Cultivating Kids Infants

Archived Q&A and Reviews

June 2014

Info and opinions please....I am seeking parents' opinions of cultivating kids infant program. I am starting my son who is 3 months old there and would love to hear any info parents might have, bad or good. Thank you! Jennifer

I had my son there last year for about 4 months (6 mos - 10 mos). The staff and the owner (Vickie) are all very sweet. One of Vickie's daughters runs the infant room, and has a gift for taking care of little ones. However, we pulled my son out for the following reasons: 1) he was constantly sick (there are so many little ones and he caught everything, and my husband and I got almost everything my son caught, so we were all sick), 2) the ratio was usually 4:1 when we were there; there were some mornings when I dropped him off that the staff would ask me to watch all the infants already there for a few minutes while they finished something else - something I wasn't comfortable with, and I needed to leave to get to work), 3) there wasn't enough outside time for us (I wanted my son to explore a lot and get dirty), 4) the Sprouts kids (ages 12-18 mos) share the infant room in the early morning and late afternoon, making it very crowded, and they tended to bring in dirt on their shoes, 5) the nap room has the potty training toilet connected to it, so napping infants are disturbed when older children need to use the potty, so, because my child is a sensitive sleeper, it meant that he slept very little there. Anon

August 2013

Re: Looking for daycare near Montclair for 6 month old
Here's a recommendation for daycare in Montclair. Our little guy started at Cultivating Kids when he was 6 months old. The owner/director Vicki and her staff are very warm and gave our son lots of loving attention and great care, he really thrived with them. Sadly we have to change childcare for reasons unrelated to CK. Our son was there for 6 months, and we will really miss his teachers! Located right off 13 at Thornhill. cultivatingkids.org Sami

Feb 2013

I am currently researching child care for our baby on the way (due June 2013!) and am considering Cultivating Kids, a childcare center on Thornhill Drive in Montclair. I have not seen any reviews on BPN and would appreciate any feedback from current or previous parents who have placed their kids there. Thanks in advance! Becky

We had our son in Cultivating Kids from about 6 months to 27 months. I highly recommend it. It was a wonderful, warm and loving environment. Staff paid close attention to his needs and were very flexible in accommodating us with things like cloth diapers. The kids get lots of playtime outdoors and lots of activities and circle time from a very young age. Please contact me if you would like more information. DP

Hello, I was looking for childcare options and found CK through Bananas listings. While I wasn't leaning towards a center, the family daycares in our area were full. When I visited CK, I was immediately struck by how happy the children were and how the staff seemed to be enjoying the kids. As I had not visited any other daycare options, my husband also visited and felt the same way. I talked to three parents who have multiple kids there, all spoke highly of the care there. Our baby started at Cultivating Kids a few weeks ago, and he's adjusted very well. He smiles at the teachers when we drop him off. If I stop by to nurse during the day, I'm always welcomed and the babies all look well cared for. The director/owner, Vicki, is very warm and genuine, as are her staff. The fees are higher than family daycares, but we feel it's worth it. Contact Vicki for a tour and see if it feels right. For me, the decision that I trusted CK with my sweet baby was made at a gut level. Best wishes to find the right place for your child! Happy Mom

My 2 year old son (and older daughter!) both have been cared for by the absolutely wonderful Vicki Braxton and her team of dedicated, caring, and PROFESSIONAL caregivers since he was 4 mos old. Cultivating Kids has been a second home for us and the love and respect they provide (to the children and parents) is worth the drive. My daughter goes to a preschool in the opposite direction, so while it is an extra 20 minutes in the car for me each day (CK has easy fwy access) it is 100% worth it to know that my son is learning important social skills in a nurturing and warm environment and is safe and truly loved.

When my little one was an infant I used to pop in unexpectedly to nurse on occassion and was always pleased to find everything as it should be as well as a welcoming staff. The ''Blossoms'' program allows toddlers to explore at their level with a special art room, ''exercise'' time, circle and story time, and lots of outdoor play in a beautiful and safe yard. There has been extremely little turnover in the staff in the past two years. Ms. Vicki is a true professional who has high expectations of her staff. She is an expert in child development and always makes the time to talk to me when I have questions or concerns about my kids. More importantly, she takes the time to check in on every child and communicates clearly and directly with parents.

I can't say enough positive things about Cultivating Kids! Rebecca