Common Ground Child Care Center

Nearly 6 years since we started here, I can say with great confidence this is still a wonderful loving place. Leaving Common Ground for school was like leaving family for my daughter, but the greatest part is how happy she is when she comes back and plays with her friends in the school age room.
Common Ground has been part of the Reston community for over 40 years and some of the teachers have been there the whole time. The teacher turnover is extremely low, in no small part because of the deep commitment the teachers feel for both the children and the center.
Common Ground is a non-​profit center, governed by a Board of Trustees and run by a center director. The unique perspective of the largely parent-​comprised board ensures a strong focus on the emotional and developmental well being of the children. This sets the center apart in some very important ways and ultimately creates a unique, loving environment for children to learn and grow.

Common Ground Child Care Center is a wonderful, caring environment for our children and we feel incredibly blessed to be part of the family there. Our two children are thriving in an atmosphere of genuine love, warmth and kindness. Before enrolling we looked at many daycare centers in Reston and Herndon. What we feel sets Common Ground apart is the wonderful staff who provide such love and care to each child, recognizing what makes each of them unique and special and finding ways to nurture their little personalities. Many of those staff have been there for 10 years or much longer (almost 40 years in 1 case).
The curriculum is geared to ensuring children can enjoy being children through thoughtful playtime while also covering more than the simple educational basics. Our 2 year old son loves learning new Spanish words and then teaching us when he gets home! We are also impressed by the quality of the social skills the teachers encourage in the children who attend Common Ground: polite manners, collegiate behavior at mealtimes and in circle time, thoughtfulness and kindness to each other, the confidence to say ‘no’ when appropriate…
The location can be a challenge to find but the center nestles in a quiet, residential area close to Reston Town Center and has a large outdoor playground which is used as much as possible. Although many of the childcare centers in the surrounding area are housed in more modern buildings, Common Ground is spacious and has a relaxed, homely environment.
Most importantly, we have found a family here. We moved from overseas back to the USA but were entirely new to Virginia and knew no-​one here. Most of our closest friends are families who we met at, or through, Common Ground and we enjoy play dates, activities and (now) vacations together. It has become a very special and meaningful place for us and provides us with so much more than a place to leave our children during working hours.

Finding the «right» daycare for your child is stressful. There are so many important questions. Will my child be safe? Will they be loved? Will they learn? Will they be happy? Is this a place where I can feel good about leaving my child when I go to work. Thankfully, Common Ground is amazing!
We found Common Ground two years ago. Our oldest daughter was attending a different daycare in Reston, and we weren’t thrilled with the environment — lots of teacher turnover, limited curriculum, and a lot of bad attitudes. It started to wear on our daughter, and we started the hunt for a new facility. We were so lucky to find Common Ground.
Common Ground has GREAT teachers (the infant room teachers have been there since the late 80s… You never find that kind of tenure at a daycare!), a loving and supportive environment, a great curriculum, and most importantly, our daughters love it! We are constantly surprised at what our daughters are learning, saying, and singing.
We are so lucky to have found Common Ground and so lucky to have found the right daycare for our family!
Bottom line, we highly recommend Common Ground to any parents looking for quality daycare in the Reston area.

I feel fortunate that I can go to work knowing my eight month old is well taken care of at Common Ground. He smiles when I bring him in the room each morning and loves seeing his teachers! I truly appreciate the warm environment and friendly staff. I recommend Common Ground to all new parents.

I LOVE Common Ground and recommend it to everyone. The teachers are amazing – highly qualified, loving, caring, and creative. Common Ground provides an environment where my daughter is thriving because she is in a warm, loving atmosphere where she feels safe, nurtured, and loved. And while I am at work, I have the peace of mind of knowing that she is happy, having fun, and being showered with attention.
During my initial search for a child care center, some of the other centers that I toured in Reston and Herndon had so many babies packed into tiny rooms and they felt cold and unwelcoming. And when I read the violations of some of the other centers, I realized the importance of selecting a well-​established center with a solid reputation. As soon as we visited Common Ground and met the director, Kae Bieber, and teachers, I knew that I found the best center for my child.
Common Ground focuses on the well-​being of the kids and their development rather than enrollment and profits, unlike many other centers in the area. My advice to parents is to stop by to tour the center, meet the staff, and talk to some of the parents.