Seeking Quality Childcare in Burnsville, MN

HI L.,

We just recently moved to Apple Valley and we were looking for a quality childcare that I would be happy with. My daughter is three and I wanted her to get a structured environment and I interviewed quite a few in home daycares with no success. I try to stay away from the centers because of the price (and I used to work in one so I know a little about what goes on), but I wanted to have a center-like atmospher. I went to Craigs list and found the most amazing in home childcare, and it sounds like it is just down the street from you. All the information can be found on the website www.appletreefamilychildcare.com along with pictures, meal schedules, daily and weekly activities/themes, field trips, classes...it's great, and I would recommend it 100%!!!! Check out the site...

C.

I worked at the New Horizon by the Burnsville Transit Station, it was horrible!!! I only lasted 5 months (shortest job I have ever had) because I couldn't stand how bad the kids were treated, and how fake it is. Everyone I know who has worked for any of the other big name daycares has said the same thing. There is a daycare in Ebenezer Ridges on the Fairview Ridges campus in Burnsville, that I think is AMAZING! We moved to Farmington in March and I moved my son to another daycare I thought seemed good... but I might be moving him back and just dealing with the extra half hour drive each way, it is worth it! The teachers are very loving and involved with the children. It is Christian-based, with chapel services and prayers before meals. The only problem I can think of anyone would have with this daycare is if you are not Christian. They interact with the adult daycare and the seniors in the nursing home, which I think is a great experience for children - they learn to have relationships with the elderly and disabled. There is a spanish teacher there, and all the children are taught spanish. There are Growing with Music and Dancercise available- but they cost extra. I really think this daycare is amazing, and unique. My son was doing great there, but I moved him 2 months ago, and now we are really struggling with his attitude and aggressiveness... it was a huge change putting him in another daycare. I think it is definitely worth going and looking at. There is another mom on here who I know feels the same way, and there is a child there that was in my class at New Horizon, and his parents are very happy with having him there. I can't say enough good things about this daycare, compared to every other daycare experience I have had. I had bad experiences as a child too... so am very picky about where I will leave my son. I hope this helps you. Good luck in your search!

J.

I would highly recommend that you look into Ebenezer Child Care in Burnsville/Apple Valley. We love it!

They are an intergenerational, fairly small center with great teachers. They teach the children sign language and Spanish. Here is a link to their website.

http://fairviewebenezer.org/Adult_Day_and_Childcare_Progr...

Let me know if you want additional information. You can tell them you heard about the center through J. Smith.

I live in Burnsville and know of a few good places.

I've heard good things about Kindercare. But I have no experiance with them directly.

Especially for Children in Eagan my daughter did wonderfully at.

Dist.191 has daycare at Diamond Head. Burnsville Parkway and Nicollet and is real good. It's run through the school district. They do infants and up... My daugher actually uses them at her school's location for before/after school care and we love it.

I've heard and seen for myself how horrible New Horizon is. As a parent and a professional photographer who use to do preschool photo's in daycares. As a parent I had some major major problems. My daughter was ignored when she was arrived at daycare,turnover rate was horrible, they had pop cans in reach of infant/toddlers. I just stopped in several times and found my daughter and her entire classroom unsupervised without a sole in sight for atleast 5min. My daughter was always bitten or hurt but noone ever noticed or knew how it happened. The New Horizon at the Mall of America while photographing that site I saw a child leave the center and noone noticed, I'm glad I did. They were just on the news for having 2 four year olds at one location leave the center during nap time and were found by the police at the Cub Foods across the street.While photographing their Minnetonka location I was extremely disturbed that the preschool class at recess had found a dead mouse and were playing with it, the teacher didnt' seem to care. I could go on and on..... As a parent when I tried to go above our daycare director and contact the corporate office I got absolutely no where and they were extremely unprofessional and didn't care.