Harbor Child Care - New Hyde Park NY Day Care Center

I'm going to begin with a comment from the very last post before mine... For, the lady that is pregnant. First, off maybe your hormone's are raging in anger with all the negative input you had to say about Harbor daycare. My daughter attends Harbor daycare and Im very pleased with all aspects of it... Do you know how hard it is to have a handul plus of toddlers to keep all in order?? Obviously, not by your comment "oh my Lord they had no control at all the children running around, some were eating, some were sitting in the corner". All children especially around toddler age are exploring. Anyway enough about this lady, because she is annoying me.. My daughter has learned so much since first starting Harbor daycare and she continues to learn new materials everyday.. I'm very impressed with all her teachers and teacher aides.. If i had to choose I would definitely suggest Harbor daycare.. I also forgot to mention that they have their own private chefs from Italy and my daughter loves all the food.. I also like that they will not give your child anything that he/she has never eaten before for safety purposes {allergies}.. If anybody has any questions please feel free to ask me.. Sincerly, Mrs. Collins...

We have used HCC for our younger child (turning 4) for the past year and a half and HCC summer camp for our older child (6 year old) last year. The younger one attends in Mineola since it opened and the older one went to summer camp in Herricks.

We have seen this place grow. We have seen teachers come and go. We know that the teachers and assistant teachers could be better compensated but that's an internal issue (of course they claim it's because they are non-profit but they are pulling in money). The summer camp is also well organized, regardless of the aging Herricks community center location.

The staff is knowledgeable, friendly, absolutely caring, professional and the previous reviewer I believe either exaggerated a bit or comes from Mars. Now that HCC will be hosting UPK via Mineola, we hope our younger child gets accepted into the lottery for the 5-day.

Our daughter goes to Harbor Care in Mineola and we have been very pleased with it so far. They have a 3:1 teacher ratio in the infant room and the teachers are great. The facility is very clean and everyone is friendly. I looked at about 10 facililites (including another Harbor Care) and this is the one I liked best. I think the first commenter obviously never dealt with babies before. Infants cry - sometimes a lot - and it can seem chaotic. Also, I don't want someone picking up my child every time she cries - otherwise she will learn that the way to get attention and to get picked up is to cry. I can't really comment on the meal selection yet as I provide all my daughters milk. I think the security at the facility is excellent and the receptionist definitely knows me, my husband, and my daughter's two grandmothers. I give this place high marks!

This daycare has many locations some I have been to and others I have not - I'm sure you have all heard of day care horror stories and this place is one of them!! Do not be fooled by the fake smiles when you walk in!

First I will start with the newest one that is mineola, it's facilities are very new and are clean and have tons for the children to do their. I met with some Teachers and got to walk threw many times during different hours of the day and it was very nice to see that at least some parts of this business were what they were suppose to be like

My only complaint for this location would be that there was a few entrances not always locked and a bit too much traffics in the building for my taste.

Next you have a location located in Manhasset on the North Shore LIJ campus
This place is scary to even think about. It actually has a playground when you first go by the entrance ramp and its absolutely filthy and that is that I just saw it from the outside and the bikes were disgusting the little cars full of dust and dirt and then then play area just looked old and worn out with poles sticking out of the ground - just seemed hazardous for youngsters.

Then you go inside and it's very plain and miserable looking - when you enter the classrooms again first things that comes to mind is filth I first saw the baby room and it was just way to chaotic - they had babies screaming in the cribs and babies crawling on top of other babies while one women stood their smiling at me washing stuff in the sink while another lady sat in the rocking chair feeding a baby - why would you wash dishes while you have babies crying? How could I trust that my baby wouldn't be in a crib crying all day?

Next we brought to the next room where the lights were out there was one teacher in that room, again she was staring down and only looked up and smiled at us once and then rocked two cribs at the same time while another baby was crying in a third crib - again it just seemed very chaotic and why is there only one teacher with 4 babies?

So although I am still pregnant they later bring me to another room with kids that were toddlers- and oh my lord!! No control at all! There were children eating some Children sitting in a corner - other children strapped in their chairs while they were apparently waiting for something- and there was one teacher in the room again washing I don't m me what in the sink and another teacher sitting in between two tables while chaos was going on...

I don't know overall I was not very happy with the manhasset location staff seemed ok... I thought they would be more welcoming and I wish the place was cleaner and and just more kid-friendly - the director seemed nice, but just kind of lost when you ask some questions - for what they charge they have an awful selection of food and just seem like there there to rip you off

I guess it depends on the person - my friend sent her children their and swore by the place she told me to talk to a women name Jennifer at the Manhasset location, but she was on maternity maybe new management needs help... I don't know, but as a new parent I would just be too nervous!

Good Luck I will review other day cares soon! I hope this helps you newbie parents!