Howard and Evanston Community Center

To be honest, it’s a bit of a mixed bag at Howard and Evanston. On one hand, you can tell they really care about the Rogers Park community, and I love that they offer free health and wellness classes for families—it shows they’re trying to promote a healthy lifestyle. However, the actual facility at the Paulina St location feels a bit dated and cramped. When flu season hits, it seems like bugs cycle through the classrooms really quickly, and I wish the communication about outbreaks was a little more proactive. It's a solid, affordable option for daycare and the staff is kind, but I'd definitely like to see more focus on deep cleaning the high-touch areas during the winter months.

My toddler has been at Howard and Evanston for about six months now and honestly, the health protocols are pretty solid for a busy city daycare. They are really strict about the '24-hour fever free' rule which can be a pain for working parents, but it definitely keeps the major stomach bugs from sweeping through the whole classroom every week. I've noticed the teachers are constantly wiping down surfaces and they're really good about making sure the kids actually wash their hands properly before snacks. Communication is decent too—if something like hand, foot, and mouth is going around, they usually get an email out to us by the end of the day. It’s not a fancy 'wellness' center, but it feels clean and safe for our kids.