BRIGHT HORIZONS - KIRKLAND

Choosing a daycare for your first baby is such a daunting decision, but Bright Horizons Kirkland made the transition incredibly smooth and easy for our family. We have had such a wonderful experience here and would highly recommend to anyone. The teachers in the infant room are truly amazing—a special shout-out to Olga and Krista, who are just spectacular and really helped us first time parents. Our son never once cried at drop-off; he genuinely loved his teachers, and seeing that bond made it so much easier for us to head to work. Even as he moved up, the Toddler teachers were just as incredible (yay Katheryne and Linda), making the one-year transition seamless. You can tell the entire staff deeply cares about the children. We’ve seen our son grow and learn so much during his time here. Even our pediatrician was impressed with his progress! One of my biggest fears was the 'constant daycare sickness' everyone warns you about, but we’ve only dealt with a few minor illnesses. I really credit that to how clean and sanitized they keep the facility. The food program is a total game-changer. They provide breakfast, lunch, and snacks, and the menu is impressive—he’s eaten things like chicken cordon bleu! It has turned him into a fantastic eater at home because he’s exposed to so many flavors. The facility is very safe and secure, which is always a top priority. I also love the personal touch—the front desk staff knows everyone by name, and they are always happy to answer any and all questions we have. If you are looking for a place where your child will be safe and truly loved, I cannot recommend this Bright Horizons enough!

Very satisfied with the center, the staffs and the management. All of the teachers are extremely empathetic towards the kids. Our son is happy at BH Kirkland.

This is a review of our experience in this branch in September/October 2024. We enrolled in the Toddler (12 to 24 month) class. They have three Toddler classes and we were placed in one of them, with a 1:5 ratio. We stopped by the center a few days before the start date to be familiar with the staff and the environment. Our assigned teacher was absent on that day. She was also absent on our start date. She was absent two more days during our time there too. And we were only there for 6 days! Maybe accidental but pretty interesting record. For the days that the teacher was present: unfortunately, we found her the least caring and most indifferent in their job and to try to settle the new children into the environment. While we did observe other staff members trying their best effort at the job, we could not see this in the main teacher. There were three fairly new kids placed in one class, needing care and attention so they could adjust, and we observed how the teacher was not willing to do so. Few times, we saw children left out crying and unsettled. On two separate occasions, we found our daughter with scratches on her face. We understand that kids run around and hurt themselves. That was not surprising. What was surprising was the fact that none of the staff that we asked, could explain to us where and how it happened. That further confirmed to us that the level of care is not in par with what we were expecting. We did not think this was the right atmosphere and brought it up to the management. In return our concerns were dismissed, no action was taken, and we were told that “new kids will finally adjust”. We did not believe this was the best way to have the new kids adjust. We asked to change to another of the Toddler classes. They declined. We asked to move up to the Twos (24-36 month) class as our daughter was 23 months old at the time. They declined. We asked to have more teachers in the class during mornings. They declined. For the outdoor areas: Their outdoor space is pretty limited and small compared to other places that we have visited. For Toddlers under 2, they have even further reduced the space to a narrow turf corridor on the side of the building with no swings, slides, and etc. Maybe this is what they think is working for the children under 2, but we found our daughter clearly bored and unhappy in that small space. Ultimately, we decided to not continue with this center. We were hoping they could at least understand the situation and how bad the onboarding process has been and address the financial side of things. We were wrong. They did not show any flexibility and we decided to not waste any time and energy discussing matters with them. Paid ~4,500 for only 6 days of care that we received and decided to at least share our experience with everyone else in case it is helpful for other families.

We sent our daughter here for backup care the Friday before Christmas and she had such a great time! Drop off and pick up was incredibly easy. The staff at the center were super nice both on the phone scheduling the session as well as in person. The meals from the report card looked really great. Our daughter also seemed to really love the activities! If we our schedules would let us do Bright Horizons at Kirkland for our daily childcare, I would send my daughter here in a heartbeat. Can’t wait for her to come back!

The infant classroom with teachers Olga & Irina is the very best. We felt supported, cared for, and comfortable with the care that our baby received there. They partnered with us from the start to create a nurturing environment for our baby, helping our family unit transition into having daycare as a part of our daily routine after my maternity leave ended. We felt immediately at ease with the experience level and insightfulness of Olga & Irina. At the end of the day, you want a place that reassures your worries and leaves you with peace of mind that your baby is in good hands. We felt that sense of trust with Olga & Irina and the Bright Horizons staff at Kirkland.