I don't even know where to start to say good things about the Wilkins! This was once my kid's second home for them for the first time we moved to Arizona. It's the family owned business and that make the learning for kids so much different then other places. Your kids will love, play and learn from the friendly and caring staff around them. All teachers will make it fun and enjoying. They have options both part time and full time classroom and it's a great value and options for parents to go for. My kids still talking about what he did at Wilkins and how much the miss their teacher and those fun projects that they did until today, and that means a whole world for them! I highly recommend the Wilkins for the parents who are looking for a fun educational, great teacher and great environment. read more

We love Wilkins! My 2 year old attended a previous daycare before finding Wilkins that didn't go well. He would arrive everyday to class in tears, so we knew we had to find something new for him and that's when a family friend recommended Wilkins and it was the best decision we could make. He now runs to class screaming with excitement and gives a big kiss goodbye and off and playing. He's been so happy there and I can't thank everyone enough at Wilkins for welcoming us with open arms. It's been a game changer! read more

Warning- it's long, but worth reading!! My 3 year old started attending Wilkins earlier this year. She's never been to any type of daycare and was showing signs of being a bit delayed in her development, specifically her speech. So much so, her pediatrician recommended we get her tested with the local district to determine if she had a disability. We had already looked into Wilkins as we had decided it was time for her to start being social with other kids, but we also moved forward with the district testing. For her 1st evaluation she had only been attending Wilkins for about 2 weeks. They quickly determined at the evaluation they were concerned and wanted her to return for a full 1 on 1 evaluation. By the second evaluation she had been attending Wilkins for just about 2 full months attending full time. The amount of progress the evaluators saw in these 2 short months was amazing! My daughter was fully dismissed with no identified delays or disabilities and I'm fully convinced it was due to the loving care and education (yes education because this is so much more than just daycare) she was receiving at Wilkins. It's now been 6 months and my daughter is thriving! She's leveled up to the official Preschool classroom and has grown in so many areas. The teachers are so sweet and patient. If you are considering this place for your little one, do it! Call and take the tour, I promise you won't regret it! Thank you Wilkins family! ~Carolina & family read more

My daughter went to Wilkins from ages 2-4 and is 13 today. She was loved, cared for educated in a phenomenal way! The educational foundation that was built there carried with her to this day. I would highly recommend Wilkins Learning Center for anyone looking for their child ti educated in a very loving and nurturing way read more

Wilkins Learning Center - Me and the Ladies of Wilkins! Thank you for everything you did for Paige! - Five people, four women and one man, stand closely together on an outdoor patio with green chairs and tables, under a covered roof with string lights. The background shows trees, a white picket fence, and a clear blue sky. The group appears happy, with some smiling and one woman with her hand on her hip. On the table in front of them are drinks, a notebook, and a black bag. The setting suggests a casual gathering at a restaurant or cafe. - Preschools Near Me - Gilbert, Arizona

The Wilkin's way is the right way! Wilkin's Learning Center is the best home I could possibly ask for, for my child. My child struggled immensely with communication and making good choices. The amount of love, respect, communication, and follow-up from ALL STAFF (not just his direct room teachers) was very evident in everything that transpired during our many years at Wilkins. This is shown from the moment of drop off (with the front desk engaging in setting the foundation for a positive day), to the coaching sessions done 1:1 with my child, to the end of day summary provided by his teacher. We tried other, more franchised based, preschools and they would not take the time our child needed to become successful for his age unlike the much-needed experience that Wilkin's provided. I highly recommend Wilkin's Learning Center for anyone that values a quality experience for their child. The level of respect our family grew to have for this facility is unmeasurable. I wish we could have kept our child under the Wilkin's way of learning throughout his whole educational journey. read more

I love the Wilkins Way! Just started my daughter here and although this was a very tough decision, we feel like this was the best choice for us. We travel 20 minutes out of our way to ensure that our daughter is receiving the best education and care. Our amazing experience with these kind souls has put our minds and hearts at ease during those tough drop offs and throughout the day with their sweet messages and pictures. I do like the fact that they don't discipline my child like normal preschools/daycares. They talk out feelings, actions, and consequences like you would any other person and not resort to timeouts or yelling at any of the kids. I also love the daily updates that I get through email of what my child is focusing on and with pictures and taking home creations from the day. My child is always approached by her name and as a person, not like other schools/daycares where she is just another number and paycheck. They know what her likes and dislikes are, and I'm not just talking about her two teachers here...all of the staff know my daughter! From the staff and teachers at the front to the teachers and staff in the back. They all know what she loves and hates and most importantly her name! It makes me feel secure that she is loved and well cared for and that there won't be a time where she's not. I recommend taking a tour and letting your heart decide, I did and I don't have any doubts or regrets with my decision with placing my daughter in the loving arms of Wilkins Learning Center. read more

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Having worked here for the last 4 years, I can confidently say this is the best childcare and preschool here in the East Valley. The children are met with unconditional love and support from the moment they arrival to the moment they leave. The Wilkins welcome everyone who comes through the front door with open arms and has nothing but love and kindness in their hearts. Them, alongside the other educators at WLC, have helped me grow into a stronger, more patient educator, and I wholly credit them for playing a part in helping to prepare me to enter my own classroom for the first time this school year. I have nothing but love and respect for this business and everyone else who chooses to work and send their children here, and I am proud to say that working at WLC has been apart not only my education journey but also my life journey. Much love read more

They spend more time on cell phones than watching children and even worse when driving.

After a few months of my children attending Wilkin's Learning Center, I am continually impressed with everything they've learned this far. It's comforting knowing my children have a safe place where they are excited to go each day. It all starts with the ease and quickness of the check-in process allows our family to get in and out, and off to work. Coming back to pick them up and seeing art they've created just warms our hearts. Talking about our day at dinner each night and hearing so much about the place they spend their day gives me assurance that we chose the right place for our kids and our family. Thank you to all of the caring teachers and staff. read more

The Wilkins Learning Center has been voted the best childcare and preschool in Gilbert and the entire east valley. This is a well deserved recognition! As a mother of four daughters, our children were blessed by the love of the Wilkins educators. The ways in which the teachers and directors treat children with respect and love is evident. I noticed the ways in which adults kneel down to talk to children face to face. The students were full of smiles and actively involved in learning. It is a fun, positive, and energized place where children are cultivated and encouraged to grow and develop. Without a doubt, I would highly recommend them to any family who is seeking the highest quality of education and child care for their own children. Rhonda Marsman Reading Specialist read more

Our daughter has been here since 12 weeks old (almost 2y/o now) and oh man has it been the right decision! We took a tour at 6 months prego to get on the wait list (highly recommend to tour early). The swaddlers room was so loving, nurturing & made going back to work soo much easier. Now that she is in the talkers room, she is maturing & showing so much academic growth, so quickly! Kudos to the Moms & amazing ladies that work here, I recommend this daycare to ALL my friends. read more

Wilkins Learning Center - Preschools Near Me - Gilbert, Arizona

This place is so much more than the title depicts. It is a true family. They loved my daughter from day one and treated her as one of their own. She attended from 2 years old through kindergarten and it really molded her into the loving, compassionate, respectful girl she is today and I will forever be grateful for them. If I was forced to say anything negative, I can say with honesty that the only thing is I wish they went all the way to 8th grade! Her words going off to her new "big kid school" on her first day of first grade were as follows: "I will have a GREAT first day because Wilkins gave me courage!" read more

If you want your kids to go to a place where workers are over worked, not paid good, treated poorly, then.....this is the place for you. The higher ups don't seem to care about their employees and seem stressed due to the lack of paying attention to their staff. For the people that watch your children, don't get fair pay and seems like no one is on the same page. I say don't take or leave your kids with this center because once Ive seen a worker smoking in their car and went to work right after, smelling of smoke. they don't care. You take the chance but just a heads up. read more

If you have ever had children attend Wilkins Learning Center, then you know the care and love is second to none. Our son attended from infancy up until the summer before kinder. We drove from queen creek taking him here daily on our way to work. We couldn't imagine moving him anywhere else. He is smart, brave, strong, and has such a tender heart and I know the Wilkins Family and staff had a lot to do with that. I could never recommend them enough. read more

Trust me... there is a VERY good reason that this place gets 5 star reviews!! Wow!! We originally toured this facility due to the positive reviews and ultimately decided this was the place for us (or really, for our son!)... I was SO nervous to drop my baby off the first day... (he's our first!)... but now I feel like i'm doing my little guy a favor by brining him in! The staff are beyond kind, caring & compassionate and the facility feels like a second home. Thank you Wilkins for making my life a little easier and putting my mind at ease everyday! read more

We sent our daughter here for the summer program. I've worked in educational technology for many years, and have interacted with a large number of teachers and administrators. Sharon is definitely one of the more discerning, experienced, and amicable educators. When she speaks to children she always kneels down and makes eye contact; I've seen her make rounds to each classroom during pick up; and when we have any questions at the front desk, she personally walks out and answers them. The staff are very friendly and well trained. Our daughter was out of day care for a while and was throwing some serious tantrums on the first day. I received hourly updates with photos from the Sharon. She came home daily with arts and crafts. Some of the perks include reserved shaded parking space; good security for drop off and pick up; receptionist knows you on a personal basis, etc. I wasn't a huge fan of the TV time near pick up and the teacher switches, but that's understandable. Highly recommended. read more

We were clients at Wilkins for over a year and a half. We got along well with the caretakers, the front desk, and always paid on time. We had an incredibly negative experience with the Wilkins Administrative staff (Barbara and Sharon). Last month we got a call on a Friday from Sharon Wilkins stating that our 18 month old daughter got an "ouch report" and that she was being dropped from the program that day. Just two weeks prior to this incident, we moved our child from full time to part time and got the following statement from Barbara in an email. The email stated, "it has been difficult for us with our smaller rooms accommodating the part-time schedules. We lose money on the "off" days. As a small business, we have to do what makes sense". We were not happy about this profit themed email as parents who experience a lot of financial strain paying for daycare. This was a very transparent financial move. We had not been told in 4 months of any serious behavioral issues that Sharon was claiming our daughter was exhibiting. Four months prior she had scratched a child when she was 14 months old, but this is normal toddler behavior. If Sharon really did drop our daughter with no warning or written notice she violated her own policy and left us in a horrible position. The policy reads "if continuous discipline problems do arise, parents, teachers, and the director will work together on a positive program for the ultimate benefit of the child." We were not give this luxury, we were caught totally off guard. There was no notification to us of any continuous behavioral problems. It is the Directors responsibility to notify parents of issues and this was not done; a huge lack of communication. Ask yourself would you want to be treated this way? This put me on thin ice with my work, as I suddenly had to take a week off to find a new daycare. This must be the Wilkins Way. read more

The Wilkins Family is hands down the best, most loving environment possible! My son went there for Preschool last year, my daughter is currently in the Preschool program- and now that they offer Pre-K and Kindergarten, my daughter will continue there! The teachers are the most hands on- loving I have ever seen in a school. Every day when they walk in the door- the teachers run up to them and hug them and pick them up and tell them how much they love them. And it is GENUINE! I wish she could stay through hughschool! :) read more

Wilkins is fantastic. My son has been in the childcare there full time for about six months now (he's about 2). I work in higher-level education and am frankly very picky (as a momma should be!) about who cares for my child. We moved last year here to Gilbert, and were very sad to have to leave our great child care in Southern California. We tried another area daycare/preschool first for a month, but my son was coming home emotionally exhausted, throwing tantrums, and generally not a happy camper. We moved him to Wilkins, and the change in our son was instant; he was coming home smiling, happy, sometimes covered in paint or play doh :), and enjoys gong to school now. Here are some things that stand out about Wilkins: (1) the owners, Sharon and her daughters, are energetic, kind, and thoughtful. Every teacher I have interacted with there is patient, kind and energetic. There are lots of hugs, jokes, and singing. (2) My son has learned a lot in the past six months, in large part because of Wilkins. He just turned two and can sing his ABC's, counting to 20, knows his colors, shapes, etc. (3) The children do a TON of artwork, projects, building, etc. and (4) The playground area is FANTASTIC :). read more

My wife had used an alternate daycare for her first child, and we were close to using them again. Gratefully a soccer mom on our daughter's team recommended Wilkins and we went to see them and check it out just to compare. So glad we did! What we have found is a group of amazing people who truly care about the welfare, learning curve, and happiness of our infant son. When I drop him off in the morning I see the same amazing faces who welcome him with open arms-even excited to see him. He has daily games and updates even at ten weeks, encouraging the natural progression of his senses waking up. There are a limited number of infants so each day we know that he has been individually fed and cared for without neglect. I am a family first person, and taking him to Wilkins feels like leaving him with family. When my wife picks our son up to go home he is happy and tired-but has obviously enjoyed his time, and the attention he gets. The amazing thing is that we pay close to $10 per month less than the cheapest competitor we researched-and believe me I would pay $100 more for the service that Wilkins provides. This is the way that word-of-mouth works for small business-Wilkins has earned our permanent business, and will receive all of my recommendations for anyone looking for a great place to send their kids for care. I cannot thank the entire staff at Wilkins, from front to back, for everything they do. Check them out, and you will be glad that you did! read more

An amazing school that has an incredible environment for children where there is a love for learning. Mrs. Ross, the kindergarten teacher, is simply amazing. We love everything about Wilkins. Our son thrived academically and socially, and we couldn't be happier. Even through a very challenging year with Covid, the decision to send him to school in person was easy. I always felt in my heart that he was in the best hands possible at Wilkins. Highly recommend both their preschool and kindergarten program. Such a wonderful, loving staff!! read more

My daughter loved their pre-K program and was well prepared for Kindergarten this year. Just started my youngest ones there (8 month old and 2 year old). Facility is clean and safe with welcoming staff. Highly recommend! Plus many teachers are previous elementary school teachers with 10+ years of experience! read more

Half year ago, I sent our daughter here for summer program, she was new there so she had been cried for almost half day there, all teacher were being super patient with here, the peer Sharon, hold her for couple hours and they consistently sent us message to let us know how was she doing. They are very amicable, patient and caring. My daughter enjoyed her summer program very much there. I strongly recommend Wilkin to all the parents. read more

My husband and I toured 4 schools when preparing to send our daughter to preschool. WLC stood out clearly as the top choice for so many reasons. (it was also the least expensive which shocked us - bonus!) The entire culture and priority of the school revolves around sincerely loving your kid. They hire only genuine teachers that know how to make a child feel heard, important and excited about learning. You'll notice the minute you enter the doors that the kids are the star of the show here - the staff will say hi to you - but they will engage your child and get down on their level and the kids just eat it up! My daughter has learned so many character focused lessons at this school in addition to academics. The instruction includes a fun way to teach empathy, compassion and respect in thoughtful and meaningful ways - not just "PLEASE SHARE KIDS!" I volunteer often and the kids get along so well - because they are taught skills on how to interact with each other so well - which is amazing at a preschool level! My daughter did the 3s program, the 4s program and will also do PreK here before going on to Kindergarden. WLC is like a second family to us. They get to know you and value your child's mind - but also their heart and soul. My other favorite parts about this school - the MUSIC - they incorporate a lot of learning via song, which had my 3 year old not only recognizing all the colors but SPELLING the words of them. Now, she just turned 4 this week and is reading the second level BOB books (ex. The cat is sad.) They are doing addition in math, and she's always telling me about some fun science experiment! THEY PAINT and do art waaaay more than the other schools we toured. When she's stayed home sick - the entire class has called her during snack time and said "We love you! We miss you! Come back soon!" My daughter feels like a million bucks going to this school. read more

Best preschool and kindergarten ever. Our daughter has been going here for 3 years and loves it. The teachers and staff are so friendly and truly care about the kids. I would recommend Wilkins to any family looking for a loving place to take care of your little ones. read more

The BEST preschool. They teach more than academics, but life skills to last a lifetime. Respect, self control, and getting along with others is just a little glimpse of what they learn. They give daily hugs and tell my son they love him. He asks to go everyday. Everybody there genuinely loves teaching children. read more

Our daugther has been going there part time for several months now. Everything seems to be going good. They have a great facility and the staff seem to be genuinly engaged in the developement of the children. The owners have backrounds in teaching and are very loving and caring. They dont just hire joes off the street like a tutor time or other "fast food" daycares. They have a waitlist for a reason..... read more

If you are looking for a quality preschool for your child in the Gilbert/Chandler area this is it. I love the Wilkins Learning Center. When you are entrusting your child to the care of someone else, it is invaluable to know that they love and care for your child almost as much as you do. This center provides a nurturing home for young children, fostering compassion, friendship and independence. Both of my children attended Wilkins and I couldn't be happier. The staff is loving, kind and completely invested in the success and well-being of your children. The education is dynamic, engaging and age appropriate. In one recent day, my 3 year old son did art, yoga, Spanish, math, reading and character development. They teach a lot about being kind and courageous, which are invaluable skills for a preschooler. The center is clean, modern and secure with large open classrooms and a great playground for recess. The heart of the staff is the Wilkins family. As former grade school teachers, they are aware of the skills children need as they enter elementary school. My older son, entered kindergarten reading well above level, knowing all his letters and sounds, socially adjusted and fully prepared for the kindergarten experience. My children have been so lucky to be students at this school. The saying goes "Everything you needed to know you learned in kindergarten" well it should be Everything you needed to know for Kindergarten, you learned from the Wilkins Learning Center. read more

We loved the pre-k Spanish infusion program!! Our son was just in preschool portion. He truly thrived in it. We have tried several other preschools and trust me none of them compare to the kindness we received from you all. Mrs. Finnie was wonderful. You can truly see how much she cares about her students and how much she wants them to succeed. All of the staff actually were wonderful. Everyday I brought my son in I was greeted by the gals in the front, what a great first impression!! My sister is a kindergarten teacher and she tests all the kids coming into their school and she raves at how well the students who come from you do. Again I can't speak highly enough of the program and facility and will surely be referring my friends and family!! read more

We started our daughter at WLC about 6 months ago and we have watched her grow into a very outgoing and happy young girl. She loves her teachers and staff. Everyone here has always treated us and our daughter with respect and kindness just as you would expect from a daycare. I have never once been hassled for money from the staff. We look forward to many more years at WLC. Update 3/28/2017 Everything I said before still holds true even more so as we have gotten to know the staff and caring teachers. You can't go wrong with WLC. read more

This is the best daycare EVER!! The caregivers here are so loving and genuinely care about my son. When I first toured here I knew this was the place I wanted my son to learn and grow at. Choosing a daycare is such a big decision, you're essentially deciding who will raise your children for you while you're at work (crazy but true). I'm not going to lie, I cried when I found out there was a long wait list and that I would have to go with another option until my son had a spot. To say that we were thrilled when a spot opened up for him is an understatement. The Wilkins way and how my little guy is treated makes me feel comfortable dropping him off everyday. When I pick him up from daycare he is happy and I couldn't say this with his past daycare. Thank you to the amazing Wilkins team and the crawlers caregivers, I love that you all love my little one so much! read more

We love, love, love this school. We have been going here for 2 years and I cannot say enough good things about the staff and total vibe. They are loving, truly care and run a great facility. They communicate well if there are concerns regarding your child. My son always wants to go to school and he even asks to attend on the weekends.They have build such a great community and have quarterly school picnics/festivals so you learn who your child's friends are. In addition they take seasonal school pictures which are darling and you cannot resist buying. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for childcare/preschool. We looked at numerous schools and this school won us over immediately. Just your them, you won't be disappointed. read more

My daughter was going to another daycare when we first moved to Gilbert and she was absolutely miserable. She would kick and scream everyone morning about going to school. She couldn't wait to leave when I picked her up. After a month I made the decision to move her to Wilkins Learning Center and it was the best decision I could have ever made! She absolutely loves this school. Some mornings she barely even says goodbye to me because she is so excited to be there. When I come to pick her up she doesn't always want to leave right away. The teachers are wonderful and so very loving. I have nothing but good things to say about Wilkins! read more

I absolutely LOVE Wilkins Learning Center! They are very caring and absolutely love my son. I like that it does not have room for many infants like many other daycares do, so it does not have an institutional feel to it at all. All of the caregivers are nice and genuine. My son and I are always greeted with a smile and well wishes. After having toured several other daycares I know for a fact I made the right decision in enrolling my son here. The caregivers actually work with the babies on meeting developmental goals. read more

Don't believe all the five star ratings on this place! If you notice most of them are dated from the same month 4/2014 when they were offering a monetary incentive to people who gave them good reviews. I am glad we no longer go here anymore. Yes there are good learning activities here for kids but my new kids daycare also does a great job with learning through creative play. The staff was 50-50 here and most of the awesome staff doesn't work at Wilkins anymore. It seemed like every month we would get an email introducing new staff members. Personally, I got the impression that the managers were hard to deal with and that is why so many people left. Originally we chose Wilkins because we liked that it was family owned but this family unfortunately does not know how to run a business and lacks in customer service. read more

All I can say is WOW! What an amazing center. Unfortunately there is a long waiting list and we had to choose another center but the tour was great! All of the kids look happy, the place is clean, and there are arts & crafts everywhere. It was such a fun place to be even for a short amount of time. I encourage everyone to tour this center. read more

We absolutely love the Wilkins Center! We started our 3 month old here and he is now almost 7 months. I love that the ladies in the Swaddlers room are always the same and they just adore our son. The staff know all of the kids by name. I would recommend this place to anyone! read more

My daughter attended Wilkins Learning Center from 3 months to 22 months, until her grandma retired and wanted to get some additional bonding moments in. I will say Wilkins is a bit expensive, as all reputable day cares are, but they won my heart the instant I toured. I found myself quickly justifying the cost, and reorganizing my finances to make it happen. I knew this is the place I wanted her to go. And once she was there, I have zero regrets. The staff is amazing, trustworthy, and communicative. I always knew what was going on with my LO, and most importantly, she loved the staff there. She'd smile and reach for them, which melts a mothers heart in all the right ways. Throughout our short, but meaningful tenure there, my LO learned so much. She understands practicing 'kind hands' and has a great appreciation for books and painting due to her adventures with Wilkins. The hardest part about her attending Wilkins was the decision we made for her to spend more time with her grandmother and not attend Wilkins anymore. I feel so lucky to have found such an amazing day care, and would recommend this place to anyone in an instant. read more

We are so thrilled at the loving care our little barely 3 year old grandson is getting with Wilkins. I just can't recommend them highly enough! I'm always amazed at the way Jen and Sharon Wilkins know each name. Sharon was in the reception area yesterday and each of the kiddos would break into a big smile (just the way she does) when they saw her and throw their arms around her:) We use some of their techniques for little ones that really help at home too. When Micah doesn't want to do what I ask, he says "2 minutes please" then gets right up. All the staff is chosen for sweet personalities who really love children. Also, my little one doesn't get sick as much as he did. I am SO happy to have found them! read more

We are Future Kiddie Puterbugs Computer Class. We offer our programs to the students at Wilkins Learning Center for about 3 years now. From time to time, we have families called us and asked us which preschool or daycare I would recommend. Wilkins Learning Center come to my mind. We appreciate the opportunity to work with Mrs. Wilkins families and their teaching staffs. They teach the students with love and care on top of the academic skills. I can't emphasize enough the quality of the facility offering to families and students. Without any hesitation, I recommend all families to bring their kids to Wilkins Learning Center. read more