One of the best preschools in the inland empire! It used to be called Big Sky preschool (a nature…read morebased school that prioritized outdoor learning/exploration and sunshine). Parents considered it a diamond in the rough, a hidden gem, and therefore it attracted students from up to 30 minutes away! It was recently sold and renamed to Sunny Hills Montessori Academy, but heart of the school has remained the same. There is a chicken coop and a garden on campus (where children are encouraged to explore caring for animal life and growing their own food), weekly Spanish learning, dress up days, summer camp, and more! The children enjoy vegetarian meals with an emphasis on healthy, whole fruits and vegetables. They are still outdoors most of the day, but the indoor classrooms are just as robust with a wide array of hands on activities. The teachers are not just standing around babysitting, but actively engaging each student in opportunities to learn and grow and sharpen their developing minds. From potty training, to handwashing, and encouraging self-reliance, this school is 100% dedicated to the whole human. With a diverse staff & student base, supportive parents, and a loving director keeping it all running smoothly, truly, it is worth checking out.

just now New It's…read moretaken me some time to get around to this but wanted to make sure I did this before the new year begins. When I came to Big Sky Preschool it was owned and operated by different people and in the time I was there is was sold to the now owners. Prior to the sale Big Sky was a dream, as soon as the transition to new owners began things immediately started to change despite being promised they wouldn't. To start this school has slapped the name Montessori on their name but are not actually accredited. Second they lied to parents and withheld to let parents know about construction that was occurring on property while class was in session. Be sure to research the school as they have a a type B citation because of the way they chose to handle the upgrades to the space. Furthermore this school chose to terminate the care of my child because I was vocalizing my concerns and questions and the owners refused to ever meet with parents. Lastly, they terminated her care on a Monday upon arrival, I had no back up for work it was very traumatizing for us all. The owners sent an email at 1am to the "Director" Lucita, whom also is known to yell at students and be the least gentle if you ask me, whine then just printed the email out to me and handed it to me with my stuff. The email claim I made baseless claims about the school. Obviously not so baseless since they were cited for putting the kids at risk with the construction that took place there. If you are looking for a play based school that actually cares and isn't cold and clinical like this school Che k out You're Invited. They are amazing and took me in during this traumatic experience.

Riverside Montessori Academy on Indiana has been an amazing experience for our family. We currently…read morehave three children enrolled, and they truly love their school and their teachers. It's a warm, welcoming environment where the staff genuinely cares about each child. The teachers and staff are very attentive to our kids' individual needs and do a great job keeping us informed about how they're doing day to day. One moment that really stands out to me is seeing my son hug both his teacher and the director every morning at drop-off. I never would have done that as a kid, and to me, it says everything about how safe, comfortable, and happy he feels there. Our children feel secure and supported, and it shows in both their confidence and their learning. As soon as our youngest is old enough, we plan to have all four of our children enrolled here. My wife and I couldn't be happier with the environment or the results--our kids are already reading and doing math at a more advanced level than many of their peers. We're incredibly grateful to be part of this school community.

My 4 year old daughter is going on her 2nd year with RIVMA and we've had a great experience since…read moreday one! My daughter is naturally shy and wasn't talking much but after just a few weeks, her speech accelerated and can tell that her confidence, motor and social skills were developing! All of the teachers and admin made her feel so comfortable and gave my mama heart peace of mind that she is well taken cared of. I'm very grateful for her teachers especially Miss Elizabeth who went above and beyond to care for her as she got acclimated. I really appreciated the updates of my daughter's progress and I even credit her for potty training my lil one!! Miss Tyra is absolutely amazing as well and was ready to comfort my lil one during the hard mornings. I researched several schools and not only is RIVMA competitive in tuition, but it has better operating hours, a proven curriculum that supports all of the kid's learning modalities, it's kept clean and has a great security process for pickup and drop off with their app. The owner, Dr. Chandrapala genuinely cares for the school, teachers and kids. My nephews went to this school (one going to college now) and my neighbor's kid also went here. All great kids and results of the school's strong foundation. The school not only fosters a love for learning, but also respect and good manners! I still don't know how they get all the toddlers to sit nicely and take naps ! Bottomline, I HIGHLY recommend this school! It's an investment to our kid's foundation and future and one of my best decisions as a mom

Strongly caution any parent considering this daycare. Their staff lacks basic communication skills…read moreand clear protocols when handling routine infant care. Rather than communicating openly with parents about minor marks or asking simple clarifying questions, they escalate situations unnecessarily without exercising basic judgment or professional dialogue. Parents trust a childcare facility to be a partner in their child's care, but the management here lacks transparency and creates extreme stress for families. The director has a Terrible attitude, cuts you off, and is rude. Look elsewhere if you want a facility that actually communicates and works professionally with parents.

Love this school. Truly my only feedback would be making…read morethe front gate next to the front office a full size gate. It's currently a half sized door that locks but someone can reach over and unlock it. Given the current state of everything more security means the world to us parents

Love this school! All the staff is amazing and highly recommend them if you are looking for a…read moregreat school.

Our Experience - Our…read moreson was in a classroom of 36 children--an environment that quickly proved overstimulating. At first, we worried there might be a developmental issue, but after evaluation by both an ENT and psychologist, it was clear the problem was environmental, not developmental. The noise and chaos made it difficult for him to adjust. While he initially had some behavioral challenges, he improved significantly over time. Unfortunately, the final incident that led to his removal was not handled appropriately. Our son bit a child out of frustration--at which point staff intervened. However, their response and follow-up reflected a lack of attention and bias; they implied our son was lying because the other child "never does anything." This made it clear they weren't observing closely and were making assumptions rather than investigating. A few weeks prior to this incident, we received a call from CPS--not because of our son's actions, but because the school failed to report an injury he sustained there, even though staff documented it internally. We took him to the hospital and discovered he had a fractured finger, requiring a cast from his hand to his bicep for three weeks. CPS confirmed the school's reporting failure as negligence and contacted us within 48 hours. That alone speaks volumes about the school's accountability and oversight. Lack of Follow-Through on Agreed Behavior Plan My wife and I are proactive, involved parents. She's a behavior analyst who designs behavior intervention plans for special education, so we know what works and came prepared to collaborate. We met with the administration--including the owner--and created a clear, simple behavior plan that everyone agreed to. Yet, it was never implemented. Staff routinely told us they were "too busy" or that "it's hard with so many kids." They even filled out behavior logs after the fact, undermining the purpose entirely. The agreed plan only required a brief hourly check-in with three questions and a sticker. That's not excessive--it's the bare minimum for consistent behavioral reinforcement. We were told repeatedly that they wanted to "partner with us" and that our son was "wonderful," but words don't equal action. The follow-through and professionalism simply weren't there. Concerns About the Learning Environment Frankly, this didn't feel like a true Montessori school. Instead of fostering independence and self-guided learning, children were often forced to complete the same tasks and play with the same toys. Structure is necessary, but Montessori principles are about exploration, curiosity, and individualized pacing. That freedom was absent here. When his first teacher left, staff told the children she was "on vacation." For weeks, our son was confused and asking about her. Instead of using it as a gentle teaching moment about change and transitions, they chose dishonesty, which sends the wrong message about trust and emotional resilience. What We Learned After Leaving Our son is now at a different Montessori school, and the contrast is astonishing. He wakes up excited for school, runs to get ready, and sometimes even asks to go on weekends. He's thriving--no behavior issues, no complaints, and a radiant enthusiasm for learning. His new environment offers freedom within structure, smaller class sizes, and genuine care. He chooses his own activities and feels empowered, not overwhelmed. Final Thoughts We entered this school with optimism and the desire to partner with educators who understood child development. Unfortunately, what we encountered was a disorganized, overcrowded, and inattentive environment. Staff seemed well-intentioned but overextended, and the administration overpromised and underdelivered. We appreciate the time and effort of individual teachers who cared, but the overall leadership failed to maintain communication, consistency, and honesty. The failure to execute a mutually agreed plan, combined with the lack of supervision and the serious reporting lapse that led to CPS involvement, left us with deep disappointment and concern for other families who might face similar issues. We hope this feedback encourages reflection and reform. Every child deserves a safe, attentive, and developmentally supportive environment--one that not only manages behavior but nurtures curiosity, confidence, and joy in learning.

Best daycare center in the IE. We are so lucky to have this gem in Riverside! I will always…read morerecommend this place to every new mama.

I love this school. My daughter goes there and she's so well taken care of! She loves it! She's…read morelearning lots of new things and making lots of new friends!

After more than 4 wonderful years with TLE, both of our children have officially graduated, and we…read morecouldn't leave without updating our review. Throughout the years, we have been blessed with caring teachers and staff who truly love what they do. They celebrated milestones, comforted tears, encouraged curiosity, and helped our children grow into confident, kind, and happy kids. We always felt that our children were safe, loved, and genuinely cared for. As parents, it is bittersweet to close this chapter. Saying goodbye after both kids have graduated is emotional, but we are filled with gratitude. Thank you to everyone at TLE Riverside for being part of our village and helping shape our children's early years. We will always cherish the memories that we've had.

Great experience with The Learning Experience in Riverside! The staff is friendly, caring, and…read moreprofessional, and you can really tell they care about the children. The environment is clean, safe, and focused on learning while still making it fun. Highly recommend!

I rarely leave comments but after reading some of the comments I just had to leave one and this…read moreplatform Here is the honest truth. This daycare is by far is the best my son loves it. I am one of those worry parents and they always respond fast and make me feel better. every one who works there has grown on me because there the ones who watch my baby. Wow you have to make a lunch for your kids no big deal I take pride in making my sons lunches so I could no let these other people try to talk bad about a place where my son goes. I have your guys back because you have mine and my baby's this will be my go to place for me and I recommend this place to anyone thanks for everything Armando Trevino Francisco dad !!

Don't even bother calling this place if you're interested but your son has autism. You would think…read morein 2024 most childcare places would have teachers who can deal with all kinds of kids (unless very severe). As soon as I told the lady on the phone my son had autism her tone changed and she was basically done with the call.

We LOVE this awesome preschool. Our daughter has been going here for about 6 months and absolutely…read moreloves all her teachers and classmates. She has been thriving socially and academically. We checked out a few other preschools in the area before coming to Woodcrest Montessori. We knew immediately when we had our walk-thru that this would be the right school for her. We love the cozy, homey-feel of this place and the curriculum they offer. Other preschools felt like facilities and lacked the warmth that we felt here. The teachers are all so sweet and engaged with the kids. We noticed right away how content, well mannered and happy all the children were when we visited. We love the flexibility of their schedule and their prices are totally fair and manageable. I dreaded the day I would need to send my baby off to be cared for by strangers. The peace of mind I have sending her here, knowing the kind of care she is recieving, is invaluable. I am eternally grateful we found this place and appreciate the staff with all of my heart. We are so excited for our second child to be old enough to attend when the time comes.

My daughter has been coming here for a little over a year now and today is her last day since shes…read moreleaving to kindergarten. It's so sad to see her leave. They are very dedicated to ensuring each child feels comfortable and supported to learn the best they can. My daughter is 5 and she's already reading and writing. I highly recommend this school. Thank you so much for giving my daughter the opportunity to grow, make new friends, and advance in her education with some of the most loving and inspiring teachers. Your school is a real gem and we're so honored to be a part of it.