This post is long overdue but since we were celebrating Brian’s 4th birthday few days ago, I thought I write about Dent de Lait where we held his previous two birthdays (Time flies!). Back in 2017, we were struggling to find a birthday place for Brian when I got an invite to the opening of Dent de Lait. At first I thought it was a new nursery in town but then I read a bit about Dent De Lait and went there to check it out with my wife.

The center was exactly what we were looking for. It’s beautifully designed, spacious, clean and more importantly child-friendly; the attention to detail is incredible, every aspect of the center brings out this amazing positive vibe and the staff are extremely professionally and caring from the security guys to the receptionists, teachers and of course the management.

Dent de Lait has everything that makes of it a true eco-friendly center, from being a shoe-free, energy efficient, BPA free facility, to only relying on environmentally safe paint, all natural local and/or organic foods, as well as eco-friendly toys, non-toxic art supplies, an indoor organic tower garden and a seasonal organic vegetable garden outside, recycle and re-use policies and the list goes on.

The most important part for us though was the management’s approach to hosting birthdays, events or welcoming new children in their daycare. They didn’t just hand us out brochures with packages and prices like most venues we visited do; instead they welcomed us, gave us a tour and re-assured us over every single detail we asked about. You get a feel that you’re treated as a parent not just another customer and that’s what counts the most at least for us. By the end of the visit, we had settled on organizing Brian’s second birthday on their outdoor terrace, and a year after we planned the birthday indoor and both exceeded the kids’ and parents’ expectations. I will write about these later on.

Dent de Lait overview:

The new Eco Children’s Centre is the second Dent de Lait nursery to open in Lebanon. The original was launched in 1997 by one of the country’s best-known female entrepreneurs, Lamice Joujou and her Mother, Hana Joujou. The new center has adopted REGGIO EMILIA approach in their curriculum, and the center satisfies all the requirements of an eco-friendly place with spacious and safe rooms to maximize daylight and fresh air.

Dent de Lait’s facilities:

The center consists of a reception area on the GF. You will also find management offices there as well as Beirut City and the workshops. Beirut City is the main highlight of the center, with several Beirut and Lebanon-themed rooms to help children discover our traditions and our rich heritage.

On the first floor, you will find the nursery section, which consists of a spacious and bright area with several small classes and an indoor garden. There’s also an indoor slide that takes you down to the reception and I loved the small net on the floor that helps children overcome fear of heights.

There’s a large terrace on the roof with a tree house, a play area including wooden bicycles, a sand box, kid-friendly gardening and kitchen tools, a juice bar and a seasonal organic vegetable garden.

The kitchen, the gym, the nursing room, the canteen as well as a sensory lab, STEM room, art studio, science lab, cooking corner, maze and puppet theatre are all found in B1 & B2 floors.

Workshops, Classes & Activities:

There are plenty of classes and workshops led by experienced individuals trained in the field of Early Childhood Education, and offered on a daily and weekly basis. I haven’t had the chance to take my kids to any of their workshops but you can follow their FB page for updates.

All in all, I couldn’t recommend Dent de Lait enough for your children. This child-centered learning space is a major step forward from traditional nurseries and daycares and the first of its kind in Lebanon. Every single detail is well thought off to offer your children the best possible experience and a greater educational journey.

I will leave you with these pictures to see how awesome this place is.