Chicago · Licensed center
Tinker Bell Academy I
A developmental center in Chicago, licensed for 123 children. The state cited something at 8 of 9 routine visits (Chicago-area centers: about 5 in 6).
Large center. Large means the biggest quarter of Chicago-area’s 1,949 licensed centers by state-licensed capacity: 119 to 487 children. Small is 8 to 48; medium is 49 to 118.
How they teach
Developmental and bilingual
“Through developmentally appropriate practices, children learn, play and master.”In their words. tinkerbellacademy.com, August 2026
“Basic shapes, primary colors, name recognition through song, numbers 1-5, alphabets (upper case only) are all concepts they can-and-do master in both English and Spanish. Why learn a second language when you can learn two, first languages at this age.”In their words. tinkerbellacademy.com, August 2026
One of 20 Chicago-area providers that describe a developmental approach, out of 129 that describe any approach at all.
Shortlist doesn’t have these yet: cost, hours and late pickup, ratios and staff, sick and biting policies.
What the state has found
Routine visits: 8 of 9 cited something
Across Chicago-area centers, the state cites something at about 5 in 6 routine visits (19,088 visits).
From Illinois DCFS’s published reports, last checked September 25, 2026.
Read every record and the state’s reports
State record — Illinois DCFS
- Last visit
- October 8, 2025
- On file
- 9 visits since September 2021 — 1 cited nothing
- Fixed?
- The latest correction deadline was November 8, 2025. 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.
Oct 2025 Monitoring visit 12 findings
Monitoring visit · October 8, 2025
General Requirements for Personnel
3 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(5) through (f) · Violation substantiated
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(5) · 407.100(c)(8) · 407.100(f)
Grouping and Staffing
2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(c) through (g) · Violation substantiated
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(c) · 407.190(g)
Background Checks for Personnel
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.110 · Violation substantiated
Personnel Records
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3) · Violation substantiated
Special Requirements for Infants and Toddlers
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.210(b) · Violation substantiated
Napping and Sleeping
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.350(f) · Violation substantiated
Physical Plant/Indoor Space
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(f)(2) · Violation substantiated
Outdoor Play Area
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.390(l) · Violation substantiated
Cited: FHSEC305
0 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code · Violation substantiated
DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 597841 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.
Oct 2023 Monitoring visit 1 finding
Monitoring visit · October 12, 2023
Background Checks for Personnel
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.110 · Violation corrected
DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 597841 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.
Jun 2023 Monitoring visit 18 findings
Monitoring visit · June 26, 2023
Personnel Records
8 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a) through (e)(5) · Violation corrected
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a) · 407.120(a)(1) · 407.120(a)(2) · 407.120(a)(3) · 407.120(a)(4) · 407.120(a)(6) · 407.120(e)(4) · 407.120(e)(5)
Grouping and Staffing
2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(a) through (e)(1) · Violation corrected
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(a) · 407.190(e)(1)
Health Requirements for Children
2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a) through (5) · Violation corrected
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a) · 407.310(a)(5)
Provisions Pertaining to the License
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.60(g) · Violation corrected
Staffing Structure
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(b) · Violation corrected
General Requirements for Personnel
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(5) · Violation corrected
Background Checks for Personnel
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.110 · Violation corrected
Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(d) · Violation corrected
Cited: CCASEC4
0 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code · Violation corrected
DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 597841 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.
Apr 2022 Monitoring visit 2 findings
Monitoring visit · April 29, 2022
General Requirements for Personnel
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(f) · Violation substantiated
Personnel Records
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(4) · Violation substantiated
DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 597841 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.
Mar 2022 Monitoring visit 7 findings
Monitoring visit · March 9, 2022
General Requirements for Personnel
2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(7) through (f) · Violation corrected
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(7) · 407.100(f)
Nutrition and Meal Service
2 citations · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.330(g) through (m) · Violation corrected
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.330(g) · 407.330(m)
Staffing Structure
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(d) · Violation corrected
Personnel Records
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(b) · Violation corrected
Special Requirements for Infants and Toddlers
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.210(h)(8) · Violation corrected
DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 597841 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.
Dec 2021 Monitoring visit 3 findings
Monitoring visit · December 17, 2021
Program Requirements for All Ages
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.200(d)(7) · Violation corrected
Physical Plant/Indoor Space
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(d)(3) · Violation corrected
Equipment and Materials
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.380(k) · Violation corrected
DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 597841 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.
Oct 2021 Monitoring visit 3 findings
Monitoring visit · October 20, 2021
Organization and Administration
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(b) · Violation corrected
Grouping and Staffing
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190 · Violation corrected
Special Requirements for Infants and Toddlers
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.210(h)(8) · Violation corrected
DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 597841 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.
Sep 2021 Monitoring visit 4 findings
Monitoring visit · September 8, 2021
Health Requirements for Children
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310 · Violation corrected
Hand Washing
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.320(a)(3) · Violation corrected
Physical Plant/Indoor Space
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(l) · Violation corrected
Outdoor Play Area
1 citation · 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.390(i) · Violation corrected
DCFS compliance lookup On that page, enter provider number 597841 in the Provider box and choose Search; the compliance report downloads from the button on the result row.
A day here
- Updates for parents
- Daily reports via the Bright Wheel app (meals, activities, diaper changes), with text, pictures and video updates
Details
- Phone
- 7737832357
- Website
- tinkerbellacademy.com
- Address
- 26 E 79th St
- License
- license issued (il)
Do you run Tinker Bell Academy I? Shortlist has no tuition, hours or ratios for it, because the state does not publish that. Add what is missing. It is free and takes about ten minutes.
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 · tinkerbellacademy.com
How they teach
- Approach — Checked August 2026 · tinkerbellacademy.com
State record
Every state visit and complaint on file, shown in full and never edited. Open a date to read what the state wrote.
A day here
- Updates for parents — Checked August 2026 · tinkerbellacademy.com
Details
- Phone, Address, License — Checked July 2026 · sunshine.dcfs.illinois.gov. To check it, open sunshine.dcfs.illinois.gov's Licensed Provider Lookup, enter "TINKER BELL ACADEMY I" under Provider Name and 60619 under Zip, and press Search (DCFS provider 597841).
- Website — Checked August 2026 · tinkerbellacademy.com