As a parent to a toddler, I am always on the hunt for new activities to take him to (especially…read moreduring the winter months when we can't get outside as much!). I have been blown away by Melody Magic Music Studio. My son had the BEST time in all of the classes he's attended. They really know how to connect with all different kinds of kids and bring out the joy in each one, as my son is pretty reserved for the most part but he really let loose in the class. The most recent class we did was Jingle Jams with Ms. Katherine, and it was such a cute themed class. We've done both one-off classes and recurring classes, but due to schedules only the one-off classes ended up working for us, but it's turned out to be a nice treat / surprise for my son that we try to get to on a monthly basis. Also, from a safety perspective, they're taking some great precautions to keep our kiddos safe during these crazy, crazy times. I really appreciate them going above and beyond, especially as a small business. Can't wait for our next classes! We just signed up for the winter themed and valentine's classes (SO FUN!)!!

Little did I know when I discovered Melody Magic what an incredible find it truly was!I'm a career…read morenanny and am always looking for great places to take kiddos! Richmond has so many options, especially for music classes--which is awesome, but it can feel overwhelming when trying to decide which place is right for your child. I'm here to tell you, though, that if you give Melody Magic a try (they offer a free trial class) you will instantly see why you need to look no further!! All of their teachers are highly trained in their Kindermusik program! The teachers are amazing at helping us (childcare providers, parents, grandparents) understand why what we're doing in class is important and how we can foster that at home; They tell us what skill each set of movements works on and what part of the brain it helps develop. Each class is tailored to a specific age group (unless you choose the mixed-age group class), which is, to me, one of the top reasons their program is so successful and meaningful for families. They don't do with infants what they do with toddlers-sure, there's some concept overlap which is what you want, but the movements and activities for each group are selected with your child's brain age development in mind. How cool is that! I haven't found that in any other music class in town, so when I found Melody Magic I realized it was THE way to go. I will continue to tell my future nanny families about Melody Magic and strongly encourage them to sign up their kiddos!! I LOVE that my current nanny family sees the value in it! We have so much fun each week in class!!! I could go on and on about the amazingness of Melody Magic's Kindermusik classes, but for now I'll leave it at that! As a side note, the owner (Katherine Knight) of the Richmond location is fabulous! She is always, always more than willing to answer any and all questions you have!! She doesn't look at the children who come through her doors as cookie cutters, but rather the unique individuals that they are!! I encourage you to sign up for a trial class--you will not regret it!

My four children and I have been at CVDA for sixteen years. My son has gone on to become a…read moreprofessional dancer while dance is more of a hobby for my three daughters. It has been a wonderful place to watch my children grow. Ms. Anne works hard to create a diverse and inclusive studio where kindness is preeminent. Kindness always. She is also a supporter of Brown Ballerinas for Change, where she hosts a spring fundraiser for BBFC each year. She truly believes in the power of dance and it being an art that is for everybody and every body. In fact, BBFC was founded by four CVDA dancers in 2020 as a way to make classical ballet accessible to all communities by offering tuition-free ballet classes. When my husband passed away unexpectedly in 2022, our CVDA family wrapped their arms around me and my children to make sure we felt supported and encouraged. There is a family atmosphere that is welcoming for everyone who enters the studio. In the recital this past weekend, my 7 year old daughter literally fell flat on her face during a solo in one of her dances while on stage. You know what she did...she got up, looked at her teacher who was cheering her on from the orchestra pit and she kept dancing. This is the resilience my children have learned both at home and at CVDA. I could not have found a better dance studio for my family.

We moved to the area 7 years ago and after interviewing at several studios we found out home at…read moreCVDA. Anne the studio owner is great to work with- she is kind, she cares for the students and has created a great program. The teaching staff is great- they meet students where they are and encourage growth. The prices for classes and costumes are lower than other studios in the area (we checked). You have the choice of standard dance classes, company and competition. My 15 year old daughter does all three and loves it. I also love the parents at the studio- they are supportive to each other and always willing to jump in and help. I can honestly say that we have been very happy at CVDA and would recommend it to anyone.

The VMFA Studio School offers a variety of great art classes. Members of the VMFA get priority on…read moreclass sign-up. ***LOCATION*** Right across from the VMFA on Grove Ave, not too far from the sculpture garden. It's located in an old Victorian building which can be a little cold during winter months. It took me a second to find, but they have a sign for the studio school. Follow that for the parking lot right in front of the school. ***EXPERIENCE*** I took a stained glass class here and adored it. It was a sold out class that had a very long waiting list. I was grateful to be a member and to be able to sign up early. It was a two day class that lasted from 10am-4:30pm. The only reason this spot loses a star for me is because the class was advertised for one weekend and they changed it without notifying me until the last second. Had my friend taking the class with me not notified me of the email she got (which I didn't), I would've missed this. I had purchased this class about three months in advance and made plans for the weekend they rescheduled it for and had to do a lot of scrambling/canceling to change my weekend plans I had also made months in advance. Our class was led by Jude Schlotzhauer who was very knowledgeable about stained glass and the techniques of making it. I love the way she taught the class. She explained everything to us, had us test out glass cutting techniques, pick out an outline we liked, cut out glass for that, wrap the edges in foil, and flux and solder the pieces together. It was so much fun. She even gave us a sheet with places to get the supplies if we wanted to continue making stained glass. ***PRICE*** As a member, this class was $160. ***BATHROOM*** There are single all gender bathrooms scattered around the building. ***CONCLUSION*** After this class, I want to make stained glass pieces all the time. I had an absolute blast. My friend and I can't stop daydreaming about making more together.

Bought lessons for my nieces and nephews and they really enjoyed the classes. I might try some…read moremyself.

My daughter had a really bad experience with this dance studio. We were coming from another dance…read morestudio and the instruction was not at the level we were used to. One of the teachers lost her temper and scolded my daughter when her hair came out of her hair band. When my daughter tried to explain, she was told she was being disrespectful and forced to apologize in front of the entire class. My daughter was humiliated. After three weeks, she was so discouraged that she refused to go back. Also, be careful about their refund policy, I cancelled classes on September 25th, but they still billed me for October. When I complained, they refused to give a refund. I ended up paying over $600 for three weeks of classes. It was a really bad experience.

We've been enrolled in many dance classes at various locations over the years. Our experience at…read moreRiver City has been outstanding. The teachers are professional and enthusiastic which means the kids are learning proper techniques and having fun too. Highly recommend.

My 5 year old started at VIGS about 4 months ago. We ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! Since we are homeschooling…read morethis year we were able to join a class at a discounted rate which an awesome surprise. I am personally not a fan of sports activities after 5pm so the 1:15pm class is perfect for us. The instructors have all been great with the kids. I did prefer the class when it was a bit smaller but who can blame all these kids for wanting to come here! (They also added another instructor when the class got bigger.) It's not just kids running around here, they are learning real technique & get a serious workout while having fun. I definitely recommend VIGS! PS. For anyone worried about Covid they follow all reccomendations. Masks, temperature checks, distancing, & they sanitize between each session.

I have been beyond frustrated with my experience at VIGS. They have recently switched to a new…read moreonline registration system, which even their office manager admits is frustratingly difficult. Your kids are auto-enrolled in each subsequent 5-week session prior to the current session ending. They refuse to offer a refund for a 5 week session that 2 of my kids were auto enrolled in. They will not allow the payment to be applied to a different session or summer camp. Their online system does not keep track of unused sessions for make-up purposes. Customer service is not even on their radar here - staff is openly rude. Choose a better option for gymnastics for your kids! We've had a great experience at CORE Kids Academy!

It's been 3 weeks since my son went to school at Chesterbrook Stony Point, so far we've been very…read morehappy and lucky to have super nice teachers. They're young, bright, and very energetic. I get a report every day about his eating, sleeping, diaper changing, and various activities he's done through out the day. I call EVERY single day, and the principle Sara is super nice, and always give me a snap shot of what my son is up to. She told me I can call as many time as I like, she's super supportive and understanding. They update the app often so I can see the pictures of my son doing his little activities. Infant 1 only has 2 teachers, so there was only 8 children. They had a system, somehow whenever, I come, it was nice and quiet, and the children look BIG, clean, and content. Their curriculum is great, they'd tell us what we are working on with our son so we can also implement at home also. We're going to have more children, and I'd send them here too so we can go through we their programs. I like how there are 200 acres of wood Park right behind the school so the children would get fresh air circulating around.

My son began at this preschool this past April. I must say this Preschool holds quite a few tenured…read moregems within it. My son was privileged to have Ms Amanda of the intermediates and also Ms Tori. They are an awesome team Tori took him in as her own and loved him. They were both so patient and loving!! He is now in pre k with even more vetted teachers one of whom had been there since 86. Ms. Tucker is extremely hands on with her curriculum and we get updates as far as activities my son participated in. She challenges him to make him better with retaining his lessons. He has made friends and I'm able to see him active and engaged each day on the playground and in class. My son has sensory setbacks, so my fear was always leaving him alone and being away. Since having him there, I don't want him ANYWHERE else. Bobbie and Sarah are amazing Directors and have both been so so accommodating. All of those ladies are like family. It's really touching to me during a time when childcare is hard to come by and undervalued at times, they always ensure my little boy is okay. That he is learning and not left in the shadows or ostracized. I'm forever grateful for the staff there. Thank you all!! I Absolutely recommend as a phenomenal facility to send your child!

I was referred to this studio by a friend. She took dance there when she was young and now had her…read moredaughter signed up. I absolutely LOVE this studio. Kim and her team of teachers are awesome! My daughter loves it! They even have an adult class and mother/daughter dance in the recital! I am so glad that we decided to try this new studio. The waiting area is large and has windows to see into the dance studio to watch the dancers. The studio space is big too. The class lengths are longer than what I've seen at the other studio we go to which I like because you seem to get more for your money. We look forward to many years at this dance studio to come!

Our daughter has been here for three years and she loves it! The teachers are great and my daughter…read morehas learned so much. They also take security seriously.

We are on our 4th year at TLCP and will stay another 3! Our kids have had very loving teachers and…read morewhat they have learned is very apparent- from independent sleep skills and social manners, to writing practice and K prep. I love that it is smaller than other centers and has a more close-knit feel. The new playground for toddlers & 2's is lovely with a shaded cover and no mulch. There's a large multipurpose room that they use like an indoor gym when the weather is poor. There was a lot of staff turnover the past 1-2 years, but they are now in a good groove and all seem to work well as a team.