We had such an amazing experience at Open Arms. The school is really close to UF which is great for anyone working in the area. It is on a quieter side street, which made me feel really good about the safety of the location. As a parent, the amount of child care options in town can sometimes be overwhelming. My first step is always to look at the CARES Search for programs to see if they have any violations, what their VPK Class scores are, learn more about ratios/program details, but this is all such a small picture of the quality of a program. We had a great experience when first initiating contact, asking questions, touring the facility and meeting the teachers. The school is really calm and I can tell that the teachers in other classes get to know all the children, which is wonderful. The staff are all so lovely and responsive and I really felt like my daughter had an amazing, exciting, safe and nurturing environment to support her learning and development. We will miss her teachers and the staff so much, but I highly highly recommend exploring this program for your child.

Both of my children have been at Open Arms for their daycare and preschool experiences and it has been wonderful. The director is awesome and has an incredible pulse on the needs of staff and children. They maintain staff, some for over a decade, which, in some ways, says more than I can. They see and deal with each student as a unique individual and do a great job of matching them to classrooms and activities that meet their needs and challenge them in ways that are both fun and enriching. I can’t speak highly enough of them. They have been an indelible part of our lives since we started bringing our kids there six years ago.

My daughter has been at Open Arms since she was 6 months old (she’s now 2 ½) and I can’t say enough good things about her experience. I’ve gotten to know many of the staff, children, and parents and it feels like a family. The atmosphere at Open Arms is compassionate and the environment is safe and clean. I love the great educational, creative, and fun activities they have planned for the kids at every stage. The communication with parents is excellent and transparent. I love getting the weekly newsletter, as well as updates and photos during her day.

We have loved Open Arms for our daughter. This was her first daycare experience when she started at 2.5, and she was a little timid at first, but she loves it and looks forward to going now. She has learned her colors in spanish and sign language, she is more outgoing, and loves playing with the other kids. The teachers have all been wonderful and the director is great. We would highly recommend this preschool. We also have appreciated the proximity to UF's campus. This preschool has been a big blessing in our lives!

Both our girls attended Open Arms and thrived. This preschool welcomes children of all race, religion, and gender identification. They embrace diversity. Situated near UF means many UF employees use this preschool which results in many languages being spoken during the day. This is wonderful for little ones as they are sponges and come home with snippets of phrases in Korean, Mandarin, Spanish, etc. The teachers are universally loved by the children and the administration are responsive to any concerns a parent may have. The school supports families in ways beyond that of a usual preschool and for that we will always be grateful. I highly recommend Open Arms. It is a special place in Gainesville. You will not regret sending your child there.

I recently moved to Gainesville and was recommended this place by a colleague. I was first on the waiting list for about 2 months but I didn't mind that ( I was actually excited to get in there); however once I started it was a nightmare. First off, everyday I would get a call or report that my 2year old has been biting/aggressive and was told each occurrence it would happen out of no where (which later I found out was a lie due to video evidence). Her dad and I thought it was strange (especially since she never bite at home) so after the last occurrence I asked to watch the video to see what provoke this reaction. The director was very harsh and almost upset that I asked to see the video. Well, after viewing the tape I saw that my daughter was playing and another girl walked up to her, slapped her in the face and they were fighting for about 5secs before a teacher broke it up. I was mortified. After viewing, I asked the director a simple question as to why my child was reprehended and what actions were they taking to prevent this in the future. She got very hostile and said "your family and I don't mesh well and I don't think this is the daycare for you" I was taken aback because any concerned parent would be worried by what I witness. We were never offered a refund, (we did not finish the month) just told to not return. I warn any mother of color to not bring your child to this daycare.

Open Arms and their staff have been excellent with my little girl. She was kept at home for the first two years and I was timid about sending her to school as I knew she was very shy. The staff embraced her and she is thriving as a student there. The teachers there are knowledgeable and treat my daughter as well as the other students with great respect. They care about these kids and the director is amazing with keeping in touch with the parents.

Its a great school. They have a friendly staff who is always caring for the children in their care. It's very well kept and clean.