Shells Early Learning Center - Camden

We absolutely love this daycare and couldn’t be happier with the care our daughter receives here. Our 19-month-old is thriving—she can count to 10+ independently, knows her ABCs, recognizes animals, sings full songs with motions, and communicates her needs clearly. While we work with her at home, a huge part of her growth comes from the daily learning, structure, and encouragement she gets here. Mr. Julius is an excellent teacher—he genuinely cares not only about the children’s learning but also their emotional well-being. He’s very attentive, warm, and engaging, and it’s obvious he loves what he does. Every teacher in the building knows my daughter by name and treats her like an individual, which means so much as a parent. Tanya, the administrator, runs the facility wonderfully and shows great care for every child. She and the staff spend a lot of time cleaning, which has helped keep my daughter healthy during cold and flu season. One of the true backbones of the facility is the woman who prepares the meals. You can tell that the children and her role mean a lot to her—she takes great pride in the center, spends time cleaning, and engages warmly with the kids throughout the day. Her dedication really shows, and the children clearly love her. The kids are always busy with fun activities, outdoor play, and celebrations, all while learning and growing in a supportive, nurturing environment. It’s no surprise this center was recently recognized as one of the top daycares in the state. The quality of care is outstanding, and the pricing is very reasonable compared to other centers in the area. We feel so lucky to have found this place and highly recommend it to any parent looking for a daycare that truly cares about their children.

My baby goes here 4 years old. I can’t say enough amazing things about this daycare and especially Ms. Tanya! From the moment you walk in, you can feel how warm, welcoming, and safe the environment is. The place is always clean, organized, and full of positive energy — you can tell the kids truly love being there. Ms. Tanya is absolutely incredible with the children. She’s patient, nurturing, and really takes the time to get to know each child’s personality. You can see how much she genuinely cares about their growth and happiness. She creates a fun, educational, and loving space that makes both kids and parents feel at ease. Every day, my child comes home smiling, excited to share what they learned and talk about all the fun activities they did. It’s such a relief knowing they’re in such great hands. If you’re looking for a daycare that feels like family and a teacher who goes above and beyond, I highly recommend Ms. Tanya and her wonderful daycare!

I have to start by giving a huge shout-out to Tanya at Shells in Camden, Delaware! She has been such a blessing from day one—so warm, professional, and caring. When I was transitioning and relocating for work, Tanya made everything easy. She got my child signed up quickly, answered all my questions, and made me feel completely at ease. Her kindness and customer service are truly unmatched. The rest of the team, including Malcolm, are just as wonderful—always friendly and reassuring. The teachers greet you with smiles every day, and my child comes home happy and excited! Shells has truly become like family to us. They provide meals, keep the kids safe, and give parents total peace of mind. Thank you, Tanya, for everything you do—you’re amazing! 💛

All the staff are excellent with my child, and I love the communication that the site provides to the parents! I’d recommend friends and families to this site.

My daughter hasn’t attended this facility in nearly a year, yet her father received a response today to a 5-star review he left long ago. It seems they're only now replying—possibly in an effort to boost their ratings and promote openings. While my daughter's teacher was truly amazing, I can’t say the same about the facility itself. I’ve had experiences with this center dating back nearly two decades, including pulling my now 19-year-old son from one of their centers and sadly, the problems persist. From what I’ve seen and heard, the only reason this facility appears to have so many 5-star reviews is due to incentivized events. They encourage currently enrolled families to scan QR codes at the entrance and offer free week of childcare in exchange for positive reviews. That’s incredibly misleading. Classrooms are overcrowded to the point that 5-year-olds are sometimes placed with infants and younger children due to a lack of staff. The environment is loud and chaotic, with blaring music that makes it difficult for children to focus or rest. The facility prioritizes profit over the well-being of both staff and children. They charge all POC (Purchase of Care) parents $120/week, regardless of income, which is not how that program is supposed to work. They’ve been reported for this and in my opinion, operate with a money-hungry mindset. The staff are underpaid and overworked, while families are overcharged. The final straw for me was attending a graduation party hosted by the owner at Sunnybrae Mansion. Instead of focusing on the graduate, she used the event to promote her book and stage a public proposal—wearing a dramatic gown that made it feel like a personal spectacle. After that, her family left the guests outside in the heat, with insufficient food and drinks provided. The entire event felt self-serving and out of touch. Parents deserve better. Children deserve better. And staff deserve fair treatment.