Small Beginnings

It is sad to see how far this daycare has fallen. We left this daycare after 5 years in May 2025, as have several others who we know with kids our children's ages who left months before. Great options nearby are Primrose just across highway 69 and All Around Child at 135th Street who actually have teacher consistency. We started with our first child in the center in 2020 where I easily gave the center 5 stars. Back then, the center had a director of almost 16 years, teachers in the center all had been there for 2+ years, many 6+ years. The center had a great teaching plan and was very safe for the children. Meals were also healthy and taught healthy habits. Our second child in the center spent 2.5 years there and during that time was transitioned through 5 classes. Even though most stays were 6 months, the lead teacher in all 5 classes changed 1-2 times in that 6 months. The teachers seem to be a revolving door with most outside of the pre-K and K teachers being less than a year in the center. Most of the focus of the center the past 2 years has been fighting the constant teacher turnover. The prior director (16 year director left 4 years ago) really tried to overcome these obstacles but the new director and assistant director in place this spring have extremely limited childcare leadership experience and seem to run it to make maximum profit, not to care for kids. We had to hunt around the center to find what room they stashed our kid in to make ratios before 5 pm pickup every day and often neither of the directors was in the center at drop off. Food quality dropped significantly the past 2 years moving from chicken to chicken patties and a "healthy" snack is now donut holes and cheese dip. Our final straw was signing our older up for their summer camp and to find out 2 weeks before camp that instead of the many field trips they had in the past, they were bringing a couple of parties into the center once a week and going to a movie once a week. The assistant director told me on the phone that the teachers didn't like the field trips and they were too expensive so they were not doing them. At double the cost of Johnson County camps, that was unacceptable. We felt no safety for our kids at the end. I did tell all this to the regional director so hopefully there is a brighter future in the coming years.

As first-time parents, we were extremely worried about daycare. These worries started to disappear after meeting the directors Sarah and Nicole. These 2 are hard at work all day, not only ensuring the safety of your kid but all kids in the building, as doing everything they can to keep all these kids smiling. Our 2 infant teachers, Megan and Nidia, are the type of teachers that your parental intuition immediately says your child is safe here. I could not ask for a better pair to be watching over my son. Please keep these 2 teachers, no matter what! Thank you, everyone, for making my stress about daycare go away and keeping my son safe and happy!

My son has been going here since he was just a couple months old right now two and a half. He so loves it! He asks to go to school daily, and is so sad and bored if we can't go. The teachers and leadership have always been ridiculously kind and gracious. We've been so impressed by how much he's learned how quickly his language and social skills have developed, all of which is a huge credit to Canterbury. I recommend them to everyone. As a working mom they make me feel so much better about what my son does with his time. We've been especially impressed with how well they've handled all the chaos and uncertainty of the pandemic. Can't recommend them highly enough! support parents and

I am updating because my original review was 5 years ago. My son has been attending Small Beginnings for almost 7 years. He started at 3 months old in the infant room and moved from there to little toddlers, big toddlers, the 3-4 room, the pre-k room, and now is in the aftercare program. We love this school! It's very nerve wracking picking a daycare, and with three older kids I've had a variety of experiences. If you tour the school you will be impressed by the large, fun playgrounds, the gym, the science room, and the playrooms in general. But the thing that will make you want to stay forever is the staff. Everyone is always friendly, they take the time to learn who the kids are, who the parents are, and there is a real sense of community. Right from the very beginning you feel like you've moved into a neighborhood with all nice neighbors. I think it's truly amazing that I've never had a negative experience with anyone on the staff, and NEITHER HAS MY SON. And my son is a handful, so that's a major accomplishment. I've had children at the Creme de la Creme, the Jewish Community Center, La Petite and Y-care. All of them had some great features, but they also all had some not so great things. Canterbury at Small Beginnings is the total package. For warmth, location, a Montessori curriculum and a very fair price, you just can't beat Canterbury!!!

We have called Canterbury our kids’ second home for over three years. We started at Canterbury Preparatory School, then when we relocated and decided to move to Small Beginnings. We felt welcome the minute we walked in, and have felt that way ever since. Liz and Jackie are a great team who have all the answers, are quick to help out, and always have smiles on their faces. With our youngest in the two-year old room, we are grateful to have full reports each day about how he ate, slept, played, and what new activity he found. Our children have grown attached to their teachers and feel loved from the minute they wave hello to the minute they hug goodbye. The kids have a constant routine, but with enough variety to keep them engaged and ready to learn. Our son enjoys the front office staff, teachers in nearby classrooms, and the rest of the team – Canterbury does a great job hiring wonderful and caring educators. He also likes to tell us all about Ms. Trish and the delicious meals she preps for all the kids each day. He remembers lunch time very well. From classroom parties, to crafts (even the really messy ones!), to the new songs my kids come home singing, this has been a delightful place to help grow our kids and we would recommend it to anyone looking for a reliable, safe, fun, and caring provider for their family.