities from library and museum visits to pumpkin patches. The curriculum has included literacy, math as well as sports, Spanish and sign language classes. By far, my son is is where he is because of the great foundation BHG daycare planted and nourished. Before graduating and heading to pre-k, he was able to read, count to 100 and recite numerous concepts such as the days of the week, months of the year and planets. In short, strong academics, safe environment, reasonable cost and happy kids, made this one go best decisions for me as parent. Go check them out now!

enrolling my daughter into BHGD laid the fund foundation for her education. One of the best things…read moremy daughter learned was who God is. I love how friendly and attentive the staff is and that education is the main priorit.

Eight months ago, I wrote a review about Tutor Time and the incredible difference I saw after Gayle…read morestepped into the Director role. Today, I can honestly say that everything I said then is still true and if anything, it has only gotten better. As a parent, there is no greater feeling than dropping your child off each morning knowing they are safe, loved, challenged, and surrounded by people who genuinely care about their growth. That is exactly what Tutor Time continues to provide for my daughter and our family. Strong leadership creates strong cultures, and Gayle has built a culture where children thrive, teachers feel empowered, and families feel connected. You can see it the moment you walk through the doors. The center is welcoming, organized, positive, and filled with people who are passionate about what they do. That doesn't happen by accident it happens because of leadership, teamwork, and a shared commitment to excellence. I continue to be grateful for Gayle, Anita and the entire staff who pour so much into these children every single day. Their patience, compassion, and dedication do not go unnoticed. My daughter has grown so much socially, emotionally, and academically during her time here, and I know that's because of the incredible educators who invest in her every day. What stands out most is that Tutor Time has never felt like just a childcare center. It feels like a community. It feels like family. In a world where parents are constantly worried about who is influencing and shaping their children, Tutor Time gives me complete confidence that my daughter is exactly where she needs to be. Thank you to Gayle, Anita, the teachers, and every team member who shows up each day with passion and purpose. The impact you're making reaches far beyond the classroom walls. You're helping shape future leaders, build confidence in young minds, and give parents peace of mind. That is a gift that can never be measured. We are proud to be part of the Tutor Time family

As a parent, the most important thing when looking for a daycare is being sure that my child is in…read moregood hands; Tutor Time exceeded my expectations in every single aspect, time and time again--from the facilities, care, and education to the communication; absolutely everything. My son truly appreciated his teachers and learned so much from them, and I felt completely at ease leaving him at the daycare every day. If you are looking for a daycare where you know your child will be safe and happy, do yourselves a favor and enroll them at Tutor Time! A huge thank you to Anita, Gayle, Aneeqa, Adriana, and Leticia--I truly appreciate you all so much, and Victor is going to miss you!

PFC is a saving grace to my family! I'm extremely grateful for all they do! Director Joanna is very…read morecompassionate and awesome with all she does and I am extremely blessed that she has been working with me regarding the hard circumstances I'm currently facing, I don't know how to repay her, she's soo amazing!! Also, my son's case worker Maria Bahena she's another one whom I have to give my love & thanks to for also working with me through my hard times, she's very amazing in all she does as well! and I'm thankful! My son is in the infant class the teachers from my son's Room 2 are very attentive, nurturing, loving,& patient. Just know that your child is in awesome hands! I highly recommend this daycare center. Everyone is great, compassionate, and it's a great atmosphere to have your child in! Please enroll your children here when spots are available you won't regret it !

I can't say enough about this PFC. I love all the programs and that philosophy they offer. If you…read morewant the best education for your children. This is place!

I absolutely love The Learning Tree! My daughter has been in three rooms (infant, crawlers, and now…read moretoddler) there and all of the teachers are exceptional. All of the rooms are spotless, the activities are developmentally appropriate, and they show all children so much love. Shelly and Michelle go above and beyond for this facility. I would recommend The Learning Tree to anybody!

We highly recommend the Learning Tree. Our daughter is 4.5 years old and in her second year at this…read moreschool. The first year there were some teacher transitions, which caused some adjustments each time, but this year our daughter is in Ms. Mary's class and the experience has been great. Ms. Mary is very experienced and I am amazed at all my daughter is learning, from writing to days of the month, to playing well with others. I know my daughter is in good hands when I drop her off, and she has a great time at the school. I also appreciate the friendly, responsive administrative team and the flexible extended hours. My daughter is usually at school from 8 - 5:30, but they are open from 6:30-6, which helps on days I need to drop her off early or pick her up.

Up to Par with Montessori Schools…read more Miss Gladys was a former elementary school teacher, has her master's degree in education for children with special needs, has received some training in montessori philosophy, a guest speaker at educational conferences, bilingual speaking and is so involved in the world of children's education. She runs her daycare with all her heart and her head. The cirriculum is well organized and covers a wide expanse of subjects...her training is evident here. The yearbooks I received were also a very nice detail as well! I am also very grateful that my daughters spanish also improved at the daycare. Miss Gladys and other assistants are also binginual so my daughters never lost their spanish while attending here. Also, a music teacher, language teacher comes in once a week to teacher as well. Miss Gladys has a great network and they all coorperate in making the daycare very competitive and well rounded for the students/children. The home daycare itself is kept very organized and tidy. It looks clean and it is clean - From her computer lab to the kitchen, the place is well kept and sanitized. Financially, the pricing was quite affordable and her hours are just what my family needed. If you live near this area, I would strongly recommend you take a tour of the daycare. This daycare came recommended and I was so happy with the care my daughters received during their time there. The only small drawback is the parking situation. You can find parking, but the street street is narrow and there is parking on both sides of the street. I wish there was a better drop off spot or designted parking - that's why I gave the 4 star review vs. 5. My twin daughters attended this daycare from 2 yrs old to 3.5 years old.

We absolutely love this place and both of our boys remember this place with fond memories. Mrs…read more Moran is the real deal. She is a Masters degree prepared educator with a passion for developing children. She and her staff truly take care of your children on the whole level. We have recommended all of our friends and church members to her for their child care needs. My boys are now 17 and 13 and both excelled in their education which has a lot to do with their formation by Mrs. Moran