Richdale Family Child Care

Kaniz's daycare is simply the best. Our daughter attended for a year while we were on sabbatical. Kaniz was the warmest, most loving caregiver, and our daughter simply adored her. Her home is bright and welcoming, and she organizes all kinds of play-based activities for the kids. Every day they were trying out some new art project or musical activity. She takes them to the park whenever it is nice out, and the local library and gym. She cooks delicious meals for them once a week, and every day gives them lots of homemade snacks. Most important, though, she genuinely loves the children she cares for, and they grow so fond and attached to her. We would recommend her unconditionally to any family looking for a daycare.

Richdale Family Child Care was the perfect childcare fit for our family while we lived in Cambridge. Our son attended Kaniz’s daycare for a year and a half starting at age 15 months — we left due to a series of life transitions culminating in moving out of town, and pulling our child out of Kaniz’s daycare had me teary-eyed. Our son loved his time in Kaniz’s home with his daycare friends, and we know that Kaniz and her family loved him too. Kaniz is a warm and reliable caregiver who works hard to cultivate a positive and calm group dynamic with a cohort of 4-6 toddlers. She’s a bit of a magician — she can get them all to sit down and eat a full lunch, say please and thank you, and do adorable yoga. She can even get 4 toddlers to paint in her house without disaster! One thing we really loved about Richdale Family Child Care is that the kids get out in the neighborhood on a daily basis. From long summer splash pad days to winter snow angels to regular library story time visits, we loved that our son got so much fresh air as well as a sense of belonging in our community. We would hear reports from other parent friends who had seen Kaniz and the kids out and about — they would always note how caring and attentive Kaniz was with the kids, and how happy and well-behaved the kids were on their outings. Our child was coming to this daycare after being cared for by Mom at home, and we felt that the family home setting and small group of kids here provided a gentle transition that was very comfortable for him. Kaniz grew to really know his individual personality and interests and helped him grow and have fun in ways that were just right for him. We are so happy we sent our son to Richdale Family Child Care and continue to effusively recommend it to Cambridge friends!

Our daughter had a truly wonderful year (age 2) with Kaniz at her child care program. By the time we found Kaniz we had been through a long, unsuccessful search for outside care. Our daughter had been at home with Mommy and Daddy her whole life and would not accept anyone else. The first nanny we tried to hire was rejected by our daughter - she screamed and screamed whenever we tried to leave. Next we signed up for an expensive local childcare center, but the center had strict rules and would not allow us to come with our daughter while she got to know the teachers. We heard about Kaniz from a friend, and she was absolutely wonderful. She welcomed us into her home while our daughter spent a few hours a day getting to know Kaniz. Kaniz has a magical touch with little ones. Our daughter quickly came to love and trust her. By the time we tried leaving, our daughter did not even seem to notice. She did not cry at all!! Very soon she adored Kaniz so much she sometimes asked to go back after we picked her up, and sometimes on weekend mornings she would ask to go. I had enormous peace of mind when she was there, knowing that she was happy and well cared for. In addition to Kaniz's thoughtful, loving, attentive care, I appreciated the rich and varied activities, especially the outings. Kaniz takes the children outside every day if possible, and if the weather allows, they are outside for hours. They go to different playgrounds and to the library. Your child will have a richer, more varied experience and probably more outside time than most other childcare programs in Cambridge (even the very expensive ones). Kaniz taught our daughter manners (including table manners), personal hygiene (including potty training), letters, and numbers. She also helps the children learn social skills. Our daughter made several close friends there. Unfortunately our daughter could only be with Kaniz for one year because we moved out of the area. Over 6 months later, she still talks about Kaniz and her family (occasionally Kaniz's adult daughter and husband help out). Our daughter will reminisce about fun times and games they played, or ask to go visit. In Cambridge there are many options for child care, many of them very expensive. We have another child and have personal experience with some of these programs. I felt better and more comfortable sending our daughter to Kaniz's child care than any others we had experience with in Cambridge. Some of these centers have amazing looking websites and a lot of impressive sounding talking points, but at the end of the day, what mattered most to us was knowing that our daughter was happy, loved and cared for, and was learning and growing. This is something you don't always get at the bigger places. We were lucky to hear about Kaniz from a friend. I would recommend her highly to anyone looking for quality care for their child.