Parent Review: YWCA Minneapolis Child Care Experience at Our Downtown Center
Originally published May 21, 2021, updated 2026.
Finding high-quality child care in Minneapolis can be challenging, especially for families looking for a strong sense of community and cultural connection.
In this parent review, a YWCA Minneapolis family shares their experience at our Downtown early childhood education center, including how their children have grown and what makes the program stand out.
Laura and Jiani are parents of two girls, a kindergartener and a toddler. They recently shared their experience with our Early Childhood Education program at YWCA Children’s Center Downtown.
Parent Review: Our Experience
Our one-and-a-half-year-old loves to "read" books and play with her rubber duck and her doll. We also have a five-year-old kindergartener who loves to sing, garden, and most of all, play with her little sister.
Why We Chose YWCA Minneapolis for Child Care
We toured several other centers as well but were so impressed by YWCA. Not only do the values of YWCA match our own, but we love seeing those values put into action in our community every day.
What Makes YWCA’s Early Childhood Education Program Unique
We have been so happy with YWCA's Early Childhood Education program. We love that our kids have such a diverse group of staff caring for them — they can see themselves reflected in their teachers and learn about cultural diversity. We have met some of our best family friends through YWCA, and those friendships have continued even after our children have grown.
Child Care During COVID-19: Safety and Reliability
During the COVID-19 pandemic, our kids have needed child care throughout the pandemic. YWCA has been there for us, keeping our kids safe and cared for with very minimal interruption. The precautions in place have kept our kids healthy — even healthier than before the pandemic. Being able to use the app to see pictures and notes about our kids is so reassuring for us during the day as well.
How YWCA Prepares Children for Kindergarten
Our older daughter has developed strong friendships that continue even though she's no longer in Early Childhood Education full-time. Skills that she learned in the program have helped her navigate kindergarten during the pandemic. Our younger daughter has such great relationships with her teachers. She gets so much interaction during the day, makes artwork, and learns sign language. She’s so happy to go to school and happy when we pick her up.
We love being part of this community!
Ready to find the right child care for your family? Schedule a tour at YWCA Children’s Center Downtownto see our Early Childhood Education Program in action.