Best Creche Cambridge Near Me

Dan Congreve: We started at Panda when our first child was 4 months, and have loved every moment with them. They have become family- not daycare/school. The directors are knowledgeable, responsive to every one of our needs, and so kind. My daughter instantly bonded with the directors and teachers. During the day she did stimulating and age appropriate activities that continuously pushed her to learn more, while having a ton of fun! She went outside often (usually twice a day when weather allowed). I would HIGHLY recommend Panda to anyone in the area who is in need of childcare.Service:Educational services

Valeryia Ziablava: Our daughter joined Panda 3 months after its opening. No one in our family speaks or understands Mandarin, but we were very intrigued by the Montessori philosophy and the opportunity to learn Mandarin that Panda Bilingual Daycare offered to our 20-month old child.The daycare gave our daughter everything we could have dreamt of: teachers’ dedication, patience, help in building confidence and independence and, most importantly, safety. Our daughter has severe food allergies; the director and teachers were very open to accommodating our daughter’s needs. The teachers were so meticulous and mindful about making sure she was not exposed to any allergens. We truly felt comfortable at all times.Finally, 3.5 years after having dropped her off at Panda for the first time, our child has become fully fluent in Mandarin (for a five-year-old). It is amazing to hear her interacting with other kids and teachers in a language that she only speaks at the daycare. As one of the Mandarin native-speaking parents told us, “When I close my eyes and listen to your daughter speak Chinese, I would never tell that she is not a native speaker.” It is perfect evidence of Panda’s educational mission. It is an amazing place for little kids to be.We wholeheartedly recommend Panda Bilingual Daycare to any family as we truly consider it a golden standard in young child education.

Vishakha Dolhare: We enrolled our then 1.2 year old daughter at Panda after touring atleast 3 different daycares in that area and we couldn't have been happier with our decision. Clearly the standards at Panda are high - be it hygiene, the rich interactions between the teachers and students , the curriculum designed to encourage individual play as well as peer learning, the involvement of the staff and the attention to parents feedback by the management. My now 4.5 year old confident, happy and creative child blossomed in this daycare and all the kind teachers will forever be a part of her memories. I would recommend Panda to all my family and friends in a heartbeat! Thank you Panda for being an important part of shaping my daughter and preparing her for the real world.

Michelle Pai Howell: Our son started at Panda as a shy 2.5 year old and has been thriving at Panda. This is a great daycare with teachers that are caring and passionate about the children. The staff are consistent and the communication clear. Also the director, Marcy, is phenomenal. She is always talking to the kids and parents and often can be see holding some of the infants.We have especially loved the small community and the small number of children at the facility. It's not overwhelming to me or my son and I think it has helped reduce sickness throughout the year. Highly recommend Panda.

Chao Q: We have a 2.5yrs daughter in Panda Bilingual Daycare since this summer. We have been very satisfied so far. The site is brand new and the facilities are very nice. The teachers care deeply about the kids and constantly communicate with us about our daughter's every little bit of progress. Sijia, the founder, is very enthusiastic about her work. She works side-by-side with the teachers and always gives timely feedback to our questions and concerns.Our daughter has been very happy in Panda. Every day she would sing on her way home and tell us stories in the Daycare. She also loves role playing as her teacher, Ms Stefanie, and teaches us what she has learned at school. We speak Mandarin Chinese at home, and now she is picking up more and more English from daycare, which we are very pleased to see.

Livie Cohn: Our family's experience with Two Little Owls has been nothing short of outstanding. Communication from school leadership is clear and frequent and the educators are kind, loving, and compassionate. TLO feels like an extension of our family!

Joseph Smith: Excellent. Very well managed daycare, with loving, capable teachers. Phyllis is the Director or Asst Director, and does an amazing job. She hires well-- many teachers have been there for years.They stay open during bad weather when other nearby daycares close. They common sense instead of blindly following what the public schools do. Many daycares close at the first mention of snow in the forecast, but this team takes a much more reasonable approach.We're huge fans of the organization. Highly recommended.

Suzanne: Working in Cambridge, I was thrilled to find Two Little Owls. The director was warm and friendly and listened my concerns. The teachers and staff have only reaffirmed I made the right choice for my child. I have a happy toddler who is thriving!

Marie Santiago: Where do I even begin, a couple months ago I applied for my child to attend this school, not even two weeks into my child being here there is a countless amount of reports written up with other students hurting my child. I was yet with my child being there a month saw a change in anything involving the same student continuously hurting my child. Never the less the amount of times I tried to reach out to the director which never seemed to be around at the end of the day no matter which day I arrived she was never to be found I tried plenty of times reaching out also trying to figure out a system with the teachers in the classroom my child was in but yet again just kept receiving reports it was absolutely tiring and I felt guilt sending my child to a.daycare where they don’t feel day or comfort this was the absolute worst mistake I made. Most of the times that I was requesting to speak to the director other teachers would tell me she is working from home which is something I have never heard of in the past with any daycare. The short amount of time my child was there not once did they come home with something new they learned or something exciting they wanted to tell me and that is not fair especially the amount of money they are asking per student. The teachers cannot seem to control these students it’s a chaotic environment for both students and parents. I advise please do your research before you send your child to a daycare as disorganized as this one is. If there was a chance I could speak to the owners about this I would have but chances are slim to none. This director definitely needs to be swapped out for someone who will take a step forward to out this daycare back to its happy place and focus on the children and their developmental growth.

Jessica Pisano Jones: The review is dated; the ownership of the daycare has since changed:My daughter attended Two Little Owls from the age of 1.5 years to 4 years, and was in the toddler, preschool, and pre-k rooms. We loved TLO and were sad to leave when we moved away. The owners are wonderful people who are very actively involved in the day-to-day of the center, and the teachers are fantastic. The kids follow well-planned activities each week with themes that allow them to practice a range of skills, and our daughter learned so much - she says that at her new daycare, the activities are "too easy." The hours are great (even when they were reduced for COVID), the safety/sanitary protocols are reassuring, and having a parking lot for pickup/drop off makes things so much easier. The kids play nearby at the Gore Street playground, enjoy yoga and music classes, and there's a good sense of community among the families. I am now struggling to find childcare for my infant son, and I wish commuting to Cambridge was still feasible because I would trust TLO with him in a heartbeat.

Chara Itoka: Positive:Professionalism,Quality,Reliability,Responsiveness,ValueA warm, nurturing, intellectually stimulating environment for children. My son attended TLOS from 13 months to the age of 4.5. He grew so much while he was there.

Angel Stewart: Today I was at the park on Gore street.All of the teachers were so kind and engaged with all of the children. Security was there priority and it was so sincere.

Anonymous J: The staff is generally helpful and care for the kids except for the director. She's extremely unaccommodating and rude. She will give you hard time for the smallest requests (i.e. dropping kids late or having a picky eater). You will have hard time dealing with her. Avoid if possible.Since the rest of the staff are good, I would recommend to avoid them unless you don't have other options.

Lena Kuenkel: We could have not asked for a warmer or more loving first nursery school experience for our daughter. She is thriving at school and brings new songs and stories home every day. We can't recommend GNS enough, particularly as a first experience to little ones given the small group size and family-like environment.

Chris Straehla: Our daughter has thrived being a part of the GNS community. The teachers and staff are wonderful at fostering a kind, loving environment that fosters curiosity and relationships. A part-time preschool with 2, 3 and 5 day options has been a perfect fit for our family in the years leading up to kindergarten. I would highly recommend GNS!

Colleen Coffey: Our daughter has been enrolled at GNS for about 6 months and we could not be happier with our experience so far.  She attends the two-day program and every day she wakes up asking if it is a school day because she can't wait to go back.  The facilities are bright, fun and extremely clean.  Our daughter especially loves the outdoor time and spends a lot of time in the sandbox and mud kitchen cooking up lots of creations.For my husband and I being able to be a part of the school and her education through the cooperative program has been amazing.  We've both done one day of parent helping so far this year and it was so fun to be able to see our daughter in her school environment and helped give us a better sense of what her days at preschool look like.  Finally, the teachers are absolutely amazing.  We love that they use an emerging play curriculum and are always so impressed with the activities they come up with for the kids.

Zoe Trohatos: We are having such a wonderful experience at Garden Nursery School (GNS)! We love that GNS emphasizes social/emotional development and play! The teachers are exceptional and truly know all of the children. Our daughter is now in 2nd grade and still talks about her preschool teachers and the friends she made. GNS is the perfect first school experience, it gave our daughter the confidence and readiness to make the jump into elementary school. Our son is enrolled this year is having an amazing time! It is such a warm and welcoming environment. We highly recommend Garden Nursery school!

Angelika Makkas: GNS was an absolutely excellent school for our 2 children and a third starts next year. All of our children grew and learned leaps and bounds. But most importantly they are becoming empathetic kind people. Highly recommended.

Andrew Park: Our son was ready to start school but, of course, he had a rough start at the beginning. However, because of a great team of teachers and parent helpers, we are now fully enjoying to be part of GNS community! Best Pre-School experience ever!!

Devon B: Our 3 year old loves it. A very inclusive coop school.

Kate W: We started at GNS recently, but so far it’s been a great experience. The space is cozy, with plenty of natural light, and the teachers have been warm and friendly. Our son has fun every day he goes to school, and comes home excited to talk about what he’s done. He especially loves the daily dance parties! I also really like that GNS has a dedicated, fenced outdoor space with plenty of toys and a sandbox.We appreciate that there are a variety of attendance options- 2, 3, or 5 day, as well as early/extended care (FYI: late pickup is at 3 pm, there is no 5 pm option). This works for our family, but might not make sense if parents work during typical business hours.

Josefina Pelecanos: Our 4 year old daughter goes to Garden Nursery School five days a week and we are so happy with everything: the teachers and director are fantastic and make the school a warm, respectful and wonderful place for children to learn, play and grow. Our daughter loves to go to school every morning and we couldn't ask for more.

Sarah Moridpour: Amazing school and community! From the moment of our first visit, we knew that GNS was a unique place and we have found that to be true in every way- the director and teachers are just so warm and kind and the atmosphere is incredible.We love the parent-initiated and community-oriented structure of GNS; it has provided us with the benefits that many schools and daycare centers are lacking today: It is not only good for our daughter but for us as the parents, family, and community as a whole - we are learning together.We feel so lucky that we found GNS and the whole community.

Rachael Elliott: Our kids love going to Garden Nursery School, and we love the school's focus on play, respect, kindness, and communication. It's been an amazing year of growth for both of our kids, and especially the social and communication advances that we've seen in our son this year...we credit the teachers for their loving consistency, patience, and amazing care for each individual child in the school.Given the intimate size of the school and teacher-to-child ratio, we expected our kids would get lots of attention and guidance. (That was the case!)What surprised me was how impactful the cooperative aspect is at GNS: parents take turns helping out alongside teachers in the classroom, so we develop bonds with all of the children, in addition to the pleasure of seeing our own kids at play. Not to mention the respect I've gained for the many other parents who help keep the school running through volunteering their expertise in many fields. As a result, the sense of community at the school is vibrant and thriving.The school director and teachers are outstanding, and are clearly invested in creating a respectful environment among all of the children. Each day, our kids had opportunities to develop their social skills, language acquisition, fine and gross motor skills, etc. through creative play, problem solving, stories, dance party, and songs. When confronted with conflicts between students, the teachers help the children deal with their 'big feelings' by putting them into words and making a plan for how to move forward. They are attentive to the various and varied needs of each child in the classroom.After one year at Garden Nursery School, we can better understand what makes this place so fabulous. It was a poignant goodbye in June to the kids who are moving or entering school, and our younger one is so excited to return come September!

Amanda VanVleck: We had the privilege of spending 3 phenomenal years as part of the Garden Nursery family. The amazing teachers and director have created a safe and nurturing environment where each individual child is gifted the space and time and rich experiences to allow for extraordinary growth - both social/emotional and academic. My son lost both of his grandparents during his time at Garden Nursery and their long illnesses consumed our home life, but GNS offered him consistency, predictability and the warmest home away from home during these difficult years. I would recommend this school to anyone looking for a "just right" school experience en route to Kindergarten - there are 2-day, 3-day and 5-day programs. (Our son is thriving in Kindergarten now and I owe his confidence and willingness to take risks and his inclusive instincts to his amazing experience at Garden Nursery School.)

Katie Brillantes: We LOVE Garden Nursery School! My first 2 kids went to another pre-school as GNS was oversubscribed and we didn't win the lottery. My third finally got in and we couldn't be happier. It is a truly unique place where children and families form a community and share in the joy of each child's growth. The curriculum is child-lead and really evolves based on the interests of the group. My son's class decided to do all things train related for awhile and now they are running a restaurant (making menus, drawing play money, etc..). Since the ideas come from the kids, they are very engaged and take ownership over their projects. Another focus of GNS is to help children build their social / emotional skills. My son receives individual attention from the teachers everyday and they have really taken the time to get to know him. He had a hard time with separation at the beginning and the teachers helped him feel safe and comfortable in the most kind and nurturing way. Now he loves to go to school and happily waves from the "goodbye window" everyday. So grateful for such a wonderful start to school for my son. Couldn't recommend GNS more.

Merrill B. Lamont III: we're coming back next year! "PLAY is the 'work' of being a child" - that quote plus the focus on emotional-social development is what brought us - you can tell the staff are made for what they do - my 3yo daughter is having fun - it's actually a community for parents, too

Meg Vadakekalam: We can't say enough about how much we love GNS! It has been such a warm, supportive, empowering environment for our shy daughter. Since she started in the fall, we have watched her grow more confident every week and she is always so excited to go to school and play with her friends. The teachers and director are amazing and so dedicated, and the cooperative structure allows us to be an active part of the school community, which is so great for our daughter as well as ourselves. We highly recommend this wonderful school!

Jeff Rawson: GNS is truly a top-notch place! Our two kids are excited to go every morning, and come home with stories of unique activities from each day. The kids are so enthusiastic for their nursery school that they proudly wear their GNS t-shirts around town. The teachers work diligently, far above the minimum, to plan enriching activities for the kids, and they clearly implement the science of early childhood development into their practices. GNS is far more than a daycare, and will foster your child's emotional, intellectual, and social development. We've also enjoyed the expectation of parental participation; it's given us a chance to be involved with our kids at the school, to spend more time in the space and with the teachers, and bonded us with a community of other local parents.

Deidre Deegan: An incredible school with the best teachers and community spirit. Our daughter attended for two years, and is now in Kindergarten. She's more than well prepared and so confident and socially/emotionally more than ready, in no small part thanks to GNS. We really miss the school and teachers! The philosophy is to focus on social emotional as the foundation, with everything else branching and building from there. Science, math and early literacy are baked into the activities, though all our daughter knew was cozy, fun, friends. The parents are really involved, a wonderful built in community and nest type experience for the start of school -/ this is what preschool should be!

Daniel Wendel: I cannot imagine a more perfect first introduction to "school" than Garden Nursery School. My son found a second home at GNS where he was loved, understood, and valued for who he is. And that was true of each of his friends here, too. My son is now in a kindergarten program he loves at a Montessori school in Cambridge, so it's been 8 months since we left GNS, but when we went back to visit for "Alumni Day" last weekend, he absolutely glowed with joy. All of the friends who returned for a visit picked up right where they had left off, and, due to the community that developed from the co-op structure and "parent helping", the parents were really excited to catch up too!It is hard to identify exactly what it is that makes GNS so special, because it is a combination of so many things working together. But here are a few things that stand out:- Parent helping means that I got to know (and really care for!) the other kids in the class, beyond the caricatures that come from first impressions. In other schools I would have noticed the rambunctious kid at drop-off who was making my son feel a little intimidated. But at GNS, I helped to comfort that boy when he was crying because of how much he missed his daddy, and I learned that his heart was even bigger than his energy as he made the extra effort to invite my son into his games and activities. Perhaps it was the good influence of the teachers, or just that all the kids were all abnormally awesome, but I came to know and care for all of the children, and I know the other parents similarly care for my son.- The teachers treat the children with constant love, respect, and delight. I learned a tremendous amount about parenting by watching them! Everything from acknowledging and accepting "big feelings" to sharing in the awe of what a butterfly wing looks like under a magnifying glass let the children know that they were known, valued, and safe.- The play-based curriculum ("play is kids' work!") is wonderful. One thing my wife and I noticed when visiting other preschools was that in most places, our arrival caused some disturbance in the class, and typically several children would come talk to us or want to play with us, often competing for our attention. But when we visited GNS, we were struck with how unimportant our visit seemed! We certainly felt a warmth and happiness in the air, but there was also a sense of security and purpose that was lacking in our visits elsewhere. I described it to my wife as "this picture isn't going to color itself!" and "these cars aren't going to drive themselves!". It was as if each of them felt they were contributing something to the world in their play, whereas in other schools the children were just biding their time until they got to go home again.My predominant feeling when reflecting back on our experience at GNS is one of gratitude. We really struggled with our decisions about childcare and preschool, and ultimately felt like we were just kind of guessing and hoping for the best. So I'm extremely grateful that we got to be a part of something so wonderful. I wish that every preschooler could have the experience my son had.

Ellenor Barish: We have loved our time at GNS. The staff is highly skilled, compassionate and passionate about their work with our families. They encourage each child to explore and develop their personal interests and to share their experiences with their classmates. GNS is a place where children bloom. And as Parent Helpers we get to witness and participate in the process in a unique way. Plus - it’s easy to get there via public transportation.

Mathias Neuber: GNS has been a great experience for both us and the kids. The kids love the time that they spend at the school. They love going there and talk enthusiastically about their day and the their teachers and friends. The focus of the school on learning through play and preparing them socially for kindergarten. The teachers are amazing with children this age--as parents, we have learned many tips and tricks from the teachers on raising our children. As a co-op, GNS actively involves the parents in their child's learning and development. We are asked to participate in the classroom a few times during the year which helps us understand how our children interact in environments outside of the home and family. We could not think of a better place for nursery schools.

Shannon Lohr: Positive:Professionalism,Quality,Reliability,Responsiveness,ValueOur almost 3 year old son loved attending Little Star and we were very happy with the quality of care. This was our first time with a smaller family-run daycare and it was a great fit -- we'd highly recommend Jennie, Jes and Little Star.

Lily He: Our son started at Little Stars when he was about 3.5 months old. It was so stressful leaving him, but over time it was clear he really didn't mind us leaving! The teachers were incredibly communicative (wrote down his schedule on a whiteboard every day) and have never taken more than a day or two to answer a question we might have. Our little infant grew into a toddler and would come home having learned new things that were so fun for us to discover that he knew! The teachers really went above and beyond, taking him on field trips and doing arts and crafts and even sending him home with a holiday present. We would also have parent-teacher conferences to talk about anything related to his development or milestones we could start thinking about encouraging, and it's just helpful to talk to someone who's seen so many different kids instead of wondering if you're doing it all wrong as a first time parent. Bottom line; we never worried about his happiness when we dropped him off!I was hesitant to go to a home daycare, but you should do it! Jes is incredibly responsive via email/text/phone, and that mattered a lot to me as I was choosing a place. It felt like we were getting the organization and professionalism of a daycare center (especially during the uncertainty of covid -- I think Little Stars did much better than daycare centers, at least from what my friends tell me), but the benefits of a smaller community (ie, fewer germs and getting to know other families). I'm convinced that my kid learned as much from the other children (it's a mixed age group) as he did from the teachers. He is very gentle around babies (I'm sure he saw the teachers with the infants), and started moving around a lot pretty early on to try and keep up with the older kids!If not for covid and our health issues, we would have definitely stayed. We look forward to coming back to Little Stars soon!

Charles Mac Fadden: Great place! The child care workers here are amazing and incredibly attentive. Love it here.

Anahita Dastur: We love this family daycare. Our 2 year old has been going there for more than a year and we have had a great experience with Jessica and Jenny. Highly recommended!

Alexis Orellana: Our daughter has been at Little Star of Ours for over 2 years and we couldn't be happier. I love that here we find the warmth and individual attention of a home daycare with the structure and education of a center. My daughter is constantly surprising me with the things she's learned here. Her weeks are full of story time, songs, art projects and field trips.

Sarah Vaughan: Our infant has been at Little Star for 6 months now and it has been a great experience! The staff is caring and attentive and the space is clean and welcoming. We like that our infant gets to play with both infants and toddlers as part of their program. I would highly recommend Little Star to others!

Ramya Nagaraja: Update: my review below is for Alba's family day care that it was as of early 2013. I wish Alba, Celestine and their families are well.My son went to Alba's as a toddler, first ever daycare experience. He loved it. Alba and the other 2 caretakers really love kids. They are v responsible and take care of kids, their meals and snacks well. They prepare hot food just before lunch daily. They help kids inculcate good habits. Celestine's storytelling and singling are a hit with little ones. My son missed them on weekends:)I highly recommend this to my friends.

Whitney Miller: My child attends this daycare and its has been an amazing experience. Jessica and Jenny are both nurturing, accommodating and trustworthy. They both have a true passion for child development and are knowledgeable . Daily picture email updates and open communications is has been very reassuring. Putting your child in daycare for a lot of moms and dads can stir up guilt, fear etc when you have to work, but I trust the wellbeing of my child the moment I walk out the door.

Charlene de Boer: Absolutely fantastic daycare that both of our children went to and we sorely miss. Our eldest was in all of the rooms from infant 1 through to preschool and our youngest had a chance to be in the infant room before we moved out of MA. Would definitely recommend TSC to anyone.