Tysons Corner Children’s Center

Our daughter has been a part of Tyson’s Corner Children’s Center (McLean location) since she was an infant and it’s been the best decision we ever made. We chose TCCC because the staff had been there for over 12+ years in some cases, and the love and care they appeared to provide went beyond basic day cares where staff act like babysitters, turnover is high and dedication is lacking. You can always find a fancy daycare with the latest bells and whistles but at the end of the day the positive energy and warm care a caregiver shows your child is what makes the difference. The maturity, passion for children and training caregivers undergo sets TCCC apart, and you can see it in how much the children really love and trust their teachers. The teachers even care about each other, which also says a lot about the quality of staff who work at TCCC.
Since joining the TCCC family, I’ve realized just how much goes into creating a loving environment. The organization is lead by very competent people who have high EQs as well as IQs. They carefully match the right teacher to the right class, and treat teachers with respect, compensating them appropriately. That’s why the staff isn’t transient; they are dedicated to your child the way you are dedicated to your child. Everything from the food, toys, activities and support staff is calibrated to create an environment we’re very sad to leave once public Kindergarten starts.
We’ve also been very pleased with the balance that TCCC strikes between academic and creative play time for the kids. Our daughter is constantly exposed to seasonal themes and fun hands-​on activities that engage her mind without forcing learning on her. The staff cultivate her curiosity and do everything to communicate with the parents, so you never feel disconnected from your child’s experiences.
I would without hesitation recommend TCCC to any family, and I would happily sign up for private Kindergarten, if TCCC offered it.

TCCC is an excellent daycare center. Our children have received outstanding care, formed lasting bonds with their teachers and friends, and have gained knowledge and skills. Through the years, we have had a child in every classroom in the center, so we can speak to the high quality of the teachers, the staff, and the environment across the board.
The teachers have an average tenure that far exceeds other centers and that’s because they are treated really well and have such a great working environment. This is beneficial to the kids because they have continuity in who their teacher is — and their teacher knows all of the families that attend the center. Since the center is not for profit, all extra money goes back into the teachers’ salaries and supplies/​toys/​activities/​programs for the kids. We even got a small refund one year because the budget allowed for it — how many other centers would do that?!
Bottom line: this is a fantastic center and one visit would show you how amazing and reasonable the staff are, how intellectually stimulated all the kids are, and how loving, caring, and competent the teachers are.

My husband and I have two daughters at Tysons Corner Childrens Center’s Spring Hill location and couldn’t be happier with our decision to send them there. We toured several daycare centers in the area before our now 3-​year old was born, and we instantly felt comfortable with TCCC and knew it was the right choice for our family. Even though it was really hard to leave our baby with anyone at first, it was a relief knowing that she was in such capable and loving hands at TCCC. I can’t imgine taking my girls anywhere else. The staff and programs at TCCC are top-​notch and I highly recommend anyone looking for childcare in the Tysons area strongly consider Tysons Corner Childrens Center. One visit and you’ll see why so many parents choose — and love — this childcare center.

After transitioning to TCCC from a home day care, we felt reassured that due to all the rules and regulations, our child would be in safe hands at TCCC. We like the socialization (eating meals together, learning table habits) aspect of the classes from Pre-​Toddler 1 through the Pre-​K classes. Although TCCC is a non-​profit, they do run a business and therefore maximize enrollment. According to the school administration, children are moved to the next class based on space availability and the child’s readiness; however, we discovered much more of an emphasis to fill spaces than on our child’s readiness. When a child in one of the older classes leaves the center, the administrators will tell the parents of a child in the next younger age class that they child is ready to move up. This has a trickle effect until the spaces are filled. My husband and I felt the administrators were urging us to move our child from the Pre-​Toddler 2 class to the Toddler class earlier than we felt she was ready, so we declined. They used strong language to state that another spot may not be available for several months (suggesting my child may fall behind), which was not the case since there was another spot one and two months later. What parents need to know is they can say no to their child moving on if they do not feel their child is ready. We did feel that when our child was ready for the Toddler class, the teachers were excellent in potty training (at 2 yrs and 2 months). It helps that the teachers are persistent and have potty trained hundreds of children, and that they train with their peers.
While we found that some teachers were exceptional and loving and communicate well with the parents, some are unfortunately not. Beginning with the Toddler class, the daily reports were not entirely accurate. By lunchtime, the teachers had marked the children had eaten their afternoon snacks as well as the amounts. The quality of the meat and the pasta was not something I would choose to eat. I saw a slice of cantaloupe given to each of the 2 year olds; not one child ate it because it wasn’t cut into smaller pieces for them. Like I said, some teachers don’t bother to make the effort.
We were told the children in the McLean center have access to the Racquetball courts at the Sport & Health Club within the building. This seemed like an attractive feature given winter months indoors. The administrator told me the children would have daily access; however, after asking the teachers how often the children go, they said it was only a couple of times a week due to the Racquetball courts being unavailable to them.
While the tuition is consistent, there are additional semi-​annual fees parents must pay if they do not help out with the Center. In addition to that, the activities fees are unclear and inconsistent.
As a parent, getting into and out of the McLean center could be difficult given the ticket machines were often broken. Plus, there’s the 15 – 20 minutes you have to get in/​out of the parking lot without being charged or remembering to get a parking validation. Instead, parents should be issued a fob where they can enter/​exit without the daily tickets.
Our review of the curriculum for older kids (Preschool and above) at TCCC was not as strong as other centers. When we left the Center and enrolled our child in another Preschool, she was already behind in academics. However, the curriculum is great for younger children (Infant through Toddler).
All in all, we found TCCC to be a safe place for our child and convenient for working parents due to being open year round and 11 hours/​day plus having snacks, drinks, and lunch served (not having to pack lunches is a plus). The organic milk, musical activities, computer classes, magic shows, are all a plus.