Christopher House

I was staying at Hostelling International’s Chicago hostel and was lucky enough to be treated to an evening hosted by the teachers and middle-​school age kids of Christopher House. First dinner… then a presentation. The kids were so asked to spread out amongst us guests and chat while eating. Two of the cutest boys sat at my table and were so comfortable talking with an «old» lady stranger. Their manners were excellent and you could tell they valued their education and the opportunities offered to them by CH. All of the kids were so enthusiastic about their presentation, which was given to a room full of guests. Clearly CH is keeping at risk kids firmly on track and teaching and reinforcing some really valuable skills that will help these kids for a lifetime. Awesome to see.

I have to say that when I brought my 2yr old daughter here, I was a liitle concerned. She had never been to daycare before and is very attached to mom. To be honest, it has been a hard adjustment, for both her and I. But I really believe that this is a truly great daycare, especially for the price.
It is run by the city of Chicago, so there is LOTS of paperwork to fill out. They have income caps and require either 22 hrs of work per week or full time student status.
Being funded by the city, they have lots of little rules, which has not been easy for this free spirit to adjust to :) Drop off is between 7:30 and 9. If you are late too often, they will drop you from the program. Pick up is by 5:30. Again if you are routinely late, they will drop you. They require 80% attendace, or you will be dropped. Children who are out sick for more than 3 days need a doctor note to come back, or your child will be sent home.
That said, after 3 months, my shy and bashful daughter is really enjoying it here. They teach the children (2yr olds) independance by teaching them life skills to be independant. Did you know you 2yr old is capable of clearing his/​her own plate after dinner???
They have LOTS of toys and art supplies. They have «class» or stuctured activities everyday with lots of free play mixed in. They have an outdoor facility that is fenced in and well maintained. They have a gym for cold or wet days with plenty of balls and mats. Everything does look worn and used, but that’s because it is :)
The teachers are very kind. There are at least two per class room. (The 3−5yr olds are seperate from the 2s). And it is very common to see children hugging them goodbye at the end of the day. And personally, when I come early to pick up my daughter, I have had to wait to leave because she isn’t done playing :) I think that that is a sign of a great daycare.
I really like the fact that she is not in someone’s house parked in front of the TV all day, even though there are great home daycares. I like the fact that she is learning all these new life skills and how to get along with other children and adults.
I went through a number of bad daycares when I was a child, and felt nervous about leaving my daughter. It was hard that she would cry and be upset when I would leave. But now, after 3 months, she is aclimated and sometimes cries when it is time to leave. I am planning on keeping her here at Christopher House for a long time.

I’m sure this is a great program if you can get in. If you make more than a certain amount, you can’t bring your child here. I’m a single mom and I couldn’t get in here. A little disappointing especially given the fact that I’ve only heard good things about this place. I believe it’s a program run through the city of Chicago, so you do run into income caps, etc.

This is the main location but they have other locations all over the Chicago land area. Christopher House is a great organization that has provided assistance for children and their families for 100 years! I have worked with the Adult Literacy program for over 2 years and it’s so great to work with people who care about making a difference. I set out to help kids grow and ended up learning a lot from them along the way. I can’t say enough good things about CH… they have changed many lives in this city!