Zusin Family Daycare

Reviews (105)

• Review submitted October 2024

  October 2024

  We are so grateful to have found Zusin on Prospect Ave for our little one, who started at ~5 months old. The caregivers are so loving, thoughtful, and organized. They seem to find so much joy in their work on a daily basis. I've learned a lot from the fabulous team and I know our son is in great hands. A few bonuses: the backyard for outdoor play, stroller storage, flexibility around feeding processes, excellent communication via text or the app, and great photos.

• Review from the Spring 2024 Early Education Survey

  May 2024

  REVIEW: We love Zusins. The staff is great and you can tell they love the kids, and from an administrative perspective, they're super responsive. They have weekly music lessons, group birthday celebrations, crafts, and other events for the kids. They also provide food!; Amenities: Has outdoor space, Provides meals, Music class; What would you change? Not all teachers speak English well, so sometimes it can be hard to communicate,

• Review from the Spring 2024 Early Education Survey

  May 2024

  REVIEW: We've had the most wonderful experience at Zusin. We'll be moving on to a location that serves older kids soon and I'm sad to be leaving. The program is intimate with a great ratio of kids to teachers and feels very homey - cozy, clean, not institutional. It feels like all of the teachers get along and genuinely like each other and the kids. The teachers are incredibly warm and I'm pretty sure the kids get affection all day long. At pick-up, we often see parents bringing graduates by just to say hi to the teachers. I really appreciated that this location only serves kids up to ~15 - 16 months which made it feel much more approachable to leave our little one there when he was 9 months (which, at the time, put him right in the middle of the pack). They provide all meals and snacks, and even milk once the kids transition to cow's milk, which has been a tremendous help - most days we don't have to bring anything except when we need to restock diapers or wipes. They've been super communicative and flexible, and all of the staff are certified to perform CPR and administer an epipen, which was important to us. They offer very thoughtful "perks," like staying open until 9pm the Friday night before Valentine's Day at no extra cost, and they occasionally offer weekend hours. We've been commuting from Kensington to this location - it's a bit of a schlep, but feels well worth it, I'd do it again, hands down.; Amenities: Has outdoor space, Has after-school options, Has early morning hours, Provides meals; What would you change? More pro-active or advanced conversations about transitioning on to the next location would have been helpful, but it's all working out fine

• Review from the Spring 2024 Early Education Survey

  May 2024

  REVIEW: The caregivers are all amazing individuals, and we've felt like they've been an extension of our family. They provide frequent and helpful updates on meals and circulum.; Amenities: Has outdoor space, Has after-school options, Has early morning hours, Provides meals; What would you change? Space seems a little tight, but may be par for the course in NYC.

• Review from the Spring 2024 Early Education Survey

  May 2024

  REVIEW: Zusin is incredibly friendly, warm and loving. My second child is now enrolled in this location and I didn’t consider sending her anywhere else. Marta and her team are so wonderful with babies. I am never concerned about leaving my children. There is weekly music class and outdoor space and food is included.; Amenities: Has outdoor space, Has after-school options, Has early morning hours, Provides meals; What would you change? Nothing

• Review from the Spring 2024 Early Education Survey

  May 2024

  REVIEW: Our son absolutely loves Zusin and so do we! You can tell the caregivers really care about the children. Other parent's and I have joked that we always thought our child was the favorite because of how much love the caregivers show. They are really invested in each child and you can tell are happy to be there. I also appreciate that management has sent out surveys to understand where they can approve and offer additional services to parents here and there.; Amenities: Has outdoor space, Provides meals; What would you change? Not much to change, maybe more community building activities.

• Review from the Spring 2024 Early Education Survey

  May 2024

  REVIEW: We loved our experience at all of the Zusin locations (17th st, 326 2nd and now 320 2nd). The teachers are so warm and kind, we regularly have them babysit for us now; Amenities: Has outdoor space, Has after-school options, Has early morning hours, Provides meals;

• Shout Out to Zusin Daycare

  January 2024

  We are finishing up almost 6 years as a Zusin family. My eldest started at the 14th Street location (under 2s only) at 8 months and my 3.5 year old is in his final weeks now at the 15th Street location. I truly cannot say enough wonderful things about the caregivers both of my boys have been blessed to have over the course of this time. This morning in particular we had an extremely rough drop-off (apologies to anyone who passed us for the screaming on 8th Avenue at 15th this morning). The caregivers were deeply understanding from the moment we finally arrived, bringing my kiddo milk to drink and sit next to me until he settled, letting me walk him in, and when he was still upset when I went to leave, they were perfectly fine with my leaving them with an extremely upset child. By the time I got home I had a message from them that he had finally calmed down and was playing and an hour later I had photos and videos of a happy kiddo through the app. This is just one example of the true care we have come to expect and appreciate from Zusin and feel so grateful that we found the 14th Street location (accidentally!) when my eldest was a few months old.

• Review from the Spring 2023 Early Education Survey

  September 2023

  Location: Natalya's Daycare, 19th street and 6th Review: We had a terrible experience with Natalia’s. It was so bad, that we pulled our son out of the program unexpectedly and I needed to take time off of work until we could find a placement in another daycare. And unfortunately, I wasn’t the only parent that needed to do this. Amenities: Has outdoor space, Provides meals

• Review from the Spring 2023 Early Education Survey

  August 2023

  Location: 3rd street Review: I'd send my children there again. Loving staff, adapt to the babies' needs in terms of sleep, food, etc. Super flexible with parents' needs too : if you need to arrive early or late, if you need an extra day, they adapt (according to their availability obviously but usually not a problem). There is permanent staff that is quite stable (one manager and 2 or 3 other permanent). The other caregivers seem to change a lot though. They don't stimulate them a lot during the day maybe, they seem to let them play on their own and sit next to them or put them on their laps, but children seem comfortable and happy there. Not always clear what they do during the day, not many pictures. Amenities: Has outdoor space, Has early morning hours, Provides meals What would you change about the program, if anything, and why? More pictures or description of the program/activities of the day to build more trust with us parents. A bit more organization (for example, they lose some clothes or give them to someone else by mistake).

• Review from the Spring 2023 Early Education Survey

  August 2023

  Location: 17th St between 5th and 6th Review: We have loved Zusin! We especially recommend the infant room on 17th st with Tamar. My son was at Zusin, and now our daughter is there. We have had an excellent experience. I had no problem dropping my daughter off on her first day of daycare (at 6 months old) because I trust Tamar completely and I know how much she loves the infants in her care. The teachers are very communicative and let us know how our child is developing and how their day was. There is an app where they upload photos and where you can message back and forth with teachers. They provide fresh meals, and Frank from Rolie Polie Guacamole comes once a week for a music class. There is a separate room for naps which was important to me. We highly recommend! Amenities: Has outdoor space, Has after-school options, Has early morning hours, Provides meals

• Review from the Spring 2023 Early Education Survey

  August 2023

  Location: 17th Street bet 5/6 Review: Absolutely loved the program. The caretakers are fantastic and being so much positive energy and cheer to the daycare every single day. My daughter kicks her legs with glee at every dropoff. And not only are they warm and enjoyable people to be around, they’ve also helped with several feeding challenges we’ve encountered. They helped us with the transition to the bottle that our infant was aggressively refusing. They also helped her be more open to starting solids. All around a fantastic place. Highly recommend! Amenities: Has outdoor space, Has after-school options, Has early morning hours, Provides meals

• Lil Polliwogs Daycare

  January 2023

  If you’re open to other options we’ve used and loved both Honeydew Nook (15th and 5th) and the Zusin location next door to Purple Playground on 17th.

• Zusin Family Daycare

  December 2022

  Our daughter started at Natalya's 14th street location at 6 months old. We understood that there were other Zusin locations that had a more specific focus on infant care, but decided on 14th street due to the proximity to our home. Now 3 months in, we are very happy with our decision. Natalya and the other caregivers are warm and kind. Starting on the 2nd or 3rd day at daycare, our daughter was already giving big smiles at drop-off and was clearly content (happy, even) to be left in their care. Each day we receive a few photos / videos that give a window into our daughter's day, which is appreciated, and we receive real-time notifications about naps, bottles, and food (we aren't concerned about tracking diapers, or we could receive notifications about that as well). They have also been very flexible and accommodating with both schedule and feeding preferences (BLW), which was not our experience when our older child was in a different daycare situation. While only having been there for 3 months so far, we can already say that Natalya's daycare is a wonderful place for our infant. Since this location cares for a range of ages, we also plan to keep her here into toddlerhood and expect it will continue to be a great fit for our family.

• Daycare advice?

  October 2022

  Out of the neighborhood, but we sent our daughter to zusin in south slope and had a great experience. We thought she would be there until a spot opened up in the neighborhood, but we ended up keeping her for a year.

• Review from the Spring 2022 Early Childhood Education Survey

  July 2022

  Location: 17th St Type of facility: Daycare Review: We absolutely love Zusin. Our son started in the Prospect Ave location at 9 months and “graduated” to the 17th St. location around 20 months. He’s a huge fan of the music classes on Thursday, he loves all the food, it’s so nice not packing milk or snacks for him and the caregivers are so kind and seem genuinely invested in him. What amenities does the facility have? Has outdoor space, Provides meals

• Review from the Spring 2022 Early Childhood Education Survey

  July 2022

  Location: 17 st Type of facility: Daycare Review: Good program, they are very good with the kids, my daughter always seems happy and they have a weekly music class, projects, and outdoor space. What amenities does the facility have? Has outdoor space, Has after-school options, Has early morning hours, Provides meals What would you change about the program, if anything? A little bit more “school like structure” Is there anything you would like to add about how the school is handling the pandemic? They have been pretty good Keeping us updated of any positive cases

• Review from the Spring 2022 Early Childhood Education Survey

  July 2022

  Location: 17th st between 5th and 6th aves Type of facility: Daycare Review: We had an amazing experience at Zusin! The teachers have become family to us. They are so loving and took fantastic care of our son. Communication is great, food is provided and a lovely outdoor space on site. What amenities does the facility have? Has outdoor space, Has after-school options, Has early morning hours, Provides meals What would you change about the program, if anything? Nothing

• Review from the Spring 2022 Early Childhood Education Survey

  July 2022

  Location: 15th st and PPW Type of facility: Daycare Review: My child loved Zusin. She attended from 14 months to 23 months. We were shocked at how well she adjusted, especially since she spent so much time at home during the pandemic before starting. She was excited to go to daycare every day and even asked to go to daycare on the weekends! The teachers were universally warm and attentive, and our daughter talked about them constantly while at home. The day is not very structured, but included free play, reading books, lots of art projects and outdoor play. Nap time is in a separate, darkened room (an important point for us), and the 15th location has an outdoor space with playground equipment, which they use any time the weather permits. They have music class with Frankie from Rollie Polie Guacamole every Friday (our daughter was very into this), and in the summers they put on sprinklers and set out water tables outside where the kids play in their bathing suits. Breakfast, lunch and a snack are provided, which was a relief. The teachers and office staff are very communicative by phone, email and the Procare app. They also were very receptive to helping us with potty training when the time came, and our daughter got to a point in which she was completely potty trained at daycare, but refused to wear anything but diapers at home! What amenities does the facility have? Has outdoor space, Provides meals What would you change about the program, if anything? Our only qualms with the program were (1) there was no notice to parents when teachers left to other locations. Would just have liked to know about that and know the names of new teachers before meeting them at the door at drop off. And (2) we loved that meals were provided, but wish they were a bit healthier. They always included a vegetable, a grain/carb (rice, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, pasta, etc) and a protein (meatballs, sometimes beans, chicken nuggets or fish sticks), but wish the frequency of fish sticks/chicken nuggets was a little less! That said, our daughter took no issue with that! Is there anything you would like to add about how the school is handling the pandemic? The school was very reasonable in their response to the pandemic, following all local guidelines, but without insisting a kid be sent home for a routine runny nose, etc. The number of days our daughter had to stay home was minimal. The school eliminated the mask mandate according to OCFS and NYC recommendations, which we were happy about, especially since 2 yo’s do not wear masks properly no matter how hard you try, they eat without masks on several times a day, and nap without masks, so we were not strong supporters of these very young kids wearing masks.

• Review from the Spring 2022 Early Childhood Education Survey

  July 2022

  Location: 17th St - infant room Type of facility: Daycare Review: Loving caregivers who treat the children as their own. Never worried dropping our little one off and knew he was in good hands. They did not give the daily report cards they said they would, and daily feedback is often rushed and vague. Given that, we still felt good dropping off and overlooked that in exchange for the smile and claps our kid gave at drop offs when seeing the teachers. What amenities does the facility have? Has outdoor space, Provides meals, Little one loves the food they cook! What would you change about the program, if anything? Return to daily reports with nap, diaper and food details Is there anything you would like to add about how the school is handling the pandemic? Teachers did wonderful job conveying emotion while masking with the babies. Infant teachers truly love "their kids"

• Review from the Spring 2022 Early Childhood Education Survey

  July 2022

  Location: 322 2nd St Brooklyn NY Type of facility: Daycare Review: We love this daycare, we have a very picky child who adores this place. We unsure of the program as it’s a daycare for us. Our little one loves the teachers and the structure of how the daycare is run. They are wonderful with any changes we throw at them. If we could do it all over again, we would 100% put our little one in this daycare again. What amenities does the facility have? Has outdoor space, Has after-school options, Provides meals Is there anything you would like to add about how the school is handling the pandemic? The daycare did really well with the pandemic and mask policy.

• South/Center Slope Daycares for Under 1

  June 2022

  Our 10 month old son goes to Zusin at Prospect Ave and 7th Ave. He loves it and we love it. The caretakers are so warm and knowledgeable. It's been a great experience for us.

• South/Center Slope Daycares for Under 1

  June 2022

  Not sure if this is too far for you but we have sent our now 21 month old to Natalya's Daycare on 12th and 3rd avenue since she was 11 months- they start at 6 months. She also has a location on 17th and 6th avenue.

• Daycares in Greenwood

  June 2022

  My daughter goes to Zusin on 17th street, it’s clean, they provide meals and they have a music class every Thursday, they also have their own private backyard space. My daughter is pretty happy.

• 24m+ daycare recommendation?

  March 2022

  We've had our kids at Honeydew (though not the Safari location), Giocare, and Zusin and are big fans of all.

• Review from the Fall 2021 Early Childhood Education Survey

  January 2022

  Type of facility: Daycare Review: We love Zusin and would send my daughter there again. She has been going since she was 10 months. Caretakers are both warm and efficient with keeping the kids on schedules. Food provided is balanced. We loved that there are enough locations that kids are divided up within 6 months of her age and she has been able to grow with them. She loves her classmates and playing outdoors with them. What amenities does the facility provide? Has outdoor space, Has after-school options, Provides meals Is there anything you would like to add about how the school handled the pandemic? School followed OCFS protocols and conducted temperature checks every day. Would have liked to see regular testing for staff. I don't believe the kids wear masks during the day though they are now mostly over 2 years old.

• Review from the Fall 2021 Early Childhood Education Survey

  December 2021

  Type of facility: Daycare Review: We have had a good experience sending our baby to Zusin Family Daycare on 3rd St. He started just when he turned 5 months old and enjoys going to "school" every day-- with a big smile as soon as he enters the building and sees the caregivers. It is clear he is loved and well-cared for, and the caregivers pay attention to details about his demeanor, health, preferences, etc. They have also been very responsive to (often detailed and somewhat picky) requests around diapering routines, formula mixing etc. We also love that the facility has private outdoor space where the babies can play and a separate nap room for quiet time. At times there have been inconsistencies in using the app to communicate/share photos/etc, but in general, communication and information sharing with the care providers is good on pick-up and drop-off. We recommend Zusin-- it's been a great place for our son. What amenities does the facility provide? Has outdoor space, Provides meals, Separate nap room Is there anything you would like to add about how the school handled the pandemic? All caregivers wear masks, always. Pick ups and drop-offs are limited to one parent at a time.

• Review from the Fall 2021 Early Childhood Education Survey

  December 2021

  Type of facility: Daycare Review: Our child has been attending the 3rd St. Zusin location since he was 10 months old, and he is smiling and happy at both drop-off and pick-up every day. He eats well there, and naps even better than he does at home! We trust that the caregivers are taking great care of him, and enjoy the friendly community of parents. Communication is via paper reports at the end of every day, with some (sporadic, though recently increasing) sharing of photos via app. What amenities does the facility provide? Has outdoor space, Provides meals What would you change about the program, if anything, and why? We wish the caregivers were required to be vaccinated. The other thing to note, which is not their fault, is that the location -- while in a lovely spot, right across from the park -- is in an apartment right next door to a neighbor who is clearly a heavy smoker. Inside the daycare smells fine, but coming and going in the hallway isn't exactly the most calming experience. Is there anything you would like to add about how the school handled the pandemic? The caregivers are masked but we wish they were required to be vaccinated.

• Review from the Fall 2021 Early Childhood Education Survey

  December 2021

  Type of facility: Daycare Review: We started our child at the 13th St./4th Ave. Natalya/Zusin location when he was six months, and he was there for about four months before we switched to a facility closer to our home. It was difficult to select a daycare given COVID restrictions on visits, so we were nervous, but we ended up quickly feeling that we had made a good choice. Our child was happy and smiling at drop-off every day, the caregivers were loving toward him, and we never worried about him while he was there. Communication (via app) was frequent and detailed, and the caregivers maintained the nap and feeding schedule we had developed at home. The facility is relatively new and everything looks clean and bright. What amenities does the facility provide? Has outdoor space, Provides meals What would you change about the program, if anything, and why? We wish the caregivers had been required to be vaccinated for COVID-19. Also, this is not really the location's fault, but we found it lacked a friendly community among the parents; there was some small talk at pick-up time, but even after several months it never really went beyond that. Is there anything you would like to add about how the school handled the pandemic? Caregivers are masked but Zusin does not require them to be vaccinated, which we would have liked. The facility closed for a week due to a positive case, and communication about that was good.

• Infant Day Care -- Zusin @ 17th St Location, Changing Tomorrow, or otherwise

  September 2021

  Our daughter started in the infant class at Zusin on 17th St and moved down to the toddlers class at 2! Everyone there is amazing and we are sad to leave as she will go to big kid school this fall. The location, the teachers, the care, everything thing is great!

• Zusin 15th Street and PPW Location?

  September 2021

  We've been at the 15th/PPW location since January 2020, when F was just 15 months old, and I cannot say enough about how much we love it there. The caretakers are great at communicating, especially when there are issues that we need to collaborate on addressing; ex: F went through a hitting phase, and the caretakers were great at letting us know how they were responding to it, when he'd had bad days, etc, so we could adjust how we were addressing it at home and help guide him out of that phase quickly and kindly. We love how many new skills F comes home with, especially social skills (saying please and thank you, sharing, etc), and F is always in a great mood when we come to pick him up.

• Zusin 15th Street and PPW Location?

  September 2021

  Our almost 17month old has been at the 15th St PPW location since start of July, previously at Prospect Ave Zusin and she is always excited to go in at drop off and with the exception of 2 instances of being hot/tired- she is happy at pickup! She is the youngest in the group which made me nervous at first but the caretakers have been patient and communicative about her development (ie sleeping/eating). The caretakers are all kind, sweet, and honest- they don’t say the day is always great unless it is which I appreciate. I do miss her old location because I’d get lots of photos (15th sends none but I imagine taking care of 10 babies is easier than taking care of 10 toddlers!)

• Review from the 2020–2021 Daycare, Preschool, Pre-K, and K Survey

  July 2021

  Review: We have sent both our boys through Zusin Daycare from as early as 4 months through 3 years. We LOVE Zusin and feel so lucky to have this option there for us. The caretakers know what they are doing, and treat our children with loving kidness, support, and even surprising amounts of education for a daycare - my kids come home learning things I don't think other daycares would be doing. I love knowing when I drop my kids off that they are safe, supported, and having a great time. My kids run into school and complain on weekends that they can't go to school. The owners are communicative, flexible, and in it for all the right reasons. They were amazing during the pandemic and i could not ask for a better experience. Would recommend to anyone, without hesitation. Facility amenities: Has outdoor space, Has after-school options, Has early morning hours, Provides meals Is there anything you would like to add about how the school handled the pandemic? They were amazing, super safe, kept our kids safe and everyone comfortable.

• Review from the 2020–2021 Daycare, Preschool, Pre-K, and K Survey

  July 2021

  Review: We love zusin daycare! It’s run by a wonderful, caring woman who truly loves what she does and wants to help her families. All the caretakers are so good with kids, and both our sons LOVED their experiences at Zusin across 4 different locations over 5 years. They were amazing during Covid, really handled the whole situation in a professional, respectful, safe, conscientious and truly supportive way. We have utmost confidence when we drop our kids off that they will be well cared for, and our kids are happy to go in and complain when they dont get to go to school. It’s also one of the more affordable options around. What more can you ask for? Facility amenities: Has outdoor space, Has after-school options, Has early morning hours, Provides meals What would you change about the program? Can’t think of anything Is there anything you would like to add about how the school handled the pandemic? They were amazing, see above. They are still wearing masks every day!

• Review from the 2020–2021 Daycare, Preschool, Pre-K, and K Survey

  July 2021

  Review: Our son was starting at Zusin in March of 2020. He attended two half days for transition, and then we pulled him out because of concerns over COVID. While we stayed in touch with the daycare, he didn’t return until April of 2021. He had aged into a different location, but one of the staff from his initial location had moved to up to the older group – and she remembered him. I couldn’t believe that after such a short interaction over a year before, she still remembered him! It is obvious that the staff’s interest in and concern for the children is truly genuine. They have taken very good care of our son and he loves going every day. He loves their activities, arts and crafts, outside play and dance time. One time I had to pull him out a few hours early to go to a doctor’s appointment and a staff member made him a little bag with snacks, just to make sure he didn’t miss afternoon snack. They send us photos of him every day, give full updates about what he ate etc. and are immediately available if I have questions. I was very nervous about trusting someone else to take care of my son, but I could not provide a higher recommendation than the one I have for Zusin. Facility amenities: Has outdoor space, Provides meals What would you change about the program? Is there anything you would like to add about how the school handled the pandemic? The program has strict COVID protocols and we feel very safe with their COVID response.

• Review from the 2020–2021 Daycare, Preschool, Pre-K, and K Survey

  July 2021

  Review: Our daughter attended Natalya's daycare from 7 months until 2 years. We couldn't have asked for a better place to have our daughter spend her time. Natalya and her staff have created a warm and supportive environment. They helped our daughter learn to walk and supported her language development. Natalya was very communicative during the pandemic and continued to hold a weekly virtual music class even though no kids were attending her daycare. She was also flexible when we needed to add additional hours. We highly recommend! Facility amenities: Has outdoor space, Has after-school options, Has early morning hours, Provides meals What would you change about the program? Nothing Is there anything you would like to add about how the school handled the pandemic? Caregivers wore masks. Children were all under 2 so masks were not required but the children's temperatures were taken before entering the daycare.

• Daycare recommendations with spots for summer

  June 2021

  Another vote for Natalya's! We love the location on 14th between 7th and 8th avenue and our son loves it too!

• Daycare recommendations with spots for summer

  June 2021

  We also sent our daughter to Natalya's on 14th street and 7th avenue. We were very happy!

• Welcome to the NEW 2018 Kids Group!

  December 2020

  Since I work for my self she’s been home since she’s born but recently starting going part time to Zusin daycare on 17th st. They are amazing people and she’s loving it there!

• day care recommendations?

  September 2020

  Our son was about to start at Zusin on 3rd street right before COVID. He did a few half days and loved it. I took him out before things got bad because I was able to work from home and I was anxious about what seemed to be coming, but they have been amazing since then. They offer online music classes, video sessions with the staff, they will take your child for a walk etc. Months after my son did his half days, we ran into one of the ladies from his location - she remembered his name, asked me all about his development etc. I was floored! We looked at a bunch of different places and talked to a number of families from Zusin (I stopped people on the street who had just dropped off their kids - not creepy at all!) and everyone had wonderful things to say about the care their children received. So, while our son has had a very limited experience with their care, I feel comfortable recommending them.

• day care recommendations?

  September 2020

  My son Benjamin goes to Zusin on Prospect Ave between 6th and 7th Ave. I love them and love the care he's receiving. They are wonderful with him. They have many locations in Park Slope. You can email zusinfamilydaycare@gmail.com for more info.

• ISO home daycare for our 2Year old daughter- Park slope area

  September 2020

  I’m not sure where you’re located exactly, but I highly recommend our daycare on 13th Street between 6th and 7th avenues. It’s a Zusin location. The daycare location manager’s name is Viktoriya. Our 16 month old daughter Rory has been going there since she was about 7 months old, and we’ve been nothing but thrilled with how they’ve treated her like family and helped her grow and develop. Since COVID, they have taken every possible precaution and families are in constant daily contact about any possible symptoms or exposures. I feel very safe there.

• Zusin recommendation

  August 2020

  We absolutely adore Kandelaki, one of the Zusin locations for younger babies, run by Viktoriya (13th between 6th and 7th ave). It is such a wonderful environment that this home daycare family has built. We had our daughter there from 9 months to 20 months. Our daughter was a preemie baby and we were always nervous about sending her to a daycare but really wanted to have her around other babies to socialize. The team at Kandelaki, especially Viktoriya and Tekla, made it such a great experience for her. They truly cared and showed how much they love the children. They keep the space very clean and organized. They have an App for check in, communication, and send pictures throughout the day. They take care of all cooking and the meals are so yummy, nutritious, and age appropriate. Every once in a while they will make some baked goods and share with the parents. They helped my daughter through many transitions, from learning to crawl and walk, to using sippy cups and sitting in a toddler chair. Our daughter always napped well there, and they would even take care of washing the crib sheets each week. We also loved how they went the extra mile for special occasions. For my daughter's 1st birthday, they decorated the daycare with balloons and party hats. For Valentines day they offered a parents night out while they provided childcare. For Christmas, they took the most adorable pictures of the kids and made holiday cards out of them. We became very good friends with the family and the only reason we had to leave was because of needing to combine child care with our older daughter as she started remote kindergarten. If you are looking for a home daycare that will truly care about the wellbeing of your baby or toddler, this is the place to be!

• Daycare Recommendations in South Slope for September

  August 2020

  I can second Natalya! My 4 yo attended with Erica's. We loved her daycare.

• Daycare Recommendations in South Slope for September

  August 2020

  I want to recommend the Zusin locations owned by Natalya. (19th St, 14th St) We sent our 4 year old to Natalya's when he was a baby and now our 1 year old attends. Her locations are all bright and clean with amazing backyards. The staff have been remarkably consistent over the years and have all been warm and loving caregivers. During the shutdown, Natalya was a great communicator and had a very fair policy on payment. She also offered virtual classes for babies! There is an app for sharing pictures and information, which means throughout the day I get updates on my baby. I can't say enough wonderful things about Natalya's daycare! You can see Natalya's locations at https://www.zusindaycare.com/contact-us-locations and contact her at Natalyadaycare@gmail.com. (her picture is on the homepage of the website on the left)

• Experience with Zusin Daycare and can share?

  July 2020

  I can't say enough wonderful things about Zusin as a whole, though I don't know about the 3rd street location. Our older son was at the infant location on 14th Street and then moved to the 15th Street location. We have only had wonderful experiences with the caregivers and Anna. Compared to other places we heard about, they also did a wonderful job of keeping our son connected throughout this spring. We are hoping our younger son will start at a Zusin this fall.

• Experience with Zusin Daycare and can share?

  July 2020

  I sent two kids to Zusin on 3rd St with Edyta. I absolutely recommend it. They are great with the kids. By the time my second kid came along it seemed that the infant room was entirely filled by siblings of the older kids who had gone there. So that's a pretty good indication that parents liked it! Also, Anna, who runs Zusin overall, is very responsive to questions or concerns.

• Looking for a daycare that I will take my 1 yer old in Spring

  March 2020

  We absolutely loved Zusin Daycare for our son, and we had him at the Natalya Daycare locations (I think they have different people running them?). We started at the location at 18th street and 6th Avenue and then there was an opening at the location at 14th street between 8th and 7th ave which was closer to us. They were both great with wonderful caring teachers. Our son was there from 8 months old until he was almost 2 and we were sad to leave! Check them out to see if they have any openings...we didn’t have to wait when we were looking for a spot.

• Day Care recommendations in Park Slope

  February 2020

  (Recommended without review for children with food allergies, June 2019)

• 2019-2020 Year Review

  January 2020

  We loved this day care! Our son was always happy to be dropped off. The teachers are all very kind and gentle and the atmosphere was always pretty peaceful and calm. We only left this day care because he aged out. … About the facility: Has outdoor space, Has early morning hours, Provides meals

• 2019-2020 Year Review

  January 2020

  We enrolled our daughter in the Zusin daycare center on 13th St. when she was about 5 months old. The center just opened about 6 months ago, so the facility is fairly new and clean. All of the children are 18 months or younger. The caregivers are warm and attentive. They respond quickly to any messages. At the end of the day, my daughter is always happy and clean. I'm not sure how many enrichment activities they do throughout the day - it seems like they're more focused on just keeping all the little ones content, fed and in dry diapers. Occasionally someone comes to sing to the kids. There was one time I came to pick up my daughter and saw that she was asleep in a swing. We only allow her to sleep in her bed, for safety reasons, so I wasn't all that happy with the situation. When I asked one of the caregivers, she explained that she hadn't napped well that day and when she fell asleep, they decided it would be better to just let her sleep while keeping an eye on her. I don't have any reason to think that this sort of thing happens regularly. Overall, we've been very happy with our experience and definitely would recommend this facility to other parents. … About the facility: Has outdoor space … What would you change? more enrichment activities

• 2019-2020 Year Review

  January 2020

  Zusin is extremely flexible - we have different pick-up times each day and have the ability to change our schedule monthly (we typically drop down to 3 days a week during the summer). The space is bright and extremely clean. My daughter LOVES her caregivers. They have music class every week, they do arts & crafts projects almost weekly, and go outside almost every day. Most importantly - I have never worried about my daughter when I drop her off; I have complete confidence that she is happy & well cared for. … About the facility: Has outdoor space, Provides meals … What would you change? I wish they had a drop-off time before 8.

• 2019-2020 Year Review

  January 2020

  The proof we made the right choice is in the reaction to baby has every time we drop her off- she absolutely loves the staff, can’t wait to see them and is always in good spirits when I come to get her. They play music, send funny updates, and always have some helpful nuggets about how her day went. She’s been able to build relationships with her care givers and fellow attendees that are healthy and loving. Can’t recommend the place more. Very accommodating on time for drop off and pick up, very good at communicating and proactive when a health issue pops up. … About the facility: Has outdoor space, Has afterschool options, Provides meals

• Review from the 2019 PSP Daycare, Preschool Survey

  September 2019

  It's pretty straightforward, very easy going, no hassle.They had a spot for us fast, they do all the meals. There is an app where they send photos of the kids, send messages and send invoices. They take care of my son well and he always seems happy when I pick him up. DETAILS: Has outdoor space, Provides meals, You pay for how many hours you want. It goes from 8am-6pm. What you would change: Nothing

• Review from the 2019 PSP Daycare, Preschool Survey

  September 2019

  Our son has been at this location since he was 5 months old (he is almost 4). The head teacher is incredibly organized and loving toward the kids while also being no nonsense. The program involves a curriculum kit, but mainly the children do free play along with story and music time. Meals are provided. While there the daycare has assisted us with starting solids, weaning pacifiers and bottles and potty training. The location is open from 8-6 DETAILS: Has outdoor space, Provides meals, Music class once a week What you would change: Shorter naps as they get older

• Review from the 2019 PSP Daycare, Preschool Survey

  September 2019

  Our child, F, has been going to Zusin since he was about 10 weeks old, and we have been very happy there. F always grins like a goofball when he sees the caretakers in the morning at dropoff, and gives us the same happy grin when we arrive in the afternoon to pick him up. The caretakers clearly love the kids and care about them as individuals, always letting us know if F was fussy or difficult so we could keep an eye on that after bringing him home (or gushing about him when he's had a good day, which is great - we hear about the good AND the bad). If we show up for pick up a little earlier than usual, we often catch the whole crew outside enjoying the nice weather - it's great to know that they actually make use of their outdoor space. We love that this location is for younger kids only, so we never have to worry about bigger kids playing too rough. It's a small space, but it's just right for wee ones. The caretakers are also very flexible; we use cloth diapers, and when we first enrolled F, it was clear that many of the caretakers hadn't had much experience with them. However, they were open to learning, and soon became pros. Finally, while this is only one of Zusin's many locations, we've had a wonderful experience with Zusin in general. My work schedule is somewhat unreliable, and includes a lot of travel, meaning we often have to tweak our usual weekly schedule to add days here and skip days there. The administrators at Zusin have been great about it, communicating quickly and clearly about when they have extra availability to have F on not his usual days. That kind of flexibility is hard to find! Highly recommend! DETAILS: Has outdoor space, Provides meals What you would change: You will lose your bibs if you don't keep on top of asking for them back!

• Daddy's vs Zusin Family Daycare

  January 2019

  We are not at the exact location, but we use Zusin on 4th Ave. & 11th St. and LOVE it! I got a job very last minute in September and they were so accommodating and supportive as we put my child into daycare for the first time. She is so happy and well cared for. And, they were even willing to accommodate our use of cloth diapers. I'm pretty confident that all of their locations are equally awesome.

• Daddy's vs Zusin Family Daycare

  January 2019

  Each of my 2 kids have been with Zusin on 2nd and 3rd Street from 4 months, making me a Zusin parent for almost 4 years now and I couldn't have better things to say about them. They treat the kids like their own family - they are sweet and kind. They learn all of their quirks, they are very flexible to your preferences, they are helpful in a pinch and many do evening babysitting as well which provides for a nice continuity. My daughter left for pre-school over a year ago and still loves visiting when we bring her brother and talks about all the providers there and how much she loves them.

• Review from the 2018/2019 PSP Daycare, Preschool, PreK, Kindergarten Survey

  November 2018

  We chose this place (14th st) because of convienience and space we thought it was clean and airy and had a nice backyard. They are rarely closed and they provide food! My son has been there for 7 months and is happy at drop off and pick up. The providers are mostly positive and warm but a few are a bit gruff. About the facility: Has outdoor space, Has afterschool options, Has early morning hours, Provides meals What would you change? The communication hasn’t been great. I also wish they posted pictures somewhere so that we could see our kids during the day.

• Review from the 2018/2019 PSP Daycare, Preschool, PreK, Kindergarten Survey

  November 2018

  The location (10th Street & 4th Avenue) is so clean and bright! The caretakers are friendly - our 1 year old has a big smile whenever we mention any of her “teachers’” names. She loves to play outside and take the music classes. About the facility: Has outdoor space, Provides meals

• Review from the 2018/2019 PSP Daycare, Preschool, PreK, Kindergarten Survey

  November 2018

  Our experience with the 2s room at the 2nd street location has been excellent. My son is so happy with the art projects, being around older kids, and learning basic concepts like colors, letters, shapes, etc. Teachers Lika and Beti are warm, kind, flexible, and organized. They are also working on potty training, but are empathetic and understanding with our son's stubbornness and stalled progress (he JUST turned 2 last month). About the facility: Has outdoor space, Has afterschool options, Has early morning hours, Provides meals What would you change? I am not thrilled that they started potty training him so early, because I feel like it's unnecessary pressure on a new 2. However, he is one of the youngest in the class and I understand that they want to work on them all at once.

• Review from the 2018/2019 PSP Daycare, Preschool, PreK, Kindergarten Survey

  November 2018

  My daughter loves Zusin! She's been there for about a year and a half and since day one responded really well to the program structure and daycare providers. The space is always very clean, they provide all food and snacks, they are open on most holidays except for the major ones (the 4th, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc). They send pictures via the app throughout the week and communicate very clearly with us if our daughter wasn't feeling well, or if she was starting to reach a new milestone, etc. They gave lots of hugs and warmth to her, but also maintained a solid structure of a day (Breakfast, nap, crafts, outdoor time, etc). Their backyard is large for the neighborhood and offers play structures, such as swings and play houses. They bring the kids out often in many different types of weather so they get lots of fresh air. They have music classes once a week and during the "school year", they have daily lesson plans (food, colors, vehicles, animals, etc), where they learn about something in particular and do a corresponding craft. My daughter loves taking the crafts home with her at the end of the day. I am so thankful for Zusin's for providing a loving and safe space for our daughter to grow! About the facility: Has outdoor space, Has afterschool options, Has early morning hours, Provides meals What would you change? I wish the indoor space was a little larger for the bigger kids, but for the neighborhood, it wasn't bad.

• Review from the 2017/2018 PSP Daycare, Preschool, PreK, Kindergarten Survey

  April 2018

  We love Zusin’s! We moved our child to their 15th Street location when she was 16 months old from a previous daycare. She acclimated incredibly quickly. They have a large backyard where the children play everyday (weather permitting), and the caregivers are so warm, engaging and professional. They follow the Mother Goose “curriculum”, which means daily art activities and story time in different subjects (anything from space to sea). And they have a weekly musician who comes in for music class. They have a regulated day of playtime, naps and eating. Most kids sleep on mats, but since my daughter was one of the younger kids, I had concerns she wouldn’t stay on a mat, they adjusted and brought in a pack and play for her naps. No problem! My daughter loves loves loves it there, and I love the app they use for parents. I get to see pictures of my daughter everyday, and it stores all of her information (check in/out, food, diaper changes, notes, etc). It’s incredibly clean, they provide all food, I get lots of communication from the caregivers, and they almost never close. I love it there! About the facility: Has outdoor space, Provides meals. What would you change? Nothing.

• Review from the 2017/2018 PSP Daycare, Preschool, PreK, Kindergarten Survey

  April 2018

  The best thing I can say about the daycare is that every single child (mine included) seems to absolutely love being there, and I've almost never seen a clingy child refuse to part ways with mom/dad in the morning. The teachers are effusive and loving (no grumpy, hate-my-job types), the space is clean and bright. They provide breakfast lunch and snack (healthy for the most part but some kid favorites that wouldn't enter our at-home menu), daily art activity, weekly music class, and outdoor time in the private backyard every day when weather allows. About the facility: Has outdoor space, Has afterschool options, Has early morning hours, Provides meals.

• Review from the 2017/2018 PSP Daycare, Preschool, PreK, Kindergarten Survey

  April 2018

  We had a fantastic experience with Zusin infant daycare on Prospect Ave, daycare is located in a nice space and the caregivers were fantastic! Everyone was always responsive to any questions we had and generally very easy to deal with. Our son was always so excited when we dropped him off in the morning and had a smile on his face when we picked him up! We started when he was 14 weeks old and went until he was almost 8 months (we ultimately switched to a nanny share for greater flexibility on pick up - I struggled to make the 6 pm time). Overall, I highly recommend! About the facility: Has outdoor space. What would you change? Slightly later pick up option.

• Review from the 2017/2018 PSP Daycare, Preschool, PreK, Kindergarten Survey

  April 2018

  Loves Music hour with Rolly Polly Guacamole. About the facility: Has outdoor space, Provides meals. What would you change? More pictures of baby at daycare.

• Review from the 2017/2018 PSP Daycare, Preschool, PreK, Kindergarten Survey

  April 2018

  Care givers are wondeful and love the kids and are very helpful with information about different phases and how the kids are growing and what new skills they are learning. About the facility: Has outdoor space, Provides meals.

• Review from the 2017/2018 PSP Daycare, Preschool, PreK, Kindergarten Survey

  April 2018

  This is an excellent place for daycare. The caretakers are so friendly and seem to genuinely enjoy greeting our child each day. They use an app to update us with photos and to give a daily breakdown of diaper changes, bottles, naps, and other info. I would highly recommend! About the facility: Has outdoor space, 8am - 6pm.

• Review from the 2017/2018 PSP Daycare, Preschool, PreK, Kindergarten Survey

  April 2018

  My daughter loves all of the day care woman. she is so well taken care of and has so much fun. As she got older she does more formal projects. the place is low stress and easy to communicate with. i have loved my experience. About the facility: Has outdoor space, Has afterschool options, Has early morning hours, Provides meals.

• Review from the 2017/2018 PSP Daycare, Preschool, PreK, Kindergarten Survey

  April 2018

  Our daughter started at Natlaya's at 3 months old, and their caregivers have become like family to us. They provide a healthy (often homemade) breakfast and lunch as well as fresh fruit and organic snacks. They have a musician that comes in once a week and if weather permits they are outside playing in the the backyard most days. For the older kids they have started incorporating Mother Goose Time activities and crafts into the day. The environment is a mix of young babies (3 mos+) and older kids (up to two) which has its pros and cons. We could not be happier with our experience at Natalya's and would highly recommend it for 3mos - 2.5 years. They do a great job of engaging the older kids, but there is currently no formal curriculum in place if that is something you're looking for. If you're just looking for an extremely loving and caring environment - this is the best place! About the facility: Has outdoor space, Provides meals, It is not on the DOE schedule and is open all but a few holidays. They also do the best to accommodate all families during snow days.

• Review from the 2017/2018 PSP Daycare, Preschool, PreK, Kindergarten Survey

  April 2018

  Very caring environment. The caregivers have all been amazing! Our daughter is almost 2 and has been there since she was 4 months old. She's learned so much, and is happy every day we drop her off. About the facility: Has outdoor space, Has early morning hours, Provides meals, The daycare has been very accommodating with our schedule.

• Review from the 2017/2018 PSP Daycare, Preschool, PreK, Kindergarten Survey

  April 2018

  Our child has been there for three months (3-6 months old). He is so happy and ww feel he gets a lot of sincere love and care. The other kids are sweet amd we feel there is enough staff on board to protect him every second. He does engaging activities there, practicing tummy time, sitting up, and other skills. They are super flexible and take feedback, suggestions and questions in a friendly and kind manner. They also offer up suggestions whenever they notice changes or needs for naptime, etc... We love this place and aren't going away :) About the facility: Has outdoor space, Provides meals What would you change? I would have less kids in the daycare, but I know there are much less than the max amount in NYC.

• Review from the 2017/2018 PSP Daycare, Preschool, PreK, Kindergarten Survey

  April 2018

  Love it. We are very happy here. Loving care takers and flexible owner. Has outdoor space, Has afterschool options, Has early morning hours, Provides meals.

• [Spring2017Babies] Daycare in Park Slope?

  October 2017

  I have my son in Zusin in the 3rd street location though I know they also have a south slope location. He has been there since he was 11 weeks old, and he is now 4 months old. They have been great with him and communicating what he has done during the day. The owner, Anna, is also very flexible and accommodating.

• Review of Zusin Daycare

  July 2017

  My daughter has attended one of the Zusin Family Daycare locations (PPW) since she was 3 months old (she’s two years old now), and our family couldn’t be happier with this decision. She has developed an incredible bond with her caretakers and truly looks forward to the time she gets to spend there with them, as well as with the friends she’s made. She runs to greet everyone at drop off without turning back. Her caretakers seemingly take great pride in their jobs and develop a unique and special relationship with all of the children, providing them with great social emotional support and development opportunities. Almost daily art and simple learning activities are done with the children (dependent on age and interest, of course) and they offer a music class once per week. The location my daughter attends has a great outdoor space in the back with playground equipment, room to run around, and water-based sensory play during the summer months. Meals are provided (dependent on age) and they use an electronic system for signing your child in and out, and for providing daily updates and pictures from their day. Although leaving my first-born infant at daycare was difficult in the beginning, once we’d both had time to adjust, it became clear that Zusin was the right choice and I would highly recommend it to anyone.

• ISO information and feedback on Zusin Family Daycare

  April 2017

  I can't recommend them enough! My six year old went when she was five months old until 3; my son is starting there in two weeks. We love them. Especially Mila in the 2nd st location and Edita in the 3rd street location. They are super sweet, very caring, but not pushovers.

• Re: ISO information and feedback on Zusin Family Daycare

  April 2017

  We also are having a great experience with Zusin. My son has been at 2nd street toddler location for over a year and I have nothing but good things to say about teachers and how it is run. The kids get plenty of unstructured play time yet there is clearly lots of learning and social skills happening based on what I see when my kid comes home. They provide food and are open throughout the vast majority of DOE holidays.

• Re: Daycare that charges by the hour?

  December 2016

  Zusin Family Daycare charges by the hour. They have locations in South Slope. When my son went there we did 3 days a week 5 hours each day and if I recall the hourly rate was 12 dollars. Feel free to contact me if you want to hear more about that daycare.

• Re: Day Care - 10 month old SUMMARY OF RESPONSES

  October 2016

  Thanks to all who responded [...] In the end, we ended up going with Zusin's Day Care - which a park slope parent had recommended- a place I hadn't even heard of so THANK YOU. My son has been there for about a month and we like it so far. I liked the fact that the place where the kids hang out is carpeted and restricted - no shoes. the location (the one on 3rd street between 5&6) is very clean - i feel like they're always cleaning! they clean the toys daily too. the kids seemed happy when i toured the location. i like their sign in/out app that tell you when they nap, change a diaper and eat (and how much and what) and what mood they were in that day. you also get pics on the app sometimes of their day. very cute. i follow along daily. i like the food they've been feeding him. sounds healthy. they also go out into the backyard to play everyday - weather permitting. Anyway, so far - so good. I toured other places around the neighborhood but in the end, went with my gut.

• Re: Day Care - 10 month old SUMMARY OF RESPONSES

  October 2016

  Is there a reason you're not considering Zusin Family Daycare? They are wonderful! My daughter went there, and we'll be send our son in January. It's tough to get in, but really great caregivers.

• Review submitted via daycare/preschool survey

  January 2016

  I am thrilled with our experience at the 320 2nd street location so far. The group is all toddlers. The caretakers, Vika, Mari, Mila are kind, caring, and patient and the owner Anna is prompt in responses, organized, and accommodating. My son is picking up lots of new skills, words, and is able to follow more and more instructions. I am particularly grateful how understanding and kind the teachers have been with helping my son's separation anxiety at drop off. Majority of the mornings, one of the teachers is able to walk over when we come in and with a smile and much patience take my son directly from my hands and carry him. We are always reassured that he is well cared for when during pick ups he is no rush to leave and we have to entice him to go home! And whenever I check in with Vika during the day, she happily let's me know how the day is going and what my son is up to, often with a photo. I also like that this center does not use time outs for disciplining, and does not do any screen-time instruction/entertainment. They prepare all meals, so there is nothing we need to pack in the mornings and it seems that my son eats better and more consistently there with the group than at home. They don't do written reports. Instead, one of the teachers would usually briefly tell us how the day went. At times, I wish I had something written because I forget to ask for an update on one or another particular thing. Ultimately though, the oral reports work fine and if I had to choose between teachers spending time on meals, play, instruction, or written reports - for me those would be last on the list anyway.

• Daycare Center review

  December 2015

  We love Zusin so much. Our daughter has been with them since she was 8 months. The teachers on 3rd street were affectionate, caring and loving. She quickly adapted to the routine of the day and thrived in their care. When she could walk they moved her to the 2nd street location. Her teachers (Mari, Jagoda and Natasha) are so loving and caring. At 15 months now she runs over to give them hugs upon arrival and they're always beaming happily when she comes in. She's learned so much in their care and comes home each day with new things to say and show us. We feel very lucky to have found such a lovely place for my daughter to learn and grow each day.

• Review Submitted via Fall 2015 Daycare/Preschool Survey

  November 2015

  PROGRAM: 323 3rd street TIME: full time 5 days a week AGE: < 1 year REVIEW: The location is not the best as it is inside a brownstone i.e. up a set of stairs and at the end of the hallway on the first floor. There is another tenant adjacent to the daycare who smokes and plays extremely loud music. The daycare folks have installed insulation to help. The personnel is pleasant enough. My 4 month old is fed well and is happy and clean at pick up. I don't know if I will keep her there past her 12 months as I prefer a setting where the caregivers' primary language is English. WOULD YOU RECOMMEND? (Hi/Rec/DoNot) Recommend WOULD YOU DO IT AGAIN? Maybe

• South Slope day cares?

  August 2015

  I highly recommend Zusin Family Daycare. My daughter has been attending Zusin for nearly a year, from the time she was 4 months old. The staff is great - warm, friendly and personable. Anna, the owner, is professional and kind - exactly the sort of team I want and need to care for my beloved. The space is clean and cheerful; I really can't say enough great things about my experience there.

• Review submitted via the 2014-2015 daycare/preschool survey

  August 2015

  Length of time: Full Time Child’s Age: < 1 year Type of facility: Private, small daycare/playschool experience run out of a person's home with a very small number of childrenThere is little/no parental involvement with the administration or running of the facility. REVIEW: We have been very happy sending our child to Zusin - they really care for the kids as if they were their own. They offer advice without being pushy and are open to parents preferences and needs for their child. They provide daily "report cards" updating you on basics like feedings and naps, but also generally take the time to chat and let you know how the day has gone. My little one is always happy at drop off and pick up, which I always find reassuring. Would you recommend? Highly recommend Would you send your child again? Absolutely

• Review submitted via the 2014-2015 daycare/preschool survey

  August 2015

  Length of time: Full Day, 5 days a week Child’s Age: 1-2 years Type of facility: Private, small daycare/playschool experience run out of a person's home with a very small number of childrenZusin has a small daycare feel but multiple locations. This ensures a wonderful, consistent set of back up care as needed.There is little/no parental involvement with the administration or running of the facility. REVIEW: My daughter has been attending Zusin Family Daycare since she was 6 months old. We chose Zusin for a few reasons: 1) the owner, Anna, is a mom and sends her own daughter to one of the locations, and was a fellow working/nursing mom 2) the emphasis on outdoor play 3) commitment to healthy, organic meals 4) the cleanliness of the space 5) just the right amount of daily structure--based on your child's needs At "school," my daughter has grown from a happy baby to a wonderful 18 month old kid. We are constantly amazed at how much love and attention she gets from her teachers--they know her as an individual and take great pride in her accomplishments. Would you recommend? Highly recommend Would you send your child again? Absolutely

• Review submitted via the 2014-2015 daycare/preschool survey

  August 2015

  Program: Location for kids <2 years old Length of time: Full, 5 days/week Child’s Age: < 1 year Type of facility: Private, small daycare/playschool experience run out of a person's home with a very small number of childrenThere is little/no parental involvement with the administration or running of the facility. REVIEW: My daughter has been at Zusin Family Daycare since she was ~3.5 months old. The site she goes to is for children <2 only. The ratio of child:caregiver is between 2:1 and 3:1 at the location she goes to. One of things I like the best about Zusin is that the age of the caregivers varies. It creates a nice balance of energy and experience. My other favorite thing about them is how organized, professional and responsive they manager, Anna Zusin, is. Honestly that was the main thing that made me choose them over others in the neighborhood. She is very organized, professional, and communicates well. I cannot say enough good things about the quality of care that my daughter has received there - they truly care for the kids, and I feel like they are part of my "team" in caring for my daughter. Especially as a first time mom, I really have appreciated being able to talk about my daughter with them and discuss routines, behavior, etc. I had go to on a business trip when she was 6 months old and knowing how much she is cared for there made me feel less terrible about being away! They give a little report for each day, how much she ate, slept, pooped, etc. They have little parties once in awhile and take pictures and share them with the parents. (i.e. Halloween) Our daughter also took her first steps at daycare and one of the ladies recorded it with her phone and couldn't WAIT to show me the video when I picked her up - and of course emailed it to me. It was so sweet. They are just so caring all the way around. I am so glad that we went with them! Would you recommend? Highly recommend Would you send your child again? Absolutely

• Review submitted via the 2014-2015 daycare/preschool survey

  August 2015

  Length of time: Part time 2 days/week Child’s Age: 2-3 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: Our son attended Zusin full time, 5 days/week from age 4 months to age 2 years & 2 months. We were extremely happy and satisfied while he was a little baby. Various things began happening that we were not happy with so we decided he would attend 2 days/week and have a nanny 3 days/week. We never doubted his safety and the love he received from the ladies at Zusin, but there is incredibly high turnover among the staff, overcrowding of children, and dishonest answers/withholding of information by providers to parents. I believe the owners do the best they can, and are good at what they do, but with more attention/communication with the guardians/parents, accepting less children, and perhaps investing energy/money/time into their staff, they would be amazing caregivers - because their hearts are in the right place. Would you recommend? Recommend with reservations Would you send your child again? Maybe

• Review submitted via the 2014-2015 daycare/preschool survey

  August 2015

  This member has reviewed this facility in a prior year Length of time: Full time, 5 days a week Child’s Age: 1-2 years Type of facility: Private, small daycare/playschool experience run out of a person's home with a very small number of childrenThere is little/no parental involvement with the administration or running of the facility. REVIEW: I adored this daycare when my son was very young. They gave me so much advice about feeding and other milestones, and were always open about any issues. My son attended from 16 weeks until he was 18 months old, when he was too mobile and active to be in a daycare for babies. I'd send a second kid here in a heartbeat, and was really bummed the toddler location was too far for him to transfer to. Would you recommend? Highly recommend

• Re: Daycare suggestions

  May 2015

  Zusin family daycare is great! We aren't at the location by you, but everyone I know at any of their locations is happy with them. Look them up on the PSP main page, I only have our location's info. I can't speak to a wait list as it didn't seem to be an issue, but I might have been lucky.

• Review from the 2014 Daycare/Preschool Survey

  November 2014

  Length of Time: full time 8:30-5:30 Child's Age: Review: The teachers at Zusin couldn't be more patient and caring towards the children. They inform the parents (about the children under 1yr) about their BM's, food intake, nap and mood every day on a piece of paper. They have a separate dark space for children to nap in pack and plays, a carpeted play space, eating area and outdoor area. They are incredibly clean (no shoes on carpet, wash hands at pick up in the restroom vs the kitchen sink) and knowledgeable in the caring of children. As this is my first child they always offer up tips on her diet, sleep routine and overall well being. It can sometimes feel pressured, but i think it's a culture difference and is always done with good intent. My daughter has grown developmentally with leaps and bounds since joining Zusin. I couldn't be happier...and i'm already sad at the prospect of her growing too old for the program. Recommend (Hi/Rec/DoNot): Highly recommend Would you send your child again? Absolutely

• 2014 Daycare/Preschool PSP review

  November 2014

  Child's Age: 1-2 years Review: We've had a great experience at Zusin. Our son seems very well cared for. They get him to take naps amazingly. He's really thrived under the small, attentive environment. A cool perk is that they bring in a musician once a week to sing to the kids. And have a nice backyard. Our son started going there at about 4 months, and has slowly transitioned into being one of the older kids there at 1. The only thing I'd note is that it's a pretty small facility, so once he really starts walking, I think we'll have to find another option that's close by. Recommend (Hi/Rec/DoNot) Highly recommend Would you send your child again? Maybe

• Re: ]: South Slope Day Care

  August 2014

  Our 11-month old goes to Zusin Family Day Care, on 4th avenue between 11th street and 12th street. I like them a lot. They have some activities, they are nice and helpful. I would recommend them. I would also say that not sure you are going to find day cares that do a ton of structured activities with children this young. They are very attentive to each child's needs.

• Review from 2013 Daycare/Preschool PSP Survey

  July 2013

  Review date June 2013 (for 2012-2013 year) Program: Length of time: Full Time Child's age: < 1 year Review: Our 5 month old son has been going to Zusin on 4th Ave part-time for about two months. We anticipate he will go full-time very soon. This is our first child. We love Zusin. Maya and Natasha are wonderful (as is Anna, the owner) and truly care about the children. The space and backyard are great and I have only two small complaints for now: it's very hot in the nap room (and babies are especially supposed to sleep in cooler environments) and if our son wakes during his nap (which usually happens after 45 mins bc that's a baby's natural sleep cycle) the women have to get him bc if he makes any noise they are afraid the other sleeping children will wake. This makes sense but is slightly frustrating bc he can usually fall asleep after a little fussing for a longer nap in our care. Also, the building and front door area are NOT conducive to strollers so we are using the Ergo to/from which is fine for now but will suck in the summer. In any event, these things don't matter as much as the fact that our partner and I are confident that our boy is getting love and attention in a safe and happy environment. It's also wonderful that they group same aged children together so they 'grow up' together. The other thing about Zusin (if you will be at the 4th Ave location) that could be a potential turn-off is the fact that some of the caregiver's English is very poor. This makes communicating challenging and frustrating at times. Do you recommend? (Hi/Rec/DoNot) Highly recommend

• Review from 2013 Daycare/Preschool PSP Survey

  July 2013

  Review date June 2013 (for 2012-2013 year) Program: Length of time: 4 days/week Child's age: 1-2 years Review: Zusin is conveniently located for South Slope residents, which is helpful if you are running late for early morning drop offs or evening pick ups. The caregivers are fabulous (Maya is the head caregiver and has lots of experience from Zusin's other location(s)). And the space feels cozy and clean. My son loves going. If I had any constructive criticism, it would be for more feedback and assistance with transitions (e.g., weaning off bottle). Do you recommend? (Hi/Rec/DoNot) Highly recommend

• Review from 2013 Daycare/Preschool PSP Survey

  July 2013

  Review date June 2013 (for 2012-2013 year) Program: Length of time: Full and part time (we are doing 4 days a week) Child's age: 1-2 years Review: The daycare teachers are caring and lovely. It seems that they really care about the child. They give you a report in the end of each day about what s/he ate, how s/he slept and overall experience in the daycare. They have a large space for play and another outside, with a separate room where the kids sleep. They provide food, and it is often ok, but I would like to see more healthy options, or at least more veggies. My kid loves going there, never wants to come home, so I guess that's says a lot. Do you recommend? (Hi/Rec/DoNot) Recommend

• Review from 2013 Daycare/Preschool PSP Survey

  July 2013

  Review date June 2013 (for 2012-2013 year) Program: Length of time: Full Time Child's age: 1-2 years Review: Our son has been at Zusin for nearly a year and we are very happy there. It is ideal for young children. The caregivers are very warm and I know they truly love the kids. They are enthusiastic and patient. The facility is very safe - one large room to play in, a separate room for activities and naps, and a large outdoor space to play. Do you recommend? (Hi/Rec/DoNot) Recommend

• Review: Zusin Daycare

  June 2013

  My daughter has been attending Zusin Daycare on 4th Avenue for 4 months now. There are just so many wonderful things I can say about this place! Anna (the owner) has gone out of her way to work with us when schedules changed and has been extremely amazing in making us feel comfortable leaving out baby in Zusin's care. Maya and Natasha are loving and amazing in every way. They really nurture and love each child and work with them. My daughter was really resistant to crawling but they have worked with her and she is finally starting to take an interest and really try and crawl. They have taught her peek-a-boo and clapping and singing along to songs. They have a beautiful backyard and try to have the children out there as often as possible. At the end of each day they give us a full, detailed report about her day (food, sleep, mood, and even any funny things she may have done). I HIGHLY recommend this place! In addition, every parent and child we have met there have been really nice and lovely!!! Such a great place!

• Summary feedback on Zusin Family Daycare

  May 2013

  The other thing about Zusin (if you will be at the 4th Ave location) that could be a potential turn-off is the fact that Natasha's English is very poor, but again, if she loves and cares for the children as well as we have witnessed, this is not a big deal. I guess you can't have it all in these situations!

• Summary feedback on Zusin Family Daycare

  May 2013

  My daughter has been at both the other locations (3rd St & 2nd St) since they opened 2 years ago, although we live in south slope on 13th st (south location wasn't open when we started). I can only speak to these other locations and Anna and her philosophy and the way her daycares are run, which is, in a nutshell, amazing. I can honestly say they have helped raise my daughter into an awesome little 2 year old - no exaggeration. (Her caregivers come to her birthdays, she talks about them all weekend, loves them all, etc...) But I'm happy to give you more details and get into pros/cons of it over the phone if that helps. I know everyone has different criteria and its a tough choice.

• Summary feedback on Zusin Family Daycare

  May 2013

  We've had our 22 month old son, at the 2nd street location for the past year and have had a great experience. Things we love are: 1. Staff is very sweet with the kids. 2. They do a variety of activities including music, art, and outdoor time. 3. learning letters, numbers, shapes, colors, etc. 4. Parent group keeps in touch. We've made some good friends among the other parents and we update each other on illnesses and to other issues. 5. Breakfast, lunch and snack are provided and are usually good (see #2 below for exceptions). 6. They are super flexible with scheduling. We are always changing our hours and have never had a problem. They allow half days, which is very unusual. 7. Missed hours can be made up within the month. I've never heard of any other day care doing this. Things we don't love: 1. The indoor space is quite small and may not be stimulating enough in another few months. 2. Two days per week we don't like the lunch options (chicken nuggets, french fries, fish sticks) so we send lunch with him. That's all I can think of at the moment. If you have more questions, I'd be happy to answer them.

• Summary feedback on Zusin Family Daycare

  May 2013

  Our 5 month old son has been going to Zusin on 4th Ave part-time for about two months. We anticipate he will go full-time very soon. This is our first child. We love it! Maya and Natasha are wonderful (as is Anna, the owner) and truly care about the children. The space and backyard are great and I have only two small complaints for now: it's very hot in the nap room (and babies are especially supposed to sleep in cooler environments) and if our son wakes during his nap (which usually happens after 45 mins bc that's a baby's natural sleep cycle) the women have to get him bc if he makes any noise they are afraid the other sleeping children will wake. This makes sense but is slightly frustrating bc he can usually fall asleep after a little fussing for a longer nap in our care. Also, the building and front door area are NOT conducive to strollers so we are using the Ergo to/from which is fine for now but will suck in the middle of July! In any event, these things don't matter as much as the fact that our partner and I are confident that our boy is getting love and attention in a safe and happy environment. It's also wonderful that they group same aged children together so they 'grow up' together. I know this is a daunting process. We looked at 4 different options and Zusin was our top choice.

• Summary feedback on Zusin Family Daycare

  May 2013

  Thank you all who responded to help us choose Zusin Family Daycare. We just started last week, part time, and are happy with our choice. Our daughter seems well cared for, she likes playing outside and with the teachers, she's napping well, and we get a good rundown each day of her activities.

• (no subject)

  December 2012

  Our daycare Zusin has a new location on 4th avenue and 12th st. We are very happy with them. The director's email is: zusinfamilydaycare@gmail.com

• (no subject)

  May 2012

  My daughter attended the 2nd street location from the month it opened until this past month (when we moved away). She started at 5.5 months, and from the first week she was there until the time we left, she was amazingly cared for by a group of loving, warm, playful, and energetic caregivers. She was always so happy to go to "school", and always had huge smiles for her caregivers and friends at daycare. The 2nd st. location is currently run by Mila, who I can't say enough good things about. She is smart, organized, knowledgeable about kids (often dispensing very helpful advice for new parents!) and extremely loving, and I had every confidence that she would know exactly what to do should there ever be an emergency. The other caregivers were great as well. They manage to accomplish the day-to-day tasks of feeding, changing, and putting the infants down for naps while making sure that the vast majority of time (and caregivers at any point in time) are playing with the babies. The caregivers are always on the floor playing with the kids, which makes a huge difference in the level of interaction they receive. Having started at a new daycare that doesn't come close to stacking up to Zusin, I now appreciate even more the energy and enthusiasm for the job -- and the clear love for the children -- that the caregivers at Zusin display. Anna does a great job vetting new caregivers, so even should there be turnover I doubt this will change. The space is bright and clean, there is a separate room for napping, there are constantly new and engaging toys, healthy snacks and meals are provided at no additional charge, and there is a HUGE turfed backyard with lots of room to play and lots of fun outdoor toys which they use frequently (and all year round). There is also another location on 3rd Street (the original location), which has a lovely space as well and I suspect has a similar vibe. In short, I highly recommend!