Creative Play Preschool

Long, honest review: I transferred my son from his previous daycare to Creative Play because this school accepted the Unique Abilities Scholarship, which covers tuition through state funding. Prior to enrollment, I explicitly informed the administrator that I did not want my son to begin attending until his scholarship funding was approved. Within days, I was assured that he was approved, that the school accepted the scholarship, and that they would like to enroll him that same week. After withdrawing him from his previous daycare, I received an email from Creative Play requesting an $850 enrollment fee plus $1,100 for the first month’s tuition. When I reminded the administrator that my son had a scholarship, I was told that although he was approved, the funds were not yet available and I would need to pay out of pocket until the state released the money. While I now understand that this is how the scholarship operates, I felt misled and inadequately informed at the time of enrollment. Three months later, I was still paying tuition out of pocket. Due to the continued financial burden, along with additional concerns outlined below, I decided to withdraw my son. At that point, the administrator informed me that the state funds had finally been received, but that the school was withholding those funds—as well as nearly $4,000 I had already paid—stating that I was not permitted to withdraw my son before the end of the school year and that I was responsible for the remaining $10,000+ in tuition for the year. In addition to the financial issues, we had several other serious concerns: 1. During my son’s first week at Creative Play, one of his teachers was terminated for allegedly inappropriate behavior involving multiple students. I learned of this incident from another parent, not from school staff, and was not formally notified until over two weeks later. 2. During a school walkthrough, the owner brought us into the chicken coop while several young students (approximately three years old) followed along barefoot. One child even remarked that they had stepped in chicken feces. My husband and I found this concerning, as chickens can carry transmissible diseases, and allowing toddlers to walk barefoot in that environment felt inappropriate. 3. Regarding aftercare: my son attended aftercare one to two days per week. During the first week, the administrator requested payment via Venmo. When I asked whether she was affiliated with the school, licensed, or insured, she stated that she was “her own business.” On one occasion, my husband arrived to pick up our son and stood at a locked gate for nearly 15 minutes without being acknowledged. Despite multiple calls and texts to the administrator, there was no response until another teacher happened to walk by and offered assistance. 4. One morning at drop-off, I asked the owner (who was filling in for my son’s class) that if my son was allowed to remove his shoes outside, his socks remain on, as he had been coming home with scratches, abrasions, and ant bites on his feet. My concerns were dismissed, and I was told that wearing socks outside was unsafe due to the slide being “too slick,” despite the slide being a standard Little Tikes slide. If you have taken the time to read this review, I hope it helps make you aware of one parent’s experience and concerns. I am giving two stars because my son genuinely loved his teacher and Kami, and he formed meaningful friendships in his class. However, I am beyond relieved to have him back at his previous daycare, where we feel he is safe, our concerns are taken seriously, and he is truly thriving.

Wonderful place to send your child. Our daughter spent two years there and loved it.

Beautiful local school nurturing hearts, minds and bodies!

The most caring teachers and admin.