Take the survey to see 3 daycares that match your preferences, timeline, and what matters most to you. It’s free for parents & takes 5 minutes.Take the 5-minute survey to see 3 daycares that match your preferences & timeline.

Ms. Martha

Patico Home Daycare

Licensed home daycare

Dedham, MA

7:30am–1:30pm, M - F

A loving home daycare with an experienced provider

Great for parents who want...

A Few Favorite Activities

Activities are designed to help children develop social, emotional and cognitive skills as they sing, dance, play, and learn in a small group setting.

Reading time

Gross motor skills development

Circle time

Drawing & illustration

Sensory tables

Cooking

Neighborhood walks

Activities are designed to help children develop social, emotional and cognitive skills as they sing, dance, play, and learn in a small group setting.

Each program is led by a licensed child care professional. While they each have their own expertise and approach, they all share a genuine love for educating and helping young children grow & thrive. Being licensed also means they have done a series of state-required trainings and they’ve passed a government background check.

About the Provider

Licensed Family Child Care Educator

License #9041086

Licensing Requirements

Background record checked
Government-level CORI, SORI, and fingerprinting
Home inspected for child safety
Thorough assessment by a licensor from the EEC
Health & safety training
Includes annual professional development hours

Q&A with Ms. Martha

Tell us about your experience working with young children?

I’m originally from Bogota, Colombia, where I earned my degree and started my career in the business world, visiting customers and helping them adopt new products and services - I’ve been helping others ever since. In 2007, I decided to devote myself to working full-time with young children. I started as a nanny and tried hard to bring love, joy and energy into all of the homes where I worked. Over the years, I've worked with families across Needham, Newton & Dedham. Because I’m fully bilingual, I’ve led programming in both English and Spanish, including full immersion at the request of multiple families. At one point, while coordinating playdates with 3 children in one household, and 2 in another, I discovered that children could learn so much more from socializing with a mix of ages, and that's when the idea for Patico's Home Daycare was born. As a mother, and now a grandmother, I cherish every child’s uniqueness, and I treat each child as if they were my own because I know how precious they are. I’m thrilled to welcome families in Dedham to Patico’s Home Daycare, and I look forward to meeting you and your little one.

What are the key areas of focus at your daycare?

At Patico’s Home Daycare, I strive to let children feel the warmth and comfort of their own home. My nickname is Patico, which means duckling in Spanish. Ever since I was a little girl, I have always had a passion and love for other children. I was always the one taking care of and mentoring the other children in my family and neighborhood. I have always enjoyed, the lightness and silliness that children bring to life. I admire how the curiosity of a child's mind can bring everything into perspective and help us to see things differently. I truly cherish the wonder and magic children bring with them everywhere they go. Helping families raise their children is not a job for me, it is truly my calling. In my home, every child will have the opportunity to just be a child, something I feel our very fast paced world is losing. Every child will have a safe place to explore who they are and what they like. They will be guided towards a path of kindness and mindfulness of others and their surroundings.

Can you tell us a bit about your home environment?

In my home, I have a beautiful room fully dedicated to my daycare, just next to the kitchen. Here we have circle time, do our arts & crafts, and share story time. Upstairs I have a cozy room for nap time, with a bathroom where we brush our teeth and wash our hands. My small backyard is perfect for outdoor activities, and directly across the street we have a great playground. During the beautiful weather, we make frequent trips and run around outside. Field trips to the library are often on our calendar, and I’m more than happy to take kids on other trips as approved by parents.

Think Ms. Martha might be a good fit?

Find out if she has a spot for you. It’s 100% free and takes just 5 minutes.

“If children feel safe, they can take risks, ask questions, make mistakes, learn to trust, share their feelings, and grow.”

~ Alfie Kohn

Reviews & References

Here’s the inside scoop from other parents that have worked with Ms. Martha.

Missy

Martha (we call her Patricia) started caring for my children when my oldest (now 11) was just 12 weeks old. She continued to care for them on a part time basis until last year, when they all started full day school. We still see her and consider her a family member. We had an immediate connection and I always felt comfortable with her taking my children to various playgrounds, puppet shows, libraries, and museums. She truly treats them as her own. I asked my kids to describe her and they say “the best, loving, kind, adventurous, fun, and like a second mom.” Anyone would be lucky to have Martha as a childcare provider. She truly is one of a kind!

Stephanie

We first met Martha when my older daughter was just seven months old. She and Martha hit it off right away and Martha soon became an integral part of our family. Between our two kids and our neighbors' three kids, she really did it all, and it always seemed like the more the merrier. I loved that my kids grew up speaking Spanish with her, and I was always amazed by her energy and patience - even on the days that the kids were driving me nuts, Martha just found a way to connect with them. She introduced us to so many family activities and was such a positive presence in our lives. I couldn't more highly recommend Martha to other families.

Alexis

We first met Martha when our son was three months old - there was an immediate connection! We adore her and so does our son. He literally lights up when she walks into the room. She has taught us so much about caring for him as well - from eating to playing, she knows it all! We feel so lucky to have her in our lives.

Kathleen

I have known Martha (Patricia) for years because she is part of my family. I have seen her interact with children many, many times and she is amazing! She is patient, and very loving! Any parent who puts their child in Patricia’s care is very lucky and their children blessed...

Rates & Openings

Daycare rates depend on how old your child will be and what your schedule looks like. 5 days / week might get a slight discount, and infant rates are usually more than toddlers’. Finding a spot also depends on age and schedule because each daycare has a limited number of openings for each age range.

to see if Ms. Martha has a spot for you.

Select an age range to get an estimate:

Location

Ms. Martha’s NeighborSchool315 Sprague Street Dedham, MA 02026(857) 342-4503(857) 342-4503

There are 30 home daycares in Dedham. Most care for 6 to 10 children and take both infants and toddlers. All home daycares are licensed by the Department of Early Education and Care, just like preschool centers.

Let’s find a really good daycare for you

Get your own recommendations based on your preferences, daily routine, and what matters most to you.

FAQs

Your family is unique to you, but some of your questions might not be. 😉 Here’s what most parents want to know when starting out.

What is NeighborSchools?

Hey there, nice to meet you 👋 We’re a new-ish startup that helps new-ish parents find daycare.

We know how hard finding good child care can be - especially for first-time parents. But really good care is what gives you the peace of mind to go back to work and feel confident that your child is getting the stimulation, socialization, and support they need to learn and grow.

So we created NeighborSchools to make this piece of parenthood a whole lot easier. We say “easier” because, let’s be honest, it’s still a big thing to figure out, but working together we can help you find some good options, understand the whole process, and choose a program you’ll feel really good about.

How’s it work?

Most first-time parents don’t know exactly what they’re looking for, so we created a simple survey that will ask you questions about your lifestyle, your daily routines, and your preferences for child care. We’ll then share 3 personalized recommendations that we think might be a good fit. We’ll also give you a timeline that maps out when we would suggest you start touring programs, choose a daycare, and pay a deposit to secure a spot. Your timeline is based on when you want to start care - so you set the pace, and you decide when you’ve found the right match.

Is there a cost?

Nope. Our daycare recommendation service is free for parents. The other half of our business is helping these small-scale daycares with software and services that handle all their administrative tasks, like online contracting, payment processing, and licensing requirements. Before NeighborSchools, services like these were only designed for large corporate child care centers, and part of our mission is to level the playing field for small, independent child care programs. That’s why we picked the name NeighborSchools - we’re all about making child care more personal, more human, and more equitable for the incredible individuals who do this work and care for our children.

How do I know if I’m ready to take the survey?

Generally, if you’re here, you’re ready. The survey lets us give you 3 recommendations to consider, but it’ll also help you better understand what factors to consider, and what questions to be asking right now. It’s simple things like where you live, your child’s date of birth, when you want to start care, and if you have any preferences around program philosophy or language of instruction. If you’re planning 6+ months ahead, it’s a great way to get started, and if you’re hoping to start daycare in the next 2-4 months, it’s definitely time to get started. Click here to start the survey.

How do I know if a daycare has openings?

Each program has a limited number of spots for each age range, so we need to know your schedule and child’s age before we can share availability. The survey covers these basics, as well as factors like drop-off and pick-up times to make sure that recommended programs fit your daily routine. Once we know your child’s age and schedule we can share rates and costs as well.