Creative Minds Child Development Center

This preschool is a gem, thanks to its amazing team. We are very happy to be part of the Creative Minds community and cannot find enough words to thank them for everything they do. Our daughter started at Creative Minds a year ago, at 3.5 years old. Her adaptation to school was challenging due to separation anxiety. From day one, we were very impressed by the teachers' dedication, their responsiveness, and their creativity in helping her (and us) feel better and thrive. After years of the pandemic, we chose Creative Minds for its socialization approach within the Reggio philosophy. In addition to academics and activities, our daughter learns to work in a group, to stand up for herself, and to build healthy relationships. There are four classes, and all the teachers get to know all the kids well. Our daughter is in the Purple Room with Rashida and Kristen, who create a vibrant, positive, and fun atmosphere, always welcoming us with a smile. They work hard to foster this group dynamic, and we can see how they cultivate personal relationships with each child, taking into account their individual personalities and sensitivities, enabling them to grow and flourish. We couldnt have hoped for a better environment for our daughter to become familiar with school. The communication with the school is great, with daily pictures and updates. There are also regular fun events and spirit days. Richa, the founder and director, ensures this positive atmosphere. She is very dedicated and maintains a low child-to-staff ratio, ensuring that both kids and staff are safe and comfortable. She has always been available and accommodating to us when we needed it. As parents without much of a support system around here, we have always felt supported. Aimee, the mentor teacher, has also always made herself quickly available when we had concerns. She always comes up with personalized solutions and keeps us updated. We are excited to see how our daughter will continue to grow in the coming months. Thank you, Creative Minds team, for your support and for everything you do!
Feb 14th, 2024

I showed up to my scheduled tour at 10am. I believe it was the owner who opened the door to let me in and told me she just started another tour but I can join. The other parents were touring for their 2.5 year old. Mind you, my child is 1.5 year old, so I joined a tour with other parents that had nothing to do with the class my son would be in. When I joined, the owner stops to tell me, in front of the other parents, that the spot for my son is no longer unavailable. I was taken back and said oh okay. She the proceeds to take me to a room where she said my child would be and says wait here while I finish with the other parents. After 5-10 minutes she comes back and asks if I still wanted to see the other room where my son would be in now but I told her no because theres no space available right? And she said yes, no space available but this is the room (where were currently standing) where he could be at in December, if you start the process now. I told her no thanks and it wouldve been nice to get a phone call informing me that the current space for him was no longer available because I had to take time off work to be here, she said oh sorry. I left. Im completely appalled with the lack of communication and professionalism that this woman displayed from the beginning to end. If this is what the tour was like I cant imagine what every day would be like going forward. Also, while I was there I saw a teacher yelling really ugly at a child who did not need to be yelled at like that. Id be really upset if I was that childs mother. I would not recommend this childcare just from my 15 minute experience.
Aug 31st, 2023

I have wanted to share my love for this place for a long time and have actually prepared several drafts but none is satisfactory. So after 7 years knowing this great daycare and having two kids here, I decide to just share random thoughts instead. My older boy started here at 7 months old in green room. The first impression is that they were very strict with licensing requirements and I always forgot to sign in or sign out so the teachers had all the patient with me and kept reminding me about it. Every time I entered the room, I always waited until my son noticed me. I observed him from a distance and I could see moments like him curiously observing the teachers putting together bottles, or focusing on the book in front of him while sitting in his favorite teachers arms. He would repeat words in Chinese and the teachers even asked me for a cheat sheet so they can learn the meaning of the words. (well he was mostly asking for milk or a hug :)) I remember how much l learned from their seminars about respecting the child and letting them explore. I always enjoyed talking to the teachers. Not only they are loving they are also very open minded and respectful of childrens needs. Richa is not only knowledgeable but also has a deep passion about child development. I enjoy talking to her so much. ( You have to be lucky to catch her when shes not so busy) They have Amy who is focused on developing different activities that are suitable for different ages. She always have fun ideas. My older son would always come home covered with paint or mud. The paint is understandable because they really let the kids touch and be immersed in colors to feel it. Hes seven years old in elementary school now. He has special eyes with colors and has a way mixing it. I have always believed it is because of the experience here. The mud part, is so different. He would come home covered with mud even when it was not rainy. So apparently he loved playing with water and he would find the only muddy water in the yard and sit in it. The teachers let him and I am so grateful that they let him explore. They didnt stop him because mommy may not be happy about dirty clothes. They really let him have fun. And all these experiences contributed to how he is now. He enjoys exploring. You can see his excitement in his eyes when he is curious about something. My younger one is the opposite of my older one. The first day in green room, the teachers had paint in this gated area and let all the babies play in there. My younger one was trying out that day so we stood outside and watched. Richa came to me and said go let him join! So I put him inside. Surprisingly he refused to touch anything covered with paint. He ended up in a corner holding up the edge and wining. Then when he was in rose room, he was the same as his brother- covered with paint all the time. Oh my son was not potty trained until 3.5 years old. We had such a long struggle together LOL Oh I have to mention that even now we talk about the teachers here with my kids. They still remember most of the teachers, especially Adelas laughter. I cannot say enough about how happy we were with the teachers. They shared my excitement, happiness, anxieties, and so much more during the years. When I picked up my son they would share fun moments or sometimes sad moments about my son. That became one of the few things I looked forward to every day. COVID made things difficult for all of us. We had to take the kids out of the daycare for a long time. And we had to transfer to a different school almost two years ago. I wish we had a chance to properly say goodbye to everyone. ( I miss you all!) So if you are looking for a place not only about learning the basics but also letting them (and maybe you as well) learning to explore, this is the place. You will be surprised of what you and your kid learn.
Sep 9th, 2023

Ill skip to the punch line: **theres no better preschool than Creative Minds!** Over the last 8 years, we watched our oldest and youngest make their way through this wonderful school - from 6months to graduation. And every single day all the teachers and the owner showed tremendous love and care, making our daughters feel nurtured and cherished. The daily updates on what the girls were up to made us feel super connected to them but also the teachers. Weve kept and even printed many of those pictures! It always felt like being part of a big family not than just parents picking up and dropping off. And our girls learned so much! It was fun to watch as they not only learned but developed a love for learning, something I really appreciate. And it wasnt just the academics - values like kindness and respect and listening were reinforced and improved there. We highly recommend Creative Minds to any parent looking for a loving and supportive preschool. We are forever grateful for the fantastic memories and learning experiences our girls had here. Thank you, Creative Minds!
Jul 28th, 2023

Our daughter was 4 years when she joined and she spent 1 year in Creative Minds. Kids here are taught in a unique style (Reggio Emilia). They focus on a topic for a long time and get their hands-dirty while learning. The projects that the teachers do with the kids - I have not heard anything like from my other friends who send their kids to other schools. These projects help the kids get excited about life - even the things that are as small as lady bug can be exciting. Kids spend a lot of time outdoors. Their outdoor play area is brilliant - it is divided into 3 spaces - with each space offering different play types. All kids are different and we wanted a school that develops them in their own unique way - this school specializes in that. Our daughter grew up, learned a lot, while still maintaining her individuality. Creative minds is gem and we are lucky to have found it. My family is very grateful to the principal and all of the teachers.
Aug 9th, 2022