We've had multiple kids at Fidelity House for the afterschool program over the years and most…read morerecently we had our youngest in the pre-k program. There are lots of activities in both programs for the kids. The kids certainly don't suffer from boredom here. The staff is one of this reason this place really shines. The best way to describe the staff is professional, courteous, and caring. Just an amazing bunch of people. If you're looking for an after school program or childcare you can't go wrong with Fidelity House.

My kid got bullied there and numerous other parents I know state their kids were hit as well by…read moreparticular kids that would terrorize others in the after school program. We tried to discuss and work it out with staff , but the staff was only interested in denying it was and issue and stating "well that's the way kids can be sometimes" My kids been out of there for a couple years now and I heard they did a house cleaning of some staff but I believe some of the leadership that failed to help us are still there.

I am taking an evening pottery class for adults at the ACA and it is fantastic. The instruction and…read morethe space and size of the class are all very conducive towards learning, and I am learning and growing a lot! The studio is on the top floor of an old building near the center of Arlington, a densely populated town. Plan ahead to park, or be Zen about the general traffic situation in the greater Boston area. I recommend the ACA to any adult looking to develop their artistic craft. Especially if you are working from the ground up like me! You will find a supportive environment with lots of instruction and guidance.

Poor-quality camp - unfriendly to working parents…read more The teachers are great, but the camps are very poorly run and the space used isn't adequate. The youngest children occupy a very small room, and more than once were kept inside all day in spite of its being nice out, "because the big kids were outside." The management is quite poor and both those running the camp and the promotional materials are unclear about what the camp offers. On its website, the vacation camp advertises early drop-off and extended day but when, on the first day of camp, I attempted to sign up for these, I was told that I was "not encouraged" to use the services for my child. The total lack of clarity in the materials and from the people I spoke with resulted in my being unable to work a full week. I had no warning of this, and those in charge of the camp shrugged it off with a smug smile. It seems they expect all of their families to employ nannies. If you don't, then consider yourself "not encouraged" to send your child here.

Einstein's Workshop is a creative kid's dream. It's basically an indoor play area, filled with…read morecreative type toys, as well as a computer room where every kid plays, you guessed it, Minecraft. - There are lego tables, tables for Kinex toys, others whose names I forget. Two ramps for testing out lego car creations. A 3D printer, printing stuff. Neat room. Off to the side are other classrooms or private rooms for parties. The kids mainly hung out in the main room working on legos, and others stayed on Minecraft for the whole time. - My one caveat was that it's very boy-oriented stuff. The girls we took didn't find much interest in legos or Minecraft. So, they weren't that thrilled to be there. - There is a 3D scanner in an adjacent building; you can have your body scanned and turned into a 3-D sand sculpture. Creepy/cool! -

Outstanding - great staff, great offerings. Signed my nephew up for a week-long Lego/robotics…read moreclass (for grades 4 to 8). Was concerned that it might be too advanced for him (he's just going into 4th grade this fall). The instructor (Sarah - she's terrific) assured me he'd do great. And she was right - he loved it. At the end of the week I asked him to rate his experience on a scale of 1 to 10. His answer - 'infinity!' Next up - I'll be signing him up for a Mindcraft/into to electronics class. Can't recommend this place highly enough.

Hosted my son's first birthday party there and it was fantastic! Julia, the owner, was incredibly…read morehelpful during set-up and our guests raved about how perfect the space was for the party. We brought in our own food, but Julia provided tables, chairs, and set up a padded play area for the babies. This was so much easier than trying to host the party in our apartment. I've also taken a few adult classes at the studio and they were great too.

We had our daughter's 5th birthday party at H2K and it was the perfect venue! Julia, the owner, set…read moreup the table with plates, juice boxes, napkins, and even tied a balloon to each child's seat before we arrived. Then she taught a mini zumba class complete with an obstacle course that the kids LOVED! It is such a beautiful, large, well-lit, CLEAN studio with ample space for kids to run around and play in without bumping into each other. We had 12 kids present but there was definitely room for a few more. The pace of the party was great and by the time we fed them pizza, the kids ate so quietly after burning energy! We decided to order 2 extra pizzas to our party package which was a real time (and stress!) saver so we didn't have to bring our own food, but we did bring our own cupcakes. Our friends are still talking about how much fun they had! Highly recommend H2K for parties (and they have super fun classes too!)!!

My daughter attended the boys and girls club drop in after school program for years. After leaving…read morethe club one day, she was playing at a nearby park and fell. She (to my horrors!) broke her arm... and wandered back to the club for help. they called me, called an ambulance, went to hospital in ambulance with her and stayed there until i arrived. Seems obvious but she was just a kid walking by that entered and asked for help. so obvs, have been a fan. FFWD _ my daughter is now a teen: This summer she did the leadership training program, volunteering- and learned so much. Created such a positive environment and opportunity for leadership growth for my daughter. This fall, my daughter applied for a job and now works part time in the after school and LOVES connecting with neighborhood kids and organizing games/ playing with the kids. Feel very grateful we have an org in this community that is so accessible and empowering.

I love this place. They offer amazing programs for the kids. My daughter did summer camp here…read more(creative explorers) and is now doing winter camp. The staff is fantastic. They have a nice space here with a big outside area right on spy pond. The pool. The gym. Tennis courts. Kayaking in the summer. I definitely recommend.

We attended a Sunday morning group workshop at the end of May 2023. We were complete novices. Our…read moreinstructor Kate taught us what we needed to know to throw pots on the potter's wheel. At no time did we feel confused, lost, overwhelmed, rushed. I and my friend KHK both threw two good pieces suitable to fire. 9/10 would recommend. Only negative was they are still masking at this late date.

I've been taking classes here since about 2015, and it's been a bright spot in the pandemic…read more Everyone is so nice, the teachers are great, and there's lots of tools to play with, both on & off the wheel.

An incredible experience for my daughter on the autism spectrum. I was hesitant to send my…read moredaughter to Steve and Kate's because of the unlimited choices provided to the children. Many of our sped children, including my own, thrive off of a predictable schedule. I intended to send her for the day to test out the environment. Imagine my shock surprise when she didn't want to leave. I received unprompted feedback about my kid's day and they kept an eye on her behavioral well being. I would send her back in a heartbeat. Tyler at the Somerville location is the best!

The camp is amazingly organized and accommodating for both parents and kids, hours and food…read moreprovided were a nice bonus, but I felt a little led astray. Didn't turn out the way I expected. With "freedom" for the kids... that means they really just choose whatever they want. I was so excited about the various offerings... but my child (about whom we're quite strict about input of screen time, etc) chose to play video and iPad games the entire time (multiple days) he was there. Perhaps I ought to have understood more clearly that Mario Kart and iPad games were going to be options. And taken that into consideration with my child's proclivities. He also had a hard time meeting other kids and making friends. Not usually difficult for him, but he said kids already had cliques and the older/bigger kids were condescending and mean. Oh well. We tried it because we needed to. Won't come again though.

Puddle stompers did phenomenal job with fun and science. They know how to make it accessible to…read morelittle kids and have helped grow my son into a little naturalist.

We showed up to a winter camp session that had been advertised as an outdoor experience, only to…read morefind that the entire morning was indoors. My son cannot tolerate wearing a mask due to hypersensitivities related to being Autistic, and they would not make an exception to their masking rule. We were not allowed in the door, and had to forfeit three days of camp tuition. This is all after I spent hours finding a 1:1 aide we needed to pay out of pocket in order for them to allow him to attend. While I realize I should have double checked about how strict the policy is, there is nowhere else in our life that doesn't make an exception for him and for an outdoor program it didn't even occur to me. I frankly feel angry and sad about the experience, as a welcoming nature camp is exactly the right place for my son. While I understand and support masking as needed, we are three years into the pandemic, and he is triple vaccinated. I hope they improve in their flexibility and if they do I will edit this review happily.