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. Emmy

Esther's Garden Family Child Care

Licensed home daycare

Dorchester, MA

7am–5pm, M - F

All aboard for Fun, Learning and Dancing.

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

Circle time

Drawing & illustration

Fine motor skills development

Gross motor skills development

Music

Reading time

Seasonal 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.

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 #9034153

Education

Associate’s Degree - 2004
International Business @ Roxbury Community College

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. Emmy

What inspires you to care for young children?

Working with children is so heartwarming because they encourage community. When children feel safe and supported, they can be so beautifully social and welcoming. At this age, they are learning how to make new friends and starting to make connections. Through play time, it’s incredible to see what they come up with together. Lunch is also a great opportunity for them to come out of their shells and get to know one another. A good day here is one full of laughter and good conversations.

What’s a typical day like at your daycare?

Children are primed for learning new things. At my daycare, we really encourage their excitement for exploring the world. My program is special because it is bilingual. Kids will have the chance to practice Spanish, in addition to improving their vocabulary in English. In fact, often the kids’ favorite part of the day is math and learning to count in both languages. This simple exercise is so good for their developing minds, and it’s a lot of fun! Being able to experience life and express themselves through both Spanish and English can be a really helpful tool for their future.

What’s one thing parents should know about your program?

Every child is born with their own set of dreams, skills, and challenges. It’s what makes them so special! After my youngest child was diagnosed with autism, I had a really hard time finding appropriate care and educational tools. To the parents who are also having a hard time finding the right fit, I would say you are not alone. Your family will become part of our community. I started my own daycare program because I wanted to help families like mine and to celebrate the things that make each child unique.

Think Ms. Emmy might be a good fit?

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

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”

~ Benjamin Franklin

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. Emmy has a spot for you.

Select an age range to get an estimate:

Location

Ms. Emmy’s NeighborSchool47 Codman Hill Avenue Dorchester, MA 02124(617) 765-1972(617) 765-1972

There are 12 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.