100000 stars!! There aren't enough words to say how AMAZING this school is!!! Athena is a special,…read moremagical gem and we feel so absolutely lucky to have found it. The teachers and the atmosphere just radiate peace and positivity. The quality of education is incredible. My son turned 5 yesterday and is already about to start reading!! The amount of personal attention and care each student receives is incredible. My second child is about to "walk through the gates of life" this May and head to kindergarten.. I am honestly heartbroken to not go there everyday anymore lol! We have had a child there for the past 5 years and if I could keep them there forever, I would! We have had the honor to get to know Ms. Alex, Ms. Jazmin and Ms. Morgan over the years and these women are absolutely INCREDIBLE! They have huge hearts and really LOVE what they do, and it shows!! They have a magic way of connecting, communicating and relating to the kids. We are so THANKFUL for the values and knowledge they have bestowed in our children that will shape who they become forever!! We love each of you so much!! My kids made me promise to always take them back to say hello as they grow...that speaks volumes in my book. Athena is a purely magical place!

We have been blown away by our experience with Athena. The support and caring from the staff has…read morebeen amazing. Our son has flourished at the school. The growth from August until now has been exponential on all fronts. He is more independent, communicating more and becoming a member of his classroom community. The other parents as well have created a lovely community and support system as well. My husband and I didn't realize just how lucky we were to get a spot in the school!

We are beyond thankful and equally impressed with this school. From the start, the Director gave…read moreme much confidence that we were making the right choice for our then 3.5 year old son. We felt at home from the beginning when we showed up to observe on a tour last fall. I sat in on both 3-6 yr old classes (one of the classes was set up in the back of the main house while the other class took up the front space). During my 10 min observation of each class, I noticed the following montessorian traits: -focus that each child or group of children exhibited in respective work/socialization -what appeared to me as a very calm and controlled environment from the children themselves -a sense of enjoyment by all At the time, I was extremely cautious mainly around how my son would behave knowing his impulse control behaviors and most importantly his delay in speech had been issues at a prior school. I laid my concerns out for the TMC and they only reassured me that our son was the typical 3 yr old. Within a weeks time, we transferred our son to TMC with a gradual transition based on his needs. That was over 6 months ago and our son couldn't be thriving more. We attribute this to an entire staff of loving, caring and very patient super-star individuals at TMC. While our son still is difficult to understand with his speech and still has outbursts, luckily they're short-lived; but furthermore, our son's vocabulary has exploded since his time at TMC. And even more importantly is that our son really does enjoy going to school and when we pick him up rarely does he want to leave. When your child begins to talk about his friends and the teachers he says he loves, unsolicited --- you know you made the right decision with TMC!! I wish all of our friends' kids could experience The Montessori Center!

We moved to Austin recently and were in search of a summer program for our three year old. I felt…read morean instant connect with Jessica - the director of the school, she is warm and very accommodating. Our son was here for two months and we loved it. They teachers are wonderful - Bekah, Barbara, CJ and Augusta.It was easy to slip into conversation with them during pick up and they were generous with mindful observations about how my son was doing at school. The school is located in a charming street with plenty of green tress and has been a place of learning since 1970. The bricks have inscriptions on them and the tiles have pictures that peek and tell stories of children who were here. The classrooms have plenty of material for children to choose from and they are very aesthetically done. Every time I drop off the little one the atmosphere has been so lively with music and sprinklers - I wish I could stay a little longer. My wish was granted when Jessica allowed me to stay for an hour and shadow the class. The rest of my review is details of the a few hours I spent in the classroom with Barbara and Bekah. It was the last day of summer so the excitement and restlessness was palpable. Children were being dropped off and they were helping themselves to a snack of whole wheat toast and delicious cream. They started to settle down and pick activities. Some worked on alphabet activities, some with books, some with puzzles, some picked numeric activities and some art and sensory activities. Children either worked alone or in small groups. The teacher helped the children who worked with letters to understand phonetics. Two little girls settled down with books - the younger a little distracted and the older focussed, learning from each other. Another little girl got a bunch of pocket books and flipped through them alone - immersed. The teachers did a fine job of balancing - offering help when needed and letting the children be as needed. The little ones seemed to prefer sensory work - coloring, playing with cotton swabs, watering plants and painting. Each activity is set up on a quaint tray and children are encouraged to clean up after they are done. The class is soon settled and bustling with an air of calm, busy, enthusiasm. Everyone finding their zone, their space, taking time to choose an activity, work and wind up. Some stick with an activity for 10 mins, some 20 and others longer. Little girls are busy drawing a unicorn, a boy in learning to sew with thread and paper. Two little girls sit together and play with colored tiles, learning to match and compare. A little boy who has been playing with shimmer - used a dust pan to clean up and does a throughout job. Older kids tend to persist more and interaction with adults definitely encourages them. Overall a great environment to learn to pick what you like, stick and find meaning in what you do, learn to wind down and clean up when you are done and derive joy through the process.

I found Trulove on Yelp back in 2023. My daughter had just turned 2, and we wanted her to socialize…read morewhile learning some independence. Like most pandemic children, she was terrified of any new people. We started slow, 1-2 hours, then gradually moved up through the course of a month until she was there all day! The environment and school Leslie has created is what every parent looks for! My daughter has loved her 3 years at Trulove. She has made amazing friends and has learned so much! The parent community is also great; there are always meetups and social gatherings for the kids to play outside of school. This just further reinforces the community Leslie has created.

Trulove Montessori holds such a special place in my heart. Both of my children attended, and it was…read moretruly a magical experience for each of them. It is a one-of-a-kind place where toddlers are encouraged to grow through independent play, extended outdoor time, and thoughtful, hands-on learning. Trulove helped my children build confidence, develop independence, and begin discovering who they are. Leslie has an incredible gift for connecting with children and creating an environment where they feel safe, supported, and excited to learn. The community she has built is warm, nurturing, and truly special. I cannot say enough wonderful things about Trulove, Leslie, and the meaningful impact they have had on our family.

Our child attend the South location and this is an AMAZING school! I'd recommend to anyone who's…read morelooking for daycare but also wants their baby in a safe, supportive, friendly, social, CLEAN, caring environment. Our child has THRIVED here after a bad experience at another daycare, hasn't been sick once. The staff is communicative, seems to genuinely care about our child and wants them to thrive. It's the same price as the previous daycare but the quality is through the roof. Do yourself a favor and check this place out.

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.

Every day I am more and more amazed at how caring,professional and sincere the teachers at…read moreMainspring School are. My granddaughters are both under three years old and look forward to going to school every day. When I pick them up they tell me they had a great day and they say that every day.

Mainspring is really a special place…read more There is a strong sense of community that comes from all areas -- parents, teachers, staff and even the kids. The school and parents regularly organize after-school and weekend activities for both social and educational purposes. Many of those activities include outside experts and are designed to teach parenting best practices. My wife and I have attended many of these sessions. Those activities really underscore the staff's commitment to the families at the school. They are involved and invested in every family's well being, and every parent knows that they can go to the staff with questions and advice whenever needed. How many other pre-schools have a dedicated family services director? The kids are in great hands, too, of course. Our son has attended the school for the last two years, and every day he comes home with new words, knowledge, songs, dance moves and personality traits. And he loves being there -- the school is like his second home due to caring teachers who pride themselves on impactful, activity-based teaching. There is actually a curriculum, determined jointly by the teachers and a dedicated education director. The kids are clearly well prepared for kindergarten when they leave Mainspring. The school also has a full-time food director who prepares balanced, healthy, high-quality meals and snacks for the kids throughout the day. The team has even helped prepare alternatives for our son, who has a milk allergy. If you are looking for a pre-school, we can't recommend Mainspring highly enough. My wife and I -- and our son -- are thrilled to have found it.

We're relocating our family to Northern Virginia, and leaving Austin Children's Academy is…read moregenuinely one of the hardest parts of this move. Our son Benjamin has been a student here, and the growth we've watched in him during his time at ACA has been incredible. The teachers and staff didn't just teach Benjamin important skills like potty training and using utensils on his own -- they did it with so much patience and care that he hit these milestones happily and confidently. As a parent, watching your child grow through these big "firsts" is special, and we always felt like ACA's team was as invested in those moments as we were. What really sets this school apart is the sense of family. From the teachers to the entire staff, everyone made us feel like we belonged to a community, not just a daycare. Benjamin was loved and cared for every single day, and that kind of warmth is hard to find. If you're considering ACA for your child, don't hesitate. We are beyond grateful for everything this school has done for Benjamin and our family, and we'll carry these memories with us wherever we go. Thank you, ACA -- you'll always have a piece of our hearts.

Both my sons received quality and education and care at ACA. It's a nurturing and well structured…read moreand safe environment to trust your children in.

Our family had an excellent experience at Julia's Garden Montessori in the Bouldin neighborhood!…read more We were looking for a small, academically-oriented environment and this school fit the bill. Our 5.5 year old went from reading single words to whole books in six months and his love for science and math was really nurtured there. Our almost two year old also flourished and has become very independent under the guidance of two incredibly loving teachers (one of which speaks Spanish with the children exclusively, so my daughter now knows almost as many Spanish words as English). There are three age groups: Infant Community (walking to 2.5), Primary (2.5-5.5), Taller (5.5-9). Each age group is in their own freestanding house with their own playground. They have a solid COVID plan, and they plan to meet all the CDC guidelines. Because of their small, isolated environment they feel they can safely offer full-time, in-person school, instead of on-line or blended learning. Julia's Garden closely follows Montessori methods, with one exception in the Taller class - each morning the elementary aged students are given four, hands-on assignments in core learning areas. Students complete this work before they may move on to other preferred activities, which I think prepares them well for transitioning into non-Montessori environments later on. Afternoons include group activities like science experiments, gardening work, tending to chickens, foreign language class, and art activities - all of which my son loved! I highly recommend this school to anyone looking for a nurturing, nature-based learning environment. I also think the academics were strong and properly individualized to each child. While at a time this school might have felt too small for some families, safety in small numbers and embracing a chance for a lower student-teacher ratio seems like the way to go!

This is an amazing program. Gardening, cooking, yoga, french lessons, story time, drama, art,…read moremusic and playtime. My daughter loves this school.

Our family started at Bright Horizons (BH) Braker Lane back in November of 2018 with our daughter,…read moreEila. Eila fell in love with her teachers in the infant program, and we felt like the teachers fell in love with her as well! She stayed at BH into their 2's program, until we had our 2nd child, Rhys. When Rhys was born, we pulled the kids out to try and save some money by sending them to a cheaper school. We quickly discovered that, as with most things in life, you really do get what you pay for...after about 3 weeks, we decided to enroll both of our kids back at BH. We made the decision to cut back in other areas of our lives because when it comes to childcare, it is impossible to settle for less once you've had your kids at a place like this. The teachers at BH are a giant stride ahead of the teachers at the other daycare that we tried. BH teachers foster relationships between the children so that the classroom is a place where the kids are happy to be (so much so that our daughter asks to go on the weekends). They send pictures and notes regularly so you can talk to your children about their day and be more involved with the kids at home. The teachers are encouraged by BH to pursue a higher education through a tuition-reimbursement program, so they are generally happier (keeping the turnover rates lower) and becoming better at what they do every day. Everything from the intellectual activities and programs to the creative activities and the teacher-child relationships are unmatched in our experience and we are tremendously happy and grateful to be back!

We absolutely love Bright Horizons at Braker Lane! The communication is excellent, the staff is…read moretop-notch, and the classrooms and playgrounds are clean and spacious. The program is fantastic, with lots of activities and nutritious meals! Our toddler loves it here. We receive constant updates and photos throughout the day, so we know how much fun he's having while we're at work! His teachers are amazing--very caring, creative, and attentive. They always communicate any concerns and give great advice. Initially, we were unsure of what to expect because of our previous experiences with daycares, but all our anxiety disappeared once we started at Bright Horizons! Highly recommend.

"Helllloooo Everybody. We're so glad to see you!" We love Heartsong. We are a Heartsong family…read morethrough and through. If you are considering a semester, here is my advice! Go to a demo class. Heck go to 3 demo classes! (like we did before committing). Heartsong is kinda pricey and you want to make sure it is something you and your baby will enjoy! Even though that first class is 0+ months, I truly do not think babies get too much out of it when they are suuuper tiny. We went to our first demo class when our daughter was 2 months old. We were given a free cd and boy did we play that thing like crazy. We knew she was a bit too young, but we started playing the music for her. If you have Spotify, look up "Music Together" playlist. Play that for your kiddo! You will learn the songs quickly and start to sing them too. At 4 months, we took her to another demo class. At this point, our daughter had 2 months of Heartsong songs and dancing in the car and in the home. She LOVED this demo class and it made me happy to see her connection to me during it too. At 6 months, we did our 3rd demo class. Picture your favorite band where you know all of their songs. Then you end up front row at their concert. Picture that excitement. That was my daughter at this demo class. That is how I knew she was ready for a semester. We signed up that very day. We are halfway through their Fall semester and it is the highlight of our week. It is so special for us to see our daughter's connection to music at such a young age. We have only had a handful of classes and she has already been introduced to so many different types of instruments, music styles, dancing etc. We take what we learn in class and incorporate it at home too. Awesome family time! I highly recommend you look into Heartsong!

Heart songs has been a gift for my boy, he treasures his time there with the teachersread more

Our daughter joined the Peace of Mind family two years ago, and from day one, we truly felt like…read morepart of a family. As parents, the peace of mind we felt knowing how loved and cared for she was by every member of the staff and her classmates brought us so much joy. Now that our time at Peace of Mind has come to an end, it's hard to say goodbye. You know a daycare is special when farewells are this difficult. If you are looking for a place where teachers will treat your children with love, care, compassion, and will embrace the very best parts of them--this is the place. The owners pour their hearts and souls into creating an environment that feels magical. From petting zoos and bounce houses at family events, to splash days in the summer, to the endless pictures that make you feel like you never miss a moment--it's clear how much thought and love goes into every detail. We are so grateful for our time here, and if you are lucky enough to get your child into Peace of Mind, you will quickly understand what all of us parents already know: it's a truly amazing place.

We toured Peace of Mind a couple of months before I gave birth and intended to send our son when he…read morewas around 5 months old. They were very helpful, gave us a tour, and essentially confirmed our spot. If they had given any indication there wouldn't be space I would've lined up backup daycares. A month or so after I gave birth I reached out to them to check in, and got no response. After a week I emailed again, with no response. I started panicking a little (my son was supposed to start in just a couple of months) and called frequently. No one answered or returned my calls or voicemails. Finally after a MONTH of reaching out, they emailed back and said they wouldn't have space but would reach out when they did. It's been a year and they've never contacted me. Not that I would send my children here anyways, I'd prefer a daycare I can actually get in touch with if needed... Update: It appears the owner responds via Yelp much faster than their email. And also, even though they didn't officially confirm our spot during the tour, they gave no indication there would be an issue with the approximate start time we were desiring. We were not the only family we know of that tried to contact them for weeks and got no response.