My son started a few months ago and I see so much change in his personality and overall mood. He…read moresings and dances randomly and talks about his dance parties at school. He loves the yoga they do and the songs he hears on the piano during music class. He is happy to go to "school" and asks to come! I'm so happy I made the change and found this gem. Ms. Leo and Ms. Tanya are great and super attentive to my son's needs. If you are looking for a place where your child can thrive, this is it!

We couldn't have asked for a better preschool experience. From the very first day, the teachers…read morewelcomed our child with open arms and open hearts. They are not only incredibly knowledgeable and nurturing, but they treat each child as if they were their own -- with so much love, patience, and genuine care. Every morning, our child was excited to go to school, and always came home eager to share something new they learned. That joy and comfort came from the environment the teachers created -- one where every child is seen, valued, and encouraged to grow at their own pace. The communication with families was always thoughtful and consistent, and it was clear the entire staff was deeply invested in each child's development -- socially, emotionally, and academically. We are forever grateful for the strong foundation this preschool gave our child. Although, our child only spent around 10 months there. The memories made here will stay with us for a lifetime, and the love and guidance from the teachers will always hold a special place in our hearts. We thank the teachers for cheering on and for loving our child like one of your own. You made school a place they were excited to run into each morning -- and that's a gift we'll never forget. Highly, highly recommend to any family looking for a warm, exceptional start to their child's learning journey.

What a wonderful, personal, caring and involved school. My daughter went here 1 year at 3/4 and I…read morewish we came sooner. The classes are small and teachers are attentive. The activities through the year are thoughtful and fun for the family and students.

If I could give this school 10 stars I would! A little hidden gem we were lucky to have found. My…read morehusband, daughter and I moved here last year from LA county, and this is one of the first schools I came across when doing my research. Prices are very reasonable, curriculum is based on play, art and music which I am all about at this age. When my daughter is put in a new environment it takes her a bit to warm up, so when I first dropped her off on her 1st day she was a little timid and tearful, but Mrs. Brown, and Mrs. Young who received her treated her with so much kindness and love, as if she was their own. I can't say enough good things about this school. The teachers are amazing and I love all the activities and performances that they host.

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!

I have my daughters enrolled here, and they truly love it. I really appreciate the warm and…read morewelcoming atmosphere, and I especially love that so many of the teachers know my girls and greet them by name--it makes such a difference. I value that the school follows a set curriculum and that my daughters are also learning Spanish. The structure is wonderful, and I appreciate how their learning at school reinforces the values and teachings we focus on at home. In full transparency, the beginning was a bit challenging. Since my girls were only two at enrollment, they were frequently sick during the first six months and missed quite a bit of school, which required me to rely heavily on my mother-in-law during that time. I also felt that the two-year-old classroom experienced a higher level of staff turnover, making it difficult to keep track of who their teachers were. That said, now that my daughters are older, there is much more stability in their current classroom, and they are truly thriving. Overall, I am very happy with the school and the growth I have seen in my girls. Special shout out to the amazing Miss Nay and Miss Tiffany! My girls adore you!

Beautiful place amazing staff when I leave my son will get carried by one of the teachers and he…read morewould stop complaining about me leaving and a teacher playing guitar for all the students great service great communication AMAZING HERE

We love this schools, they are very kind ,they have a curriculum and teach our little ones numbers,…read morecolors letters etc . My little one always happy to go to school and play with her friends and kind teachers . This school is highly recommended

The two women who run this school are amazing. I was apprehensive when we started looking for…read moredaycares in the area honestly. We went place after place after place, this was our last stop before I became a stay at home mom. Most places the price was extremely high for little interaction on the teachers part and others you could see the lack of care at the daycare. When we came to little stars, we immediately knew that this was the fit for us. They were accommodating, kind, and understanding. But most importantly, you can tell they love their kids. They're family owned which was a huge deal for me. There are years and years of care in this place. My son has been here for a little over 6 months and he's grown so much mentally and socially. The teachers create an organized, fun curriculum for the kids too. Im grateful for this daycare as I feel I can truly trust my sons safety & best interest is coming from staff.

Best school ever. We've had such a positive experience here -- the staff and teachers genuinely…read morecare about the students. My kids have been coming here for years, and we're so grateful for the care, consistency, and love they receive every time. Ms. Marley, Vernica, Melissa, Michelle, Jessie, Patricia, and Claudia are AMAZING. They go above and beyond, and it truly shows.

Love this place I will be there soon very professional very organized I will be going there soon…read more staff is very professional.

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.

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.

I have to tell you that this small academy for the kids is beyond reality. My kids have not…read moreattended there in about three years taking them out of it was the worst thing I ever did for their education. The classes are small personal attention is extremely high, and it seems as though they were learning about three grades up from their current level. Kids were happy. They loved their teachers and they loved learning. If by chance you get Mrs Radka to instruct your kids, you would just have hit the gold mine. She spent so much time with my daughter getting over her obstacles with learning it was insane. I financially had to take the kids out of the school and I regret it every single day. My kids are now in public school and it is such a waste of time. They have lost the fun of learning and have basically given up. Mrs Radika if you see this I am so sorry that I pulled Allie out after you spent soooo much time working with her. I truly apologize and I'm suffering the consequences for it. But thank you Miss Radtka for your love for my kids and attention you gave them.