Currently enrolled families may also reach their classrooms or a school director on the school's mobile phones. Urban Child Academy is a private school offering programs focused on early childhood education. We offer 2, 3 and 5 day per week programs. Our mission is to provide an exceptional education that is based on research in contemporary early childhood development theory.
Our goal is to inspire Chicago's youngest residents to develop a love of learning that lasts a lifetime. At Urban Child Academy, we foster a community where children develop the skills necessary to excel in the primary grades and throughout their lives. We execute this concept through our classroom and field "investigations" which explore Chicago's world-class urban resources.
Our goal is to inspire Chicago's youngest residents to develop a love of learning that lasts a lifetime. At Urban Child Academy, we foster a community where children develop the skills necessary to excel in the primary grades and throughout their lives. We execute this concept through our classroom and field "investigations" which explore Chicago's world-class urban resources.
Services
We are always looking for exceptionally talented, qualified and enthusiastic educators to join our team! D. is fulfilling her dream of opening a preschool in Chicago with her husband, David. She earned her doctorate in Educational Psychology from Loyola University in Chicago.
Laura contributes to the Academy as both an Owner and Curriculum Director, focusing on providing the best possible early education experience for each child based on contemporary research.As a Chicago Mom herself, Laura has personal insight into the preschool scene. She and David have survived the tedious and frustrating process of finding a high quality preschool for their own young urban child.
Laura contributes to the Academy as both an Owner and Curriculum Director, focusing on providing the best possible early education experience for each child based on contemporary research.As a Chicago Mom herself, Laura has personal insight into the preschool scene. She and David have survived the tedious and frustrating process of finding a high quality preschool for their own young urban child.
At Urban Child Academy, compassionate teaching takes place in an authentic environment. Your child is valued as an individual and acquires life long skills that lay the foundation for future schooling. We believe in the unique way each child views the world and are committed to their development by offering engaging experiences.
Our preschools are centered in the heart of Chicago's Gold Coast and River North neighborhoods steps from local businesses, parks, and museums. We offer early childhood education for children aged 15 months to 6 years. At Urban Child Academy we know that children learn through exploring their environment, and we have worked hard to make ours an environment worth exploring.
Both of these wonderful Urban Child Academy neighborhoods are home to the Hancock Building and Northwestern Memorial Hospital, exclusive hotels, like the Drake and the Ritz-Carlton, and minutes from Navy Pier and its Children's Museum.
On warmer days, Millenium Park offers dazzling music, art, landscape design and architecture- including the mammoth stainless-steel Cloud Gate sculpture- plus ice skating in the winter, splashing around in the interactive Crown Fountain during summer, and some of the finest picnic spots in Chicago.For all of our students, these are just a quick trip on the Red Line or a long stroller ride on a warm summer day.
On warmer days, Millenium Park offers dazzling music, art, landscape design and architecture- including the mammoth stainless-steel Cloud Gate sculpture- plus ice skating in the winter, splashing around in the interactive Crown Fountain during summer, and some of the finest picnic spots in Chicago.For all of our students, these are just a quick trip on the Red Line or a long stroller ride on a warm summer day.
Urban Child Academy recognizes that families are the primary educators of our children. Therefore, one of our main missions is to include our families in our daily activities at every opportunity. We also work hard to share our curriculum goals with you and your family so that you can help us achieve our educational goals from year to year.
Reviews (11)
Taliaen R.
Jul 10, 2020
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Taking my child to this daycare was the best decision I made. Almost instantly, I saw positive changes in his behavior and I saw how much he liked his teachers who are very professional and just the best. I absolutely loved everything about this place and miss it very much now that we moved. I wish there was a UCA branch in our area.
Chris Nelson Vasquez
Oct 24, 2019
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Swati S.
Jan 25, 2017
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Honestly - we feel so lucky to have found this preschool. Been here 2.5 years and not a single complaint. The teachers have been fantastic. Our shy little girl has come out of her shell due to the amazingly warm and friendly environment. The teachers and administrators are the best of the best. And - we have made wonderful friends in the like-minded parent community. Our little one "graduates" this year and we will be so sad to leave our friends. But, we wish all the future kiddos and parents the best - you will not regret joining the wonderful UCA community!
Keith D.
Jun 18, 2015
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Katie F.
May 06, 2014
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Just a quick shout out to my favorite women in all of Chicago, the teachers at Urban Child Academy.
My daughter has attended Urban Child for a couple of years now and we love it. There is just nothing that I have found like it. The whole family feels like it is our school, built for our daughter.
The teachers care about their students and spend a lot of time building really fun lesson plans. The school lets them do it by keeping the classroom ratios low. We just received our biannual assessment report which is always so detailed and really helps us understand our daughter's development
My daughter has attended Urban Child for a couple of years now and we love it. There is just nothing that I have found like it. The whole family feels like it is our school, built for our daughter.
The teachers care about their students and spend a lot of time building really fun lesson plans. The school lets them do it by keeping the classroom ratios low. We just received our biannual assessment report which is always so detailed and really helps us understand our daughter's development
T. L.
Aug 01, 2013
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Alright, I don't understand Yelp reviews because they filtered my last one about this school (Jordan). my children went here so that is really odd. However, I do not think it is appropriate to change my star rating from 4 to 5 even if it was filtered!!! I think that is unethical on Yelps part and starts to make their reviews unreliable. Anyway, I stand by my review of this school. Wish I would've kept my children there till JK.
City Mom C.
Jun 18, 2013
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Prior to UCA we were at a large, national chain however, when UCA opened their doors, we were intrigued by the idea of a smaller Chicago independent.
1. We were excited about being able to take an active role in our children's education.
2. We were excited about the school being "less daycare, more early learning."
3. We were excited about the school taking advantage of all that Chicago has to offer. The idea that our children would be taking walking field trips to the MCA, Fire departments, Ruth Paige (for plays) and Farmers market (to learn about our culture, social concerns
1. We were excited about being able to take an active role in our children's education.
2. We were excited about the school being "less daycare, more early learning."
3. We were excited about the school taking advantage of all that Chicago has to offer. The idea that our children would be taking walking field trips to the MCA, Fire departments, Ruth Paige (for plays) and Farmers market (to learn about our culture, social concerns
Jacquelyn S.
Jun 06, 2013
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Fair warning: I am not normally a gusher (I swear, just read my other reviews) but this one is too near and dear to my heart. So prepare for some yelp love.
I LOVE THIS SCHOOL. The world can be a big dark scary place, especially when you are a toddler. But Urban Child has touched my children and my family in ways I could not have imagined. The staff and school are a part of our family now and forever.
You can see it and feel it from the day you take the tour of the school. It's like the home we all wish we had right in the heart of Chicago's Gold Coast. They even kept the original
I LOVE THIS SCHOOL. The world can be a big dark scary place, especially when you are a toddler. But Urban Child has touched my children and my family in ways I could not have imagined. The staff and school are a part of our family now and forever.
You can see it and feel it from the day you take the tour of the school. It's like the home we all wish we had right in the heart of Chicago's Gold Coast. They even kept the original
Rand M.
Nov 05, 2012
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Let me start by saying the my ex-wife and I agree on very nearly nothing at all. Except things involving our wonderful, precocious, fabulous and in-every-way-perfect young daughter (okay, maybe I'm a little biased but that's what dad's do!)
So finding Urban Child Academy was a dream come true. I spend a lot of time traveling for work and my ex also works part-time. So we knew we had to take the plunge into nannies or daycare. I swear that between the two of us we looked at 25 different places in Chicago. We found about 3 we liked at all. Most of them felt very institutional
So finding Urban Child Academy was a dream come true. I spend a lot of time traveling for work and my ex also works part-time. So we knew we had to take the plunge into nannies or daycare. I swear that between the two of us we looked at 25 different places in Chicago. We found about 3 we liked at all. Most of them felt very institutional
Kathryn C.
Jul 26, 2012
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Our daughter started at Urban Child shortly after her 2nd birthday. At the time, I was apprehensive about putting her in school/daycare because, up to that point, she had only been cared for by family (me, grandma and her aunt). I researched several daycare options. Urban Child outshined the others by far, and I was very excited when UCA offered my daughter a spot. My daugher is in the Toddler room, and her teachers are very caring, fun and conscientious. It is clear that they do their best to make sure she has a great day everyday she is there. From the time they took to help with her transtion
Karin P.
Jul 23, 2012
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We searched high and low for the perfect daycare for our daughter. Our friends (who are still at Urban and have been since it opened and still love it in the 2-3s room) recommended it to us. We started her at 15 months and probably toured about 8 places (what were considered the best of the best, we were not bargain shopping). It was hard to find an OUTSTANDING place that took kids part time. But we found it at Urban Child! We've been there about 9 months and each day we love it more. It has SUCH a preschool (as opposed to daycare) vibe, and that is exactly how the administration and
