Smart Bear Learning - Highlands Ranch, Colorado

Elisabeth Werth

We love Smart Bear!

As new parents we didn't realize how lucky we were to find a fantastic daycare the first time around. Our son loves his time there, the teachers and staff are so engaged and their communication with parents during the day is thorough and proactive!

We have peace of mind knowing our son is in such trustworthy hands while we're at work. We cannot recommend Smart Bear enough!

Sasha Hay

We recently joined Smart Bear and made the right decision!

Environment & Facilities: The facility is bright, clean, and welcoming. The classrooms are well-organized with engaging, age-appropriate activities that encourage learning through play. The outdoor play area is secure and spacious, featuring a variety of equipment that promotes physical activity and exploration.

Staff: The staff is outstanding. They are not only professional and attentive but also incredibly nurturing. It’s clear that they genuinely care about each child's well-being and development. The teachers and caregivers are always smiling and seem to have an intuitive understanding of the children’s needs and moods. Regular updates and communication with parents are a huge plus!

Programs & Activities: The day care offers a variety of programs and activities that stimulate creativity, cognitive development, and social skills. From petting zoos, water table days, puppet shows and music sessions, each day is thoughtfully planned to keep the children engaged and excited.

Food & Nutrition: The meals provided are delicious and they cater to my child's food sensitivities! My daughter is full and happy when we pick her up!

Overall Experience: What sets Smart Bear apart is their commitment to creating a warm, loving environment where children feel safe and valued. The staff’s genuine enthusiasm and dedication shine through, making it a place where kids not only learn but also thrive.

If you're looking for a day care that combines high-quality care with enriching experiences, this is an excellent choice. I couldn’t be happier with the care my child receives and feel confident knowing they are in such good hands.

Highly recommended!

karen camp

I just transferred my son out of this daycare but I would still recommend Smart Bear Learning to other parents.
The teachers my son had were communicative and I could tell they really cared about my son and all children in their class. The front office staff was also helpful-- during our tenure at SBL we met with them a couple of times as our son had a difficult time transitioning into the infant room and they were always willing to help and hear our concerns.
There are improvements that could be made, but overall, we had a positive experience here.

Leanna Rutledge Jackson

We started with Smart Bear last month and love it! Our toddler loves the activities (especially crafts, Zumba, and music time) and comes home talking nonstop about her day. We're so grateful to have found a place that offers so much and has such amazing flexibility. We were even able to work with the team to choose days that worked for us rather than being on a set Mon/Weds/Fri or Tues/Thurs schedule, which was a major standout when compared to other daycares! The staff are so friendly and nurturing, we're so lucky to have found Smart Bear!

Micah Mcdonough

Our daughter Scottie absolutely loves her daycare! Every morning, she’s excited to go and it’s clear that the staff genuinely cares about her well-being and development. The activities are engaging, and we’ve seen so much growth in her social skills and learning. We’re incredibly grateful for the warm, nurturing environment that they provide—it truly feels like a second home for Scottie. Thank you for everything you do to make this such a special place!

Hanani Benade

Smartbear has really exceeded my expectations. they take really good care of my kids ( all three), great with communication, they keep me updated throughout the day on their care ( i love the little updates and photos) , their really informative and great positive attitudes. My kids have made such special bonds with the teachers. From bragging on their French they learned to the paper snakes they made. All three my kiddos have learned and gained soo much knowledge from learning to write their names, to sign language to their vocabulary taking flight! Not to mention the flexible schedule options they offer! We would not be anywhere elese!

N D

Run, do not enroll your child here. We had a terrible experience. There are better options out there.
We had our child enrolled here for a good amount of time, but finally got fed up and left.
-we always supplied diapers and wipes, but they ran out much quicker than they should have. Even assuming our child went through an excessive number of diapers a day, they would always say she was completely out when there should have been 30+ diapers left. (We started calculating)
-many many times at pickup our child was sitting in a soiled diaper. I understand this may happen occasionally, but this happened multiple times.
-we were told we had to bring in winter boots for our child. No problem, we brought in the boots. Over and over I would pick up my child and they would be soaked in freezing water from the knees down. They never once put on her boots, just let her play outside in snow and puddles with tennis shoes.
-often I would find noticeable injuries/bruises on my child, and no incident report was offered. These were accidents that I know she would have been crying from, so there’s no way no one noticed it.
-there was one violent child who would repeatedly bite (breaking skin), scratch, pinch and hit not only my child, but others. I know this because multiple parents brought it up to me. I went to management privately to discuss this (never brought this child, or any other child, up to any parent, even though I was accused of doing so). Nothing was ever done, they just said “we encourage parents to seek outside resources”. I was accused of “bullying and ganging up on a child” for bringing my concerns up.
My child still to this day talks about this child and how abusive they were.
-multiple times I walked by the oldest children’s class and heard teachers yelling and threatening them. I’ve heard other parents mention this too. I’ve walked into my own child’s classroom to the teachers yelling at my child and they stop and look guilty when I walk in.
-arrival time was absolutely traumatic for my child. The teacher sat across the room in the corner, looking pissed off and ignores the children, maybe grumbling hello. Does not get up to greet them. Maybe slam some breakfast in front of them and then goes back to her chair in the corner. I asked if I could bring a small snack in so my child could have something to focus on for a transition and I was told absolutely no outside food allowed. No problem, I abided by that rule. But almost every day I walked in and many other children had food from home. So apparently that rule only applied to my child. I was told we would be dismissed if my child was caught with outside food. I brought this up multiple times but there was always an excuse for other children getting to have outside food.
-high teacher turnover, no one really seems like they want to be there. I never knew who my child was going to have in her classroom that day. There were a few familiar floaters, but that’s about it.
-they rely heavily on screen time, if you’re trying to limit screen time for your child, this is not the place for you. I would walk in all the time and they were plopped in front of an iPad watching videos.
-The director (?) Jen, is deeply unprofessional. From her dress to her demeanor, I honestly cannot believe she is in any kind of leadership position. She called me literally screaming multiple times over things that could’ve been discussed calmly. I have never in my life had someone call me screaming when they needed to discuss something they were upset about. I was accused of many things, none of which I ever did. And I know she has done this to other parents as well. Jen, if you want to succeed in your career, I suggest looking into some training in customer service skills, as well as leadership and professionalism.

Note: I see in the response to my review it was noted they “did not hear from me for weeks”. I gave my notice the same day I turned in my keys, and I have the email to prove that. A perfect example of the lies and gaslighting that comes with the management of this place.

Kelly Masumiya

Our daughter (2.5) has been coming here for almost six months and we absolutely love it. Prior to bringing her here, we were worried about her lack of speaking and engagement. Within the first month we saw dramatic improvements and see DAILY changes in how much she knows! Having updates throughout the day via app is also so helpful and reassuring as a parent. We aren’t used to having so much insight into what they do everyday. The staff is so kind and - the best part- she loves her teachers! We are so happy to have found a home for our girl at Smart Bear ☺️