My kids have been going here for a few years now and they absolutely love their teachers and all of…read morethe kids that go there. They made a safe place for them and helped them grow.

My grandson loves his teachers and really looks forward to going to school. My granddaughter…read moregraduated from their Pre K program is very successful in her Kindergarten class at a local private school with high expectations. Thank you to all who work here.

Hoping to have a Valentine's Day pottery class while socially distancing and adhering to state…read moreguidelines. Instead, we are cramped into a small room elbow to elbow and at one point for the Valentine's Day game, All those seated decided to take off their masks completely. When I told the event helpers that we were leaving because we didn't feel safe, they just looked at me and said "ok" and didn't even tell the group that they need to put their masks back on. Very hostile environment. The non-maskers were glaring at you and coughing at you. I did not feel safe there. Owner was more focused on his income then the health and well being of the community. Very sad! We just left rather than succumb ourselves to a toxic environment.

Just a fun and creative environment everyone there is super nice and amazing at what they do thereread more

This is by far the best daycare to bring your kids to. The owner Lori is always helping out in the…read morerooms even when she's super busy. She has been open 30 years.

My daughter has been part of this studio since 2018, which makes this experience especially…read moredisappointing. After years of participation, she was removed from her class and competitive team despite her dedication and effort. My daughter has Turner's syndrome and is undergoing physician-prescribed treatment, and concerns were raised about her medication, emotions, and personal circumstances. At 11 years old, she showed resilience by completing her full routine at competition, even after making a mistake. However, decisions about her removal were made without any prior warning or transparent communication with me. Throughout the season, I observed interactions that I felt were discouraging and, at times, isolating. When I attempted to address these concerns with leadership, the conversation did not lead to a constructive resolution. What stands out most is the contrast between our experience and the studio's stated mission to provide a safe, supportive environment where children can grow, build confidence, and develop positive self-images. Based on our experience, I cannot recommend this program to families seeking a communicative, inclusive, and supportive environment for their children. I strongly encourage parents to ask direct questions about how concerns are addressed and how all students are treated before enrolling.

My daughter has been attending Jumpstart Plus - North since she was just 18 months old, and we…read morecouldn't be happier with our experience. Over the years she has grown so much -- not only in skill, but in confidence -- and she is now a proud member of their gymnastics team. She recently earned 1st Place State Champion, along with many other first-place meet finishes, and we truly credit so much of that success to the incredible coaching staff. The coaches are patient, knowledgeable, encouraging, and genuinely care about every child they work with. The environment is positive, supportive, and motivating, and the level of training is outstanding. As a parent, it gives me complete peace of mind knowing she is learning from people who are both talented and trustworthy. If you're considering gymnastics for your child, I can honestly say you cannot go wrong with Jumpstart Plus both north and south location locations. We are beyond grateful to be part of their program!

Review Visit: December 9th, 2012…read more The place where I almost shattered my jaw. That's right. I nearly shattered my jaw while ice skating at the Owens Recreational Center. Matt, Erin, and I decided to stay in the local area and see what we could do without having to drive far to see something new. My friend Adam was a big time hockey fan and suggested I check out the Owens Recreational Center for an evening of fun ice skating. Something new and something fun? Sign me up. We arrived and paid for our skates. Erin declined to take a chance on the ice, so it was just two goofy friends slipping and sliding out on the ice. As a kid, I had a ton of experience rollerblading around my neighborhood. The concept of ice skating had to be familiar to rollerblading, right? It turns out... yes... and no... While the concept is the same, the fact that you are on slippery ice adds a whole new aspect to it. Matt and I had many 'oh crap' moments while getting our bearings but once we got going, we held up pretty well. That's when the trouble started. I got cocky. I got over confident. My ability to adapt and attune myself to whatever it is that I am doing is good and bad. It wasn't long before I was speeding around, zipping and swerving around others. This lasted for quite awhile and I had to stop a few times to catch my breath. Ice skating required a lot more physical activity than I expected. During one of my breaks, Erin urged caution since I was still a newbie and I was going faster than I thought. I took her advice at first but in the heat of the moment and the adrenaline of speeding over ice, I was got going a little too fast and ended up banking a turn a little too sharp. My skate got caught up on the ice and I slammed down hard. Not only did I slam down hard but I landed on the right side of my jaw first and then the rest of my body hit the ice. For a long few seconds, I laid there with the worst going through my mind. All my dental work was destroyed. My jaw was going to be broken. I was going to be on a liquid diet for months while cleaning the wires that held my jaw in place. As I slowly got up and Matt came over to see if I was alright, a wave of relief washed over me. A few wiggles of my jaw and probing of my teeth with my tongue, I knew I was lucky to avoid a trip to the hospital. I didn't get completely lucky as my jaw did swell up a bit, there was a gash on the inside of my cheek and I was sure that I was going to kick myself in the backside super hard later for having the night of skating end a bit early. Yes, after that hard fall I decided to call it quits. We did get to skate for maybe 30 minutes in total which doesn't sound like much but that's more than enough if you aren't trained for skating at all. Aside from my jaw being tender the next day, I remember my ankles and calves were super sore, in a good way. The Owens Center does offer other activities. Obviously after nearly shattering my jaw, I wasn't too keen on exploring the rest of the facility but check out their website below to see if there is anything there that might interest you. And that's how I nearly shattered my jaw.

the people there are amazing and super supportive. It make me feel like we really are one big…read morefamily. Their supper skates program is great for those trying to learn and the amount of coaches and open availibility is unparalleled. I, personally have be going to the owens center for 5 years and the entire time ive never had a bad experience. Alsoif you want someone funny ask for josh- he's awesome. And about their skates, yes they may be a bit worn but its not their fault. low funding makes it difficult to maintain ice quality and skates. 10/10 would recccomend for anyone

Fun playground for kids, with the IL river as a backdrop-- all wooden with swings and a zip line…read moretoo! We stopped here to stretch our legs on a long road trip. I'm always on the lookout for a good place to stop with kids and let them run without going too far out of our way. Its easily accessible from i74, playground is beside the Riverplex/Children's Museum so there were clean bathrooms and lots of parking-- we even had plenty of room for our trailer.

We went to the park about 10 years ago and found it quite interesting. This time we found it overly…read morecommercialized and very rundown. Many of the enclosures were not maintained and many of them animals looked as though they needed attention by both park workers and medical intervention. It is very obvious that the park is not AZA accredited.

Review Visit: October 28th, 2012…read more A place that brings back wonderful childhood memories. As a kid, this place was a destination for field trips. I remember coming out here ones or twice and having the time of my life. I blame these field trips for fostering my love for nature and being outside. So, it was only fitting that I revisit Wildlife Nostalgic Park... I mean Wildlife Prairie Park. WPP for short, this place is a fantastic destination for anyone living in Central Illinois or really anywhere in Illinois. During this fall visit, it was my girlfriend and my friend. We casually strolled the main parts while sipping some delicious coffee. The park had changed so much from when I was a kid. There were a few things I remember, but they have since expanded or updated mostly everything. They have a pretty cool snake area that is slightly modeled like a... snake. We played around on some trains and took some goofy photos with those "face cut out" displays. The bulk of the park are the nature preserves with wild floral and fauna. You could spend all day slowly walking through the park, seeing wild cows, wolves, deer, humans, birds, and various other interesting animals. Not only can you visit and see nature, they also have cabins/camping areas to rent out. I haven't personally done this as my group of friends aren't big into camping, but I would love to check it out some day. The prices seem really fair for what you get. Last but not least, they hold events throughout the year. Check out their website for details but I've been to their Ren Faire (Olde English Festival) and it was a blast. They also have a wildly popular Wildlife Scary Park each year for October/Halloween. One of my friends has a membership for WPP and said she has tickets to ride the train. Should this rain ever subside, I think it's time to take her up on her offer to go visit! We only have one Earth. Please treat it with respect. Don't litter. Recycle. Leave nature places cleaner than when you arrived. Future generations will appreciate it.