Big Blue Marble Academy Starr's Mill

★★★★★Brittany Winn Hall

I have had a great experience at BBMA with my 1.5 year old daughter. She has been going since she was about 4 months old and it is her second family. The teachers are caring and communicative, and help make the best choices for her for where she is developmentally (vs where she might should be). I am so grateful to have a place we can trust and that she loves to go to everyday.

★Jackson Shaw

Big Blue Marble Academy should be ashamed of themselves. Multiple incidents have occurred [within the last several months] involving children urinating on other children, teachers physically striking students, and violent behavior like choking and biting both classmates and staff alike. Parents are NOT consistently informed when these incidents occur, which is unacceptable for any childcare facility. Even more disturbing, children continue having access to unsafe areas after breaking lights and windows, with little to no disciplinary action or repairs made in a timely manner. The negligence doesn’t stop there. Most rooms are severely understaffed and overcrowded, and as of last month, the toddler room was reportedly operating over fire code capacity with 17 toddlers and 2 teachers despite a stated limit of 16 occupants including adults. Families with autistic children should also be aware that there are no consistently qualified staff members equipped to properly support special needs learning and behavior on a day-to-day basis. While there is reportedly a behavioral specialist who visits, it is nowhere near frequent enough to provide meaningful daily support, structure, or intervention for children who need it most. Meanwhile, management is reportedly cutting food portions for toddlers down to “the size of a quarter” under the excuse of “waste control.” The pattern here is clear: profit and convenience seem to matter more than child safety, staff support, or basic standards of care. Parents deserve transparency, accountability, and far better than what is being tolerated here.

★Lori Jensen

I am so glad my granddaughter is out of this place. She got a new teacher and she does not like her job and it is obvious. I watched her outside with the kids just on her phone. All the good staff that cares about the children left. Red flag. 🚩

★★★★★Kanesha Delaney

I usually don’t even write reviews, but when I say this one is WELL deserved. Not only do I want to show my appreciation, but I also want to tell the world, especially the moms out there like me who struggle with trusting someone else with their little babies. This daycare has truly been a blessing. When searching for daycares, I couldn’t find one I felt comfortable walking into. Most of the centers I visited didn’t meet my expectations—the first impression, the environment, and the staff left me uneasy. Then, I found Big Blue Marble at Starr’s Mill, and everything changed. Although there’s a location closer to my job, it just didn’t give me the feeling I needed. This location is a little out of the way, but it is 100% worth it. From day one, I’ve been blown away. Hands down, the BEST decision we could have made. Let’s talk about the director, Ms. Antoinette — she is phenomenal! She is always there to open up on time with a smile, greeting families with warmth, patience, and professionalism. She is caring, attentive, and responsive and pours her heart into this center. I thank God for people like her every single day. It takes a special kind of person to treat children like their own honestly, and she does just that. I always feel my child is safe, loved, and cared for. Ms. Tam, the assistant director, is a true gem. Not only does she make sure things run smoothly, but she goes above and beyond for both the children and the parents. She is hands-on and compassionate and ensures each parent feels seen and heard. From the beginning, she made me feel like I was leaving my child with family, not just daycare staff. The way she interacts with the kids shows how much love and dedication she has for this work. She is such a massive part of why this daycare feels like home. Then there is Ms. Aisha, my daughter's current teacher, and let me say—she is AMAZING! She handles the children with patience, love, and genuine care, which is beautiful to witness. She is always engaged with them, teaching and keeping them busy with fun and educational activities. She loves what she does, and the kids love her back. And, of course, Ms. Miesha, who cared for my daughter when she was younger and still checks in on her to this day, is one of a kind. She treats every child like her own, and her big heart shows through everything she does. Even though my daughter is now in the big kids’ class and no longer an infant, she still makes time to show her love, which means the world to me. Plus, she took the cutest pictures while we were at work! Those daily photos are the highlight of our day. Speaking of which, one of my absolute favorite things is how genuinely HAPPY my child is daily. Whenever I stop in unexpectedly or pick her up at the end of the day, she always smiles, happy, and joyful. She’s always smiling and laughing in all her pictures, which reassures me that she’s not only well cared for but genuinely enjoys being there. As a mom, that feeling is priceless. My husband can't stop thinking about the pictures we receive. He loves them! The entire staff is caring, attentive, and professional. From the level of care, compassion, communication, and the strong sense of community, my husband and I genuinely feel safe and at peace having our daughter here. Leaving your child in someone else’s hands is NEVER easy, but this team makes it much more manageable. Also, the app they use is so helpful. I love getting real-time updates and photos of my daughter throughout the day. It helps me stay connected and makes me feel involved, even while I’m working. So, to all the parents out there who are searching and praying for the right daycare — this is it. Big Blue Marble at Starr’s Mill is hands-down the best choice we could have made. The reviews I read before coming were spot on, and now I get to share my own — WOW, just WOW! It’s hard to find good people and daycares these days. But this place? They truly deserve it. 10/10 — HIGHLY recommend!

★★★★★Brett Gleckler

My daughter has been going here for almost 5 yrs now and I'd have to say that the staff here is absolutely amazing!! You're greeted with smiling faces every day and they communicate and update how my child is doing on the ProCare app. If you have any doubts on where to enroll your child look no further! Great teachers, clean facility, and super safe.