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. Dixil

Licensed home daycare

Dorchester, MA

7:30am–5:30pm, M - F

Where you grow and learn

Great for parents who want...

Each daycare has its own approach and specialties based on the provider’s expertise. Take the survey to see daycares that match your preferences and work best for you.Each daycare has its own approach & specialties. Take the survey to see 3 good matches for you.

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.

Arts & crafts

Outdoor play

Reading time

Sensory play

Neighborhood walks

Music

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 #9029158

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. Dixil

Tell us about your experience working with young children?

I started working with children as an early childhood educator in daycare centers 24 years ago, and I have been caring for children ever since. Opening my own child care program in my home gave me the opportunity to create the welcoming, nurturing environment that I think is so important. I especially love to see them start to walk and talk, but the truth is that so many parts of the day and the week bring me a lot of joy. Through it all, I focus on giving children personalized attention. One of the best parts of working with children is watching them learn and grow. The work is incredibly rewarding, especially when I think about how I've prepared children for pre-K. It's such a gift to guide the children in my program as they grow.

What are the key areas of focus at your daycare?

Having a small group of children in my home-based program is great because I want them all to learn manners and how to behave in various situations, and this setting makes that possible. I use my knowledge and prior experiences to adjust my program and meet individual children’s needs, and I focus on academic and social readiness. We follow a daily routine that can vary according to child age and interest. Beginning with our morning routine, most days include group activities and games, circle time, story time, free play, and nap time. My favorite time is group activities and games. I love to see their personalities and interests develop and shine through. I want parents to know that their children will receive lots of love and care while they're here. We're all one big family here, and that includes the parents of the children in my program.

Can you tell us a bit about your home environment?

I have dedicated the first floor of my Dorchester home to my program. The space is child-friendly and I know this becomes like a second home to many children. The organization of the space facilitates our daily schedule, and there are special areas for reading, projects, dramatic play, arts and crafts, and eating. We also go on neighborhood walks and on trips to the local playground.

Think Ms. Dixil might be a good fit?

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

“If we want our children to move mountains, we first have to let them get out of their chairs.”

~ Nicolette Sowder

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. Dixil has a spot for you.

Select an age range to get an estimate:

Location

Ms. Dixil’s NeighborSchool6 Denvir Street #1 Dorchester, MA 02124(774) 315-4139(774) 315-4139

There are 45 home daycares in Dorchester. 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.