Red Balloon Day Care Center

My son, currently a kindergartner, was at the Red Balloon from the 2’s through PK. This school is wonderful, to put it mildly. The curriculum is play based, and the kids learn and develop in leaps and bounds. The teachers are, for the most part, amazingly loving and nurturing, while also working to make sure the children learn appropriate discipline, focus, and social skills. By the time my son’s class was done with their time in the Orange Room (PK), they were beyond academically ready for some of the best kindergartens in the city, to which a large portion of RB kids are accepted. The director, Norma, is outstanding. She gets to know each kid unbelievably well, and she’s a huge help to families when it comes to finding the best ongoing school. There’s even a chef on staff preparing healthy meals and snacks for the children. Why more people don’t know about this school — which has been doing excellent work for YEARS — boggles my mind. If you are looking for a top quality preschool for your child, hop on the 1, get off at 125^th, and beat a path up the hill. You’ll be glad you did.