The Goddard School of Elmwood Park — Local services in Elmwood Park

Unfortunately I was very disappointed with my visit to the center. I have a new baby and also a single mom. I've always driven by the Goddard and always dreamed of enrolling my child there, now that I have a baby I went to the tour and had called to apply 6 Months prior to giving birth. The experience was not good, when asked about the daily activities with a 3 month old, I was told they would play with my child as time permitted since they only have 3 people on staff and 12 children capacity (or something similar). I was told the play area had a max occupancy. It was like pulling teeth to try and understand the daily activities with a 3 month old and how they would interact with my son, there was no elaboration or conversation. I asked to see some of the toys or books and they said i could not because the playpen was at capacity and they could not let me in. They didn't attempt to even tell me what type of toys they use or anything. Just so rude. I asked about my child not sleeping on his back due to his Reflux, they lectured me about how sleeping on their backs is a norm, and it's done at every center, and that the only way to avoid this was to bring a doctor's note. As a mother, I was hurt to hear my child would have been suffocated by his own vomit had i not asked this question. I also asked about my baby crying and if he's picked up quickly, how fast they would actually respond. Since my son very rarely cries, when he does he is either really uncomfortable or hungry. I was lectured about "self soothing" and how it's okay for babies to cry between 3-5 minutes before they respond to them. And that some parents actually ask them to let their children cry themselves to sleep. That was pretty much all I had to hear before thanking them for their time. There was no interest at the Goddard to make me feel reassured that my son will be comfortable. It was very much, "we will get to him when we have time and if the staff has the capacity". Lots of textbook answers, no real desire to connect with me as the parent. Overall the worst center i have ever toured. And I was very shocked by their coldness and inability to have a natural conversation with a parent about the nature of care that we can expect for our children. They were very nice on the phone and with scheduling, but once in person, they had no interest in making the parent feel comfortable. Which did not make me feel they would have a genuine interest in my child's care.

I ended up enrolling my baby at another center which has been a wonderful experience and makes me feel so relieved to have peace and know he's well cared for and also very happy! They upload pictures daily, i can also drop by at any moment. Seriously, i feel like i dogged a bullet by not enrolling my baby at the Goddard. He's been thriving and has also been receiving the attention he needs. I hope this review is helpful as you try and make the important decision about where to enroll your child. Again, super disappointed in the Goddard and so glad I went on the tour before paying the...

This review of The Goddard School of Elmwood Park has been a long time coming, and I'm so happy to be writing it. My three children attended this Goddard location (they graduated in 2021, 2023, and 2024, respectively), and we loved everything about our experience there over the years. The curriculum was always great – fun, age-appropriate, and challenging enough so that my kids were well-prepared for kindergarten. The school was always clean, well-kept, and extremely kid-friendly in its appearance. And the teachers – wow, the teachers! I can't say enough wonderful things about them. The Directors definitely have a knack for hiring the best of the best. The teachers were always kind, loving, patient, and enthusiastic. I always felt that they genuinely cared for my kids, and I know my kids felt loved by them too. As parents, the main things we want from a daycare/pre-school is education, safety, love, and fun - and Goddard gave us these! I didn't just choose this school because it was closest to my house or job. In fact, it was a solid 15 minutes each way, twice per day, but we didn’t mind the drive. My husband and I chose this school based on reliable recommendations, excellent reviews, and the wonderful impression we got when we first toured the school, and we were happy with our decision since day one. Not only did we leave Goddard with countless great memories, but we also left with many new friendships that we still maintain today. I highly recommend Goddard of Elmwood Park to anyone looking for a nurturing, educational, safe, and fun place for their child(ren). It’s a truly wonderful school. I’m forever grateful for having been part of...

I cannot rate The Goddard School of Elmwood Park highly enough for everything they offer and provide in terms of childcare and education. Before enrolling our 18 months old into The Goddard School, I must have visited and evaluated another 10+ child care centers in the area and as I was getting completely discouraged because all had something that was missing to my sense , as my last stop on the list I decided to visit The Goddard School in Elmwood Park where everything changed for me . I knew I found the perfect childcare center for our son from seeing the happy children, extremely positive, patient and kind teachers and wonderful administrative staff. The entire team made this transition be a wonderful experience and I already see great results from the exceptional academic curriculum that the school is providing . There is no such childcare center more safer and secured than The Goddard School in Elmwood Park. The facility and all classrooms are spotless clean and the entire atmosphere is as cute as it can get :) Today I told our teacher Ms. Marianna that they deserve a real medal with how they are handling all the toddlers :) I’ve recommended the center to all our friends and I’m sure I’ll be recommending it to much more. Great job Goddard School -...