Chicago · Licensed center
Diana's Playpen Of Little Genius's Inc
At a glance
- Small developmental center, licensed for 40 children.
- Hours 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., 5 days a week, year round.
- Tuition Infant $1,451, toddler $1,169, preschool $996 a month, full time. See costs
What to know
The license is the range the state allows. It does not say which ages have openings.
What the state has found
The state cited rules at 8 of its 12 licensing inspections since July 2010.
See each inspection
Licensing inspections
Feb 20, 20263 citations
Special Requirements for Infants and Toddlers
Special Requirements for Infants and Toddlers
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.210(f)(24)
Physical Plant/Indoor Space
Physical Plant/Indoor Space
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(d)(3)
Physical Plant/Indoor Space
Physical Plant/Indoor Space
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(e)(11)
- Jul 24, 2023Nothing cited
- Mar 2, 2023Nothing cited
- Sep 29, 2022Nothing cited
- Dec 17, 2020Nothing cited
Feb 27, 20203 citations
General Requirements for Personnel
General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(f)
Personnel Records
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3)
Daily Arrival and Departure of Children
Daily Arrival and Departure of Children
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.260(f)
Feb 13, 20181 citation
Health Requirements for Children
Health Requirements for Children
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)
Mar 10, 20177 citations
Organization and Administration
Organization and Administration
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(e)(1)
Organization and Administration
Organization and Administration
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(e)(2)
Organization and Administration
Organization and Administration
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(e)(3)
Personnel Records
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)
General Requirements for Personnel
General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(5)
General Requirements for Personnel
General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(7)
Nutrition and Meal Service
Nutrition and Meal Service
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.330(b)
Jan 8, 20161 citation
Physical Plant/Indoor Space
Physical Plant/Indoor Space
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(f)(2)
Feb 27, 20122 citations
Staffing Structure
Staffing Structure
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(d)
Health Requirements for Children
Health Requirements for Children
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)
Oct 19, 20111 citation
Guidance and Discipline
Guidance and Discipline
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.270(c)(6)
Jul 21, 20105 citations
Personnel Records
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(1)
Personnel Records
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(2)
Personnel Records
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3)
Personnel Records
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(4)
Personnel Records
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(6)
The state cited rules at 8 of this center's 12 inspections. Most Chicago-area centers inspected 10 or more times had rules cited at some but not all of theirs, as this center did: 78% of 868.
How all 868 Chicago-area centers inspected 10 or more times compare
Of the 868 Chicago-area centers the state inspected 10 or more times, how many of those inspections cited a rule:
- Some78%This center
- All22%
Read every record and the state’s reports
State record — Illinois DCFS
- Last visit
- February 20, 2026
- On file
- 12 visits since July 2010 — 4 cited nothing
- Fixed?
- The latest correction deadline was February 27, 2026. Illinois DCFS does not publish whether it was made.
- Most serious
- Illinois DCFS does not publish a severity level for a citation, so there is no most-serious to name.
Illinois DCFS cites each subsection of a rule separately, so one audit of a filing cabinet can produce ten citations. It publishes the rule’s title and a correction deadline, but no description of what was observed.
Feb 2026 Monitoring visit 3 findings
Monitoring visit · February 20, 2026
Physical Plant/Indoor Space
2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(d)(3) through (e)(11) · Violation substantiated
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(d)(3) · 407.370(e)(11)
Special Requirements for Infants and Toddlers
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.210(f)(24) · Violation substantiated
DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 493693 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.
Feb 2020 Monitoring visit 3 findings
Monitoring visit · February 27, 2020
General Requirements for Personnel
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(f) · Violation corrected
Personnel Records
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3) · Violation corrected
Daily Arrival and Departure of Children
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.260(f) · Violation corrected
DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 493693 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.
Feb 2018 Monitoring visit 1 finding
Monitoring visit · February 13, 2018
Health Requirements for Children
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a) · Violation corrected
DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 493693 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.
Mar 2017 Monitoring visit 7 findings
Monitoring visit · March 10, 2017
Organization and Administration
3 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(e)(1) through (3) · Violation corrected
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(e)(1) · 407.70(e)(2) · 407.70(e)(3)
General Requirements for Personnel
2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(5) through (7) · Violation corrected
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(5) · 407.100(c)(7)
Personnel Records
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a) · Violation corrected
Nutrition and Meal Service
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.330(b) · Violation corrected
DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 493693 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.
Jan 2016 Monitoring visit 1 finding
Monitoring visit · January 8, 2016
Physical Plant/Indoor Space
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(f)(2) · Violation corrected
DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 493693 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.
Feb 2012 Monitoring visit 2 findings
Monitoring visit · February 27, 2012
Staffing Structure
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(d) · Violation corrected
Health Requirements for Children
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a) · Violation corrected
DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 493693 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.
Oct 2011 Monitoring visit 1 finding
Monitoring visit · October 19, 2011
Guidance and Discipline
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.270(c)(6) · Violation corrected
DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 493693 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.
Jul 2010 Monitoring visit 5 findings
Monitoring visit · July 21, 2010
Personnel Records
5 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(1) through (6) · Violation corrected
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(1) · 407.120(a)(2) · 407.120(a)(3) · 407.120(a)(4) · 407.120(a)(6)
DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 493693 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.
What it costs
Diana's Playpen Of Little Genius's IncMost Chicago-area prices (middle 80%)
Monthly, full time. The band is the middle 80% of Chicago-area full-time prices for that age; 17 infant, 21 toddler and 18 preschool programs publish one.
- Application fee
- $50
- Siblings
- 10% discount on each additional child enrolling at the same time
A day here
6 a.m. to 6 p.m., 5 days a week, year round
Meals, schedule and closed
- Meals
- Provides breakfast, lunch, and snacks daily, prepared on-site or via catering to USDA nutritional standards
- Schedule
- Full-time, part-time
- Closed
- 11 holidays and breaks a year
Dates
New Year's Day, MLK Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Christmas Eve (half day), Christmas Day
How they teach
Developmental
“Each program we offer fosters whole-child development, helping your child grow physically, intellectually, emotionally, and socially.”
Policies
- When a child is sick
- Excludes children with fever of 100°F+ rectally (or 99°F auxiliary) with behavior changes, plus a detailed illness-by-illness exclusion table
- Biting
- Parent is notified depending on injury severity and an accident form is completed for each biting/scratching/hitting incident
- Enrollment
- 21 business days' written notice required to withdraw; no refunds/credits for withdrawal or absence; termination for missed payments
Details
- Phone
- (773) 737-6700
- Address
- 6236 S Western Ave, Chicago, 60636
- Established
- 2004
We couldn’t find some information that may matter to your decision: openings, child care subsidies, ratios and staff, and who owns it. We can ask the program for you and copy you in.
Sources and dates
Where every fact on this page came from, and when Shortlist last checked it against that source. Anything Shortlist could not source is named here rather than left blank.
How they teach
- Approach — Checked August 2026 dianasplaypen.com
What it costs
- Infant, Toddler, Preschool, Application fee, Sibling discount — Checked August 2026 dianasplaypen.com/…/Parent_Handbook.pdf
State record
From Illinois DCFS’s published reports, last checked November 8, 2026.
A day here
- Meals, Calendar, Schedule, Closed — Checked August 2026 dianasplaypen.com/…/Parent_Handbook.pdf
- Hours — Checked August 2026 dianasplaypen.com
Policies
- When a child is sick, Biting, Enrollment — Checked August 2026 dianasplaypen.com/…/Parent_Handbook.pdf
Details
- Phone, Address, License — Checked July 2026 sunshine.dcfs.illinois.gov/…/ProviderLookup.aspx. To check it, open sunshine.dcfs.illinois.gov's Licensed Provider Lookup, enter "DIANA'S PLAYPEN OF LITTLE GENIUS'S INC" under Provider Name and 60636 under Zip, and press Search (DCFS provider 493693).
- Website — Checked August 2026 dianasplaypen.com
- Ages on the license — Checked November 2026 sunshine.dcfs.illinois.gov/…/ProviderLookup.aspx. To check it, open sunshine.dcfs.illinois.gov's Licensed Provider Lookup, enter "DIANA'S PLAYPEN OF LITTLE GENIUS'S INC" under Provider Name and 60636 under Zip, and press Search (DCFS provider 493693).
- Ages they serve, Established — Checked August 2026 dianasplaypen.com
Small means the smallest quarter of Chicago-area’s 1,948 licensed centers by state-licensed capacity: 8 to 48 children. Medium is 49 to 118; large is 119 to 487.
The ages on the license are what the state licenses it to care for, which can be wider than the ages it takes.