REVIEW OF The Learning Nest Academy - North York BY parent, Kseniia Katashova

(4.5) Student Experience

Our son started at The Learning Nest Academy when he turned one. The adjustment took quite a bit of time, but the teachers were amazing at supporting us through every step of the transition. Most importantly for us as parents, they carefully followed all of our instructions, which gave us real peace of mind. Now our son loves spending time at daycare. He enjoys being with his educators and especially loves one-on-one reading time with them. He is absolutely obsessed with the sensory bin, and the educators change what's inside it often, from water, soil, and sand to feathers, natural leaves, and paper, so there's always something new to explore. Music class is also part of their weekly program, and it's his favourite. A professional musician visits to play different instruments and sing songs with the children. He also loves being outside on the wonderful playground, which has lots of activities to keep little ones busy.

Why The Learning Nest Academy - North York?

As first-time parents, we were really careful about where we'd leave our son, and we specifically needed a place that takes infants. Honestly, as a mom, it was super hard for me. One thing that made a big difference was that Learning Nest has video cameras on all day, so I could check in and see how he was doing. That gave us so much peace of mind. The school is also brand new, so everything is clean, fresh, and well equipped, which was a big deal for us. I love that the playground is right behind the building, fully fenced, with separate areas for infants and older kids, so little ones can explore safely. The staff were warm and understanding from day one and really supported us through the transition. When we first visited, we just felt this was a good place to leave our little one.

Expectations vs. Reality

The school fully met our expectations. Because it's a smaller, cozy daycare, the atmosphere feels friendly and open, and we really feel like part of the community. Whenever we've had questions, the staff have responded quickly and been very cooperative. The director, Ms.Ashley, is an absolute gem. She's truly passionate about creating a great environment for both the kids and the staff. Where it went beyond what we expected was how much effort they keep putting in. We see small improvements happening all the time, and they plan special activities every month on top of the regular schedule, so there's always something new and fun for the kids. Honestly, we're just really happy we chose this place.

Your Advice

If safety matters most to you, as it did for us, you'll feel good about this place. Being able to check the cameras during the day helped me so much as a nervous first-time mom, and knowing the staff really follow our instructions gave us real peace of mind. My advice is to go visit in person. That first visit is what made us feel confident leaving our little one there.

(5) School Leadership

Ms. Ashley, the director, is honestly amazing. She really puts effort into working with parents, and whenever we've had a question or concern, she's always been happy to listen and help us figure out the best solution. In the last couple of months, we've noticed some new people on the admin team, and they've been adding more Montessori-style learning to the program, which is great to see. They also hold one-on-one meetings and parent get-togethers pretty often, so it's easy to stay in the loop and feel connected to what's going on with our son.

(4.5) Teaching

We're really happy with the teaching staff. They're supportive, engaged, and they truly see each child's personality. One moment that really impressed me was when one of the educators shared her observations about our son. She described his personality in such a thoughtful, detailed way and gave me examples of how they were helping him adjust to the new environment. What I loved most was that she explained why they were doing it, based on their knowledge of early childhood development. That kind of communication means a lot to me as a parent. You can also see the care in the small things, like the one-on-one reading time and how often they change up the sensory bin to keep things interesting. But honestly, watching how my son interacts with his educators says more than any words could.

(5) Academics

Since our son is still in the infant room, academics aren't really our focus yet. At this age, what matters most to us is that he feels safe, happy, and curious about the world around him. We're really happy with the Montessori approach they've been bringing into the program. It's all about building confidence and independence, even in the little ones, and we can already see it in our son. Learning at this stage happens through play and exploration, and they do a great job with that. Between the sensory bin, one-on-one reading time, weekly music class, a weekly French class where they sing songs, and plenty of outdoor play, he's always discovering something new. We feel it's giving him a great foundation for the next steps.

(N/A) Extracurriculars

For an infant program, there's a lot going on beyond the regular routine. Our son has a weekly music class where a professional musician comes in to play different instruments and sing with the kids, plus a weekly French class with songs. On top of that, the staff plan special activities every month, so there's always something new and fun. Competition isn't a focus at this age, and honestly, that's exactly how it should be.

(5) Students

It's a cozy daycare, and the atmosphere really reflects that. It feels warm, friendly, and open, and the kids seem happy and comfortable there. In the infant room, the little ones are still at the stage of discovering each other, but it's sweet to see them playing side by side, exploring together, and getting used to being around other children. What stands out most is how calm and caring the environment feels. The educators gently guide the kids as they learn to share space and interact, and the separate playground area for infants means the little ones can explore safely at their own pace. Families also feel connected through parent gatherings, which adds to the sense of community. Overall, it's a lovely group for our son to grow up with.

(N/A) School Life

Our son honestly loves going to daycare. It took him some time to adjust at first, but now he's happy to go in the morning and clearly enjoys spending time with his educators. His days are full of things he loves, like one-on-one reading, the sensory bin (which he's completely obsessed with), music and French classes, and lots of time on the playground. As for improvements, we don't have much to suggest. The school is new, and we already see the team making changes and adding new things all the time, like the Montessori elements and monthly activities. For families considering it, I'd say it's a safe, caring, and welcoming place, especially for first-time parents who are nervous about leaving their little one. We're really glad we chose it.

(N/A) Community

One of the things we appreciate most is how welcome parents feel here. Even though it's a smaller daycare, there's a real sense of community, and we feel like part of it. The school offers regular parent gatherings and one-on-one meetings, which are a great way to connect with the educators and other families and stay updated on how our son is doing. The director, Ms. Ashley, is always open to hearing from parents, and the staff respond quickly whenever we have questions. Being able to check in through the cameras also makes us feel involved in his day, even when we're at work. As the school continues to grow, it would be nice to see even more family events, but overall we feel very included and supported as parents.

(N/A) School Location

The daycare is in a safe, quiet neighbourhood, which was important to us. It's also really convenient for parents, with easy access to public transit and good options for anyone who drives, so drop-off and pickup are simple. At the infant stage, the kids mostly stay on the school grounds, but with the fenced playground right behind the building, they get plenty of outdoor time in a safe space.

(N/A) Admissions

The admissions process was clear, quick, and stress-free. Sabrina, the school administrator, is amazing. She sent us everything we needed in advance, explained each step clearly, and answered all of our questions. As first-time parents, we really appreciated how easy she made it. My advice to anyone applying is to book a tour and come with your questions. Seeing the space in person and talking with the team will help you feel confident it's the right fit, just like it did for us.