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. Hidai

Kids First

Licensed home daycare

South Lawrence, MA

7am–4pm, M - F

A more personalized and individualized day care

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

Cooking

Fine motor skills development

Gross motor skills development

Music

Outdoor play

Reading time

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 #9095140

Education

Bachelor’s Degree - 2020
Business @ Southern New Hampshire University
Associate’s Degree - 2020
Human Services @ Northern Essex 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. Hidai

What inspires you to care for young children?

Simply getting to know the children as individuals is the best part! The kids in my program will get an education designed specifically for them. It’s incredibly rewarding to craft a learning plan for each child and watch them thrive every day. For a lot of children, daycare is the first time they’re regularly interacting with people who aren’t in their immediate family. It’s so important that they feel supported and listened to during this moment of transition. Their opinions matter! Their interests guide our curriculum, while their unique challenges will be taken into account every step of the way. It’s so exciting when we find an activity, an arts project, or a book that really speaks to a child. Having a small daycare means that each child’s personality can really shine through.

What’s a typical day like at your daycare?

The most special part of this program is the kids! Our days are really child-led. We will pursue what they’re passionate about while still giving them a solid foundation for school. Taking their individual interests into account makes learning so much more fun for them. We have some small traditions that the kids get excited about. For example, when it’s naptime, each child gets their own tent so it’s like they’re camping. We do spend a lot of time outside, which the kids often love. When it gets warmer, we do a lot of science-based learning. We play in the dirt. We plant seeds and watch them grow. It’s a great opportunity to teach them about the seasons, the environment, and the importance of nurturing living things.

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

All children are welcomed here. Parents might like to know that I have a lot of experience working with children who have behavioral issues. Caregiving has always been my personal passion, so I got my degree in human services and worked for twelve years as a counselor/therapist for children. With patience and empathy, I really strive to make every child feel understood. When a child is struggling with expressing their strong reactions or calming down, we will work together to develop tactics to help them have safe and appropriate reactions. Parents are encouraged to speak to me about any concerns. As a parent of a 15-year-old and an experienced childcare provider, I like to believe I have a wealth of advice to offer. Together, we can map out a plan. Essentially, we will do everything we can to ensure a great experience for the kids.

Think Ms. Hidai might be a good fit?

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

“Caretaking is infrastructure!”

~ Unknown

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. Hidai has a spot for you.

Select an age range to get an estimate:

Location

Ms. Hidai’s NeighborSchool16 Jefferson St South Lawrence, MA 01843(978) 637-5798(978) 637-5798

There are 6 home daycares in Lawrence. 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.