The Learning Experience

Reviews 3

AM

Amy Girl

The Learning Experience in Oldsmar has been so-so for our family. I’ll list some of the pros and cons below. Pros: Generally very clean (with the exception of the strollers). Teachers seem very caring. Discount on cost depending on where you work. Their outside play area is very nice and well covered and they have what they call Water days for the kids to play. Cons: They have been under probation for their license for the following issues (Issues started back in 04/2015): Personnel records were not correct, [six] Child Care staff whose verifications of employment history for the past 2 years was not on file. [Four] child care staff with an Affidavit of Good Moral Character that was on file, but was incorrect or incomplete. r [two] Child Care staff without proof of a high school diploma or GED equivalent. The children’s center did not have documentation, training transcript, of the required training. No proof of fire extinguisher training. Restraining devices (such as swings, high chairs, car seats, etc.) were used in excess as an alternative to active play or adult/child interaction, supervision or discipline. A staff member failed to wash their hands after diapering or toileting procedure!!! When asked to describe the diapering procedure, three of the infant /toddler child care staff did not include hand washing. There was not a supply of clean diapers, clothing and/or linens and they were not changed promptly as evidenced by [a child had a diaper rash and the teacher admitted that she may not have cleaned him properly. There is even more than this but you can look it up for yourself on the DCF website. From personal experience I can tell you that week after week our child came home with a diaper rash. We tried different diapers and creams and change off diet but in the end we concluded it was just not proper cleaning from the daycare. I say this because we were able to clear up her rash over the weekend and by Friday the next week it would be back again and we used the same diapers and diaper cream as the daycare. Plus on the days she did end up with a rash she would be screaming at home to not change her diaper (she is toddler now but has been in the center since she was an infant). The cost for the daycare is very high for that area. In June of 2015 the cost of the 12-24 month rooms are over $1100 a month. Also they will not give you pricing unless you come in to visit their facility. They have a high turn-over rate. They do not allow you to bring your own sippy cup, the cups the kids use must be the cups the facility provides, which I have checked are NOT BPA free. They do not have a fully equipped kitchen so everything they eat is pre-processed/out of a can etc. Their idea for snacks are vanilla wafers/graham crackers/what they call trail mix (which is a combination of gold fish and cereal etc.) This wouldn’t be a big deal for older kids but younger kids just transitioning out of the infant room I think they should consider better options for them. They mainly seem to hire family and friends. (This could be seen as a good or bad thing) For all of the reasons above we have decided to take our child out of their care. I think they are a well-meaning child care facility but it’s just not the right place for us.

JE

Jenn Fowler

Weve had our infant daughter enrolled at The Learning Experience in Oldsmar since March 2015. Since I have over twenty years experience working in pediatric nursing, I spent 2 1/2 weeks interviewing multiple day care centers as well as home day care facilities to find the absolute best care for my daughter upon my return to work. I had almost given up hope until The Learning Experience, previously full, called to tell me they had an opening for her. I went on a tour that evening with my husband and our daughter and was pleasantly surprised with how warm, welcoming, and knowledgeable we found the staff. We were even more impressed with the curriculum, facility cleanliness, safety measures, and sanitary practices. The infant care staff are above average and its obvious they truly love and care for children as if each child were their own. Our daughter literally tries to jump out of our arms in the morning to great her caregivers!! The trust and happiness she exudes to them when we arrive speaks volumes for the way she is treated outside of our care. Weve gotten to know almost every staff member over the past 6 months, and we are excited for our daughter to move to her next classroom when the time comes. All the teachers know her by name, even though they havent directly cared for her. The Learning Experience has teachers and managerial staff experienced with children and families, and they operate with the utmost patience and respect. I have never witnessed any of them losing patience, raising their voices, or losing control. Ive also never seen an unhappy parent, no matter the age of the child. This makes us look forward to our daughter continuing to receive the best care possible as she grows and moves up to different classrooms. The communication between the staff and families is also far superior to other centers. Our daughter has never suffered a diaper rash or infection,, and that says a lot to me about the level of care! Also, weve received more artwork our daughter has created (yes, she has actually painted and drawn, amongst other creativity) since shes been enrolled than some of my friends children make in kindergarten in a whole school year. We are so thankful to have found the best child care possible close to home for our daughter. If you choose The Learning Experience, you will love the staff and know you will have your child in the best possible care outside of your own. Thank you to all of the staff at The Learning Experience! We cant brag enough about your high quality and superior service!!

TA

Tango Bravo

Nice place. Really like the atmosphere and the way the place is maintained. Very clean and seems to be well managed. Awesome look and feel inside - and really cool play areas. Technically its not the most expensive compared to 2 other local options, but still pricey. This place does feel a little more corporate and geared toward churning out brilliant babies than just a daycare facility. Thats a good thing. :) The teachers seem very professional and the same goes for the management staff. They are not overloaded with kids (ratio seems good), so they can keep up with the facility and such. Youll really like this place if you visit. You should check it out. My biggest concern: Their options for vacation weeks are limited compared to other local daycare facilities. You only get 5 days a year after 6 months. Outside of that, you have to pay. This is far more limited than other local day care facilities. Depending on where you work, you might get a 10% discount on monthly rates, and if you pay in full, theres another small discount. However, these reductions dont really make up for having the limited vacation days. The 10% + monthly discount across the year + the monthly pay-in-full discount is worth a lot less than having flexibility for the vacation options. If you get 4 weeks of vacation a year and take your kid with you (or even stay home) with you kid during those weeks, you still have to continue paying for the extra 3 weeks. This was a deal breaker for us.

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