"I had a bit of a nostalgia moment when I first walked into Children’s Discovery – Little Canada. It reminded me of the school that I went to as a child. It had a familiar, cozy feeling to it, like from a small town where everyone knows everyone & looked out for each other… A real family atmosphere!

Honestly, we didn’t look anywhere else. This was our first/only school we toured. It just felt right! My son’s learning (ie: speech, cognitive skills) … I feel he is further ahead than some of his playmates outside of CDA. They are also very accommodating to our schedule – our son goes part time,– but at CDA he enjoys a consistent schedule while he is there that is full of engaging activities to help him learn, be creative & have fun!

He talks about playing with his friends; he loves his computer class, and gets very excited about field trips or other special activities. He was also very excited to be Star of the Week: sharing his poster with the class & bring in extra treats. Oddly enough, he also enjoys doing his “homework”… these are valuable habits to start establishing for his future. They have a fun filled, well rounded curriculum that allows the kids to work on art, speech, large & small motor skills + have free play time. I enjoy the weekly newsletter to know his daily activities to try to have dinnertime conversations with my son about his day.

I have no concerns about safety; the staff is well trained in first aid & all certified in CPR. They also practice tornado & fire drills – they are prepared for anything + the student teacher ratio is closely monitored so that the kids get the attention they need. The teachers and staff at Children's Discovery Academy are awesome! They are a very caring group. I really like the fact that ALL teachers, aids & staff at CDA know my son, not just his classroom teachers. I have recommended CDA for my Niece – she’s in the infant room at VH."

Karla Spolum of Shoreview, MN
Mother of Anders, Preschool Program  

"My grand daughter Leah is a student at Children's Discovery in Little Canada. On the first visit/tour, I could tell that this was a warm, loving, caring environment. The people who took us on the tour were so helpful. They answered our many questions and conveyed a very happy, friendly attitude toward all the children we encountered. They seemed to know each child by name.

My daughter and I were so impressed by how quiet it was. All the toddlers were sitting at a child-sized table having a snack. There was no spilling, no crying and no whining. Each child had a toddler sized cup and were holding it with 2 hands. This seemed remarkable.

We toured the gym also. The children were able to use the large muscle group toys like the slide and the bouncy balls. The floor was soft and padded so there was no concern if they fell.

We observed some of the kids playing outside. There were approximately 20 - 25 kids outside, and there were many teachers or helpers playing with them. We could see that the supervision was outstanding. The kids all were happy, laughing and playing with their friends. There was no crying and every child was attended to.

I also observed the snacks that were being served. This day, they had orange sections and crackers and cheese and milk. It appears that a healthy diet is also very important.

My daughter had concerns about Leah taking a nap on a cot since at home she was still in a crib. Two of the teachers took the time to explain to us how they handle this. They said that usually the children are tired and ready for a rest at nap time. They put on soft music, turn the lights down and make it a restful atmosphere for everyone. If one of the kids simply will not fall asleep, one of the teachers said they often will rub their backs and quietly sit by their cot. Soon they drift off because they see the other kids sleeping. This day, there was a fairly new student who was arranging his blanket and teddy bear even before the rest of the kids were ready for nap, because he already knew that this was his nap time. This really impressed me.

One thing that my daughter and I both like is the personal attention from everyone. I often drop Leah off and it seems that everyone of the teachers or aides know Leah and which room she should go to. If she cries when I leave, her teacher Cassie always has a way to comfort her. Cassie is the best. She is a great communicator also. Each day she sends home a sheet telling Leah's parents what songs they sang, what crafts they worked on, how long she slept, any concerns they have, and if she needs anything - like diapers or wipes. It is so reassuring to know that my grand daughter is being so well cared for when she is in the care of Children's Discovery. She has already learned so much and become much more social.

I highly recommend Children's Discovery. It is by far the best child care school I have encountered."

Chris Olson of Little Canada
Grandfather of Leah, Toddler Program  

"Children’s Discovery Academy offers a clean, warm, friendly environment the moment you walk in the door.  Every morning all the children are individually greeted and staff looks genuinely excited to see them which makes the children feel very welcomed each day. The immediate warm welcome we received during our initial tour was inviting.  Seeing the children and staff interact so well together, along with the clean environment, are some of the reasons we chose to enroll at Children’s Discovery.  I love that Children’s Discovery has an indoor gym for the kids to use.  It allows them to burn off energy and work on those gross motor skills.  Many child care facilities do not have indoor play spaces for kids.

The staff is wonderful!  They recognize each child and family is unique and they are very accommodating to individual situations.  They never complain or criticize parents for the way they choose to raise their children, instead they partner with the parents.

Our three children love everything about Children’s Discovery.  They especially enjoy the special activities that include the annual bike parade, super jump, pajama days, book fairs and field trips.  My ten-year-old says she never wants to leave and intends to return to Children’s Discovery as a staff member when she is old enough, as one of her teachers did.

Having two children attend Children’s Discovery Academy from infant – kindergarten, I found they were very well prepared, both academically and socially, to enter elementary school.  In some cases, they were so well adjusted and ready for the next step, they were able to help some of their new friends through the process.

The children have so much fun at Children’s Discover Academy!  They are excited to get there in the morning and I have a difficult time getting them to leave at night.  It is a great feeling each morning walking out of the building knowing my children are happy, safe and well cared for.

We left our first daycare because of a number of safety concerns.  It is a horrible feeling to go to work with the fear that something could happen to your child.  Since enrolling at Children’s Discover Academy, I no longer have any fears.  I go to work with the confidence that my children are safe, loved and well cared for.

All of the staff (not just teachers) at Children’s Discovery Academy are warm and friendly.  Many of them feel more like family and close friends than “staff at our daycare.”   My two-year-old has the same teacher my ten-year-old did when she was a toddler. This is the norm at Children’s Discovery, not the exception.  In a field that is known for constant staff changes, I think it says a lot about the staff, and the business, when so many have such longevity.  It is also great that the children are able to form and maintain bonds with the staff.  There is a mutual respect shown.  These things cannot happen if the staff is always changing.

I highly recommend Children’s Discovery Academy to everyone!"

Lisa Blue of White Bear Lake, MN
Mother of Anthony, Kyle and Allison; Toddler and Before & After School Programs  

"When my husband and I walked into Children’s Discovery before we had our first child we were welcomed warmly. It was nice to see a school-like environment, where children were actively engaged in learning and playing.

We decided to enroll Addison in Children’s Discovery because it offered individualized attention and enriching programs and curriculum. We also love that they have been very flexible with planning Addison’s care with our work schedules that are ever changing.

Addison loves the teachers and activities that she gets to participate in at Children’s Discovery. When she is dropped off she is always smiling and excited to join in the play with the other children. When we come and pick her up she will often make a beeline for the gym before we are able to get her out the door!

The teachers at Children’s Discovery have great insight into what Addison is interested in and how they can help promote her development. They are eager to share helpful information with us, and as first time parents they have been a great resource to go to when we have had questions about parenting!

We know that Addison is in good hands when we drop her off, and know that she is getting stimulated and an opportunity to grow and learn through sensory activities, movement, and music each day. We would recommend Children’s Discovery to any first-time parents or parents of infants that are looking for a daycare that focuses on the individual needs of each child and encourages growth and development across all areas of development."

Jessica Premo of Woodbury
Mother of Addison, Infant Program  

"Sophia is my granddaughter and has been attending Children's Discovery for approximately a year. I have visited Children's Discovery numerous times over the past year as well as just recently joining them on a field trip for Halloween.

My granddaughter, Sophia, is by far one of the most precious gifts in my life.....and because of that, I make a strong effort to be very involved in her life. Of the utmost importance to me is knowing that she is in a safe; loving; stimulating; secure environment when she is not able to be with her Mommy, who is a single parent.

I have always been leary of "daycare centers" because my Mom ran a "home daycare" for 30 years and I ran a "home daycare" for 2 years. I always had a negative mindset about daycare centers..... I have to admit that I have been so very impressed by what I have experienced with Children's Discovery. Sophia absolutely loves it! The facility and classrooms are bright; cheerful; educational; stimulating; and fun. The teachers are personable; kind; loving; safe; helpful; insightful; patient and professional. They motivate the children to learn; they are continually interacting with them on various levels; they instill kindness and respect in their interactions with them; they foster love!

What more could you ask for in "those very important caregivers" then to know that they are providing a loving environment for the children of our future. Children's Discovery is a "blessing" for parents.......I am incredibly thankful that we discovered them......Sophia is thriving daily in their care when her Mommy has to be away at work. Thank you."

Kim Salo of New Brighton
Grandmother of Sophia, Preschool Program  

"We were placed in a situation where our friend whom was caring for our children decided to go back to work, and we needed to find full-time child care for our 2 children, 3 & 5 y/o. I was very uneasy about leaving my 3 y/o in a strange home without the 5 y/o there to tell me what was happening - we have had 2 other very bad experiences with in home day cares, from children being left alone without any adult in the house, to loosing my child in the mall whole the provider was shoe shopping, to 3y/o kids (mine one of them) being left outside in an un-fenced yard without an adult, amongst other things. So we started looking at centers.

I looked into Children's Discovery Academy, but was unsure if we could afford it. We looked at several other centers as well, the cost was basically the same. I called Children's Discovery Academy back and asked more questions. The biggest plus for me was that they would bus my 5 y/o to St. John 's catholic school, one of the other centers would bus to St. John's. We did not want to separate the kids. I talked with a Jill several times, and was welcome to come in at my convenience to take a tour (not so at many of the other places). I stopped by that evening. I was very pleasantly surprised with the care and set-up they provided. All of the employees were very friendly and helpful. The classes were under great control, with a lot of respect and kindness.

Now that my kids are attending the Academy, I am even more pleased!!! My 3y/o is flourishing! And she LOVES it!!! The communication is great, if I need anything they get the info for me right away. Even if they do not have an immediate answer, they get back to me within 24 hrs. The people are wonderful, helpful, friendly, kind, and amazing! Both of my kids love the teachers, and many times when I come to pick them up they do not want to leave.

Oh, I forgot to mention, they were very helpful in helping me get the busing of my 5 y/o set up. And on they updated me to let me know that the bus driver got out of the bus, talked to them and my daughter to help her understand what to do for that morning and the afternoon.

I am so VERY PLEASED and happy with the care and education my children are receiving at Children's Discovery Academy."

Angela Howard of Little Canada, MN
Mother of Anna and Amelia, Preschool and Before & After School Programs  

"When my job moved from Minneapolis to St. Paul, I begrudgingly had to begin the search for new daycare for my infant and toddler. We absolutely loved their daycare in Minneapolis, and the prospect of finding new child care was daunting, to put it mildly. The task got even more daunting when I started calling and visiting daycare centers. I had gotten so discouraged by what I was finding that I even considered not transferring to St. Paul, even though that would have meant continuing my long commute and giving up time with my family. Then I found CDA.

From my very first telephone conversation with Jill, I had a great feeling about CDA. When I visited, I knew almost instantly that I'd found a good fit. Unprompted, two parents who were picking up their children stopped me and told me what a great place CDA is. Having been at CDA now for a year and one-half, I do the same thing when I run into prospective parents.

I love that CDA is in a former elementary school such that it feels like a school, not just a daycare. There is great communication with the teachers and the administration, and my kids are learning a lot. But best of all, they are happy. I can't give any higher praise than simply saying that I feel comfortable with my children in CDA's care, and I do."

Lisa Gill of North St. Paul, MN
Mother of Jack and Julia, Toddler & Preschool Programs  

"Our children have been attending CDA since Fall of 2008 and we've never looked back. For us, it was an easy choice since it's a very convenient location, but also because we'd heard wonderful comments from others. Everyday we feel comfortable as we leave them in the hands of the staff and teachers and they are always friendly and helpful. They have helped our children through potty training up to the transition of heading off to Kindergarten. The center has provided them a comfortable place to learn and explore and we have all made friends with other children and families. Whenever we have had a question they have offered assistance and followed up to make sure everything was going well. It's not easy parenting, and it's been great to have others help and guide us through these years. We have taken advantage of the summer program for our older child and she has loved attending and the field trips were amazing. We love the fact that the kids get to go on field trips and also enjoy in-house activities. I highly recommend CDA to others and we will be very sad when our time here is done."

Mara Mashek of Little Canada, MN
Mother of Sean and Jenna, Pre-Kindergarten and Before & After School Programs  

"My husband and I realized we couldn't afford our daycare at the time when we discovered we were pregnant with baby #2. We started looking for a new center, which was difficult as we couldn't have been happier at our previous center. We were impressed with Children's Discovery from the first few minutes of the tour. By the end of the tour we knew Children's Discovery was for us. The teachers and aides were all enthused and engaged with the children, the classrooms were large, clean, and welcoming and the cook's homemade cooking scented the halls with a delicious aroma.

Our oldest son is in the toddler room now and he has fluorished socially and developmentally. His teachers give us a detailed report of the day when we pick him up, and many times he is so engaged with the teachers and his friends he is not in a hurry to come home. The center has a family atmosphere. The director knows every child by name and knows details about our son's personality, likes, and dislikes. She is open to suggestions and parent feedback. His teachers are obviously well educated and passionate about childcare. The center has many fun extras such as music and tumbling classes in addition to special days including grandparents day and Santa Claus visiting the center. We look forward to sending our second son to the infant room because we had a wonderful experience with our first son. We have incredible peace of mind knowing our children are cared for at Children's Discovery while we are at work."

Lisa Buck of St. Paul, MN
Mother of Anton, Toddler Program