KIDDIE ACADEMY OF BOTHELL

Our family was with Kiddie Academy Bothell for several years, and our daughter truly grew up there as part of the community. Unfortunately, over the past few months, we experienced several concerning issues that caused her distress and ultimately led us to make the very difficult decision to move her to a new school. We noticed a decline in care and communication beginning earlier this year around summertime. One of our daughter's teachers made comments such as “She doesn’t like me,” which felt inappropriate and insensitive given her age and emotional development. On multiple occasions, we witnessed emotional responses dismissed instead of acknowledged by teachers, for example, telling children not to cry or using a toy remote to “change” their mood instead of helping them process their feelings. There were also moments of unnecessarily harsh discipline. During one pickup, my daughter ran happily toward me and was immediately scolded by a teacher in front of the class. The tone felt punitive and unkind for a 3-year-old. We also had ongoing hygiene concerns. Our daughter frequently came home uncomfortable from sitting in soiled diapers, and even after being potty trained, she wasn’t always properly cleaned. This led to severe irritation and discomfort, something that is avoidable in a childcare setting. When we brought these concerns to staff, the responses were heard, but later on the issues would arise again. We later learned that other families had also withdrawn for similar reasons, citing concerns about the disorganized environment, absence of structure, and insufficiently defined teaching curriculum, all of which created emotional stress and overwhelm for the students. To make matters worse, Kiddie Academy refused to refund our $1,000 deposit for the fall term, even though our daughter began the new school year and met their own enrollment criteria before we made the decision to withdraw her due to these ongoing issues. We’ve since moved our daughter to Birch Tree, and the difference has been night and day. The staff there are attentive, communicative, and genuinely caring. Questions and concerns are addressed immediately, and their follow-through is clear and consistent. They also provide a developmentally appropriate, well-structured curriculum with systems in place that foster a calm environment and significantly reduce the behavioral challenges many families had previously experienced at Kiddie Academy Bothell. For the first time in a long time our daughter is truly thriving. She is happy, supported, and excited to go to school every day. We’re deeply disappointed by how things ended at Kiddie Academy Bothell. What was once a positive experience declined into something that felt indifferent and disorganized, and the lack of care ultimately cost them the trust of our family.

We have been part of this daycare family since my daughter was just 6 months old, and now at 2 years old, I can confidently say this has been one of the best decisions we’ve made. Every teacher she has had—Ms. Mansi, Ms. Karina, Ms. Eliza, and now Ms. Gabby—has been absolutely incredible. They are patient, nurturing, and truly invested in her growth and happiness. What makes this place extra special, is the leadership. Director Sarah and Assistant Director Nicole are the true spirit of the school. They know every child and every family personally, and the warmth they bring to the center sets the tone for everything. You can feel how much they genuinely care—not just about academics or milestones, but about the happiness, safety, and well-being of each little one. They have created such a positive, loving environment where both kids and parents feel supported like family. Seeing how much my daughter has grown, learned, and thrived here has been so heartwarming. We are so grateful for the entire team and would highly recommend this daycare to any family looking for a place where their child will be cared for and loved like their own.

Kiddie Bothell has proven to be a reliable "third parent" to our lovely daughter. We're really happy with her growth, progress, and the standard of care available at Kiddie Bothell. Sarah and Nicole are great administrators, while the teaching staff in the infant rooms are warm and loving - our daughter started to recognize and be comfortable around the teachers when she was just 8 months old. We're also grateful that Kiddie Bothell has been open and receptive to our requests and feedback - for example, we wanted our daughter to sleep for a few more hours, or we wanted teachers to apply diaper rash creams - and the staff was supportive and helpful. The curriculum does a great job exposing our daughter to the right things at the right time - whether that's gross / fine motor skills, self soothing and feeding, music, art, playing with other kids. Initially, we were torn between daycare and finding an at-home-nanny arrangement - but this feels like the right choice.

This is a great place! The Director Sarah is so hands on with every kid! Ms Stephanie and Ms Ariel of Class 106 are so amazing, they all helped my son to settle in this new day care so well!! They do an outstanding job nurturing these little ones with creative arts, play and learning! Overall, I have been very satisfied with my experience!

We've been consistently impressed with the care our daughter receives at Kiddie Academy of Bothell. The educational program is excellent, sparking her curiosity and love of learning. We appreciate the focus on craft and hands-on activities. The meals are healthy and diverse, a real plus for us. The center cultivates a warm, inclusive atmosphere, exposing her to different cultures, which we value. Most importantly, the staff are incredibly kind and attentive, creating a safe and nurturing environment. I highly recommend Kiddie Academy of Bothell to any family looking for quality childcare.