| Location |
| 3010 Corona Dr. |
| Davis |
| Hours |
| 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Mon.-Fri. |
| Phone |
| (530) 756-2613 |
| [email protected] |
| Website |
| none |
| Owner |
| Julie Kirby |
| Established |
| June 2008 |
| Payment Methods |
| cash or check |
After 8 wonderful years of providing care to over 50 lovely families Sprouts is closing as of September 30th. Thank you to all the wonderful families for your support and for sharing your precious littles with me!!
Sprouts Childcare is a licensed large home daycare located in North Davis. They were once located on Swingle Drive within walking distance of Pioneer Park but relocated as of May 2015. Sprouts' model is based on the belief that at young ages children learn through play and interaction. Almost any routine interaction can be turned into a learning experience or opportunity for creative thinking. They also believe that children learn in different ways and at different rates according to each individual child. Sprouts provides a safe and nurturing environment that inspires children to become independent learners without pressure to meet any developmental milestones.
Sprouts offers a low caregiver-to-child ratio (with a maximum of ten children enrolled). It is solely operated by the owner and an assistant to maintain consistency. Activities include free playtime and structured playtime. Indoor and outdoor activities encourage small and large motor development. They have story time throughout the day to encourage language and love for books, and a range of creative art activities including art, music, dancing and puppets. All children are encouraged to participate in structured activities, but no child is forced into or punished for not participating.
Other activities include age-appropriate "pre-school" readiness such as learning the alphabet, shapes, colors, numbers, animals, social skills, and feelings. Children are given the opportunity to explore and create in an open, nurturing, and safe environment to promote good self-esteem and confidence. Sprouts provides nutritious food to promote healthy eating and integrates good personal hygiene and manners into daily interaction and activities.
Sprouts operates year-round and accepts children ages 12 months-five years old.
2012-12-22 05:57:56 Sprouts has been a wonderfully enriching environment for my child.
Before discovering Sprouts we tried a large group care facility (Hutchinson) and a smaller in-home day care on Haussler Drive. When going to the previous in-home care our child would cry and scream on the way in. Not so with Sprouts! Julie and Lou are so warm, caring, and passionate towards the children they care for. They really went the extra mile to help our child feel at ease there. Now he looks forward to going every day and many days doesn't want to leave when we pick him up!
Julie's program also helps children make developmental strides in language learning, creativity, basic life skills, and social skills. They inspired enthusiasm in our child towards toothbrushing, handwashing, and taught him how to communicate gently and playfully with other children without crying, hitting, fighting, biting, etc. The Sprouts half-day program takes some extra effort for families with two working parents like mine, but seems worthwhile. Among the group care options and nannies we have experienced in Davis, Julie's program is the best of the bunch.
2013-07-10 19:21:03 We have had a great experience with our daughter at Sprouts. The atmosphere is inviting, safe, and fun. Owner Julie is great with the kids as is her assistant Megan. When we go to Pioneer Park at night our daughter tries to walk back to Sprouts she likes it so much. —JohnDrumm
2014-01-21 10:40:45 Our child attended Sprouts Day School/Child Care for two (2) years and we were extraordinarily happy with the care she received from Julie and her staff. The kids always seem happy, well-rested, well-fed, and engaged in a variety of activities that support balanced cognitive and motor (gross and fine) development as well. We also appreciated Julie's support and wealth of knowledge and experience in tackling issues from potty training to sleep training and toddler discipline. Should we have another child, we can not imagine sending them anywhere else. —JoyNichols
2014-07-20 15:17:57 My wife recently decided to try and send our son to this daycare. In order to hold a place we had to put a deposit down very quickly, unfortunately I did not have a lot of time to research the daycare myself because I work full-time. There were a few red flags for me from the beginning. First this daycare does not carry liability insurance, and the owner of the daycare does not own the house where she runs her business, so if something happens to your child there is not much you can do. Second my wife informed me they take the children to the park next to the house, which is not necessarily a bad thing but I wanted to see the park myself before I judged to harshly. Third, my wife also informed me that when she contacted licensing, this daycare had been sited for hiring an employee before a finger print and backround check had cleared. Again I did not want to judge to harshly since I am sure the owner learned from this and would not repeat such a mistake. So we put down a deposit.
So I took my son to the park and the equipment was just OK, my son slipped on one of the play equipment areas. The park seemed dingy and during our visit there were a lot off people with off leash dogs in the park. There have been a few children bitten by off leash dogs in Davis very recently so this raised my concern. When a dog approached us I picked up my son and asked the dogs owner to please get his dog; he did nothing. Now if a daycare takes about a dozen children to this park, and only has 1-3 people watching the children of different ages, my concern is that they would not be able to handle a situation with an off leash dog.
So with two weeks to go before he was supposed to start, we decided that our son was thriving in the daycare he is currently in and with my concern for his safety in the hands of a business with no insurance, we decided to not change to this daycare. When my wife informed the owner, the response was sorry the deposit was non-refundable, which is stated in the 12 page handbook, and is on a page that has nothing to do with payment terms. The owner stated that she had turned people away. In my experience with daycares they always have a wait list, so I don't imagine that it would be hard to fill my sons spot. Now I do understand the idea of a deposit but since adequate time was given, at least in my opinion, returning the $360 deposit should not be an issue.
But I guess the joke is on us. I have found when it comes to money I think you can get a good sense of the type of people you are dealing with. If the roles were reversed I would gladly return the deposit as I would like to believe most people would. Perhaps they will use it to get liability insurance. So my advise to parents in looking for a daycare, don't just check with licensing, be wary about situations with non-refundable deposits, and get to know the area before you are too rushed to commit. For any parents that read this I hope that you will not repeat such a mistake. —GlennOpp
With regard to the negative review listed above by GlennOpp~ I'm sorry that you felt rushed to put down a deposit. It would have been helpful to have met you in person or even speak over the phone about all of the concerns you were having regarding my childcare environment. Your wife contacted me numerous times over the last several months inquiring about space for your son and there was ample time to address any red flags you were experiencing.
It is standard in childcare businesses to require a deposit to hold a space. Providers do this to avoid holding a space without any compensation if the family changes their mind, has a sudden life change, etc... and cannot fulfill their agreement to join the childcare, and other families are told that there are no spaces in the interim. The deposit is applied to the 1st week of care and the last week whenever that falls, so for families who do enroll their children, the cost of the deposit is absorbed into their tuition. I do have a comprehensive booklet of information detailing various policies so that families have clear information about the terms and conditions before they commit to reserving a space. If families take the time to review the information provided and communicate their concerns prior to signing an agreement to reserve a space, the deposit will be returned. It is only after an agreement is made and the space is reserved that the deposit becomes nonrefundable.
I have been providing childcare for 6 years and cared for several dozen children over those years, none of which have incurred an injury requiring more than a bandaid. We have a higher caregiver to child ratio than is required by the state. Not every care environment is right for every family, and you have every right to choose a care environment that you feel is best for you and your child. Best of luck~ Sprouts Childcare
2014-07-24 23:11:27 Sprouts is an absolute GEM in Davis! My children were lovingly cared for by Julie for two years. When my previous nanny had to leave our family, a friend immediately referred us to Sprouts. During our experience with Sprouts, I remember my children running with enthusiasm to be the first ones in her door each morning, unending support as I struggled to potty-train my son, and feeling like I truly had a "second Mommy" to care for my children while I was at work. Her home was safe, clean, playful, and well organized. She creatively and carefully presented age-appropriate learning activities to various children. I loved that Pioneer park was so near and have personally observed Julie carefully monitoring and safely managing various children in her care. I found her policies and procedures to be clearly outlined and as a parent with a child in her care, she communicated with me effortlessly. Julie has excellent instincts, a caring heart, and I am forever indebted to her for creating the type of atmosphere where my young children could thrive and be deeply loved. —StephanieRoberts
2014-07-25 07:11:44 I have nothing but good things to say about Sprouts Childcare. My two children have had the great fortune of attending Sprouts and both have absolutely thrived there. My daughter, near kinder age, was stimulated by the focus on art, stories, investigative science experiences, and thoughtful conversation with Julie and her capable assisstant. My son, who started with Sprouts at age two, absolutely loves it. In his words " when I go Julie's, I love to play inside and play outside." Julie is warm and caring and goes above and beyond in making Sprouts basically a really awesome second home for the young children she serves. All the children are happy and peaceful while at Sprouts. Julie handles conflicts in such a kind and respectful way, this rubs off on the children, and in the probably over two or three hundred times I have entered Sprouts, I have never seen children misbehaving or acting unsafe in any way, in fact a feeling of kindness and contentment permeates the space. Bonus: Sprouts is next to one of the nicer play structure parks in Davis, a shady park the kids visit often and where you don't have to even cross a street to get to. As a working mom, knowing my kids get such well supervised and fun outdoor time during the day, I feel this is a very healthy and necessary part of their development. In fact, having such incredible care for my children thanks to Sprouts is what allows me to be able to go to work happily and productively each day, and I thank Julie and her program immensely. —CaliMom
2014-07-25 14:25:53 I am a former Montessori teacher and private school administrator. I have been fortunate enough to both teach young children myself and observe in dozens of classrooms. In all honesty, I was very very picky about where I was willing to leave my son when he needed part -time care at 17 months. He’s two now and has been with Julie for the last eight months. Luckily, I don’t think we could have found a better caregiver.
Julie has created an incredible home childcare environment at Sprouts. You can feel it in the kids’ behavior and demeanor when you walk in. It’s unusually peaceful and respectful . She's a talented teacher and an incredibly caring person. Our son sometimes says “Me wanna go to Julie’s house and see Julie” when he’s at home.
In response to GlennOp’s concern about the trips to Pioneer Park, I understand because I’ve had some of the same worries myself. However, I felt completely comfortable after observing directly how Julie handles the kids at Pioneer. The children all know the rules and she keeps them close. Actually, my husband had a chance to watch Julie and her assistants bring kids to the park on many occasions over the course of a year, while he was still at home with our son. Those unintentional observations were the reason we decided to enroll him in Sprouts in the first place. We’ve seen other providers out and about in Davis, and decided to avoid them because of what we observed. The excellent quality of care Julie gives just stands out. And we love that our son can still enjoy playing outside while we’re at work. I wholeheartedly recommend Sprouts to any questioning parents out there.
2014-07-28 15:37:11 Julie cared for my daughter from 2008-2009 and my son from 2013-2014. She takes excellent care of kids and has lots of great things from them to do. She is particually good and interacting with the kids and teaching them how to get along. She taught my son how to share, how to speak up for himself, how to make new friends. My son has a speech delay and made lots of progress with speech while he was here. She also serves a healthy lunch which saves times and helps the kids try new foods. My only complaint is that I wish Julie lived closer to my house :) —TheresaPistochini
2014-11-25 17:16:17 We continue to have a great experience at Sprouts and with owner Julie. Our daughter has been going to Sprouts for almost two years. We have found the care Julie and her staff give to our daughter to be outstanding. We recommended Sprouts to anyone that inquires and two friends have placed their children at Sprouts. We evaluated multiple day care options but for us Sprouts was the best choice. We have been extremely pleased with that choice and have a great deal of trust in owner Julie. Day care is a huge choice. I encourage anyone considering Sprouts to go experience the Sprouts environment with the kids, talk to Julie, and talk with any of us Sprouts parents. There are usually a few of us picking up around 4-4:30 each day.
2015-03-05 18:48:20 Another teacher here, I have taught pre-k and first grade, and I too was very picky when it came to choosing childcare for my daughter. In all honesty, Sprouts was the only place in town that I felt comfortable leaving my daughter, I'm that picky. I could sing Julie and Ava's praises all day, so I'll limit myself to a bulleted list of reasons why I love Sprouts: -Loving, homey atmosphere -Plenty of time outdoors (someone in previous comments said something about the park being run-down, which I don't understand at all. It is a lovely, shady, very safe park and is a favorite among Davis-ites, even those who live far away from the park, for those reasons.) -Lots and lots of imaginative play -Nutritious snacks and lunches -Teacher to student ratio -Fostered friendships! (Julie has a knack for helping kids communicate effectively, which fosters an environment in which friendships blossom) -Individualized attention (Julie knows all of her kids so well, she really is like a second mom, as other posters have mentioned) -Extremely high standards for co-teachers (Ava is Julie's co-teacher and is so warm, patient, kind, knowledgable about child development, the list goes on and on) -Very fair, reasonable business practices (Julie is a consummate professional who's business practices are well communicated and fair) -Communication, communication, communication: I know what my daughter does all day. I know if she was tired. I know if she was bouncy, or crabby, or shared nicely, or cleaned-up well. Julie always goes the extra mile to tell me how my daughter's day was, and honestly, that, and all the reasons listed above, makes it possible for me to leave her and go to work every day. If you have any questions, please ask Julie for my phone number, I would be glad to provide a personal reference. -Johanna —Johanna
2015-12-07 18:14:28 We are so thankful for Sprouts Childcare in Davis! Julie and Ava have been so amazing with our 2 1/2 year old son and they take away any and all stress that you endure when leaving your child in someone else's care during the day. I'm never worried because I know he is in good care and getting a wonderful experience in a fun, comfortable, loving home environment. Julie goes out of her way to provide updates and share sweet stories about your child and she truly loves the children she cares for. I can tell you personally and from previous experience, that you do not get the same type of personal interaction and care at larger facilities around town. The only reason we had to leave was because we moved out of town, otherwise, I teased that we would keep our son with her as long as possible! I have recommended Julie to so many friends and family and I will continue to do so. —Laryssa
2015-12-15 16:36:15 We feel so lucky that we got to know Julie and Sprouts since my son was born, and two years later had Sprouts as my son's first care outside my family, and so lucky that had Julie and Ava as his first teachers. They are great teachers with deep passion and knowing kids so well, from very young age to naughty toddlers. They fill the day care with creative and fun activities everyday, including story times all through the day, interesting art projects and exploration in the parks/playgrounds nearby. They help kids building happy minds, good behaviors and nice social abilities, which set solid foundations for their further development. We are Chinese and we speak mandarin at home. When my son first went to Sprouts he didn't know any English, moreover, he was the first foreign kid Sprouts had, so I was kind of worry. Surprisingly, Julie helped him to settle down in the new environment very quickly. Even though there was language barrier at the beginning, my son enjoyed the time in Sprouts, and soon he started to pick up English words. We had planed to keep my son in Sprouts as long as possible, but because we might go back to China soon, we had to change our plan. We always feel it was such a pity that we had to leave Sprouts. And my son often mentioned how much he missed Sprouts, Julie and Ava. I had recommended one of my Chinese friends to send her daughter to Sprouts and after she visited Sprouts the first time, she called me immediately and excitedly and appreciated my recommendation. Now her daughter is in Sprouts and enjoys going there every day just as my son used to be. I strongly recommend Sprouts to the families who are looking for a caring, warm, family-like day care for their young kids. —yu
2016-07-30 22:04:00 My daughter spent a wonderful year at Sprouts beginning when she was 2.5 years. It was a formative year for her, and a great one, thanks to Julie and her terrific assistant teachers. What Sprouts does really well in my opinion is get the basics right -- no easy feat for anyone who has ever cared for one, let alone multiple, young children. The children are treated with respect, and they learn from this modeling to treat their peers with respect. Rules and boundaries are explained gently and clearly, in a way the kids can understand. Kids' individual differences in temperament, style and interests are supported and respected. Sprouts is never loud and chaotic. Because of Sprouts' small size and the flexibility of the in-home model, Julie and her staff can react to how the kids are acting as a group on any given day. Are they getting wild because they are bored? A new activity is introduced. Are some kids enjoying the wagon walk in the light rain, while others are not? Some continue on, others go back. This means that the kids have the positive experiences of learning to be part of a larger group without having to conform or do a project just because it was part of the plan for the day. The kids have fun, play indoors and out, do creative art projects, read books, and eat home-cooked meals. It is a very emotionally supportive and warm place where adults and kids share hugs, talk about their feelings, and are able to be themselves. I recommend it highly for young kids who aren't quite ready for a classroom-type preschool environment. —Ahokanson
