Portsmouth KinderCare

Reviews

• ST

  Sherri Tarleton

  Aug 29, 2025
  2.0
  My daughter has been in the care of Kindercare since she was 3 months old. She just completed her last day and is moving on to kindergarten, so I feel well-qualified to share my perspective on the quality of care provided here. To put it simply, I am relieved that our time with this center has come to an end. Over the course of five years, my biggest takeaway is that they somehow managed to keep my child alive. Beyond that, the level of care has been consistently disappointing, and at times, shockingly unsafe. In separate incidents, my daughter (who is generally a calm, rule-following child) chipped a tooth and even required an emergency room visit. Too often, teachers were disengaged, heads down in iPads or chatting with each other rather than supervising children. On several occasions, I entered the classroom in the morning without staff even noticing me. Worse, I witnessed children in clear distress, sobbing and calling for their parents, being completely ignored by the adults in the room. Luckily there is a combination code to the center’s front door, because there have also been times that I have picked up my daughter with zero interaction to indicate that they would even realize she’s missing. I have raised multiple concerns with both the center director and once the regional director. While these issues were acknowledged in the moment, they were never addressed in a meaningful or lasting way. For example, I discovered teachers using personal phones to take pictures of my child and even showing her videos — clear violations of Kindercare policy that occurred repeatedly, often immediately after the matter was supposedly addressed, demonstrating a complete lack of follow-through and disregard for policy. On another occasion, my husband and I witnessed teachers handing out lollipops to children on the playground while they were running, climbing, and jumping off structures with the candy in their mouths (an obvious safety hazard). I confronted the staff member on the playground directly and later raised the issue with the director. Shockingly, the same thing happened again the very next day, and then yet again, despite three separate conversations about it. Most troubling of all, my daughter once came home with bruises in the shape of hands on both sides of her torso, which we discovered at bathtime. We photographed the injuries and immediately reported them to the director. The individual responsible was made to awkwardly apologize but offered no explanation, and shockingly, was later promoted into a leadership role at the center. The pattern is unmistakable: parents’ concerns are met with polite words but never with real action. Time and again, serious issues were brushed aside, leaving us feeling dismissed, disregarded, and deeply uneasy about the care our child was receiving. Any talented teachers who seemed passionate about early childhood education rarely stay for any significant length of time and they are smart to leave. We did encounter a few gems along the way, and they are deeply missed. Those who remain generally appear uninterested, sitting passively and offering minimal interaction (even those that have been there several years), leaving the children in an environment that feels inconsistent, inattentive, and wholly unprofessional. I am not exaggerating when I say that one of my greatest regrets as a parent is not moving her sooner — I have immense guilt about this. The only reason she managed to get through this experience was because she is fairly self-sufficient. For children who require any level of extra attention, care, or support, I cannot recommend this center. Really, any child deserves better. Your child deserves an environment where they are not only safe, but also nurtured, supported, and truly cared for. For that, I encourage you to look elsewhere.
• JL

  Jasamin Letouneaudesmond

  Jan 15, 2024
  5.0
  My niece currently goes there and loves every second of it! She’s been learning and growing and gets so excited for her teachers! Ms. Denise and Ms. Sarah V have not only taught my niece how to write her name, but they are taking their time out and planning curriculum for her while challenging her on different activities! They both have guided her and helped her grow! My niece now can say her letters without even looking at them and can almost trace all her letters on her own! It shows just how much learning is happening in the classroom environment! Ms. Astrid was so helpful with tips on ways to help potty train her! Because of her dedication and commitment to my niece she’s now full potty trained! She was so patient with my niece and helped her grow and learn through sensory play! Ms. Kelsey is amazing for her now that she moved up! She is always checking in with my sister and I and provides a safe environment for her to learn and grow in! Portsmouth KinderCare has been home away from home for the past 7 years! I just love being there! Everyone I work with is just phenomenal!
• JJ

  Jacob

  Mar 11, 2019
  5.0
  Portsmouth Kindercare are great, my daughter was only there for a few months because of my work schedule but she loved it. She was in the toddler room and developed a lot in the short time they were there. All of the teachers and staff are very friendly take a genuine interest in taking care of and helping your child development.

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