# Tadpoles Parent — user reviews > 172 indexed App Store user reviews of Tadpoles Parent by Teaching Strategies, LLC, rated 2.10/5 from 987 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tadpoles-parent/id428376881/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tadpoles-parent/id428376881.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 156 · 4★ 46 · 3★ 76 · 2★ 171 · 1★ 538 ## What do users think of Tadpoles Parent? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 👍 Works fine - 🚀 Great app - 📷 Love the pictures and videos **Cons** - 🐛 Glitches are horrible - 🐛 Buggy - 🐛 Constantly need to reinstall - 🐛 Laggy and hard to view content - 🐛 Notifications don't work - 🐛 Mobile layout is broken - 🐛 Mistaking a child's death announcement - 🐛 Randomly stopped working **Commonly reported bugs** - App doesn't refresh or update consistently - Loses data at the start of a new month - Login issues and app crashes - Inability to view notes and photos after check-in **Most requested features** - Add messaging functionality to communicate with teachers - Provide real-time updates throughout the day, not just end-of-day reports - Improve user interface and navigation - Allow parents to customize what they see in the app - Ensure photos/videos stay in the app indefinitely ## Newest reviews (18 of 172) ### 3/5 — On and off issues *2026-05-19, version 16.5.6* I usually have no issue with the app but the most consistent one I have is seeing and opening documents when multiple are included in an update (from the app- they appear in the email). Now I am having an issue with class notes appearing in the app, but they are coming to my email. I see others note that reinstalling the app helps. ### 4/5 — Helps me stay connected and up to date with my daughter’s daycare *2026-04-14* The only issue I ever have is opening attachments on notices. For example, when the daycare posts a note with 2 documents, only the first is visible on the app but the email notification has both files. Typically, I am able to easily fill out drop off notes, look at photos, and see the daily report once submitted, as well as use the message feature. I also like how often there are reminders if multiple kids are in photos (the photo notifications are my favorite part of my day on daycare days) that you should be mindful about sharing with others. ### 2/5 — App trouble *2026-04-10, version 16.1.28* Been using the app for about a year but recently the update have caused the app to not work properly. Don’t receive notifications clock in or clock outs like before. I have uninstalled and reinstalled the app without success. ### 3/5 — Great concept but needs work *2026-02-05, version 15.11.25* As a two working parent household I miss my kids during theI love when my daycare sends snapshots of what my kids are doing during the day with their teachers and their friends. The app itself could use some work. I have to log out and log back in weekly because I’ll get reports or images but it won’t populate until I do so. I think the front end layout could use some work too. I also wish I could leave replies on our my kids pictures. ### 1/5 — Worst App On My Phone *2026-02-02, version 15.11.25* I have never written a review for an app before but this one is so bad (and with real consequences) that I had to. The app frequently stops refreshing correctly, with the only solution being to fully delete it and redownload it and log back in. Sometimes you can tell it’s not refreshing (e.g. nothing posted from school all day) but sometimes, you can’t! For example, my school sent a delayed open due to snow on a Sunday night and we received nothing. This left my husband and two toddlers outside our daycare for an hour in the cold, since the app didn’t display anything about it. Fox this app or discontinue it! Parents need reliable access to information about their kids care. This is irresponsible. ### 1/5 — Terrible *2026-01-23, version 15.11.25* Never works. ### 1/5 — App is useless *2026-01-23, version 15.11.25* Honestly, the app has not been helpful. It doesn’t update pictures or provide hourly updates, so I still have to rely on email to get information about my child. As a first-time parent, this is disappointing because I expected a more reliable way to stay updated during the day. ### 1/5 — No Way to Download Photos *2026-01-16, version 15.11.25* The app is pretty useless. There’s no way to download photos. I used to be able to click a download button when I had photos from school sent to my email. That button went away just a few days into his first week of school. I thought downloading the app would resolve the issue but it doesn’t. The app is not helpful either. ### 1/5 — They’re trying to be a bad app *2026-01-05, version 15.11.25* It’s truly impressive how bad the user experience in the app is. You can’t even get a chronological view of your child’s day on there (something that should be obvious the user would want). My only conclusion is that they’re actively trying to make a buggy user unfriendly experience. App must be owned by the same company that owns the daycares and they don’t actually want parents to know what’s going on ### 1/5 — Always need to reinstall *2026-01-02, version 15.11.25* Might be the least stable app of 2026. Need to constantly reinstall ### 1/5 — Glitches are horrible *2025-12-18, version 15.11.25* The app has to be deleted and re-added weekly. It’s super annoying because it just adds to the list of things I have to do. I am juggling kids, work, and everything else. Just fix it so I don’t have to keep uninstalling and reinstalling all the time. Still going strong on the regular deletion/reinstalling to get it working. It's been 3 years of this. ### 2/5 — Many bugs and issues *2025-12-10, version 15.11.25* I have to frequently uninstall and reinstall the app at the beginning of each month. My husband logs in the same account on his phone and he sees the updates and gets the messages from the teachers but I’m still seeing only the first week of the month or the last week of the previous month. No matter what I do, it doesn’t update or refresh. I’m worried that my child might have an emergency and I won’t be notified in time. I wish we didn’t have to use the same login for each parent because I have a feeling that might be a factor as to why the app doesn’t work for us consistently. ### 1/5 — Wildly unhelpful *2025-12-10, version 15.11.25* Missing major features compared to every other classroom management software platform I’ve ever used. Why in the world would I not be able to message the teachers during the day while the kids are in class?! ### 1/5 — Buggy *2025-12-01, version 15.10.13* Every month I have to delete the app off of my phone and re-download it to be able to see things for that month. Have no idea why it started doing that. I also can’t leave a drop off note once my child is checked in which seems silly? I would most likely be using that function if I forgot to tell the teacher something. ### 1/5 — Terrible App *2025-11-07, version 15.10.13* Some day it allows me to edit the drop off notes and other times it does not. No messaging function to communicate with the teacher for the parents. Family Hub of Goddard school is a much better app. ### 1/5 — Disappointed! *2025-10-28, version 15.10.13* This app is not very functional for parents. I have used several daycare apps before, and they have all been great. What I liked most about those apps is that they offered real-time updates, which this one does not. I don’t see the point of the daycare using this app if parents can’t see how their child is doing throughout the day. I plan to mention this concern to the Director ### 1/5 — Re download app *2025-10-24, version 15.10.13* Once a week I have to redownload this app to see photos. Also, there should be a messaging feature. Brightwheel was a better app. ### 2/5 — Frustrating *2025-10-21, version 15.10.13* Used to be just fine but this year I have had to delete and reinstall the app many times to get updated information. I get the notifications for a pic, click, can’t access pic bc update is needed. Working in tech you don’t want these kids of reviews. Please add this fix to your product roadmap and get it fixed. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Awful *2026-08-20, version 16.7.2* Just use brightwheel ### 1/5 — Terrible *2026-08-10, version 16.7.2* This app SUCKS. Have to use it for my daughter’s daycare, but the amount of times I have to delete and redownload just to be able to enter anything is ridiculous. ### 1/5 — Lots of bugs *2026-07-08, version 16.6.29* I have to delete and reinstall the app at least once per week due to not getting notifications. Due to this, I sometimes miss notifications throughout the day. ### 1/5 — Slow and laggy *2026-06-16, version 16.6.2* Every single action takes a long time. I have taken screen recordings and sent them, but they said it is doing the work and these lags are expected. ### 1/5 — No updates throughout the day *2026-05-20, version 16.5.6* I have all notifications set to on and still do not receive any updates until the end of the day when my child is checked out at which point they’re completely irrelevant. ### 1/5 — Delete and Download *2026-05-14, version 16.5.6* I have to delete and download this app monthly to keep the stream of updates and photos. Love my daycare, hate tadpoles. ### 1/5 — It does not update during the day *2026-05-14, version 16.5.6* I have to clock out my kid to be able to see the daily report. The whole point of the report is for parents to get updates about their kids! The app is very buggy too! It was not changing my email address and I had to sign up again with the email address I wanted to use. Also, the quality of the pictures are very low. Overall, I’m very disappointed and I hope they fix the issues, otherwise we have to ask the daycare to change the app. ### 1/5 — Terrible *2026-03-12, version 16.1.28* This app SUCKS. Have to use it for my daughter’s daycare, but the amount of times I have to delete and redownload just to be able to enter anything is ridiculous. ### 1/5 — So annoying *2026-02-13, version 16.1.28* I am constantly having to delete and redownload the app just to get it to work. I want to like it as I love that it’s my connection to my daughter while she’s at school but having to delete and download every other week seems so silly. Please update and fix these bugs!! ### 1/5 — Uninstall and reinstall once a week *2026-02-03, version 15.11.25* The app needs work. I have to uninstall and reinstall once a week to see updates from my daycare. A bit annoying. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — App works well *2026-04-22, version 16.1.28* Not sure why the reviews are so bad. The app is working great so far. ### 5/5 — Works fine *2025-10-02, version 15.8.26* Works just fine for me and my kid ### 5/5 — Great App *2025-06-12, version 15.5.19* This app is amazing it allows us to send messages to our baby’s caregivers as well as getting notifications, photos and messages throughout the day is nice to look at during and at the end of the day. ### 5/5 — Pretty Great *2024-09-26, version 12.10.25* It’s user-friendly, keeps records of my child’s day, and I especially like the layout of the report. There is a place for pottying, snacks, nap, etc. I appreciate how it keeps our photos in a “Memories” tab. I just wish we could communicate with the teachers through it! That’s my only complaint. Our center is usually amazing at updating us through this app which helps a lot. But that aside, the app is pretty cool and very easy to use. ### 5/5 — Works great for me *2024-09-06, version 12.10.25* Get updates and pics of my little one. No glitches really ### 5/5 — Very helpful *2023-10-18, version 12.10.25* I don’t know why there are so many negative reviews but personally I love this app. I can easily leave notes for my child’s day care teacher and see my child’s daily report at the end of each day. The layout is very easy to use and I haven’t encountered any bugs or glitches. Overall great app ### 5/5 — Only two stars? *2022-12-22, version 12.10.25* I just went to update the app for my daughters preschool and saw the rating was two stars. I love this app- it lets us submit her drop off notes in the morning for health and safety, shares photos and videos, has a daily report, an e-library, a portal to connect with teachers directly and quickly, and suggestions for things to do as a family. I can’t fathom what more it could provide for a family. That’s all, peace and thank you! ### 5/5 — Learning at its best!!! *2022-04-27, version 12.1.5* My child started last summer. She went in as a wild cat and almost a year later she is calm, shares, listens. When she is over stimulated we have the resources from Amazing Transformation to help us guide our child safely to calm themselves down. They are an amazing team that I trust leaving my child with!! This team of professionals are the dream team for our fragile children. That’s why they are called “AMAZING!!!” Mom (DZ) ### 5/5 — Fails in basic functions *2021-06-25, version 11.3.11* As a parent/user, I’ve spent an embarrassing amount of time looking at a “loading” screen to view pictures and thumbnails in the summary page. I can’t speak to a teacher’s user experience but as the end user, it’s pretty pretty bad. This tool can’t get any more basic and it continues to malfunction. I’m hoping this review either helps their developers make the app better or warns other child care service providers to look for a different tool. ### 5/5 — Mom and center director. *2021-06-02* It seems like most people are complaining about not getting updates all day long, those people are probably the reason the center has decided to NOT give updates ALL DAY LONG! If one small thing got missed or entered late, that parent would be constantly calling and asking why-another great reason parents can’t send messages ALL DAY LONG. The people entering information are taking care of children and teaching! Also, many centers need to approve pictures that go home because of confidentiality and privacy of other families. I like to know pictures of my children aren’t going home with other people if that is my preference and there is someone overseeing that. The only thing I don’t like about the app, it seems like in the last year it has gotten slower, when I enter drop off notes it takes a long time to update and I have multiple children to leave notes about. I also would prefer notes for items needed came through in a push notification rather than getting missed in the daily report. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-27.*