Tots University Preschool & Daycare

Both of my boys went to Tots. By far the best part of my experience was the relationship that the teachers developed with my family. Here’s a quick run down of what I appreciated:
–The hours (6:30am to 6:30 pm). I never had my kids from open to close but it was nice to know that I had a few minutes to run an errand if needed before picking up the kids.
–They provide lunch.
–They celebrate holidays and birthdays and allow treats. Sounds kinda silly but I appreciate that I could bring in cupcakes for my kids birthdays.
–The kids have a lot of play time. (Warning: check your kids shoes and pockets for sand) I want my kids to have a fun childhood and play is so important!
–The genuineness and kindness of the entire staff. I can’t say enough about how much I appreciate them and the role they have had in my kids childhood.
–the community– I met some wonderful friends when my oldest was there and we’ve stayed in touch after dispersing to multiple schools. Tots encouraged and created an environment of friendship for the kids as well as the adults.
–They embraced my kids quirkiness. My youngest went through a phase of wearing socks on his hands (sock gloves, duh!) and they rolled with it. And they kept rolling with each of his new phases.
–The projects they do are adorable and thoughtful.
–I went to work everyday confidant my kids were in excellent hands.
We’re a month out of being at Tots and my kids miss it tremendously. My oldest misses being able to visit his teachers everyday when we picked up his little brother.
If you’re looking for a pre-​school/​childcare where your kids are going to have a lot of fun, learn and be loved on– Tots is a great choice.

I love this school. It changed my son in the 2 years that he has been there. He is ready for kindergarten and he knows manners too!
They offer many field trips and go above and beyond on the lessons they teach. They have dentists, policemen and their cars come to the school. They walk to the fire department station once or twice a year. They go to the pumpkin patch and so much more. They ask for parents to volunteer for these events so you can be included too!
Bug week is a yearly favorite! You receive Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and most holiday gifts from your child. They usually have their hand print or some personal mark to them, that makes them all keepers.
Miss Polly the owner is a very present owner. She knows your child and you, which helps to the very friendly atmosphere at Tots. They accept 2 – 5 year old children so if you start at 2 by the time your child is ready for Kindergarten, you will also know many of the parents and their children too!
Oh the teachers!!! They are AMAZING! They love your child and get to know your child so well. My son will be talking about Miss Margie, Miss Patty, Miss Kristy and Miss Cathy well into adulthood. His memories of childhood include each and every one of them. They have helped him to become the boy he is today and the man he will be tomorrow.
You get a daily reminder of what was taught and what food they had for lunch on the cubicles area. They have fun outside each day and learn to share with others and how to manage peers very well. Breakfast (cereal) is offered before 8am and you are welcome to bring food to the table if you prefer. Lunch is always a well balanced event and snacks are offered too.
They offer care from 6:30am to 6:30pm. They give ample notice of days they are closed (major bank holidays). They take 2 teacher work days a year and you are made aware at the beginning of the year of what those days are. They do close for a week between Christmas and New Years, but most do. It was never a deal breaker for us.
They provide Ouch Reports if your student has any issues throughout the day. I’ve received calls if my student has been injured or has a fever. I’ve read other Unilocal about this location and honestly, I can’t imagine what they are talking about. I have always been made aware of minor and major issues if they arise. They are not worry warts here. They call if there is an issue and they handle what they know they can. They also get a very good read of parents and have respected my «no band-​aid» policy for anything that is not bleeding. The Ouch Reports even tell you that how they handled the issue. An example is «we provided ice for the boo boo and cuddled him until he was ready to rejoin his group». You can’t ask for better TLC other than a mother’s arms.
They are mid level pricing, but you get so much more than you would at other locations. You get an education and love for your child in one place. You get peace of mind that your child is well loved and well taken care of.
I have and will continue to recommend this location. My son had nothing but a wonderful experience here. I have known from the moment I walked in to look at the location that it was a good fit for our family. They have managed to take a very stubborn 2 year old and help mature him into a very age appropriate 5 year old. He is better for their love. He knows what he needs to be in the real world and he teaches us things we didn’t know or didn’t know he knew on a daily basis.

My daughter goes to Tots and has been there for almost two years. She has really progressed there and loves the other kids there. The hours are extensive and the teachers are very caring. When she went from an in home daycare with a 5:1 ratio I didn’t know how she would do in a larger setting but she did just fine. They heed any special requests that you have and they are very nice people. Ms. Polly is very kind and patient with the kids and doesn’t need to ever be short with the kids because she just knows how to adjust their behavior when they are out of hand. The other teachers there are very nice and friendly. Many families go through Tots with all of their children. They do have a LOT of field trips and this is not rent a school bus field trips… It’s you all contribute to chaperone the kids in your cars. But it really is almost once per month. And they are very fun, short and sweet. My daughter is already kindergarten ready by my estimation… Knows her letters, writes her name, knows her numbers, even can spell short words and knows sounds of letters. Anyways, this is a one of a kind place and I hope it continues on in the distant future. Also, this place is entirely analog so there is no emailing or websites. They have an ancient computer for the kids to use there so they can see what computers used to look like. Just kidding! No but it is pretty old. I think it’s great that the kids appreciate the older games. All communication is done through photocopies in your cubby. Each day you get a little write up of the days activities including meals which I always enjoyed reading.
Also I know this place has a reputation for being cheap but it’s really pretty middle of the road as far as prices go and yet it is excellent education. Also as a tip, your child will ruin their shoes and bring home lots of sand so go dark with the shoes and keep a set of school shoes. Or maybe I’m the only one who noticed this…

After hearing the doctor’s thoughts about my nephew’s broken thumb (which received no medical attention and very little consideration from his teacher after it showed clear signs of a break/​serious dislocation) and the lack of support or willingness to provide better injury training and awareness from the school director, I am glad he will no longer be attending.

My son broke his thumb in two places while he was here and no adult called or notified me with an injury report. I happened to notice my son’s thumb was swollen and purple as we were leaving and he wasn’t using his hand. When I asked the teacher what happened to him she said she thought he hurt it on the slide. My son said after he was injured he asked the teacher to call his mom or dad and she said she couldn’t do that. My son sat at preschool with a broken finger. I don’t care how many great Unilocal reviews there are on here or how cheap it is. My son now has to see an orthopedic specialist and most likely have surgery to fix the problem. I went to see the slide the issue took place at supposedly, and it is tiny. The injury severity doesn’t match up with the situation. My son became highly intimidated by the staff here and couldn’t fully express what happened to him. He was only here for two months and during that time they would leave the air conditioning off on really hot days, my son would be really sweaty and would come home and down three glasses of water. I would hate for this or worse to happen to another child or family.

Wanted to add my review because when I was looking for preschools, I turned to Unilocal,but there aren’t many reviews on preschools…
Tots University has been the perfect preschool for us so far. My daughter has been attending for a year and a half– since she was 3. The teachers are dedicated to helping little ones learn and have fun at the same time. I spent a lot of time interviewing other preschools to make a solid decision & we are very happy with the result. We will definitely be sending our 2^nd daughter to Tots U. Many reasons we are impressed:
For the parents…
* The hours are from 6:30a-6:30p. Huge help for us because not many preschools open at 6:30a.
* The days are flexible. You can attend 2, 3, 4 or 5 days a week– you can also choose which days. Again, huge help because not many preschools are flexible with the days– most make you choose T/​Th or M/​W/​F. The days we need do not fit into that schedule
*School PROVIDES breakfast & HOT lunch every day — no extra cost. No packing (cold) lunches, no rushing to eat breakfast while Mommy gets ready for work.
* Cost is reasonable. Not the most expensive or the cheapest– in the middle, but they DON’T hit you for annual fees, school supply fees, & other miscellaneous fees other preschools charge. Only a one time Registration fee that holds your spot. If you’re looking for a preschool, make sure you ASK about their additional fees.
For the little ones…
* Lots of field trips paid for by the school (all are extra cost to the school): Tilden Park (Train, farm animals, picnic), Sulphur Nature Center– 1 on 1 with animals & learn about animals– lots of things I didn’t know, pumpkin patch, Danville Theater– loved this one because my daughter got her first theater experience & she loved it. We have been to the theater since then, but would not have tried it without this field trip. Christmas party — school BRINGS in a Santa, they have a popcorn party & do a gift exchange. I’m pretty sure the school paid for it instead of just having a Dad dress up as Santa. The look on their faces is precious! Lots of extras that other schools do NOT do. I asked another preschool what kind of field trips they have– they told me they bring in a policeman to talk to the kids… Another school says they walk to McDonalds. #1, they are being cheap & #2 they don’t leave the school if a policeman comes to the school & #3 HOW is that EDUCATIONAL???
* Lots of activities for the little ones to build on their skills — large motor skills, fine motor skills, academic, social. Extremely well organized so the kids are challenged & having fun at the same time. Example, they have circle time, then they have music time (large motor skills), snack time, project time, letter tracing, hot lunch, nap time, play outside, snack time, circle time with reading books, drawing/​playing with gack… They learn a ton of songs– ones I’ve never heard of & have to you tube.
* My daughter has learned so much at school & teaches us (and her little sister which is a big bonus) what she learns.
* My daughter has bonded with Ms Polly (the director) & her teachers, and her peers. I’m sure she’ll be heartbroken when she leaves for Kindergarten but I’m so happy she’s had such a positive experience at school.
* It’s a good sign when your child says they LOVE school & want to go to school (even on Saturdays). Hope she’ll feel that way about Kindergarten!

Awesome Preschool!
— Great rates here in comparison to other preschools in area.
— Watched my kid Monday thru Friday, 6 to 6.
— Plenty of field trips.
— Daily reports given — lets you know what your child learned and ate for that day.
— Good communication between staff and parents — Will notify parents if your child becomes ill, is misbehaving, or has an injury, etc.
— Share days are cool… On this day, child is able to bring something from home to share with classmates and teachers.
— My child always brought home finished projects that he worked on.
— My child made so many friends here and adjusted to this school rather quickly… yea!
Ms. Polly and her teachers are very caring and loving to the children. My son was here for about a year until he had to go to Elementary school. In this year, my child learned so much… In fact, he was so ahead of the game that he passed the Elementary placement exam with flying colors… Kool!
I highly recommend this preschool!
Thanks to Tots University, Ms. Polly, and the entire staff for a wonderful experience!

Our daughter attends Tots University full time and we could not be happier. The 4 teachers are wonderful and it is a small group so we have really been able to get to know the other parents. We plan to keep her at Tots until Kindergarten. She loves going each day and they have great activities. She has learned so much already. They also serve a hot lunch, which is hard to find in most centers. It is an older facility, but it feels like a home and has so much to offer. Ms. Polly is the director and has been so great to our family. We are lucky we found our little girl the perfect place to be.

My daughter attended Tots when she was 2 & ½ until she attended kindergarden this year. I really attribute her current learning skills to Tots which her kindergarden teacher noted very quickly. What I like about Tots is how they find the child’s strength & build on it. They help create a positive environment where the child can gain confidence. I liked them so much, my younger son just started there! The teachers are caring and they create a good structure for the kids. I highly recommend!

My children have been associated with this school for 4 years. My business serves day cares and preschools, and I have visited literally hundreds of them in the last several years. Tots is a very high quality, professionally-​managed operation with lots of added value. The basics are there, but there are plenty of extras. There are field trips almost monthly (animal petting zoo, theater, pumpkin patch), visitors (ponies, scientists, Santa, etc.) Ms. Polly is a very warm caregiver, and a wonderful teacher of pre k kids and toddlers. My older son has had a wonderful experience, due to the work Tots’ staff did with him during his time attending. Staff turnover is very low, and they are all wonderful teachers with strong «kid management» skills. Strongly recommended.