Apparently my review was removed, and now I'm sure others who have also had negative experiences…read morehad the same done to their reviews. We had our daughter attend the downtown campus this summer and first few weeks of fall. I felt that the communication between the teachers and parents was lacking and come to find out the teachers do not speak english. When we toured the school, we were told the teachers would only speak spanish, as it is a spanish immersion program. However, with preschoolers, it is essential they at least are able to understand what the children are saying and be able to attend to their needs (even if it's in spanish). We noticed our daughter was coming home upset and nothing was being said when I would pick her up from school, so I assumed it was nothing serious. Well, one day at pick up she was clearly being bullied by 2 kids, and although the teacher witnessed this behavior, she did nothing to intervene or use this as an educational opportunity to show inclusivity and kindness. We had a meeting with the teacher and director and we came to the conclusion that the language barrier was the cause. The owner was not understanding and blamed us for not bringing it up sooner. How could we, if the teachers are not communicating? With there being so many other great school/daycare options, I would not recommend this one. The value is not there, the curriculum is lacking for the preschool age group, and the way they handle business is unprofessional.

My granddaughter attended for several months, but unfortunately, I did not feel she was learning…read moreeffectively, and communication with the teachers was quite limited. Given the cost, I do not believe it was a worthwhile investment.

We have had our son here for the last few months since turning 18 months old. He is thriving here…read more All of the teachers there are super welcoming and great with our son. It is full Spanish immersion which is one of the main reasons we chose AV but the incredible outdoor space and the care the teachers put into the children is what made us choose and ultimately is the reason we will be choosing to keep our son here for foreseeable future!

Old establishment. When they mention that they provide snack, think of it as shaved ice or 3 Graham…read morecookies. They don't allow kids to drink water in the afternoon to avoid inside traffic to the restrooms. The place is gross and teachers never wash their hands. Wonder how children are sick most of the time? The poor hygiene says it all. The outside is very unsafe and when children fall or get hurt, the parents rarely get informed to avoid complaints. Visit the school during the lunch and nap time! It doesn't matter the weather conditions, they will eat outside. Everything is outside! Even diaper changing with the unsanitary conditions. Dirty dirty dirty

I am so happy we found Mi Casita! The Austin daycare scene is so competitive and I was overwhelmed…read morewith where to start. We were so lucky to get our 2 year old into the school - from day one I have had 100% confidence not just in the level of care they provide, but also in their commitment to my Childs education. She is thriving, learning, and so happy to go to school every day. It's a wonderful, tight-knit community of families with plenty of opportunities for us to connect with other parents and staff throughout the year. We've been so amazed by the immense impact the Montessori approach has made in our child's independence, language skills (both Spanish and English) and compassion.

This may be a long review but will be honest for the East location…read more We were with MiCasita East for 3 months before pulling our 2 daughters due to a safety concern. This was a new location and wouldn't recommend going through the growing pains. I am giving 2 stars because I was grateful that they took our daughters in last minute (after Los Amiguitos on MLK unexpectedly delayed when they would be able to start our daughter). The teacher who spoke English and Spanish was let go which was really when I started to notice that they weren't doing much with the kids. It was more of a daycare vibe where teachers just watched the kids and made sure they stayed alive. The only teacher who ever engaged in conversation and did cool activities like had the kids help set up bird feeds. The kids are changed anywhere and everywhere. I didn't agree with this personally because of sanitary purposes and as someone with a childcare background, I believe it's important for children to have a designated bathroom place to make that connection. Especially when it's time to potty train. We had started shortly after they opened. So their playground was still under construction. There was ZERO shade at first. Kids spend 2-3 hours in hot weather. Some days the HI was as high as 103. They quit doing water play for like a month when it started to get hotter. When I brought this up to Jackie, the director, she dismissed me and stated there were no guidelines for weather according to licensing. My daughters wouldn't eat at school because of how much the heat affected them. Mosquitoes and flies are a huge issue here even though they have pest control. This is an issue if you have a child who is more reactive to mosquitoes bites. My daughter would come home with what looked like marbles under her skin from the bites due to her reaction to mosquitoes. My 3.5 year old came home learning more English than Spanish. Most parents here are only English speaking so they place their kids here in hopes they will learn Spanish. It was hard on my older daughter as there were no other children who spoke Spanish. As far as I knew from what I was told, we were the only Spanish speaking household. So if you're of Hispanic background and looking for a Spanish program, this isn't the place. What was our deciding factor? I got a call from them that my youngest daughter had a fever of 102.4. I picked her up within the hour. The HI was 103. When I got there she was outside with the rest of the children in the heat. I brought this up to Jackie, and again she dismissed me and made it seem like it wasn't a big deal. She stated they were short handed and she had went to lunch so she had my daughter go with the rest of the kids and that she had her water bottle. Apparently my daughter's health wasn't more important than a lunch break. Child care licensing states that a child that is sick and sent home needs to be isolated from other children to reduce the chances of an outbreak. So they also broke licensing regulations. My daughter came back positive with COVID. No letter was sent out to the rest of the parents regarding a positive case (especially since they refused to isolate her). This was obviously a concern as it made me wonder what illnesses they were exposing my kids to as well. After that incident is when we pulled our girls shortly after securing another spot elsewhere. I never received an apology for Jackie not being respectful of my daughter's health even though I mentioned this was the reason why. Absolutely no cares given.

POV: you're a first time mom wrestling with the idea of going back to work or just even carving out…read moretime to get things done for yourself. You want to raise a great human. You want them to socialize, but you don't want them to be in a herd. You want someone to love them like a family member or BETTER. You want to incorporate structure but not rigidity. You want them to appreciate nature and be eager to try things. Most importantly, you want them to be safe. Don't look any further than Casa. There's just enough communication (no weird videoing or instant notifications). There's just enough structure. PLUS your baby will be exposed to another language on a daily basis. No they won't get confused. They will be more tidy and aware than you are so be careful! Great school, great employees, great location. Warning: you're going to love it!

We love all things Casa! We have been Casa parents twice over, our son was there from 14 months - 3…read moreyears and now our daughter started at 10 months and is loving her time there. Both our children have learnt so much there, how to be independent, curious and kind. The methods used helps cultivate deep focus and a can do attitude to everything. The teachers and administrators at Casa are full of warmth, love and care for the kids. It feels like an extension of our home, with the trust we have in the Casa experience.

Echoing another reviewer who compared this to Habibi's Hutch--only in my opinion better: way…read moresmaller (Habibi's Hutch has grown to massive enrollment), homier, calmer. AP is owned/operated by the most loving, caring, warm couple who are native/long-time Austinites. After only nine months my 2.5yo, who had no prior Spanish exposure, is speaking entirely in Spanish to them. AP is casual, with no strict dropoff or pickup times, and with long hours to accommodate busy parents. Kids are outside almost all the time playing in *shaded* space (surprisingly rare among preschools we toured), and they come home a little dirty and covered in paint, just the way I'd want it.

Academia is a wonderful Spanish immersion daycare in Austin that feels like a home away from home…read morefor our son! The teachers are incredibly caring and create a safe, warm environment where children feel free to be themselves. They really let the kids explore and play outdoors, making nature a big part of everyday learning. It's a place where kids can get messy, try new things, and develop a love for discovery--all while picking up Spanish naturally. Academia is a gem for parents who want a nurturing space for their little ones to grow and learn!

Both of my children, now 9 and 7, started at Open Door as infants and stayed until they graduated…read moreto kindergarten. Entrusting your baby to a childcare facility is one of the most vulnerable moments as a parent -- you just hope and pray that your child will be loved, protected, and truly seen for who they are. Open Door delivered that and so much more. The teachers and staff are not just caregivers; they are a true community. Every child is celebrated. Babies are always held, toddlers come home covered in glitter and joy, and older kids are encouraged to explore, express, and grow. My children thrived there, not just academically but emotionally and socially. What makes Open Door so special is that it feels like a family. The teachers know your kids deeply, they cheer for their milestones, and they nurture them through challenges. Even years later, my kids still light up when we talk about their time there and have lasting friendships that stemmed from Open Door. If you're looking for a preschool where your child will be loved, valued, and embraced for who they are, Open Door is truly one of a kind and one of the true gifts of my life.

Lots of outside play, lots of art, social emotional learning, play based curriculum. The school has…read moreschool-wide potlucks for special occasions and it feels like a big community.

Absolutely love this school! Both my children are in MO and both have had the opportunity to be…read morewith ms.Mounika she's taught them so much and is kind and patient with every child! My daughter is now with Ms.Jocefa and the love she pours into her classroom and children shows! I'm so thankful for everything Montessori oaks has done for us! This isn't just a school it's our second home

Ninna asked my family to leave the school on the basis that I deterred families from joining, and…read morethat I'm unprofessional. She asked us to leave without notice. Not providing time for me to find new childcare for my children was deeply unkind, especially since there were zero issues with how my children were engaging with their classrooms. My daughter had 6 teachers in 7 months at this school; 5 of those 6 teachers had NEVER been in childcare before Montessori Oaks. Both the teachers individually shared this with me, and Ninna later verified it. Ninna is generally lacking in professionalism, aptitude for running a business, and isn't a present or engaged leader at the school. Ninna & Carl, I was a PARENT of your school. It seems that my generosity and volunteerism had somehow shifted your expectations of me, which had you treating me like staff. You did not pay me, I did not work for you, and I had ZERO responsibility to register families at Montessori Oaks. Furthermore, YOU have a responsibility to be professional with ME as paying customer. For you to believe that I owe you professionalism and to register families at MO is absolutely senile. You don't know what you're doing, your staff have little respect for you, you aren't present on campus or with parents, you're defensive about feedback, and you've had to close your other campus and complain openly about the alarming financials of the Anderson Mill campus. If anyone is unprofessional, it's you. You are the common denominator of your businesses failures. Regardless of this, I have given dozens of hours of my time beautifying the campus and building a parent community, I've referred and registered families, and I've supported you through your mental health difficulties and business challenges (on multiple occasions Ninna solicited me for business and management advise about how to write up and fire teachers). Blaming me for the failing status of the school may be convenient, but ultimately, we all know that if you run a great program, you'll fill your classrooms. All this said, my son, who was upstairs with Nipa and Alex, had a fantastic learning and classroom experience with those two teachers. I couldn't recommend Nipa and Alex more highly. After leaving, I've had several parents reach out to me sharing similar frustrations about Ninna and how the school is run. Including one family who was kicked out without notice....there's a theme. If you're seriously considering enrolling here, I'd encourage you to call at 5 different times during open hours just to see how often the phone is answered...Ninna's not there, she's not engaged, and she'll pretend that the failing school status is because of others. Get a grip Ninna. You're in charge. Act like it.

Our son has been at Barton Creek Childcare since he was 6 months old, for a year now. We have been…read moredelighted at how happy he is to be dropped off in their care. We receive frequent updates throughout the days of the curriculum and activities he does, and love the art we receive when he comes home. We have experienced nothing but flexibility and genuine care and love for our son from the staff. Ms Daniela is always so communicative about him and I am so appreciative of the attention with which he has been cared for there. And the seasonal parties for parents to see the kids play are always such a treat!

As a childcare director I'm looking at childcare centers from a different perspective than most. I…read morewas looking for a school with low turnover, loving and kind teachers and a safe space for my children to develop. I found this and more with Priscilla and Elizabeth. My children came from a negative experience at a nature center nearby and I was very concerned about my oldest daughters self esteem from this experience. The teachers here have been so kind and loving to my spicy little girl as well as bolstering my oldest daughters self esteem. They feel loved and safe with some great extra curriculars and appropriate developmental learning opportunities. I love them and will be sending my girl back for the summer after kinder. Thanks Ladies!