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. Maggie

Candyland Daycare

Licensed home daycare

Watertown, MA

7:30am–5:30pm, M - F

The land of creativity: “Creativity is intelligence having fun!”

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.

Music

Arts & crafts

Circle time

Fine motor skills development

Outdoor play

Sensory play

Gross motor skills development

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 #9086555

Prior Experience

Nanny
2 years experience with toddlers
Daycare @ Tartts Daycare Center
5 years experience with infants, toddlers and preschoolers

Education

Associate’s Degree - 2014
Early childhood education @ Massasoit community college

Q&A with Ms. Maggie

What inspires you to care for young children?

Watching them learn and grow. That has been a highlight for me throughout my 13 years of experience. I have worked as an early childhood educator in daycare centers, and most recently I have been working in a daycare program. People have said that I create an environment that is nurturing and welcoming. I focus on learning through play, and I especially love to sing and dance with them. I’m proud when I think about all the children I've helped grow and learn. That's what makes this work so special.

What’s a typical day like at your daycare?

I use my knowledge and prior experiences to tailor programming to 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 welcoming children and families, most days include circle time, arts and crafts, outdoor play, sensory activities, and curriculum-based lessons and activities. My favorite time is circle time. I love to see their personalities and interests develop and shine through.

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

I have a dedicated space in my Watertown home for the program. The space is child-friendly and inviting because 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 music and movement, circle time, dramatic play, napping, and eating. We also go on neighborhood walks and on trips to the local playground. I also want parents to know that I treat all the children as if they were my own. We're all one big family here, and that includes the parents of the children in my program.

Think Ms. Maggie might be a good fit?

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

““It takes a big heart to help shape little minds!””

~ Abbie Burke C.

Reviews & References

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

Meghan

Maggie has been with us as our nanny since June 2019 and we struck absolute gold with her. She is incredibly professional, knowledgeable, courteous… and most importantly, fun-loving, warm, and supportive to growing kids. Our daughter started with her at 17 months and not yet walking, and the lengths she has come physically, cognitively, and emotionally with Maggie are amazing. Maggie strikes the ideal mix between setting appropriate boundaries and structure for children, while letting them stretch their wings and explore their creativity and sense of self. What makes us happiest is what a kind, empathetic, and socially conscious child she has helped develop in our daughter. With Maggie, you get the benefit of her deep experience as a lead teacher in a top Boston daycare, as well as her two years of private nannying experience. She is reliable, easy to communicate with, and trustworthy. Worth mentioning as well: she is entirely adaptable to what life throws at her. She rolled with Covid-related restrictions and changes smoothly and professionally. You will not be disappointed!

Sheryl

Maggie is incredible with children of all ages. We had 3 babies under the age of 3 and she was always cool and calm and her knowledge and experience assured us that our littles were in great hands. Maggie taught me so much about parenting and taking care of littles. Maggie always listened to our parenting values and worked with us, she was more like a family member since she was always very loving, nurturing, safe and reliable. I am so proud that she is embarking on a vision she has had since I have known her. Rest assured, your babies will be in experienced and highly qualified care.

Elizabeth

I was nervous about starting daycare with my son but it has been a great decision to put him with Ms. Maggie. I was initially impressed with the intention Ms. Maggie put into setting up her daycare when I first toured. My son has thrived the last few months with Ms. Maggie, gaining new words, learning some sign language, and he is always happy to go. So happy we made this decision.

Anna

Maggie is a hard-working teacher who loves kids and is willing to do her best for the safety and education for all her students.

Vladanis

Sweet, caring and reliable. Great daycare for your kid 👍🏻

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. Maggie has a spot for you.

Select an age range to get an estimate:

Location

Ms. Maggie’s NeighborSchool747 Mt Auburn St Watertown, MA 02472(617) 765-1972(617) 765-1972

There are 4 home daycares in Watertown. 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.