“I have a spreadsheet that I can share with you.” Honestly, there are very few topics that I can’t respond to with this. But spreadsheets are a little intimidating and kind of ugly unless I want to really spend time on it. I’m going to share it anyhow but I’m also going to break down what information I have here, hopefully in a more digestible format.
While this is very specific to my local region, I have shared fragments on countless social media comments and recently got a handful of requests for DMs so I figure I can put it all in one place where I could use the clicks as well. (Thank you for your clicks! Please subscribe if you’re interested in wellness and possibly more parenting content to come.)
Please note:
This is very specific to the Alhambra/San Gabriel/San Marino/Pasadena area.
I did most of my research in 2019 but I will update what I can.
My research was primarily focused on daycare facilities that accept children younger than 2 years old. If you are searching for care for 2 years old and up, there are way way more options available. Also, I did not really consider daycares based in churches or homes.
_____
For nannies and nanny-share arrangements, I’ve found the best the bet to be local mom groups. Here are my local favorites:
Pasadena Moms (California) ← This one is most active and informative.
Other potential sources are Care.com and myasiannanny.com.
_____
On to the daycares!
4930 Earle Ave, Rosemead, CA 91770 (Mission between San Gabriel and Walnut Grove)
380 S. Raymond Ave. Pasadena, CA 91105 (Raymond Ave near Del Mar Blvd)
Ages: 6 weeks to 12 years old
Programs: 5/3/2 days a week and/or morning/afternoons. Weekend and evening also available, and aftercare and summer camps for school-aged children.
Both Pasadena and San Gabriel/Rosemead are great. Teachers are wonderful and the facilities are pretty amazing with grand fish saltwater fish tanks, terrariums, playhouse style stage, play store, etc. Their online virtual tours are very helpful: SGR and Pasadena). They have evening and weekend care if you also just want to try it out. Day program is similar to school, with circle time, lessons, and different activities they all do together, as opposed to Montessori style). It does feel a little chaotic since there are just so many people (students/kids/parents even though their student ratios are very good) and their app and organization is not the best. They are the best we've seen in regards to security, especially with potential shooter situations even if we hate to think about those things. They are pricier for the area but they compensate their teachers well, which seems to be more the exception than the rule in this region. Rates are posted and updated clearly on their website; extra points for transparency! Their hours are generally the best and they don’t do late fees but instead charge in their evening/weekend rate in 15 minute increments beyond the scheduled pick up time. Hot lunch is extra, but is cooked fresh on the premises. There is no potty training fee and they supply all diapers, wipes, and ointments which is a huge plus for some. They schedule only one new student per classroom per week, so they can give extra care and attention if that child needs it which is something we really appreciate.
Overall, Kids Klub was founded by working parents who had working parent needs and it really shows, while other schools seem to be offshoots of what is typical in a school setting with maybe a couple accommodations for parents with busy schedules. Waitlists vary. Call or email to schedule a tour and get an estimate of the waitlist for your desired age group. It is a hefty $250 registration fee to waitlist ($50 fee if evening and weekend program only). And if you do register and have no other friends or family in a daytime program, I’d really appreciate it if you could put me as your referral so my kids can enjoy some weekend and evening hours. (They have 3 separate bounce house times on the weekends!)
72 W. Bellevue Drive, Pasadena CA 91105 (Bellevue Dr near California Blvd)
Ages: 6 weeks to 5 years old
Programs: Full-time and part-time care
Discovery Days is very is similar to Kids Klub in price, care, and schedules. They focus very much on play-based learning. Facilities are not as cool but are cleaner and newer. Teachers are also great from our limited observation during the tour.
19 N Hidalgo Ave, Alhambra, CA 91801 (Hidalgo Ave & Main St)
Ages: 2 months to Kindergarten
Programs: Full-time
This is one of the more affordable care options for infants in the area. In 2019, it was $1,000/month for M-F from 7:30AM to 4:30PM. I would highly recommend a tour to come to your own judgments if the previously mentioned points fit your needs. I say this because our tour was not the best experience. There was a miscommunication or lack of communication, so they were not ready for us which may have impacted our personal first impression. It was picture day, which could have also added an extra layer of chaos. In short, upon entry, two older children were reading or playing in the lobby area unsupervised and I personally felt wary that I had access to them for a long period of time before we could locate any adults. We only toured the infant classroom and found the vibe a little too stressed for my personal taste. These were all slight issues and could be easily explained away in all honesty. We still considered enrollment, but we opted for one-on-one care with a family member at a similar rate.
1570 E. Colorado Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91106 (Green St near Hill Ave)
Ages: 4 months to 5 years old
Programs: 5/3/2 days a week and/or morning/afternoons
They have a very consistently calm environment and the teachers are great. In fact, many if not most teachers at Kids Klub and other daycares in the area receive their training here! There is one specialist per classroom, with all other teacher spots being part-time. So there is some consistency with the specialist, but also some turnover for the part-time teachers who generally stay on for about a year/ one year. They use Learning Genie and we love the ease of signing in and out, communicating with teachers, and receiving cute photos all day long! It also helps a great deal to know how our kids’ day went so we can plan our evenings accordingly. The playgrounds are next to apartments and I have heard some concerns about privacy and security for this reason although there have been no incidents related to this. There is an emergency alert system affiliated with the main college campus so that parents can receive text alerts immediately with details about any security issues to do with lockdowns and pick up instructions. The classes take buggy rides and/or walks around the main campus which is a really nice perk, especially for parents who work on campus as staff! Since COVID, the hours are 8:00AM to 5:00PM, with no option for extended care. The rates are amazing for the level of care and expertise, although they are outdated on the website by approximately 10%. Lunch is included. Tuition is charged on a weekly basis and billed monthly. The center operates on the main campus’s schedule so expect a 3 week winter break, 1 week spring break, 1 week early summer break, and 3 week late summer break. Tuition is not charged for these weeks. (Bumo might be a good resource for these times!) From what I understand, their waitlist is nearly impossible with no affiliation to the school and I think we may have just gotten really lucky to be offered spots as community members. At the same time, there is no fee to waitlist so that’s really cool.
_____
Here are some recommendations from others that I did not personally tour or look into myself.
1200 E. California Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91125
Ages: 6 months - 5 years
Programs: 5/3/2 days a week with option for extra days
This is supposedly one of the best schools in the nation. Their enrollment application is very clear about which lists are full for which age groups. Of course, those with campus affiliation are prioritized over community members. At $50 per family (not per child) to waitlist, we figured it’s kind of like buying a lottery ticket.
535 W Roses Rd. San Gabriel, CA 91775 (Roses Rd and Mission St)
Ages: 2 to 5 years old
Programs: 5/3/2 days a week from 9:00AM to 12:00PM. Surround care options available from 7:30AM to 6:00PM.
This is a school based at the Church of Our Savior that everyone in the neighborhood raves about for many many years even when their kids have grown into adults.
1957 Huntington Dr. Alhambra, CA 91801 (Huntington Dr & Bushnell Ave)
Ages: 18 months - 6 years
Programs: 5 days half day (8:30AM to 12:30PM) or full (8:30AM to 3:00PM) with extended day option from 7:00AM to 6:00PM
This school was highly recommended by a friend but we never looked into it since 18 months was too far out for us during our pre-COVID planning. I hear the environment, teachers, and especially the director are pretty wonderful.
2612 S. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia, CA 91007
Ages and programs: TBD
This school was also highly recommended by an acquaintance. It appears to be more inclined toward academics than the other schools listed. The tuition is very affordable ($1,000/month) and the hours are more flexible for working parents (pickup from 4:30PM to 6:00PM). It seems to be free to waitlist, with fees to pay only when offered a spot and accepted. I hear the waitlist is about one year.
444 S Sierra Madre Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91107 (Sierra Madre Blvd & San Pascual)
280 S Los Robles Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101
Ages: TBD
Programs: 5 or 3 days a week, full day (9AM - 3PM), half day (9AM-12PM or 12:30PM-3PM, and extended day (7:00AM or 9:00AM to 6:00PM)
A trusted friend highly recommended this school. They have impressive language immersion programs, including a trilingual program that is based on 80% Chinese, 10% Spanish, and 10% English. Their rates are very affordable for the area. From what I can tell, it may be $100-150 to waitlist or enroll, which is applied to the first month’s tuition.
_____
That was a lot, right? Well, I hope that you saved some time and energy from stumbling upon this rather than all of us scavenger hunting it all each on our own. Yay for community and sharing. I am tired. 🙂
Also, you can use this site https://www.ccld.dss.ca.gov/carefacilitysearch/Search/ChildCare to see how any facility in the state of California is doing on their inspections or if they have any citations or complaints filed against them.
Comments