Totally Tots is a child daycare & preschools daycare located at 1512 Mifflin St, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania PA. Find contact info, location details, and similar daycares nearby.
What Parents Say
Totally Tots has received mixed reviews. Five parents gave 5-star ratings praising the family-like atmosphere, attentive staff, cleanliness, and developmental activities under long-time owners Linda and Bill. However, two 1-star reviews raised serious concerns about a child injury incident in October 2024 that was not disclosed to parents, lack of transparency from management, inadequate staffing ratios, excessive TV time for toddlers, and questionable classroom management pr
Totally Tots Daycare is truly a gem. Our family has been with them for several years now, and we couldn’t be more grateful for the love, care, and learning our children receive every single day. We have two kids currently attending – one started at three months old and the other at one year old – and they absolutely love it there. Linda and Bill, who have been running this daycare for over 30 years, are nothing short of incredible. They, along with their amazing team of teachers, treat our children like their own. Every drop-off feels more like leaving them at Grandma and Grandpa’s house than at a daycare center. Before coming to Totally Tots, we were enrolled at a chain daycare, and the difference is night and day. The personal attention, the warmth, the communication, and the genuine care at Totally Tots is unmatched. My son often talks about how much he loves his teachers, and we’ve been blown away by how much he’s learned – he’s already starting to read! What sets this daycare apart is the attention to detail. From applying moisturizer when the kids are sick, to lovingly bandaging every little scrape, the staff goes above and beyond. Any request we’ve made has always been met with kindness and support. The environment is incredibly clean, safe, and welcoming – I’ve been through every room and never once felt anything but confident in the care provided. Learning is clearly the priority here. The toddlers do daily activities and stations, and preschoolers even have separate time for focused learning. While TV is occasionally used at the very end of the day (usually around pick-up time), it’s minimal and never used in place of quality engagement. Our kids come home excited about the projects and activities they’ve done, not just what was on screen. One of the things that impressed us most is the excellent staff-to-child ratio. We regularly see 3–4 teachers upstairs with fewer than 20 kids, and another 3–4 teachers downstairs with about a dozen. As a pediatric nurse (mom) and a pediatrician (dad), we’re both very mindful of safety, cleanliness, and developmental support – and we have zero concerns. We truly don’t know what we’d do without Totally Tots. With no family nearby, it means everything to know our kids are in a place that feels like home, surrounded by people who love and support them. We recommend this daycare wholeheartedly – it’s a very special place.
Let me start by saying it took me a long time to write this review. I will continue to edit my review till more people see it. I was informed by a previous teacher ( floater) who was fired for contacting DHS that, I should removed my child from this center because a child was injured by a teacher who is still the Lead classroom teacher in the toddler room. However no parents were informed of the state coming out in October 2024. I found out April 2025 from a teacher who was fried. The Director gave ZERO Transparency and she didn’t tell any parents. The whole situation is chaotic, frustrating, and traumatic! I myself made a called to DHS to further investigate because if I can’t get a straight answer from the centers own Director other than “This could tarnish my reputation” that let’s me know what else is being swept under the rug, and not reported in your care. DO BETTER!!! It takes a huge level of trust to put your child in the care of people. As a former ECE teacher myself, I observed very questionable situations, such as the same little girl standing idle in a corner on multiple occasions when I dropped my daughter off. On another occasion, all the lights were off throughout the center at 5:15 p.m. while I, along with two other parents, stood outside calling their phone until an assistant teacher finally came to the door to let us in. Additionally, staffing ratios upstairs do not seem appropriate for the number of toddlers they have. It often feels understaffed, which is concerning for this age group, as they require a great deal of supervision and engagement. On top of that, they allow the toddlers to watch TV upstairs. At this age, children should be learning through play and interacting with each other not sitting in front of a screen. I would encourage other parents to seek childcare elsewhere, and ask them to question them about the incident that happened at the center, and why no letters info was provided about the investigation.
Totally Tots took wonderful care of our children from ages 1-4. We always felt safe leaving them with Linda and her team, they became family to us. The boys loved going and we were sad as a family to end our time there. We're thankful we had somewhere wonderful to send our children.
I’ve heard a lead toddler teacher: - Routinely puts toddlers in timeout in a corner for long amounts of time - so often that one child shared they “didn’t go to the corner today” - Instructs children to do non-developmentally appropriate tasks and then reports that they are difficult or deficient in that task - Often has children watching tv shows and movies More broadly the state mandated staffing ratios are routinely not upheld at this center, which is very concerning. Please ask questions, and look very carefully at what is going on here.
I am very happy with totally tots daycare center, definitely a five star. my child comes home happy everyday, i know of so many fun activites that are shown to me at the end of the day. And not to mention how immaculately clean they keep it inside, and how clean my child comes home every day with no complaints. click their totally tots page on facebook, you will see the fun and enjoyment on the childrens faces. games are played, lots of activities, lots of pizza and dance parties, and much love from the staff. i took my child out of an unhealthy daycare, and the change in him ever since totally tots opened their doors for us has been wonderful. he’s happy and he’s learned so much over these last months, he is speaking more, not to mention interacting with other children like never before. communication with staff upstairs and downstairs is a breeze, all are very kind, friendly and understanding. The owners of totally tots are the most wonderful people i’ve ever met. Dropping my child off definitely feels like home and i have no worries throughout the day in my mind knowing my child is so cared for. WE LOVE AND TRUST YOU ALL SO MUCH TOTALLY TOTS! THANKS FOR MAKING US AND OUR CHILD SO HAPPY AND EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR MY CHILD
Keystone STARS
Level 1 out of 4
STAR 1
This rating is part of the state's Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS). Trained evaluators assess staff qualifications, learning environment, curriculum, and family engagement — standards that go beyond basic licensing requirements.
Level 1: Meets basic licensing standards.
Level 2: Exceeds licensing with some quality improvements in place.
Level 3: Demonstrates strong practices in curriculum and staff development.
Level 4: High quality across most assessed areas.