Sonnets Academy – Hyde Park

My son stayed here while we visited Chicago on sabbatical for half a year. He started in the younger infants classroom at 6 months and moved up to the older infants classroom around 9 months for the rest of the stay. We moved away a week ago and already miss it, especially all the wonderful teachers!
We chose Sonnets after visiting all the home day cares that BabyPhD recommended to us and as well as Tiny Scholars and Little Inspirations. The home day cares and Tiny Scholars weren’t structured enough and Little Inspirations didn’t have a spot so we went with Sonnets. The choice was pretty easy since the rooms are huge, they have a large number of toys, and the curriculum and food were top notch. We had previous been at a KinderCare so this was a big upgrade for us.
Our little one ended up had some issues with napping and was a little slow on solids but the teachers were very accommodating and nurturing and got him up to speed. His transition to the older infants classroom (just next door to the younger) was great and he really enjoyed spending time with the older kids, most of who were toddling already. Had he stayed longer, he would have transitioned to the toddlers room at 15 months.
We were actually offered a spot at Little Inspirations 2 months in, but we chose to stay because we liked the teachers. They seemed to really care for our son and knew him well and so were able to cater specifically to his needs. The older infant teachers Ms. Christine and Ms. Iesha were particularly wonderful and we definitely miss them a ton already. I will say that the original teachers in the younger infant classroom both left, one right around when we transitioned to older infants and one afterward. The changing teachers was a little worrisome, even if it never directly affected us, but they always seemed to be able to find good replacements. Most importantly, the center director, Ms. Tameka, was a constant and was very good at reassuring us when we had concerns.
The location is conveniently close to the 55−56−57 Metra station. If you’re looking at daycares in Hyde Park, definitely consider Sonnets!

Sonnets Academy Hyde Park is awesome! After searching high and low for a decent day care center to send my 14 week old son to, Sonnets Hyde Park was a Godsend, seriously. The director, Tameka, is very professional, educated and passionate about the center and her work. She made me feel very comfortable from the first conversation, and is present every day – which is not the case with the majority of day care centers I toured. In addition, the teachers are very knowledgable and attentive. They seem to be very pleased with the work that they do and teaching children, as opposed to passive baby sitting. Sonnets offers a full curriculum in every classroom, starting in early infancy. My son is very alert and smart for his young age, and I feel that Sonnets is engaging him and enhancing his learning experiences by fostering his unique talents, while also teaching him socialization skills. My son is happy to go to school everyday and equally happy when I pick him up! I would highly recommend Sonnets if you want your child in the best care that Chicago and specifically Hyde Park has to offer!

We have been so happy with our decision to send our daughter to Sonnets, where she started this August. The atmosphere is warm and friendly, the teachers are kind, and our daughter felt comfortable very quickly after starting there. She is now excited every morning that I drop her off and I never have to worry that she is having fun and safe while there. We love her classroom teachers and feel comfortable communicating regularly with them. All of the staff I’ve met care greatly for the children and know her by name. I would highly recommend this daycare and encourage others to visit and speak with the staff. We immediately knew that this was the place we wanted our daughter to be and have been so pleased with the experience.

Despite the many changes in staff the past few months I am very pleased with Sonnets Academy. My toddler started daycare in March of 2015 and at that point she wasn’t expressing herself but since she started attending Sonnets she has really progressed! The new teachers are just as amazing as the old teachers!
Granted I wasn’t happy with the fact that my little one would get comfortable with a teacher and then they would leave the company but now since there is a permanent staff in place I can’t rave enough about this daycare.
The new Director Tameka is very professional, pleasant and responsive to all of our needs and concerns which is refreshing. I feel so comfortable leaving my little one at Sonnets because I know she will be well taken care of.
The reason I gave 4 stars was because it is a bit pricey but I guess you have to pay for quality so I highly recommend Sonnets Academy!

My daughter has been going to sonnets since December, there was teacher turnover but not because of anything negative. I know personally 2 teachers relocated out of state due to relationships and their partner’s career changes. So that should be cleared up for the public! The new director Tameka has been there for several months now and I’m very pleased with her. She’s very responsive and communication is constant. The toddler teachers are extremely capable and great with the kids, safety is not nor has ever been an issue. I’m there every Tuesday with the music teacher for music class and know all of the kids. They all have a great time and enjoy going to the museum and parks close by. My only small blip would be as the above reviewer (Cynthia) mentioned is some of the food from the new supplier. They are working on things as we speak, because a few parents have also voiced concerns over some of the meals. Tameka is on it!

Although we are out for the summer because I am an educator myself, we can’t wait to get him back in school this fall.
Hats off Sonnets of Hyde Park.

Our initial experience with the school was rather pleasant. The teachers in the toddlers room were exemplary. However, as our youngest moved into the twos room and our oldest into the preK class, all the flaws in this place became apparent. What was most troubling was that the new ownership (Sonnets) that took over in the Fall of 2014 were less responsive to parent concerns, ineffective in communication and deceitful bullies in interactions with families.
Supervision was poor or nonexistent and we pulled our children as we felt they were unsafe and quality of care was steadily declining.
There are many more respectable centers and care options available in the Hyde Park area. We have since utilized Baby PhD and have been pleased with the options provided.

Initially, in 2013, we were quite pleased with the school. However, over the course of about 18 months, four teachers in our child’s class alone have left. One core teacher was transferred to another location with literally no advanced notification to parents. One day she was there, the next day she was gone.
Over the past few months, I had a number of issues regarding the curriculum and the schools failure to ensure kids have a seamless transition from teacher to teacher, and in all communications I have been less than impressed. In fact, I now have little confidence that the leadership team can provide a stable, healthy and engaging environment for my child.
Based upon our experiences as of December 2014, I would highly suggest parents find another preschool /​pre-​k for their children.
P. S. American Kidz Academy is now owned by Sonnets Academy and has changed its name accordingly.