Austin Play Garden is the absolute best place to send your child! My daughter attended starting at 12 weeks old, and every teacher truly treated her like family. Hannah (the director), as well as all the teachers learned her quirks, personality, and interest as she grew up there. Through our daily updates and conversations, it was so clear that the staff really knew her and cared -- she was never just a number. They would even check in on her when she was out sick. I always knew she was safe there. I love that it's a play-based preschool, so the kids can learn through playing and crafts. APG was my only real "village" in Austin when raising my daughter, and they were truly a godsend. They also do a lot of things to reduce teacher turnover on the staffing side, so we hardly ever had teacher changes. I highly recommend them! read more

When I was pregnant I heard over and over again to "build your village". This was important to me because we don't have any family in town. APG IS MY VILLAGE and I don't know what I would do without them. Our nugget LOVES to go to school. I'll say, "Do you want to go to school?" and he'll excitedly say, "School!" grab his lunchbox and run to the door. He comes home with new words and skills and it's so exciting to see him grow in a healthy and confident way. Thank you APG!! We love y'all!! read more

Austin Play Garden-Central - Sensory bins with blocks for the toddler class! Play, learning, and getting messy is fun! - Preschools Near Me - Austin, Texas

I worked for Austin Play Garden for 3 years and loved every minute. The work space Claire and Hannah provided was basically home away from home. As an employee your mental and physical health are prioritized. Staff developments were always so help and encouraged team engagement. Couldn't recommend working here enough. 10/10 read more

Austin Play Garden-Central - Last day working for APG - Preschools Near Me - Austin, Texas

Our daughter started going to Austin Play Garden central at about 7 months after we had a poor experience at a Montessori school in south Austin. From the first day she has loved it there and we noticed an immediate improvement in her attitude towards time away from mommy and daddy. We progressed quickly from tears at handoff to excited kicks and squeals when she saw the building. And when there were tears as some days the little ones just need extra love, the infant room teachers always acknowledged her feelings as valid and then quickly offered her something super fun like bubbles or a favorite song to dance to. What has impressed me most with Austin Play Garden is the attention to detail in preparing the environment for the kids, accepting who they are as little people, and in caring for them throughout the day. From ensuring that those just learning to sit always have a soft spot to land when they topple to uncovering exactly how your little one best likes to be put to sleep without you there. read more

Our twin boys have been at APG since they were 12 weeks old and we are so sad to be leaving their wonderful community (due to a move to the other side of town)! From day 1, I have felt my children were loved, cared for and safe here. When my husband went on a tour when I was pregnant, he remarked how the teachers were literally glowing while taking care of the babies, and that was our experience as well. They loved my babies like they were their own. Our kiddos were at APG through the majority of the pandemic and we always felt safe and like the safety precautions taken went above and beyond. We never had an outbreak of any kind and I believe at this point their staff is 100% vaccinated. My boys have blossomed into wonderful and inquisitive toddlers and I believe that is in large part due to the teachers and administrators of APG. We are sad to leave but will forever be grateful for our experience with the school. read more

We moved to Austin a year ago and toured many schools to find the right fit for our toddler. We knew what we wanted because we had been very happy with her school back in Houston. We wanted a place that is truly play-based, with no screen time, where the kids spend a lot of time outdoors, and where Reggio Emilia is part of the pedagogy. We found this at APG in August 2019 shortly after they opened this location and have been extremely happy since! The director, Claire, is there every day and completely invested in the happiness of her staff, the social/emotional development of the kids, and the success of the APG community. She has been responsive to all my questions/concerns/feedback from day one. Also, it is so important to mention that the reopening of the school in June with COVID-19 precautions in place has gone extremely well. Teachers wear masks, most of the day is spent outside (kids keep a swimsuit at school and have had tons of sprinkler play this summer), children are not allowed to attend if they have symptoms, and classes are small. The reopening has been done in a very careful manner and we feel so lucky that our daughter has been able to be outside the house, and able to socialize and play with her friends. What's important at this school is truly learning through play. Kids are encouraged to be creative and to problem solve. Toys and activities are open ended. The approach is developmentally appropriate and child-centered. Our daughter loves going to school every day. All the teachers are fantastic, and Claire runs professional development days for them, which I think is so important for high quality childcare. We feel so lucky to have found this small school where our art-and-nature-loving daughter comes home sometimes covered in paint, other days a bit muddy, and often demanding that we play her the songs she was dancing to at school. It is exactly as childhood should be. No screens. No flashcards. No arbitrary rules. It's a great place for play and social/emotional development. read more

This is a very well kept and clean facility. This location just opened a year ago. Our two children are enrolled at this location each in a different group based on age, we have been using austin play garden for almost 3 years now. After looking extensively for childcare we found Austin Play Garden to be one of the best hidden gems in childcare. The owner is there and teaching everyday as well as a very knowledgeable and professional staff, they offer great benefits to keep their staff happy and they have almost no turnover of employees. The amount of attention and direction our children receive is amazing and the teacher to student ratio is amazing. I have recommended Austin Play Garden to numerous families. From the kids perspective this place is very fun and (awesome in my sons words) and (play play play in my 2 yr old daughters). The play ground outside is truly fun with painting and a mud kitchen to the rock and sand pits. There are tons of organized activities to ensure they stay creative but also to work together with others. And the teachers are always attentive to helping in sharing and helping the kids to express their feelings. I could go on and on but the beat thing I could tell you is to call and do a walk through. You will be impressed. read more

I started my son at APG Central after leaving 2 other preschools in 4 months time. It was a rough time for us as a family and I was really stressed about my son finding a balance between kinder readiness, play-based, and with people who "get" him. I toured 8 schools in 3 days. I liked a few, hated a few ;), but I couldn't see him at any of the schools until I saw APG. It's so welcoming, bright, and friendly. The classrooms are large and cheerful, and the playground is amazing. The photos from google or yelp really do not do it justice; you should absolutely go check it out and you'll be impressed. Claire, the director, and all of the teachers are unflappable. I used to get so stressed out about preschool pick up because of the reports I would get and the constant incident reports. But immediately upon starting my son, all of that stopped and it was a breath of fresh air. I thought I'd have to hold my son back to start kinder later, but I actually think he could be ready when the time comes. I can't say enough good about this school. Thank you Claire, Anabel, Nicki, and Hailey! We love you guys! read more