Our 9-year-old son attended the comic summer camp, and I was really struck by the quality of the…read moreinstruction. This feels like one of the higher-quality art schools in the area, especially for kids who may want to develop their skills more seriously over time. The instructor was clearly very talented technically, but also warm, patient, and encouraging with the kids. I was genuinely impressed by what they were able to accomplish in just one week--our son came home with a several-page, fully colored and beautifully drawn comic book that he had created himself. It was a great experience, and I'd highly recommend the school for both kids and adults looking for thoughtful, high-quality art instruction.

I just finished taking the Key Elements of Fine Arts adult class with Stephani and Maria, and I…read morehave nothing but amazing things to say about the experience! As someone who loved art when she was younger but hasn't touched a brush in years, I found this to be a fantastic way to rekindle a past love while also receiving incredible guidance and learning proper fundamentals. Both Stephani and Maria are wonderful instructors, equally supportive and constructive with their feedback. I can't recommend this studio enough and highly encourage you to sign up for a class!

My kiddo has attended Husky House for after school care and summer camp. The folks at Husky House…read morerun an incredible program. They keep the kids entertained, physically and mentally active, provide snacks and are just all around wonderful. The staff is very communicative and accommodating. I'm so grateful to have this reliable and trustworthy child care option close to home!

We were with Husky House for a year and a half - I LOVE them. Another reviewer stated they wished…read morethey could have given more than 5 stars (I wish the same). I can not say enough!!! I was so sad when we moved this year, the boys even asked if they could go back for the summer camps. We will see (because it is a little bit of a drive, but not out of the picture). The staff is amazing - thoughtful, kind, they love kids, and such a great atmosphere. The activities planned are well thought out and FUN. The boys loved it there - they are definitely one of the top after school programs we have ever been a part of.

We've been part of the Gan Ilan community for the past three years, and it's hard to put into words…read morejust how special it is. Our son spent two wonderful years here before transitioning to public elementary school, and now our daughter is thriving after a year in the toddler program (she started at 18 months). What makes this preschool stand out is its truly play-based philosophy and the emphasis on outdoor time. The kids spend so much time exploring the beautiful property--rain or shine--and it's clear how much they learn through play and nature. And I so appreciate how they come home happy, fulfilled, and absolutely exhausted every day! The teachers are absolutely incredible. They are warm, attentive, and deeply invested in the kids' growth and well-being. Our son grew in every way during his time here--physically, emotionally, socially--and we watched his confidence blossom. But more than anything, we're grateful for the community. Through this school, we've made lifelong friendships with other families, and our kids have formed strong, joyful bonds with their peers. It's a place where children and parents alike feel connected, supported, and engaged. We couldn't imagine a better place for our kids to begin their educational journey.

We have two children now at Gan Ilan and we have had such a positive experience. The teachers are…read morewarm, knowledgeable and communicative. The kids spend so much time engaged in creative play, especially outside in the garden. The school makes a wonderful effort to build community among families and we have made so many close friends. We are so happy with the quality of this school and its Jewish programming and will certainly be staying there when our next child is ready to start preschool.

I have known Marianne very well for many years working with her in speech pathology. She is a…read moregifted therapist, and children light up when around her. She has a gift for working with kids that need guidance with socialization skills. In the past she facilitated many activities cooking, dance, etc! The kids always benefited and her background/knowledge in speech pathology is such an added bonus, as she can really work on communication/language! I highly highly recommend her services!!! The kids will tremendously benefit from these AMAZING services being offered!!

I love this program! It's a fun way for kids to get out of the house and explore their community…read morewhile working on their skills, without it feeling like work. The ladies are knowledgable, sweet and really care about each kid as an individual. I would highly suggest them to anyone looking for a summer camp/after school program. My little one loved coming and would constantly ask when the next time he will be able to see his buddies.

Let me start by saying that every single staff member was so GREAT. They were enthusiastic and…read morefriendly and got to know every kid by name. My daughter ended up really enjoying her time during the week of summer camp. However, even though the website advertises that it includes softball skills, this is only IF enough girls sign up. So we signed up my daughter and she ended up being like one of two girls in her age bracket in the whole camp. She made the best of it and the coaches were so caring and wonderful that they made sure to include her and champion her and ultimately, she did learn things even if they weren't strictly softball.

My 11 year old son and I visited family in Walnut Creek last week. He loves baseball. I read about…read moreBronco Baseball on line and liked the approach focusing on fundamentals through fun and games paired with a low coach:player ratio. My son was tentative, being in a new environment with new kids and staying from 9am-3pm. Every single member of the coaching staff was positive, encouraging, and supportive. The camp is very organized. My son loved it. He had such a great time and learned so much. Thank you!! Awesome camp!!

THE BEST!!!! We absolutely love Sherman Swim School school both our kids are loving their private…read morelessons, which is difficult to find at other swim schools (most in the area are semi-private). They are learning to swim in a positive loving environment and most importantly are becoming water safe. The instructors are taught the same methods for teaching from the owner Steve, so each instructor has the same ways of teaching. With any instructor it may take a few sessions to find one that clicks best with your child. We love supporting a local swim school and as someone who learned to dive from Steve I can assure you his attention to detail, love and care that is put into his programs, and meticulous grooming of the pools and facilities are top notch! Sherman's is a smaller swim school, so you may be on the wait list for a couple sessions before being added. This is because people are so HAPPY with the program! They continue to enroll every session! The negative reviews below reflect the frustration of those who could not be added immediately. If you are in a hurry, maybe place yourself on the waitlist and try somewhere else in the meantime?? But I promise you will not regret choosing Sherman's! And once you are enrolled you will see why so many others love this school too!

We love Sherman Swim School! I am an actual customer. My kids took swimming lessons and got to see…read morethe big kids diving, and now they are divers themselves. At Sherman, they are very attentive and always looking for ways to help their customers. The pool is perfectly heated, so ideal place for winter/spring lessons. The facility is nice and clean, with seating, umbrellas, and a fine mist for the hot summer afternoons. I highly recommend this place if you want private swimming lessons or diving lessons for your kids.

My family loves Mountain Camp and it's the highlight of my children's summer. My 13-year old…read moredaughter has attended for 4 years and my 9-year old son attended for the first time this year. Both my children have severe, epi-pen level food allergies (to peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, legumes, soy milk and egg). Mountain Camp is the only camp that was willing to take on my children for two weeks and have a detailed allergy protocol in place. In advance of camp, I communicate with the culinary team to understand the menu for the session (they have a wide variety of food from around the world and different lunches and dinners every day). I partner closely with the wonderful chef and kitchen team to ensure the menu is safe for my kids (and I bring replacements for items which are not). I trust the team completely and my daughter reports that they are the safest camp she has been to (she has been to sleep away camp in Switzerland, Austria, New Zealand and in school outdoor education camps in California). Both my daughter and son have a warm relationship with the chef and go to her directly, most often for second servings! We have not had any incidents and the camp is incredibly responsive in our experience. We are grateful to Mountain Camp for their kindness, diligence and the magic that makes this summer camp so special for all the campers. See you next year!

This is the second year my child attended Mountain camp. She has food allergies and the first year,…read moreout of an abundance of caution, I sent her with food just in case she felt she could not eat the food served. Turns out she did not need the food. Bolstered by this positive result, we did not send her with food this year. Yesterday, two days before she was scheduled to return home, I received a call that my daughter self administered her Epi pen after consuming an allergen. My husband and I raced two hours to meet my daughter at the ER in Placerville and decided to bring her home, letting the staff know of our decision. The following day, after leaving an email, voice mail and text, the camp director finally called us mid afternoon. Apparently a health emergency does not warrant a before noon check in. I confirmed my daughter's recollection, that their head kitchen staff gave my daughter a gluten free cookie, insisting it was free of egg, the item she is severely allergic to. My daughter, having been raised to be overly cautious, asked the staff member twice to check and confirm. The staff member insisted it was safe and did not bother to check. My daughter ate the cookie, suffering an allergic reaction within seconds. She travelled with a counselor and a nurse to the ER and waited for us to arrive. That she was scared is an understatement. Mountain camp is a beautiful camp staffed by well meaning people. They are not, however, capable of ensuring your child's safety when it comes to food allergies. The camp was well aware of my daughter's allergies. She was the only one at the session that they had to show special concern. The head kitchen staff member selected a cookie that looked identical to the safe cookie, but never bothered to double check that she had made the right choice. In fact, the cookie was correctly labeled as gluten free but not vegan, which should have been the tip off. Her carelessness led to a medical emergency for my daughter one which was completely avoidable. After discussing further with the camp director, it became doubly clear that they have ineffective policies in place and no redundancy. They have no business claiming that they are safe for campers with food allergies if they can't even be trusted to double check. My daughter trusted the staff member as she would an aunt or other family adult friend. Despite her positive experience in other aspects of the camp, we will not return. I do not advise other parents with food allergic children to have them attend unless you have confirmed that they have out in place basic safety and redundancy protocols for their camp, including staff training. Even then I would think twice or encourage against it.

We are beyond grateful to have discovered their program: "Physics Playground" at Lafayette…read moreCommunity Center. Every week, our child looks forward to class with an excitement we honestly didn't expect. He's always been naturally curious about science but the way David and Maria bring these topics to life with hands-on, fun, and engaging lessons has truly ignited a new spark in him. What's even more heartwarming is how eager he is to share what he's learned with his grandparents and friends. It's clear he's not just learning--he's experiencing science in a way that sticks and inspires. David and Maria are absolute gems. Their passion, care, and creativity shine through in everything they do. If you're considering a program or classes that nurtures curiosity while making learning a blast, look no further. We feel so lucky to be part of this!

dr Ashley is wonderful! She came to do a home visit for our two young kids made them super…read morecomfortable and was very detail oriented about the piercing. She made the whole process super easy and smooth. Highly recommend.