Review based solely on Rainbow Hop experiences 2018 and 2019: Such a fun way to step out of the sun and heat, take a seat and watch the Children's joy and happiness as they moved to music on a ballon-filled dance floor. Kids were giggling and squealing with delight, kicking tossing and running through balloons. And if that wasn't enough, on the way out, we were offered a tiny cup of "pride Os!" (Fruit Loops). Staff were friendly and welcoming and seemed so happy to see and dance with the kids. read more

This is a well-run establishment, at least with my experience on the music lesson side. It's been about a month so far and William and Mike have been attentive, caring, organized, and flexible in their services for my kids' piano lessons. My kids are enjoying learning to play AND practicing at home on their own! Their group/sibling rate was attractive for us as well. I'm excited to see how my kids' piano skills will grow. read more

I really lucked out this year when I put my son into Illumination Learning Studio's half-day kindergarten program. I am very satisfied with the management (Mr Mike and Ms Molli) and other teachers at ILS with how they have handled a difficult year. They truly care about their students' well-being and education. My son was initially enrolled in the pre-k program. His very awesome pre-k teacher, Ms. Shen, identified that he was ready for more advanced work. She and Ms. Molli met and approached me about moving him to their new kindergarten class. I was pleasantly surprised that Ms. Shen and Ms. Molli took the initiative to arrange this for my son. It showed that they genuinely cared about my son's learning and advancement more than money or "just" running a business. This is the first year that ILS has had a kindergarten program and I am confident that my son is getting an excellent start to his formal educational experience. They offer a rich curriculum of arts, music, reading, writing, and math programs. My son has greatly improved on his reading fluency and writing skills. He comes home excited to show me his new art project, or share his experience playing the drums, or the new yoga moves he did in school. Ms. Molli has been very flexible in supporting my son in his individual curriculum in math. She goes above and beyond to touch-base with parents about the students' progress through email, formal assessments, and brief chats during pick-up and drop-off. I have no doubt that when my son transitions to elementary school next year he will be more than ready academically and socially. read more

Our family loves ILS and their staff. Our daughter attended ILS for several years. She still takes piano lessons from Mr. Mike and she plays beautifully. I'm so grateful that they are in our neighborhood. read more

Chicago's LOSS is Seattle's GAIN. Up front, I admit, I've known owners Mike and Molly (that's Mr. Mike and Ms. Molli to you) for years. We met often as our sons played ice hockey together. These are two of the kindest people I've ever met.. that always stood out and gave me pause to reflect on my own persona. The wonderful and loving relationship they have with their own children speaks volumes in today's world. In fact, that alone should be enough to cause Illumination Learning Studio to grow and expand... today. Mr. Mike's reputation as a music instructor is stellar. His students loved him, still do, he cared for them beyond the classroom and seemed to show up for their recitals on a regular basis. Parents loved him too! I've seen more happy pictures of Mr. Mike with his young students then I have of some of my family members. Much beloved, Chicago misses him. Ms. Molli worked hard to gain her teaching credentials and even harder once she got them. She is a giver and her young students appear to not know what 'hit' them (metaphorically speaking) as she helps them to expand their universe and even overcome many learning issues. Big heart, patient, caring... Ms. Molli. They worked hard and designed Illumination Learning Studio as a part of their plan to move back to Washington State, Mr. Mike's a native (again, metaphorically) and their dream has come true. Now your's can too! We have a very good friend in Seattle who has visited them, scoped out the studio, the equipment, location and more. She gives them top grades for the package they've put together and is not surprised to see the enrollment growing. Every kid today is a 'special needs' kid as parents both work and are pulled in so many directions. If you need a caring place, a safe place that will help your little one explore the universe... check them out, try them out. You'll be convinced and your kids will be far better off. read more

My second grader has been doing remote school for the 2020-2021 term to date. The best part of his day, by far, is going to ILS to engage with other students his age in creative activities. The teachers and students wear masks at all times and have a number of additional health measures in place (e.g., temp checks, sanitizer). He enjoys the art projects and was very excited to memorize a routine for his role in the musical Oklahoma performed with the group. We've been going to ILS since Kindergarten and it has been one of the few bright spots in 2020 for us. read more

We originally signed our daughter up for aftercare, and then when the pandemic hit and schools closed, we jumped on the opportunity to attend Ms. Molli's in-person 10-kid morning kindergarten program. I had heard great things about the preschool and pre-K offerings, but it still exceeded my expectations. With a personalized approach, and a playful but rigorous hands-on curriculum, my daughter loves it and is thriving, already reading independently, counting by five's and starting to tell time. Ms. Molli is so personable and is fully transparent and collaborative with the parents, so even with strict Covid policies, I feel more connected with the kindergarten experience than I would have ever hoped. I forgot to mention it's very affordable too. read more

This is an excellent pre school for children. Our grandson have been attended this school for 2 years and going to 3rd year. The staff is very knowledgeable, very good with children....Our grandson learn a lot from them. The school is very safe, clean and equipped with everything for the children to learn. We would like to recommend this school for everyone who wants their kids to success in the future. Long and Kim read more

We have been sending our daughter to ILS since Sept 2017 and are consistently delighted with the experience. The instructors are warm, fun, and talented. I love that every week our daughter gets to take part in art, music, yoga, dance, theatre arts. (I also like that she gets to enjoy all of that and I'm not a taxi cab bringing her from place to place!) read more

My son started at ILS in November of 2014. He had just turned four and although he could sing his ABCs all day long, he probably only recognized six letters. We recently had his parent/teacher conference and not only does he now know all letters in the alphabet, he also knows the sounds that the letters make. ...you know what this means, he is putting these sounds together and making words. Yep, my four and a half year old is *almost* reading. In a mere six months with the incredible teachers at ILS. This is the first of many reasons why ILS has been such an incredible organization for our family. The teachers are loving, but structured. They provide a weekly lesson plan that gives me a heads up about what my son will be learning about that week and how we can support the plan at home. They teach Spanish, piano, yoga and art. (My son wishes that every day was Tuesday so that he could wear "comfies" to school and do yoga with Miss Ali). The amount of care and concern that the teachers at ILS show the students is above and beyond what I would ever imagine for a half day preschool. I cannot recommend this program enough and the teachers that work so hard to make it happen. read more

My daughter just loved their camp, and this isn't always the case. Staff were warm, responsive, and on top of it, creating a unique and fun experience at "Decade Camp" she came home raving about. My daughter taught me the lindy hop! Cool! read more

I work in tech. Never have I requested a refund because I don't need the money. My son is not a bully. He once demanded his nanny search the neighborhood for a lost cat because he was worried after seeing a lost cat sign. He has never attacked or demeaned another child. He is sensitive and loving. The fact these Trump like truth spinners would attack me and my family after simply reporting the truth is beyond repugnant. After several conversations with a child psychologist, I am beyond assured these monsters should not be allowed to damage another child. read more

My kids have attended ILS for Pre-K, Kindergarten, and summer camps, and every single day, they go to school excited to learn and engage and come home happy, energized, and eager to share everything they've absorbed during the day. With the upheaval of the last year, ILS has provided stability for my kids, first online, and then in person, with their creative, dynamic programming (like Harry Potter summer camp!), and it has given our whole family so much comfort. I am so grateful to have found ILS for my kids! read more

My daughter attended ILS for four years and we can't say enough good things about her experience. ILS ensured that she was safe, supported and had options to spark her personality to emerge through acting, dancing, yoga, thoughtful games. She found many mentors in the teachers and really grew into a kind and creative human. They taught her to work through problems that naturally arise in early childhood education and how to communicate with others in a respectful way. ILS compliments school to ensure students are well rounded. Thank you to ILS, we feel fortunate to have you in our neighborhood! read more

We have been thrilled with the afterschool and camp programs at ILS. Her teachers are absolutely WONDERFUL; they are funny, kind, smart, and actually interact with the kids. Our child has come home and taught us things about art + music we didn't know - and they are 5 years old. We are very grateful to be a part of ILS family. read more

We feel very fortunate that we stumbled upon Illumination Learning Studio when we moved here from the Midwest four years ago. Our now 7-year-old has loved every minute of ILS whether it be preschool, after school care or summer camp programs. The staff have treated us like family. I highly recommend ILS not only as a means for childcare but more importantly introducing children to the benefits and fun of performing arts. read more

ILS has been a gift during this very difficult year. My son has been attending the kindergarten program since September, and it's been awesome. He is happy to go to school each day (which has not always been the case for him), and is eager to share everything he learned when he comes home. His education has felt very well rounded (strong academics, art, music, science, etc). The teachers are caring and fun. I have felt confident with their covid safety precautions and communication has been easy. I am so glad to have ILS in the neighborhood! read more

We used ILS for 3 years (K-2) for afterschool care and summer camps and my son is continuing in the music program. It's really a terrific program, especially for kids who love to perform. We were at Greenwood for 1 year and then Ballard for 2 years and were very happy with both locations. My son loves all the piano teachers and especially loved the breakdancing class! My work schedule has changed so we no longer need afterschool care but we will definitely continue with music and camps (which have awesome themes!). 5 star program! read more

ILS has always played a critical role in preserving our sanity and ensuring our kids are happy- especially this year. I remember when our (now) 5th grader was a kindergartner at ILS, saw some art and he said "Wow! That really looks like a Jackson Pollock!" He then rattled off a few more artists that he was learning to love and appreciate during his art class at ILS. That was just the beginning of our constant amazement at the cool artist knowledge, songs, dance moves, theater techniques or crafts our kids have come home with. The arts plus the fact that our kids have LOVED every single adult that has ever worked at ILS- the team there does an amazing job hiring adults who love kids- ILS is just really a special place! We are so thankful they're part of our community! read more

ILS is the highlight of my 7-year-old daughter's day. She's built strong friendships, loves her teachers and most importantly, really loves the programming. She comes home every day excited to share the art she's created or tell us about a new skill she's learned. We highly recommend ILS. It is filling a need for our daughter that isn't filled during her school day. Thank you, ILS! read more

Just can't say enough good things about ILS. My daughter started there in Kindergarten and has stayed through 2nd grade. This isn't just day care, they provide art instruction, homework help, yoga, drama and music, and cultural studies. All the employees are lovely and they work to create a really positive culture with the kids. My daughter feels like it is a second home. Would recommend it without hesitation to anyone in the neighborhood. read more

I sent my son to camp here, and he broke his finger. He ran into a wall... it happens. What I'm upset about is how rude they were about it. 1. They didn't call me to let me know. My son complained about restricted movement, and I looked at his finger and it was completely black and blue. 2. I had another camp through Illumination the following week, and since my son was supposed to stay home and immobilize the finger, I asked whether I could receive a prorated rate for that week. They said no, they don't do that. However, they had prorated for my son's friend who joined the class mid-week, so clearly they DO do that. 3. When he returned to camp, I told them he wasn't supposed to run or jump or do anything that might cause him to fall on the finger. My son told me they MADE him run with the other kids. My insurance company called me for months afterwards urging me to sue Illumination Learning Studio, but I didn't. However, I won't ever send my kid back. What a horrible experience. The camp "counselors" are just untrained teenagers who have no idea how to talk to kids, and clearly no accountability. There are so many better camp options here in Seattle. read more

My daughter is in the after school program and we couldn't be happier. Great stuff and fun and valuable activities. Hard to get her to leave at pick up. read more

Our daughter spent her Pre-K year at the ILS Greenwood preschool, and we absolutely loved it. She always enjoyed going, and she learned so much! The teachers are engaged and so good with the kids. We would definitely recommend ILS! read more

ILS is a wonderful preschool with caring teachers that give the kids exposure to a nicely varied creative program, including piano/music, yoga, Spanish, drama and art. What a great grouping of activities for 3-5 year olds to explore, before starting Kindergarten. Molli and Mike, the owners are amazing with the kiddos, and genuinely enjoy working with, and inspiring the kids. Our five year old daughter has benefited from the three year education she has received at ILS, and come September, she will be more than ready for Kindergarten. I can't ask for anything more! read more

This is a fabulous organization. We use the before and after school program and my daughter loves it. They provide a very high level of care and education for elementary school kids: art history, piano, performance, yoga, homework help, playing at the park, chilling...amazing. Mr. Mike and Ms. Molli are loving and organized so that the kids are happy and in control always. Could not ask for a better set-up to support working parents. read more

My son loves illumination and so do I. He has been in the after school program for 3 yrs and goes to the summer camps. The staff is wonderful and I always feel confident that my son will be well cared for here. read more

ILS changed our son's life. And, quite honestly, ours as parents. We had our 3 year old son in full time daycare starting when he was 3 months old at a well-known and respected organization. With the 10-1 ratio, it wasn't meeting our son's needs. That is when I discovered ILS! I knew the minute my son and I met Molli, that it was the right place for him. ILS has a group of brilliant and caring teachers all led by Molli and Mike who are very well respected by the children. They create a nuturing and structured environment that promotes learning every single day. Molli communicated with us clearly and often while providing suggested learning activities for us at home. Our son LOVED going to school, made lasting friendships and we often had after school playdates at parks close by. The parents of my son's classmates became my friends. A very challenging situation turned out to be the best thing that could have happened for our family. I highly recommend ILS. read more