Kangaroo Family Day Care

My son has been going to Kangaroo Family Daycare for about a year now, since he was almost 1.5 years old and he LOVES it there. I went back to work when he was 3 months old and the only reason he didn’t start at Kangaroo was because they were full. They were recommended by a friend and I’m so glad we were able to eventually get my son in.\r Cristina, Salo, Rosita and Javi are excellent with the kids. My son is always excited to walk in the door there in the morning, and on the way home he continues to name off his friends at daycare, which include Nina (Cristina), Salo, Sita (Rosita), Javi and the kids. This is a family run, in-home daycare that offers a lot of nurture and love. Every day when I drop my son off Cristina is there to greet us and say goodbye. Salo occasionally will say goodbye and I can tell my son LOVES him! The kids have activities out in the backyard or they work on art projects or on rainy days they will also watch some videos. I’m always confident that my son is taken care of and in a loving environment and they are a great place I can rely on. \r I’m expecting my second and will also be taking the baby to Kangaroo once I’m off maternity leave. I can’t imagine anywhere else I’d like to send my son and new baby to. \r \r UPDATE:\r Since my review above, my son has transitioned to pre-school, but my 1.5 year old daughter is still at Kangaroo and she absolutely loves it. You know it's a fun, loving place when your child willing goes in every morning and calls out the name of the caretakers. My daughter is always saying ""Nina"" (for Cristina). \r Cristina, Salo and their entire family have been nothing but fantastic. They offer a safe, loving environment perfect for infants to children getting ready to go to pre-school. They are a small enough daycare where my child can get the needed attention, but big enough to give my child the necessary social interaction needed for her age. \r I can't express how much Kangaroo Family Daycare has been a blessing to my family. \r They offer home cooked meals, singing, dancing, crafting and water play in the summers. They assist with potty training and the children are exposed to a second language, Spanish. more

I started using Kangaroo Family Daycare in 2008 when my son was born, based on a friends raving review. I have been so amazed with this daycare over the past 5 years, my son has graduated to school but my daughter still attends. Their love for children is undeniable and most days I have to beg my children to leave and come home with me. At first I was crushed when my son wanted to go to daycare on the weekends...then I realized how lucky I was to have found a place that he loved so much! He still talks about wanting to go with his sister!\r \r A few of my favorite things, beyond their love for children...\r \r 1. It is a perfect size for giving children socialization with other kids, but not so big they get lost in the shuffle.\r 2. Ages of children range from infant to three or four years old. They have both sleeping and play areas for each that are separate.\r 3. Food is provided...love that I don't have to add feeding my kids to the list before I have to be at work in the morning!!! And when they were infants, formula was provided!\r 4. They speak Spanish to each other and the children. Love the exposure to another language.\r 5. They play with the children and have fun with them...doing crafts, singing, dancing, learning, etc.\r \r I cannot say enough good things about this daycare! They are the BEST!!! They truly are an extension of our family and I am so grateful that they have given so much love to my children. I believe my kids are better off because of their experience at Kangaroo Family Daycare. more

My kid has been attending Kangaroo Day Care for a year now and I completely agree with what Katlarsen has to say. What Christina and Salo, bring to the table is hard to measure - their love for the kids and attention to their needs and care they provide is top notch. With them I have always felt, that running a day care is not a work for them. But something they love to do and are very passionate about which makes a big difference in Kids life.\r \r We really feel fortunate to have such an awesome day care in our neighborhood - I think the name of the daycare is an appropriate one which defines them correctly - **Family**.\r \r \r \r \r \r more

Christina and Salo have been a huge part of our family for 11 years! Our children are grown and in school full time,yet Cristina and Salo remain apart of our family by attending soccer, baseball and basketball games, and graduations! Every year our family, along with several others, has a ""Halloween"" reunion and goes trick or treating in Cristina & Salo's neighborhood to reconnect! They will forever be apart of our lives and we are so very fortunate to have had their guidance and support raising our children! \r I would highly recommend Kangaroo Family Daycare to anyone looking for an in home daycare. Your child will be cared for like one of their own in a safe, loving, caring home! To this day my 11 and 9 yr. old race into Salo and Christina's arms with loving adoration! Pros: Bilingual setting more

The facility here is a small, cramped space for the number of kids. There are much better options for far less money nearby. We opted for The Learning Experience. Better facility, longevity, staff, lower cost and a true learning experience versus simply an "" in home daycare"". more

Kangaroo Family Day Care is an excellent Day Care facility that is run and opperated by a loving family. Our Son comes home from Day Care with a smile on his face and lots of fun stories to tell. They were recommended to us by a very close and trusted friend and I would recommend Kangaroo to any of my friends or family. Our experience with Cristina and Gonzalo has been great since our first visit to their home. They have helped our son grow so much and are always attentive to his needs and development. I cannot speak highly enough of this great family run day care! more

We have been so fortunate!! The first time my wife and I stepped into Cristina and Salo's home in 2008 we knew that we had found a special loving family that would take great care of our 1 year old daughter. We were terribly sad the day we transitioned our 1st daughter to preschool. As soon as I found out my wife was pregnant with our 2nd daughter we immediately reached out to Cristina to save us a spot! more

This is in response to the 1 star - (Love to be a dad) comment. I have used this daycare for 6+ years and know Kangaroo is not the cheapest nor the most expensive; but they provide the highest quality care in the area. They have every reason to require a deposit as their services are in huge demand. I gave them a deposit six months before my first child was born. This was after a tedious process of trying to find the best daycare. When I found Kangaroo, I locked my spot in right away- no questions asked. Following is a letter I recently wrote to Cristina because my 2nd child will be starting a preschool program in June. Read it and get a feel for my experience with this daycare over the last 6+ years. Dear Cristina and Salo, It is with a heavy heart I confirm with you in writing J2's last day at the Kangaroo Family Daycare will be Friday, June 21, 2012. He will continue his scholastic journey at Anneliese School in Laguna Beach beginning Monday, June 25, 2012. Although this is a natural course of action and we are pleased to see J2 grow up, I am saddened I won???t see you every day. When J1 moved on to preschool, it was easier for me knowing I???d still see your smile because of J2???s continued enrollment in your daycare. It has been beyond a pleasure seeing you every day and hearing about your experiences with the children. We???ve also enjoyed getting to know your family more and watching your son grow up over the last 6+ years. I plan to keep in touch with you in the years to come. You have a standing invitation to J1???s dance performances. I???ll keep you posted on any other functions. By all means, do not feel obligated to attend. I want you to know you???ve been more a family to our children than most of our blood relatives and I will continue to include you in milestone events. Thank you for your help in raising J1and J2. I had no idea what I was doing in the beginning when I dropped J1off at your home at just 12 weeks of age. I thought I was a bad mother leaving a baby so young in your care so I could return to work. Your confidence put me at ease. I recall you telling me I was ???doing a good job??? and those words meant the world to me. I look back now at my decision (bringing my 12-week old babies to your daycare) and am now confident it was the correct decision. I feel J1and J2 benefitted from this arrangement because they had my unconditional love and eagerness to be a great mother in addition to your experience as mother (and a grandmother) and your love for children. I honestly feel my children are better people because of your involvement in their lives. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being such a significant part of our children???s lives. I???ll continue to refer your services to anyone looking for a quality daycare / extended family. more

To hold a projected opening in Kangaroo Family Day Care, the first two week's tuition shall be paid. This will be applied to the first two week's tuition and IS NON REFUNDABLE. more

We found this daycare online and attempted to make it work for our son due to the outstanding reviews and proximity to where we live. These folks appeared to be very nice and caring. The issue that we have is that we feel they are very unfair and basically took money from us. My wife left a check for $240 - one weeks worth of daycare- in the hopes our son would start two weeks later. (NOTE: They were asking for double - or two weeks - as a down payment!) Christina said that it was a non-refundable deposit. So for those of you who say we should have known, please read on. My wife was there for less than one hour and told them of the issues left to be resolved prior to an ""ok"". I subsequently called to say I needed to approve this before our son could started. They said, ""No problem!"". They agreed to arrange something the next week. My wife then called to ensure they would hold the check until it was approved by me, Christina again emphatically said ""Don't worry!"", it will all be ok."" She then went on to say that they charge the deposit to hold the spot in the event they get another call for care. My wife said, ""Please, if anyone calls, give them the spot if my husband hasn't had a chance to come by!"" Christina just kept saying, ""Don't worry! It will all work out and be ok"". My job deals with the military. Things change. I was delayed in Mississippi. I called Christina to hold everything as it would be longer than anticipated. I told her we'd be willing to pay for her time (less than 1 hour) but that $240 was simply too much to take. She indicated she'd speak to her husband and call me back. SHE NEVER CALLED ME BACK AND SIMPLY CASHED THE CHECK! Upon receipt of the cleared check, I called her. She indicated she lost my phone number and was unable to come to some reasonable amount less than what we paid. It was, after all, non-refundable. She offered us one week of care for the cashed check instead. As if I would ever leave my child with folks that did not stand by their word, did not follow-through, and played innocent through smiles. Perhaps if your child goes there, it's wonderful. However, if you have ANY indecision at all, DO NOT GIVE THESE FOLKS A CHECK! Remember - they were asking for 2 weeks, or almost $500! Times are tough, but this is incredible and beyond what we could believe. $50-$75 to hold a spot for a few days before making a decision all while indicating to give the spot away should someone call, OK, but TWO WEEKS worth is highway robbery in my opinion! more

My daughter has been coming to Kangaroo Daycare since she was 3 months old. I was very reluctant to leave her at such a young age and go back to work, thanks to Christina she made the transition much easier for me. She has been so loving and I know when my daughter is there she is well taken care of. Everyday when I pick her up she is clean, freshly changed and HAPPY. more

My son has been attending Kangaroo Family Day Care since he was 12 wks old. As a working mother I am so grateful I found Kangaroo Family Day Care. I interviewed several other daycare providers and Christina was the only person I felt comfortable leaving my baby with when I returned to work. When I drop off my son every morning he is so excited to see Christina. I highly recommend this daycare for anyone who is looking for a caring, loving, nurturing, safe and structured environment for your child. more

My 3 year old Son loves Christina, Salo and Rosa! This place is home away from home for him . He is so happy everytime I drop him off .They really know how to care and love . I love the social environment there and also the class of people . I would give 5 star rating / Ofcourse you need to pay but the care, love and personal touch is priceless . I would recommend this place who ever is looking for a classy place to put your kids who is gods gift to you ! more

If you're looking for a fun, safe and nurturing home based daycare in Aliso, look no further! After months of research and site visits, we were delighted to discover Kangaroo Daycare just a few blocks from our house for our 18 month old. more

Everytime I leave my daughter in their hands, I have comfort that she is well provided for.... good food, loves, caring, nurturing, understanding, communicating, music & more. When I come to pick her up I always know my little girl will be smiling and have had a good day, Cristina rarely has anything (negative) to report, I hear a lot of GOOD DAY's and that makes me smile. I know they love my child. When I get greeted at the front door on my return arrival, my daughter will not only have that great big smile that warms my heart, she will usually have some type of craft that she made that day. I know she has fun there, and that truly is what matters! more

Everytime I leave my daughter in their hands, I have comfort that she is well provided for.... good food, loves, caring, nurturing, understanding, communicating, music & more. When I come to pick her up I always know my little girl will be smiling and have had a good day, Cristina rarely has anything (negative) to report, I hear a lot of GOOD DAY's and that makes me smile. I know they love my child. When I get greeted at the front door on my return arrival, my daughter will not only have that great big smile that warms my heart, she will usually have some type of craft that she made that day. I know she has fun there, and that truly is what matters! more

My 14 month daughter is in love with Christina, Salo and Rosa! She is so happy everytime I drop her off. They really know how to make a child feel loved and that's the most important thing I could ever ask for. Christina repects me as the parent and always welcomes any suggestions or comments. She is a good listener and is always willing to work with me. This was very important because I breastfed my daughter for 11 months. This would not have been possible without Christina, Salo and Rosa's support. They know how to handle expressed breastmilk and know how to handle breastfed babies. Now that my daughter has weaned, they encourage sippy cups and have helped her wean from daytime bottles. They feed her well and she's so healthy and happy. Pros: 3 experienced childcare providers Cons: not open on weekends more

My 14 month daughter is in love with Christina, Salo and Rosa! She is so happy everytime I drop her off. They really know how to make a child feel loved and that's the most important thing I could ever ask for. Christina repects me as the parent and always welcomes any suggestions or comments. She is a good listener and is always willing to work with me. This was very important because I breastfed my daughter for 11 months. This would not have been possible without Christina, Salo and Rosa's support. They know how to handle expressed breastmilk and know how to handle breastfed babies. Now that my daughter has weaned, they encourage sippy cups and have helped her wean from daytime bottles. They feed her well and she's so healthy and happy. Pros: 3 experienced childcare providers Cons: not open on weekends more

After several childcare providers we were recommended to Christina and Salo....thankfully!!! As working parents there is nothing more important than feeling good about where your children are, the care they get, the food their fed, and what they are taught. We could not be happier we found Kangaroo Family Daycare!!! Our son loves going to ""school"" and is always happy when we pick him up. Christina and Salo are an extension of our family and truly love the kids in their home. I will plan my future family based on their availability...can't imagine feeling better about my children under anyone else?s care. Pros: loving, structered environment more

After several childcare providers we were recommended to Christina and Salo....thankfully!!! As working parents there is nothing more important than feeling good about where your children are, the care they get, the food their fed, and what they are taught. We could not be happier we found Kangaroo Family Daycare!!! Our son loves going to "school" and is always happy when we pick him up. Christina and Salo are an extension of our family and truly love the kids in their home. I will plan my future family based on their availability...can't imagine feeling better about my children under anyone else’s care. Pros: loving, structered environment Cons: none more