Smartie Pants Daycare

Best child care place I know! Checking on licensing it has a way better review compared to other daycares. I would highly suggest it to other parents! Kids do arts & crafts, they read them books, have a bouncy house, kiddy pool (during the summer/​hot days), celebrate the kids birthday’s, karaōke machine, do laundry when the child has potty accident, potty training & everything at no extra cost besides the fee for each day. Food and diapers are provided I greatly appreciate the fact that I don’t need to spend extra for that either. I absolutely love that my child has learned so much here!!! My child is an only child which makes it a great way of interacting with other children. Thank you Ms. K :)

Linda has created an environment at SPDC that children can thrive in! Just think about this for a minute: It’s so important who has influence on your child’s life, especially at a young age. You want them to have the best care and attention possible! You will find that here. The amount of blood, sweat and tears put into this home-​based childcare center is highly apparent! The children receive quality education and social skills that will prepare them very well for school in the future! I cannot say enough wonderful things about the staff at SPDC!

I can’t overstate what a positive experience my son has had at Smartie Pants with Linda («Miss K») and her mother «Mimi.» Our son attended from age 15 mos. to 2 years. Since attending his vocabulary has exploded, his peer social skills have improved and he’s started potty training before 2!!!
In addition to the 5 star care, Linda is the most reliable childcare provider I have ever had in six years and two kids. She NEVER closes unannounced which for a working parent is invaluable.
We are leaving Smartie Pants due to a cross-​country relocation and Smartie Pants is definitely one of the things I will miss the most about San Diego.

The only reason that I wrote a review in the first place was because I was offered a free day (worth $ 50) with my review. My son went to Smartie Pants Daycare for about three months; things started to get interesting when he started to get diaper rashes on a nearly weekly basis, which never happened before. Then, I payed in advance for three days and, when he stayed home sick, was charged for those days anyway. The icing on the cake was when I brought him in and he had a diaper rash and light diarrhea– when I picked him up, his diaper was literally FULL of diarrhea– it was leaking into his pants and down his legs and he walked up to me this way. I highly suggest you find another location for your child– I am never bringing him back here again.

Because my 16 month old son would not adjust after the 3^rd day of daycare, Miss K called my son «stubborn» and «spoiled». She also said he was stubborn because he was a Taurus?!? I also learned that one of their methods to deal with crying is just to let them cry. She told me that he was tapping his fists together and putting his fingers in his mouth but she did not know what that meant. My son knows a few words in sign language and was signing for «more» and was pointing to his mouth for «eat». I was very disheartened to think he was left there crying and hungry with no one responding to him. I also did not appreciate that another parent gave my son candy so he would calm down.
After the 3^rd day, we reached out to meet with Miss K to discuss ways to make the transition smoother. As soon as we arrived, she did not have to say anything. Her body language said it all. With a defeated look, she said to my son, «crying again?» How do you expect my son to be happy when his care giver is making a sad face and is not happy? She was vague on what they tried to do to help him adjust if at all and did not give us any suggestions on what we could do at home to help him. She just replied, «I don’t know.»
After only 3 days, It seemed like she already gave up on him and didn’t want him there anymore. This decision became more apparent when I learned he was not allowed to join the daycare on a birthday celebration day because Miss K said he couldn’t handle it. When I picked him up on the 5^th day, she already had his bag packed and said she couldn’t watch him anymore. I am disappointed in the lack of respect, compassion, communication and professionalism of this daycare.

My son began going to Smartie Pants Daycare over a year ago now and it has been an amazing experience, not only for him but for us.
My son has learned manners, good hygiene (washing his hands and brushing his teeth are no chore at all!). When we decide it was time to potty train, Miss K (Linda) helped us while he was with her and he had in down within days. The focus on education is fantastic, my son was counting and doing the alphabet all on his own, in what seemed out of nowhere. He is constantly surprising me with new songs he knows, knew animals he knows and words.
My son wakes up in the morning asking to go to daycare to see his friends and Miss K (and her mother that my son affectionately calls Mimi). We feel so safe and comfortable with him there all day because not only is he learning, but he is also enjoying himself greatly.
I cannot recommend this daycare enough and cannot imagine sending my son anywhere else.

My son started going to Smartie Pants just before his second birthday, after our first visit ended in a crying fit all the way home because he didn’t want to leave. I thought that was a good sign… and it continued! He goes to Miss K’s school twice a week, and usually starts asking to go a couple days before we’re supposed to. If he knows we are going to Miss K’s, he will often refuse to eat breakfast at our house since he wants to ‘share with Miss K and the kids’. The healthy food given to the kids surprised even my mother, an elementary teacher, because my son learned how much he loves pomegranate. Pomegranate!
Everyone who has come with me to visit has been impressed. My mother commented ‘how bright and friendly’ the kids’ spaces look, and another friend said ‘I have never been in a facility for kids that smelled this fresh’. The large back yard has a tall, kid-​proof fence and a marvelous canyon view (complete with a direct line to airplanes!).
While we work hard to teach our son social skills, polite words, and calm reactions, Smartie Pants has really helped us with all of these! Miss K makes sure the kids learn to relate to one another in a positive manner and care about one another. Washing hands, cleaning up, using napkins, and brushing teeth are just some of the things that are part of the routine at Smartie Pants and that makes them so much easier to reinforce at home. A great place to send your child!

My son (born ¹⁰⁄₂₀₁₁) started going to Smartie Pants Daycare this past spring and we loved it. Linda (Miss K) and Mimi are wonderful and my son adores them. The home is really clean, the outdoor area was recently upgraded (also very clean), and the food she provides is healthy. The kids are taught to wash their hands and brush their teeth often throughout the day and there are potties for the kids use. This has had the awesome side effect of my son enjoys washing his hands, brushing his teeth, and using the potty! Linda’s daycare is a great place for kids and I would recommend it to anyone.

My daughter started going to Smartie Pants Daycare last fall. Miss K is great with the kids and comes from a professional education background. She has every single detail set up for the kids. Toddler-​sized potty, sink, table and chairs… all sorts of educational and fun toys. There are lots of small pottys for the kids to learn to use and Miss K takes the time to work on it with them. She pays close attention to hygiene and has the kids wash their hands and brush their teeth throughout the day. Every area that is set up is safe and clean. She even has a professional cleaner come by every week to keep germs to a minimum.
The kids do little art projects, learn to draw cirlces to prepare for writing, learn shapes, colors, letters and numbers and Get lots of outdoor play time. The back yard is set up for play and is very safe and clean. There is a sand box, ride on toys, cars, shopping carts and a few other fun things. Each child is assigned a highchair, pack n play or crib and potty when they start going to Smartie Pants.
It is super convenient for my family, it’s priced fairly, the food program is healthy (although my daughter is super picky) and I feel confident in Miss Kinney’s skills and ability to care for my child. She is very nice and loves the kids. She even celebrates all of the birthdays of each month and has a party for the kids. My daughter talks about her and the kids all of the time and I can honestly say I am very happy to have Smartie Pants to care for my child. Thank you.

Linda runs the best daycare! She has it professionally cleaned each week, so the kids have a safe, clean and healthy environment to play in. I love the childproof backyard and huge indoor play area. Washing hands and brushing teeth is a priority that is kept up before and after each meal. Keep up the awesome job!