Haven For Tots

My son has been at Haven for one year and we have had a great experience. Dina the director is amazing and his teachers (Ms Amanda for infant and Ms Andrea/Mrs Louisa for toddlers) communicate well, partner in teaching my son and most importantly show so much care for him. I have recommended them to my family. It is hard to trust your child being in the care of others but I know son is in good hands at Haven.

As a military family, moving to a new area always comes with a long list of uncertainties—finding a trustworthy and nurturing place for your child tops that list. When we relocated, we urgently needed care for our then 1-year-old daughter. A church member recommended Haven For Tots, and although we noticed the low online ratings, we chose to keep an open mind and try them. Over a year later, I can confidently say that Haven For Tots has been nothing short of a blessing. Our daughter is now two and thriving. She loves going to school. She adores her teachers, has built sweet friendships with her classmates, and genuinely looks forward to her days there. Her development has been remarkable; she knows her ABCs, counts confidently to 10, and speaks in complete, clear sentences. Most importantly, she’s happy, loved, and safe. You can tell the staff at Haven genuinely care. There is warmth and intentionality in everything they do, from daily routines to how they engage with the children. They see each child as an individual and work to foster growth in nurturing and developmentally appropriate ways. That level of care is rare and so appreciated. Just this past weekend, I attended a birthday party where I spoke with about ten other parents whose children also attend Haven. Every single one of us shared the same sentiment—how grateful we are for this place. It was a powerful reminder that real experiences often differ significantly from what you may read online. About the few negative reviews you might come across, please take a look at them carefully. There is a noticeable pattern: they come from the same circle of individuals during a very specific time period. Frankly, they feel orchestrated and do not reflect the reality of what Haven provides daily. Our experience, and that of many others, has been overwhelmingly positive. To Ms. Dina and the entire staff: thank you. Thank you for the love, patience, and passion you pour into these little ones. Our daughter has blossomed in your care, and as parents, there’s no greater peace than knowing your child is in good hands. If you are a parent seeking a safe, caring, and enriching environment for your child!

We had 2 kids attend Haven from infant through 5 years old and have nothing but positive experiences during our time. Staff has always been flexible with our needs and schedules, communicative and our children loved their teachers in every classroom. They learned so much during their time here and were more than prepared to transition into kindergarten when it became time.

My son has been going to Haven for Tots for a year and a half now. When we moved to Oak Lawn during the height of the Pandemic, it was hard to find somewhere with a spot available. Haven was the first place that could accommodate us, so we jumped on in. What a fantastic decision that was. Communication with teachers on eating schedules, the children's learning curriculum, and their daily activities was wide open. We get daily updates, photos, and progress reports monthly to track the progress of our little one and things we can help him work on at home. There's also a monthly news letter that goes out about birthdays, the focuses on each classroom for the month, Holidays, and upcoming events. They spend ample time outside when the weather permits, allowing the children to get fresh air and experience a form of nature. They also have them learning English and Spanish which helps with the growing Hispanic cultures of the Chicagoland area. We've developed such a great bond with the Administrators and Teachers here, and while there is turn over like every daycare, I never felt like the new ones coming on board were less than qualified in their positions. Of course children will be children, sometimes there's bites, and scratches, but we've always been made aware of these instances, and it's been well documented with the DCFS recommendations. As COVID-19 guidelines were loosened up at our friends daycares, the Staff here continued Masking, cleaning schedules for all areas of the facility, and isolation for those with symptoms. Which really made me and my wife feel like they truly cared for the safety and wellbeing of my little one. While I understand this is a touchy subject to some, working in the Healthcare industry, this put me at ease. Their policies and procedures are structured and communicated quickly and efficiently, so you never are guessing on what's going on at the facility. It's also just happens to be one of the cheapest Daycares and Pre-Schools in the area, which is concerning for some, but I never felt like we were paying a "cheap care tax". It's a non-profit, and has been around for decades, and it always felt to me that we were getting way more from our money compared to others in the area. They also are very understanding and accepting of Child Care subsidy programs, Dina the Director puts up a lot with my Federal Employee Child Care Subsidy which requires a lot more information than others. The reviews here that are bad are old, and not at all a representation of the experience we have had here. I send my child here every day during the week, and I trust them with the safety and wellbeing of my Child. He looks forward to going to school, getting excited every morning when we start getting his shoes on screaming "SHOES! SCHOOL!". I look forward to working with them over the next couple of years as my Child grows, and am more than satisfied with our decision to go here. It's worth noting that Haven For Tots is in a Lutheran Church, and is a Christian based Daycare. Which, if you're in the area than you know how common this is. While I did question this before going as our family does not practice but respects others rights to, the most of their religious activities are prayers before meals. Which in the grand scheme of things, is very minor, and there's nothing wrong with saying thanks for food provided. They've found a way to keep their Christian goals acceptable with those that don't follow, without leaving you feeling like something is being forced into your kid's brain. Shout out to Luisa and Dina, who really put us at ease when we first became part of the Haven For Tots family.

I’m actually so so so happy that I found this place! My daughter will be in 2 in December and she’s been attending since June of this year. She’s counting to 30, sits on the potty, is using 5-7 word sentences and is growing socially and academically. The communication is phenomenal and it’s affordable!