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. Dina

Dina's Family Childcare

Licensed home daycare

Framingham, MA

8am–5pm, M - F

Where all children feel like family

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.

Outdoor play

Circle time

Arts & crafts

Sensory play

Reading time

Seasonal activities

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 #9048206

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. Dina

Tell us about your experience working with young children?

I have always been around kids! I was the oldest girl in a family of seven children, and so I was always taking care of my younger siblings as well as kids in the neighborhood. I also raised five children of my own, and so moving into a professional family child care program was a completely natural progression. Over the years, as more and more families have dual income homes, childcare has become a greater necessity. When I opened my program in 1992, there was a huge need and I knew I could fill it. I love working with children because of the discoveries they make every day. It makes everything new for me too, and I enjoy participating in their development. I believe that my over twenty years of experience working with young children enables me to bring the highest level of care to them every day. I can see how everything the kids do, from singing and dancing to playing with water in the sunshine is bringing them new skills. My comfort with kids allows them to have an easy day of play and learning, and eases the parents minds that their children are safe, happy, and receiving an education that will set them up for success for years to come.

What are the key areas of focus at your daycare?

My program has a very home-like feeling. I value that when a child is being cared for, they are able to build a distinct bond with that one person, that the parents also trust. I feel almost like I’m a grandmother to the children in my program! In the beginning of life, it’s nice to have a comfortable environment before setting off for school. That is what I create a place where the children feel like we are a family. We sing, we dance, we do crafts and play-doh. We also use workbooks to learn the alphabet and other academic topics. I find hands-on activities to be the best so that we develop their sensory skills and their little muscles! I am very centered on the developmental growth of the children and everything we do is bringing new skills and lessons into their little brains.

Can you tell us a bit about your home environment?

In my home, we have a big sunshine-filled room that is 20x25 with a wraparound deck off of it, then a fenced-in yard for outdoor play, weather-permitting. Inside we have shelves of toys, little kitchen sets, and tables and chairs for art and snacks, and couches for story time. There is also the kitchen and the dining room. The dining room is for napping, which is separated on purpose to let them know that there is no play while in that room. My home is easily accessible to public transportation, with both the Natick and Framingham stops nearby.

Think Ms. Dina might be a good fit?

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

“Let the child be the scriptwriter, the director and the actor in his own play.”

~ Magda Gerber

Reviews & References

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

Heather

Dina is like family. Both of my children started in her program as infants, and stayed until they went to school - they even continued part-time once in preschool! She is wonderful, and we still visit her! She loves getting into the holidays - dressing up and having little parties with the children for Halloween and the like. We had visited several other home daycares, but as soon as we met Dina, we felt at home. She asked if she could hold the baby, and immediately we felt she was the best choice. She loves reading with the kids - honestly, I wish my kids could still go to her!

Sarah

Dina is so kind and loving. Both girls still talk about their time there, and they are now in 8th and 4th grades. Dina taught them not just to be ready for pre-school, but also about manners, sharing, and other important early childhood development milestones. Dina listened to my concerns as a new mother and was reassuring and patient. We all felt that Dina's was a safe, loving, learning environment.

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. Dina has a spot for you.

Select an age range to get an estimate:

Location

Ms. Dina’s NeighborSchool5 Williams St Framingham, MA 01702(774) 315-4028(774) 315-4028

There are 10 home daycares in Framingham. 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.