Skip to content
Daycare FinderLicensed care, side-by-side

WAY TO GROW LLC

LICENSED
30Elevated Risk

Licensing facts on this page were last checked against the state record on . We republish the public licensing record and label absent fields plainly rather than leaving them blank. Where our data comes from · Report an error

5.0(9)Yelp(0)
Group Child Care Home

On record in Pennsylvania.

22 W MAPLEWOOD MALL, PHILADELPHIA, PA 19144

Hours
7:30 AM–5 PM
Licensed for
12 children
Subsidies
Accepted

The public record

License number
104059232-0001
License status
LICENSED
License type
Group Child Care Home
Licensed capacity
12 children
Address
22 W MAPLEWOOD MALL, PHILADELPHIA, PA 19144
County
Philadelphia County
Website
Not listed
License issued
April 12, 2026
License expires
April 12, 2027

This page republishes the public license record maintained by the DHS, Office of Child Development and Early Learning. Fields marked "Not listed" are absent from the state's published data, not hidden. Verify current license status with the agency before enrolling.

What the record says

Provider highlights

Drawn from licensing flags published by the DHS, Office of Child Development and Early Learning. Parent-review summaries will appear here once enough reviews have been collected.

Signals of care

Strengths

  • Environment: Small-group setting (capacity of 12 children)

Points to verify

Consider before choosing

Not enough signal recorded yet.

From Google

Recent parent reviews

The 6 most recent of 9 Google reviews. Scroll for the rest of them.

  • Ms. Shirley is an incredibly skilled educator that provides unbelievable care for the kids that come to Way to Grow. My nephew has attended WTG for two years now, and he has absolutely thrived in this small, personalized education setting. I have been absolutely astounded to see the breadth and depth of the topics they cover at WTG: space, sign language, entomology, the human body, and so much more. My nephew started READING at just 3 years old because of Ms. Shirley's hands-on, one-on-one approach to teaching. He is so happy to go to school every day, and talks about Ms. Shirley, and her people all the time. They have become like family to us!

    Madeline ElwellJun 25, 2026
  • WTG is the best! My kids both love Ms. Shirley and she is just above and beyond in her care for the kids and her thoughtfulness in creating a learning community.

    Nicole SugermanSep 12, 2025
  • This place, its proprietor Shirley Wardlaw, and her crew, create an exceptional environment for little kids to grow and learn. We began taking our toddler here a year ago, when he was just shy of two. Kids grow incredibly fast at this age, so I've learned not to be surprised when our boy latches on to some new idea or word. But I have to say, having a two-year-old come home from school and telling me about animal habitats, or planets, or Rosa Parks, or even crucial social skills like "respect my boundaries", is amazing! We do every single thing we can as parents to ensure our kid is healthy, happy, and learning. But the work Shirley and WTG do to augment parenting is really just phenomenal. I trust her and love the community she's created. I was inspired to write this after she posted a cute video of my kid and his friend racing to a tree and back. It's always sweet to see kids having fun in the park, but what caught my ear in this one is when after the race, one of the other kids said, "there's no winning or losing", to console one of the boys. I just thought that was such a sweet thing for a child of 3 or so to say, and I believe it's because of the supportive environment Way To Grow makes for them. I'm an Internet Stranger to the person reading this, but believe me, if you are doing your research on preschools and considering WTG, let me say: it's great! Much love to Teacher Shirley, Mr. E, and everyone else for all their huge efforts caring for our kids.

    Sebastian HowardApr 28, 2025
  • Wonderful play-based daycare with the most perfect teacher! Our child is so happy here.

    Daniel JohnsonAug 10, 2024
  • Way To Grow is a very passionate, and caring establishment. The personal hands on teaching that each child receives is above and beyond! Ms. Shirley is one of a kind. I wish she and this Daycare was around when my kids were younger. I'm very happy that my granddaughter is in her care. She is already a smart little girl but with Ms. Shirley and her staff she has great guidance to excel. Thank you Ms. Shirley for doing all you do for the children. And treating them as your own with love and care.

    Beatrice BealleAug 10, 2024
  • Way to grow nursery school is an exceptional environment! My daughter has been in attendance for several months and her all around growth is amazing. The director Ms. Shirley and staff, have created a safe place for children and families to flourish as a village! Her teaching style allows children to thrive in the ways that are most natural for them. Her attention to detail, copious amounts of enrichment , community inclusion, and family supports has raised the standards for learning centers in my opinion . I would highly recommend this establishment if you would like to see your child excel in their toddler years and beyond! Thank you Way to grow nursery school for all of your support!!

    Roland PerryAug 10, 2024

Reviews shown verbatim as published on Google Maps.

How the reviews split

The 5.0 average comes from 9 Google reviews. An average hides whether opinion is consistent or divided, so the spread is shown too.

  • 5 star9
  • 4 star0
  • 3 star0
  • 2 star0
  • 1 star0

Questions parents ask about WAY TO GROW LLC

Is WAY TO GROW LLC a licensed child care provider in Pennsylvania?

Yes. WAY TO GROW LLC holds Pennsylvania certificate 104059232-0001, listed as "LICENSED" by the Office of Child Development and Early Learning in Philadelphia County. The current certificate runs to April 12, 2027. Confirm current standing at compass.dhs.pa.gov/providersearch before enrolling.

What is WAY TO GROW LLC's Keystone STARS rating?

Pennsylvania rates WAY TO GROW LLC STAR 2, on a scale of one to four where four is highest. That tier took effect on April 30, 2026. Keystone STARS measures programme standards such as staff qualifications and learning environment, not inspection outcomes.

Does Pennsylvania record a negative sanction against WAY TO GROW LLC?

No. The state's provider dataset records no negative sanction against WAY TO GROW LLC at the time the record was published. That is a single field in a snapshot, not a full compliance history, and it is not the same as a clean inspection record. The licensing inspection detail is at compass.dhs.pa.gov/providersearch.

Does WAY TO GROW LLC accept child care subsidy?

Yes. WAY TO GROW LLC holds a subsidy agreement with the state. The agreement covers these age groups: Preschool. An agreement means the provider can bill the subsidy programme, not that a funded place is free today. Eligibility is decided by your Early Learning Resource Center, Early Learning Resource Center for Region 18.

Does this page show inspection results for WAY TO GROW LLC?

No. Pennsylvania completes at least one unannounced inspection a year at every licensed provider, and publishes the results through the provider search at compass.dhs.pa.gov/providersearch. Those results are not included here, and there is no open dataset of them, so nothing on this page reflects WAY TO GROW LLC's inspection history either way. Look the provider up there and read the licensing inspection record.