Chicago · Licensed center

Tinker Bell Academy I

Large developmental center, licensed for 123 children.

What the state has found

The state cited rules at 8 of its 9 licensing inspections since September 2021.

Of the 122 Chicago-area centers with 9 licensing inspections, 24% had rules cited at 8 of them, as this center did. 34% had rules cited at all 9.

Licensing inspections

Oct 8, 202512 citations

Grouping and Staffing
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(c)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3)
General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(f)
Special Requirements for Infants and Toddlers
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.210(b)

8 more from this inspection

General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(5)
Grouping and Staffing
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(g)
Outdoor Play Area
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.390(l)
General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(8)
Background Checks for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.110
Physical Plant/Indoor Space
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(f)(2)
Napping and Sleeping
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.350(f)
A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, FHSEC305.

Oct 12, 20231 citation

Background Checks for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.110

Aug 1, 2023No rules cited

Jun 26, 202318 citations

Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(2)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(3)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(4)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(6)

14 more from this inspection

Grouping and Staffing
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(a)
Health Requirements for Children
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)
Enrollment and Discharge Procedures
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.250(d)
Background Checks for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.110
General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(5)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(e)(4)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(e)(5)
Grouping and Staffing
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190(e)(1)
Health Requirements for Children
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310(a)(5)
Staffing Structure
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(b)
Provisions Pertaining to the License
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.60(g)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(1)
A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, CCASEC4.

Apr 29, 20222 citations

General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(f)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(a)(4)

Mar 9, 20227 citations

Special Requirements for Infants and Toddlers
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.210(h)(8)
Nutrition and Meal Service
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.330(g)
Nutrition and Meal Service
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.330(m)
General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(f)

3 more from this inspection

Staffing Structure
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.90(d)
General Requirements for Personnel
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.100(c)(7)
Personnel Records
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.120(b)

Dec 17, 20213 citations

Physical Plant/Indoor Space
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(d)(3)
Program Requirements for All Ages
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.200(d)(7)
Equipment and Materials
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.380(k)

Oct 20, 20213 citations

Organization and Administration
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.70(b)
Special Requirements for Infants and Toddlers
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.210(h)(8)
Grouping and Staffing
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.190

Sep 8, 20214 citations

Health Requirements for Children
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.310
Outdoor Play Area
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.390(i)
Hand Washing
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.320(a)(3)
Physical Plant/Indoor Space
89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.370(l)

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

A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, 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.

Aug 2023 Compliance monitoring visit nothing cited

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

A citation the state’s report lists only by its code, 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.

Openings, child care subsidies, cost, hours and late pickup, ratios and staff, and sick and biting policies aren’t on this page.

How they teach

Developmental and bilingual

“Through developmentally appropriate practices, children learn, play and master.”

A day here

Updates for parents: Daily reports via the Bright Wheel app (meals, activities, diaper changes), with text, pictures and video updates

Details

7737832357

Website: tinkerbellacademy.com
Address: 26 E 79th St
License: license issued (il)

Run Tinker Bell Academy I? Correct or add anything here, free.

Add what is missing

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/pre-school-education
Approach — Checked August 2026 tinkerbellacademy.com/toddler-education

State record

From Illinois DCFS’s published reports, last checked October 10, 2026.

A day here

Updates for parents — Checked August 2026 tinkerbellacademy.com

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 "TINKER BELL ACADEMY I" under Provider Name and 60619 under Zip, and press Search (DCFS provider 597841).
Website — Checked August 2026 tinkerbellacademy.com

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.