My little has been at this school for the past 2 1/2 years and has been provided wonderful care of by their loving staff. Would recommend to anybody who wants a safe, fun, play centered daycare. She is now about to start kindergarten and it will be bitter sweet to leave but she has been given the foundation she needs. I will be forever grateful for "her tribe" that has nurtured her through her toddler years. read more

Child Craft School - Picture day at Child Craft School - Child Care & Day Care Near Me - Austin, Texas

We love this school. Last spring we started our son at a highly rated daycare school that was pretty expensive and although we loved the teacher nothing about dealing with the school or director went smoothly. We moved our son to child craft and were a little hesitant at first with the price being significantly lower than the previous and just not appearing quite as new or fresh I could say. We love love miss rachel and my son is happy here. He isn't nearly as aggressive at home as he was with the other school and has learning to communicate better and follow direction better and he just loves the playground so much too and they do full on potty training too so the months of stalled potty training at his last school and two months of being at this one and at home training he is almost 100% trained aside from nighttime. read more

I have to preface this by saying I didn't end up sending my son to Child Craft. Perhaps once you start there it is great. But, I did try very hard to like it enough to send him there, because the location would have been perfect for me. Unfortunately every time I interacted with them at Child Craft they were just super flaky. They forgot to put me on the waitlist (but after I called them out on it, they did correct it and moved me to the spot I would have been in). I called to schedule a visit for my partner to see the place, they told us when to come, but when we got there had no clue who we were, told us it was a bad time, and acted upset that we were there. I visited about 4 times, every time I felt like they were upset I was there, but last-minute would remember they are supposed to be nice to me and would start smiling as they ushered me out the door. When I finally called to take myself off the list (they had me set to start), they said OK and went to hang up without even asking who I was, I had to catch them ask say, don't you want to know my name? I think if you want a home-like experience, it could be a good fit for you. But I hope they work on making new parents feel like they will be responsible with our children. read more

A loving, supportive environment for children and their parents. Our kids have blossomed under their care, and the staff have gone above and beyond to take care of our little family. From scheduling to potty training to discipline, they have done so much to teach and love our children. We highly recommend Child Craft School. Many of the staff have been at this school for years, even decades. The hours are convenient with drop off as early as 7:30am, and pickup by 6pm. It's also conveniently situated in the Hyde Park area, just minutes from UT. They have three outdoor playgrounds divided by age group, allowing the children ample time to play and explore outdoors. Also, Child Craft is open year round, so no scrambling to find alternative care for your kids over the summer. read more

We moved to the neighborhood and Child Craft had an opening and it had been around a long time and everyone was nice, so we secured a spot. However after starting our son there (2 years old) we noticed things that made us uncomfortable. To start, at drop off there is zero check in procedure; you just bring your kid to someone and leave. No sign in, no temp check, nothing. Same for check out, no sign out or exit process, just leave. But the biggest thing is that there is no security whatsoever. All gates and doors are unlocked and not monitored, and when my wife would pick him up she'd wander room to room until she found him and they would leave. Needless to stay we were there 2 weeks and felt the need at that point to move him. Again, everyone was "nice", but it's not a stimulating place for a kid and it's big time daycare vibes, def no education or curriculum of note. read more

We moved here from Germany, and we searched high and low for preschools. The school is an international pot, there are children here from all parts of the world. The staff is wonderful, they do everything to make yo and your child feel at home, we feel like we are part of a small family. The staff has years of experience and they provide an environment full of fun and learning. I would recommend Child craft to anyone, we have a two year old and a four year old attending, and they absolutely love it. read more

Everyone with children in Austin knows how difficult it is for working and middle class families to find quality childcare. Child Craft has given our children a loving, safe, play-centered environment that values diversity in their families and staff. Both of our children attended Child Craft. Our daughter started there at 2 and stayed until she was almost 4-we only took her out because we found a free prek program for her, otherwise we would have stayed there! When our son was born, we immediately called and got him a spot in their infant room. We felt like we were dropping them off at grandma's house! All the staff know all of the children on a first name basis, the children receive delicious home cooked snacks and meals each day, and they have the run of a gorgeous house with years of memories to play in. Child Craft helped tons in potty-training our daughter and, when she started preschool, she was well adjusted and very socialized. They've been patient with our baby as he adjusts to childcare. We love them and will forever to be grateful for the love and care they have shown our children! read more

First let me say that it's too bad there aren't 10 stars, because that's what Child Craft deserves! We (my 2 boys & I) started at Child Craft in April 2012. We were going through a very rough time, divorce and mommy going back to work etc. After searching high and low and even trying out a home daycare (which was awful) we discovered CC through a friend whose children had been there since they were 18 months old. Ms. Rachel took us in and loved us from the beginning. At that time, the boys were 18 months and 3 yrs old, we stayed at CC until it was time to start school. Needless to say we miss CC dearly and I wish my boys were still there. No one has cared, loved, and taught my children the way Ms. Rachel, Ms. Joanie and all the other teachers did. We love them! I would recommend Child Craft to anyone looking for amazing child care. read more

Ahhh.... so many great memories that go along with Child Craft. I was truly blessed to have found such a wonderful and truly caring pre-school for my daughter (Abigail M). My daughter is now 10y and we still talk about Child Craft! She attended CC for approx 3-4yrs. Ms. Rachel, and her wonderful staff have such and great imagination to make learning so fun. Abigail suffered and still does from food allergies, eczema and asthma. The cooks and Ms. Rachael made sure that Abigail did not come in contact with certain foods & Ms. Rachael, even recommended an eczema lotion that I am still using to This Day!!!! I can not express my gratitude enough to every staff member at Child Craft, Special Thanks to Ms. Rachel. Nazareth Montano-M (Abigail Munoz) nzmontano@yahoo.com read more

I don't know if I can write a reviewing glowing enough to express the gratitude I have for this preschool and the way they treat the children like family. From the moment we showed up to Child Craft Ms. Rachel and Ms. Joni have welcomed us with open arms. The staff is super attentive to the children and I have never picked up my son without him having the time of his life. Even when we walk out the door to go home for the evening he still wants to hang back in the playground and play just a little longer. In the toddler room you will find Ms. Dione. She greets the kids with a very warm and energetic greeting at 7:30 am. She is happy to see the kids and this lasts every day all day until each one leaves. There is a genuine warmth that she presents and if you choose this school you will feel it too when you drop off your child. The children eat their snacks outside (weather permitting) and play to get some of that morning energy out. They continue on to class where they learn how to improve their motor skills and how to share with the other children in class. They have tons of hands on activities and produce a substantial amount of artwork for you to hang on your fridge at home or give to the grandparents, aunts and uncles. In the next room is another loving teacher in Ms. Brenda. My son has grown a strong connection with Ms. Brenda and I believe its because she reacts to him the way we would react to him. From the playfulness she has with the kids to the calm redirection she issues when needed, Ms. Brenda does things exactly they way we would want them done every time. She provides verbal reports on every student during pick up and always gets hugs from the kids when they leave for the day. Now that my son is using more words he always includes Ms. Brenda and their classroom and playground adventures in his stories. At night during prayers he never wants to forget to pray for Ms. Brenda, Ms. Dione, Ms. Rachel or Ms. Joni. This preschool/ day care is a place that allows your child to be their own person and doesn't try to make them conform to something they are not. So whether your child is a rule follower, free thinker, artsy, or just a child who wants to be a child this school is for them. If you are in the market for a school who is going to love your child and care for them as you would like then I wholeheartedly recommend Child Craft as the day care for you. read more

We have sent our 3 year old there for 6 months. She entered hating naps and being disruptive and demanding while other kids slept. After a few months, she has learned to play happily and quietly by herself while others sleep. This is just one example of how the patient, caring staff at Child Craft have had a positive influence on our family life. At our daughter's old day care, she came home with bad habits. From Child Craft, she comes home proud of new skills and and new friends. Also, they have accommodated our vegan diet and they are almost never closed for vacation. They are not elitist, there is racial diversity, and every child there seems happy. I can't say enough good about them. read more

Let me tell you I've debated writing this review for a long time, for entirely selfish reasons. I wanted to always insure that their was room for my son in the classes as he grows older. Haha! It's just an absolute gem. We've had terrible experiences with daycares in the past, but this is more than a daycare. It really is a school. There is an incredibly low turn-over rate, my son has attended for almost one year now and in that time one teacher has left because she was moving to San Antonio. The rest have been there 5 years, 8 years, 15 years, and so on. All of the teachers are incredibly loving, caring, and in it for way more than just a paycheck. My son will attend this school until the highest age he can. He is 2.5 now and many days he cries broken heartedly when I show up to pick him up. He also was and still is an early and advanced "talker." He is known amongst family and friends as being a "tattle-tale" because any experience he has with someone (good or bad) he will be telling stories about it for days. Just ask my family about the ONE time I accidentally let him drink from a cup of sour milk, they've all heard the story from him time and time again. So I can say with confidence everything he tells me about his days at school are true. He'll come home with stories like "Mama, can you please tuck me in like Ms. Dione does? Can you rub my back like her she does it special..." and just cute little stories like that. They've taught him so much too. Everyday when he wakes up in the morning since child craft instead of crying he sings the ABC's to himself. He also has developed the habit of loudly saying "NO THANK YOU NO THANK YOU" if another toddler is being mean to him or pushing him, which is what they teach them to do. And they say daycare makes kids aggressive, not true! They care about him deeply, are excited to see him everyday, miss him when he's not there, and always remember important details about him and his family life (like how close he is with his grandpa.) Oh and bonus, they cook healthy meals in house and feed them lunch everyday a long with 3 other healthy snacks (for example the breakfast snack might be oatmeal, apple slices, or a banana). They are also vegetarian/vegan friendly and will tailer meals to fit your child's dietary needs. Really I can't say enough great things about this school. And the events and parties they host for the kids are awesome. They do them frugally but put so much effort into them and everyone has so much fun. Also they regularly set up fun things for the kids to do, this week for example they arranged to have the ice cream truck come to the school so all kids who's parents will allow it, will send a dollar with them and they can have a special treat with their friends. They also have a zoo show coming up where fun animals and spiders come to visit the school and they all get to look and learn. read more

I, too, cannot say enough good things about this place. My daughter has been there three years, and every single day is a happy one. She comes home full to the brim with positive notions--how to treat people, how to treat the world. The kids have lots of special activities and presentations like trips to Zilker, Sesame Street Live, musicians, animal specialists, etc. The kids are ALWAYS learning and creating. read more

There is a very special place in my heart for this preschool and the people who teach there. My son started there when he was eighteen months old and he stayed until he went to kindergarten. Rachel and Joni are awesome! My son started learning to read at child craft when he was only three years old. When he entered kinder he was testing at a third grade level for reading. I recommend Child Craft to every parent that asks me about a good daycare and I am about to enroll my 22 month old as well. Love love LOVE them!!! read more

As a former daycare teacher and current elementary school teacher I am picky about childcare. This place is the absolute best child development center. The staff really love kids and take care of them. My toddler and preschooler are engaged constantly. It is an amazing place full of hands on activities and loving staff. read more

We love Child Craft! My son has been here since he was 17 months old and he is starting kindergarten now. They have been amazing with him. We ended up here after a not so great day care experience somewhere else and we have been so happy here. The teachers are all so nice and so good with the kids. Rachel, the administrator treats the children like her own. I can't say enough about Child Craft. It really is a great place! read more

Our son has attended daycare here for a year now and we are very happy with ChildCraft. This daycare is a refreshing step away from chain daycares that are popping up. Ms.Rachel plans great events for the children any chance possible and encourages parent involvement. read more

I moved up north which meant my son had to go to a different daycare. I was so nervous about this since hes gone to the south one since he was born. My friend suggested Child Craft. After four years of the same school, my son and I walked into Child Craft very curious. It was amazing. He has now been there about a year and he loves it. He looks forward to going to "school" every morning, and when I go to pick him up I have to chase him around the playground to get him to come with me. I love this place! read more

Laid-back. Loves the kids. My only complaint is that they've discontinued the summer day camp - I love this place so much I want to keep my son there during summer vacation. Convenient, courteous, unpretentious. Don't expect new and shiny, this place has been around a long time and we all know how kids can beat a place up. Child Craft is PERFECT. Except for that summer thing - bring it back! read more

Child Craft is a family-run preschool that's been around for over 50 years. Both my kids have gone here. The older one landed here after jumping around a bunch of different places and now goes to the after-school program next door. The younger one started here from the get-go, because we already knew it was a good program. There's nothing fancy at Child Craft-- don't expect a trendy new curriculum or an organic vegan menu. What they do have is very low staff turnover and caring employees-- from the maintenance staff all the way up to the director. Everybody knows all of the kids and they cherish them. Really. The kids that go all the way through (16 months to kindergarten) are absolutely part of the family-- the staff just falls all over them when they come back to visit. Cost is low-average. They don't take many holidays. Hot lunch is served M-Th. Morning and afternoon snack served every day. Hours are 7:30-6:00 (though during nice days, you'll often find families and staff hanging out outside long past 6). My daughter comes home from school with armfuls of glued-together projects and pocketfuls of rocks and a big smile on her face. It's a good place to be. read more

My family and I absolutely love Child Craft and the incredible staff that they have there. My daughter, who is now seven, went there from 18 months until she was ready to go to kindergarten and my 3 year old son is there now. Every staff member from the cook to the director to the bookkeeper know and love my children and they are absolutely treated like family. Every teacher that both of my children have had seem to be passionate about their job and I can trust that my children are being well cared for. The director has been there for over 20 years and is full of knowledge about everything from diet to discipline and is just wonderful all the way around. The playground is spacious and shady and has a wide variety of fun things for the kids to choose from. My kids have fully embraced their motto - Be kind to animals, people and earth. I am so grateful that we found Child Craft. read more

I originally became part of the Child Craft family in 2006. Because of the amazing staff and leadership, each of my children have attended Child Craft. I'm extremely greatful for all the love and patience that Ms. Rachel, Ms. Joni and the staff give to ALL children at their school. It is a comfortable, friendly and loving environment for the children to grow and learn. For my children, it was a easy transition into Kinder because Child Craft helped prepare them. I could go on and on of how great this school is. read more

My daughter has been going to Child Craft for a year now. This is a perfect school for her. She has learned so much from her teacher. Colors, numbers, alphabet, some Spanish. In addition she gets plenty of outside time on their shaded playground. She comes home happy everyday and that makes me happy. read more

Child craft is a wonderful place. We discovered it when we first moved to austin in 2009. My son loved the staff and all the activities (he is in 2nd grade now). My daughter still attends Child Craft and she says the only sad thing about starting kindergarten will be that she can't go to Child Craft anymore. I will miss it too. The staff are all great and obviously care about the kids. Rachael, the school administrator, is very involved and knows all the kids. When my daughters class wanted to do a hula hoop performance Rachael helped them plan it and even posted signs inviting parents to attend. This is a great school! read more

My son has been with Child Craft for over 4 yrs now. We absolutely love it and have not one complaint. I was on the waiting list for several other private churches and so glad we fell upon this wonderful place. After meeting Rachael I know it was a done deal. She seemed so enthusiastic about the school and also very loyal and dedicated. I love how down to earth the place is and how comfortable they make you feel. Every teacher my son has had has been great and feel like he is getting a quality education while still being able to be a kid! We are leaving in August for kindergarten school. Rachael, her daughter Josie and the rest of the staff will truly be missed. Don't look anywhere else. read more

We transferred our son to Child Craft from a larger chain daycare/school when he was 1 1/2 years old and never looked back! He's almost 4 now, and we will be enrolling our second child soon (when he's old enough). Child Craft is the nurturing home-away-from-home we always envisioned for our children. They have so much fun and learn something new every day. The staff is warm and friendly and most have been there for multiple years. I recommend this school to anyone looking for a school that creates a safe and loving environment for their child to learn and grow. read more

Ms. Rachel has been the director for a long time, perhaps too long. It would do the school well if they perhaps had some new energy there. There is high turn over for certain age groups, staff is not treated the best. It's a fine school if you need babysitters and warms meals for your child, not as strong in the education department. Ms. Dione is wonderful with the 18 months olds, no complaints there. read more

You won't find a better daycare center. Both of my daughters attended this school from 18 months through kindergarten. And neither of them wanted to leave. The kids play hard but also learn letters, numbers, shapes, etc. My girls were both in great shape to start Kindergarten and that's thanks to the excellent teaching of academics, manners, and healthy habits that this school offers. My kids enjoyed this school so much, I had to chase them down on the playground every day. There is very low turnover, so the teachers have a lot of experience. My second daughter was 4 years behind the first, but had several of the same teachers. The community of parents is terrific as well. Child craft organizes various events and activities that parents are encouraged to attend, and build friendships as strong as the kids'. My Kindergartener still gets together with a group of her daycare friends and I hope she wants to stay tight with her girlfriends for a long, long time. read more