Sunflower Playhouse - Prospect Heights
- Crown Heights
787A Washington Ave, Brooklyn 11238
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Reviews (26)
Review from the Spring 2024 Early Education Survey
REVIEW: We love Sunflower and consider ourselves so luck to have gotten a spot here. It's true that the administration can sometimes be a bit disorganized. But on a day to day level, it's clear they love our daughter and that seems like the most important thing! They're so sweet.; Amenities: Has outdoor space;Review from the Spring 2023 Early Education Survey
Review: We've been at Sunflower for almost a year with baby starting around 5 months. We've been very happy! There's little to no turnover with staff, they really seem to care for the kids, they make good use of the outdoor area, and breakfast/snack are included. Our child is always happy to see their teacher(s) and they've helped with learning songs/dances, transitioning from the bottle to cups, sitting at a table, and any number of surprise skills she comes home with. As many others have stated, communication with admin on applying/payments is spotty, but rest assured that things on that end do run smoothly albeit sometimes with a lack of communication. Amenities: Has outdoor space, Provides meals, Friday music class What would you change about the program, if anything, and why? Better communication from admin.Review from the Spring 2023 Early Education Survey
Review: My daughter went to Sunflower/Washington location from ~9 months to 2.5 years old, from 8am to 6pm every day. The Sunflower staff basically raised her! The teachers there are very warm and loving. We never got to see the inside of the facility because of COVID, but we got plenty of pictures throughout the day. There is a music teacher who comes on Fridays, and the kids absolutely love the music class. I was also very glad to choose a daycare with outdoor space, which they used whenever the weather was right. There is a nice community of neighborhood families as well. It was so great to see my daughter hit her milestones there and become friends with her classmates. Her graduation from the 2s was emotional! The only difficulty I had was at the very beginning, in getting in touch with management so I could enroll her. But that as during COVID, and I'm glad that I kept trying.Best daycares in Prospect Heights?
My daughter was originally at Aleyna's from 1-2 years old and will be at Sunflower Playhouse from 2-3 years old. Both had outdoor space which was a priority for us. Aleyna's worked for our family at the time because we wanted a smaller environment, but we're really happy at Sunflower now. My daughter is thriving, excited to see her friends and we have a general sense of how her day is.Best daycares in Prospect Heights?
Both our kids started at Sunflower Playhouse on Washington at 4.5/5 months old. One has graduated to 3k and the other is almost 2 and will stay there till she switches to 3k. We have been very happy there. Very warm teachers. Lots of singing, dancing, and art. Wonderful music teacher who comes weekly. I think there is also weekly science class. Outdoor space. They provide breakfast and snack, but you have to bring lunch. It's a little hard to get in touch with the administrator, but the teachers are very responsive and there are some app updates throughout the day.Struggling to get daycares near Prospect Heights to respond! Advice please!
We are at Sunflower and I think you just have to be persistent with them. The teachers are fabulous, but the woman who runs the place, Lolita, is stretched between a couple locations and just slow to respond. I think they also have a waitlist of a few months right now, so you do need to keep reaching out.Review from the Fall 2021 Early Childhood Education Survey
Type of facility: Daycare & Preschool Review: My child has been attending Sunflower since 3 months old. The infant program is excellent - wonderful, caring caregivers who really love the babies. The children move into the front "preschool" room at age 2. Currently most of the preschoolers are between 2 - 3 years old, as a lot of the older kids left for 3K and Pre-K. I would definitely recommend the preschool program until age 3, and up to age 4 if more older children attend. There is a curriculum, with different themes for different units, art projects, and weekly martial arts and music class. Plus the private backyard was a huge selling point for us. What amenities does the facility provide? Has outdoor space, Provides meals What would you change about the program, if anything, and why? More older children in the preschool. A better option if a child wants to skip a nap. Is there anything you would like to add about how the school handled the pandemic? The director could be better at communicating. The teachers are excellent.Bumblebees r us or Sunflower Playhouse
Hi! Both my sons are at Sunflower and we're very happy there. My oldest is 3.5 and has been going since he was about 6 months old (minus the few months they were closed for the pandemic). My younger son started there at 8 months old, and is now almost 14 months. The caregivers are kind and attentive and the staff turnover is very low compared to other places (both pre-pandemic and currently), which I appreciate so much. I also LOVE that they have outdoor space that they use all the time, even for the little ones. (April 2021 review)Bumblebees r us or Sunflower Playhouse
I'm going to do a Sunflower Playhouse plug here. Our son was in Sunflower starting at 4 months through 34 months. If you're looking for an affordable childcare option, then this is it. Yeah, it might not be up to the same caliber as other daycares, but they operate on a budget that makes it affordable for parents. The staff are really great, especially Melissa, who is always responsive, and makes you feel completely at ease when leaving your child there. The kids received a lot of individual attention, and our son learned a lot while he was there, and really prepared him for starting his 3's program at a different school. The thing I have come to miss about not having a child at Sunflower anymore is the sense of community. I grew close to so many of the parents and their kids there, we all still hang out.We're expecting a second child any day now, and we have every intention of sending her to Sunflower when the time comes! (April 2021 review)Bumblebees r us or Sunflower Playhouse
My three year old and my one year old are both at Sunflower. We did tour both when we were expecting my older son, so over 3 years ago. What won us over to Sunflower at the time is that they have a small outdoor space.Melissa, who oversees the back rooms, is fantastic. Melissa has been really great helping my son learn to drink first from a bottle and now from a cup. We've been happy overall and I would say that any drawbacks are outweighed by the fact that you can tell they really care about the kids. I do have a friend with a kid at Bumblebees and she likes it there so honestly I think they are both good choices.A quick update on the one year old/nap conversation. My youngest turned one last week and without any prompting Melissa said she's going to keep him in the younger room a bit longer. Not sure why, but it's fine by me. (April 2021 review)Daycares in the neighborhood
Our baby started at Sunflower in October (at 12 weeks!) and we love it. I would echo everything said about communication with Lolita being spotty, though we can easily reach out to the head teachers Ms. Melissa and Ms. Shavon via text if we have questions or need to check in. They have an app that provides daily updates about feeding, activities, photos and even bowel movements.Sunflower seems to be taking all the necessary precautions with regard to sanitizing and masking. We actually got Covid in November and pulled the baby from daycare to quarantine (though she never tested positive) and they required us to quarantine and have negative tests for us her before returning. (December 2020 review)Daycares in the neighborhood
We had our son at sunflower on Washington from 7months old to 1.5yo there. They were good, the staff was really nice. We still use one of the staff as a occasional babysitter. We left during the lockdown period and moved to a smaller home based program called Lauren’s place on St Marks and Rogers. It is Montessori and excellent! Lauren’s place has a huge backyard and I liked having a smaller group of kids there. She provides lunch which is a huge bonus and our son are really healthy there.Daycares in the neighborhood
We’ve been a Sunflower family for years now and have been really happy there! Our daughter who is now in pre-k at PS316 started at Sunflower when she was 4 months and was there until the spring of last year when everything got shut down. Our son started at Sunflower this past August when he was 7 months and is very happy there. Over the years parents have seemed happy with the care, but agreed, the communication is sometimes lacking. Lolita can be difficult to get in touch with at times to talk about registration or bills, but she’s nice once you get her. She’s not on site and just handles the administrative piece. For the babies it’s mainly run on site by Melissa who is very loving and treats all of them like they are her own. ... We also really enjoyed the big kid class (2 and up) and appreciated the teachers and the lessons. S. had such a wonderful time and really thrived there! One thing we really liked is that they have a small outdoor space in the back and they get all the kids out there a bunch weather permitting.2019-2020 Year Review
very caring and communicative staff. Facility with outdoor space. … About the facility: Has outdoor space, Has afterschool options, Has early morning hours … What would you change? NothingSunflower child care on Washington
I have a son in Sunflower on Washington and we are extremely happy with the care he's gotten there. He's 17 months, and has been there since he was six months.Sunflower Playhouse infant care
Our son is in the infant room at Sunflower on Washington now and has been since he was just about 4 months (he's 7 months now). We've had a fantastic experience. They do use the bouncers and exersaucers for the little ones, especially when they're feeding the bigger ones, but he's also getting plenty of tummy time and the chance to hang out on the floor. This often happens in the afternoon, from what I've seen. He's really thriving there and I was in your same boat of worried about leaving him anywhere, but we are very happy with our choiceReview from the 2018/2019 PSP Daycare, Preschool, PreK, Kindergarten Survey
Roxanne and Melissa are great, and they have very caring staff in all classes. My kids were loved and taken care of well. I really liked the outdoor space — they take the kids out whenever weather permits. And the schedule of activities is great. Staff were communicative if there were any issues and gave us updates at the end of the day, and management was pretty accommodating of several changes. And most importantly, both my kids enjoy going there! About the facility: Has outdoor space, Has early morning hours What would you change? NothingReview from the 2018/2019 PSP Daycare, Preschool, PreK, Kindergarten Survey
My child absolutely loves going to Sunflower. The caretakers are loving, caring, and so thoughtful. Staff turnover is very low, which I also appreciate. My child has a huge smile on his face every day when we arrive, and I know he's learning things (like how to use his sippy cup and use walker toys!) every day. I love that the facility is always spotless, and that there's an outdoor space for the kids to play in, even when they're little. The staff communicates really well with us about any concerns they have or issues that come up and they listen carefully when we have concerns or questions. I truly could not be happier with Sunflower. Plus, they have someone come in once a week to give the little kids music class, and there's an art teacher for the preschool kids. I LOVE this, and it's such a valuable experience for them. About the facility: Has outdoor space, Provides snacks; provides weekly music class What would you change? I would love if they provided lunch, but that's mostly because I hate cooking myself.Review from the 2017/2018 PSP Daycare, Preschool, PreK, Kindergarten Survey
The staff are caring and very communicative. The space is always spotless and they regularly spend time outdoors when the weather is nice. My children have learned so much and are very happy there. About the facility: Has outdoor space.Review from the 2016/2017 PSP Daycare, Preschool, PreK, Kindergarten Survey
Type: Daycare About the facility: Has outdoor space, Has early morning hours Review: Safe and loving environment. My daughter loved that everyday there was a different enrichment class - martial arts, art, dance laugh and learn, animal experience. The lead instructor Ms. Iman is fabulous. There is an outdoor space. The 2 classrooms are located inside a church but the space is separate and very secure.Review from the 2016/2017 PSP Daycare, Preschool, PreK, Kindergarten Survey
Type: Daycare About the facility: Has outdoor space Review: My 4 year old daughter has been there since she was 2, and my 20 month old son since he was 4 months old. It is one of the only daycares in the neighborhood that accepts infants, which is why we chose it. We have been very happy with it overall. The teachers are all very nice and caring, and the kids love them. Unfortunately, several great teachers left in the past few months and are dearly missed by my daughter. They have a great art teacher and make lots of art projects. They also have music class once a week, martial arts, critters, Spanish initiation, etc. The older kids (2 and older) rarely go on field trips (usually the Brooklyn Museum and the local fire station) but I know they are trying to make these happen on a more regular basis. The smaller kids never go on field trips but are taken outside to the courtyard if the weather allows it. What would you change about the program, if anything, and why? A few things I would change: - No music during nap times! I know it's a small space but why not using a soothing noise machine instead? - It would be great if changes in staff and other things would be communicated to parents on a regular basis, and by email! This is a common complaint within the Sunflower parents community. - Field trips to Brooklyn Botanic Garden would be nice. They are so close to the BBG, it's a shame they're not taking advantage of it. - Snacks: healthier options should be offered to the older kids.Review submitted via the PSP Daycare/Preschool 2016 Survey
Program: Infant Care and Pre-K for a 2.5 yr old. Age: < 1 year2-3 years Review: All the teachers are loving and kind. Although, they may be stretched at times and not sure they are given enough support from the administrator of the facility, who I rarely see. Although she is the one, I correspond with if there are any issues or concerns. In thinking about the philosophy of daycare, not sure they have a defined one. They offer both infant care and pre-k schooling in same space, which works for my 2 kids, very few facilities can accommodate 2 children in same location. And my kids love being able to see eatch other even though they are in distinct spaces. The less than 2 yr olds are in the back room and the 2-5 are in the front. The facility is large, so feels like there is a lot going on, but have structure days and outside teachers who come in to do music, dance, and karate, which is really nice. There is really no structured time for feedback on child's progress, it's ad hoc as you pick them up. I take the time and talk to all the teacher and am proactive in finding out what happened that day. I do wish there a more formalized time to chat every 6 months or so.Review submitted via the 2014-2015 daycare/preschool survey
Program: Daycare Length of time: 3 days a week Child’s Age: 1-2 years Type of facility: Privately run daycare/preschool with multiple classes and teachersThere is little/no parental involvement with the administration or running of the facility. REVIEW: I have been sending my child to part time daycare at Sunflower for the past three months, and my experience has been wonderful. The teachers are so sweet, honest, organized and informative. They were so helpful during the transition phase, and the director is very responsive to requests. Highly recommend this daycare to any parent looking for structure in a loving environment. Would you recommend? Highly recommend Would you send your child again? Absolutely2014 Daycare/Preschool PSP review
Length of Time: 5 days a week, 8-1 Child's Age: 3-4 years4-5 years Review: Sunflower Playhouse is a very warm and nurturing environment. There are two classrooms -- one for 2-3 year olds and one for 3-4 year olds. They used to have 5 year olds, but with the UPK program, it appears that they've lost the older kids. The facilities are great - 2 large, bright rooms, well equipped with toys, art supplies and books. They offer enrichment in the form of music and movement class. Art is offered every day. The administration is extremely flexible -- they have rolling admission and their cancellation policies are very fair -- a real standout in this neighborhood. It is also very reasonably priced. My sense in touring the schools in the area was that it is comparable to other well known preschools, but cheaper and more flexible. They are very supportive in the transition period. The approach is very warm and cuddly. The teachers are always happy to chat at dropoff and pickup about the child's day/progress. Once or twice a year there's a more formal meeting with the teacher to go over the child's progress. I should note that this is the second child that I am sending to Sunflower, and I know of at least 2 others who have sent siblings there. Recommend (Hi/Rec/DoNot) Highly recommend Would you send your child again? Absolutely2014 Daycare/Preschool PSP review
Program: Washington Ave (Prospect Heights) Length of Time: Full days, 5x/week Child's Age: Review: This review is for the infant daycare program, which just opened in summer 2014. My child has been attending for 3 months. Leaving a baby for 50 hours a week in the hands of strangers is no small decision, and so this is why I feel comfortable and happy this decision: --Great physical space! I looked at other daycares in the neighborhood and they were all on the bottom floors of brownstones or apartment buildings so they were dark and kind of crowded-feeling. This location is in a storefront with high ceilings, lots of light, and a backyard that they use as much as possible. The teachers keep it spotless. --Caring teachers. They are sweet to our baby and open to feedback if we want them to do things differently. They follow babies' cues. vs. a set nap schedule in the first year. There are only a few other babies so she gets good one on one attention when she needs it. --Community. This is probably more of a commentary on daycare vs. nanny, but I like that she has a "place" to go to every day and is with other babies and older kids during the day (the toddlers are very sweet with the babies). The only "issue' I have had is with the way they put the babies to sleep -- they rock them completely asleep or put them in bouncers to fall asleep which goes against every sleep-training philosophy I've heard. However, it doesn't seem to be affecting her sleep at home, so I have made peace with this aspect.. you can't exactly cry it out when you have other babies you're trying to get to sleep! Recommend (Hi/Rec/DoNot) Recommend Would you send your child again? AbsolutelyReview of Sunflower Playhouse, Washington Ave.
I visited a couple of daycare centers in Brooklyn but this particular location really impressed me. Unlike many daycares that are located on the bottom floors of brownstones, this location is in a storefront and is very large, with high ceilings and a bright, cheerful feeling. Everything is spotless. There is a backyard where they take the kids almost every day. The caregivers are caring, efficient, and responsive to feedback. My 6-month old daughter has been going to Sunflower fulltime for two months and seems pretty happy there. This is really a hidden gem!
