This is my unapologetically biased review of Teragi Jujitsu Academy. My two kids, my wife, and I…read moreall train here. If this review sounds like a love letter to this gym, it's because it is. The owners, professors, and coaches have cultivated a superb gym culture. This gym is safe, friendly, and supportive. The facility is modern and clean, and they've invested in a foam block subfloor beneath the mats for softer landings. As far as I know, this is the only gym in the area that offers women-only classes four times per week and a bi-monthly community open mat for gentlemen 40 years and older. My kids train here after school 4-5 days a week, and they love it. The kids' professors and coaches are experienced and amazing teachers. I'm especially thankful for the young coaches who were so patient and kind to my boys when they were hesitant and shy after first starting. And my pocketbook is especially thankful for the discounted rates for additional family members. If you're looking for a place where the whole family can train, grow, and feel welcome, I can't recommend Teragi highly enough.

My son has been attending Teragi for the last two years, so this review has been long overdue…read more The most important thing for myself was sending my child to a self defense art that actually applied practical methods of protecting oneself as well as a place that exemplified respect and self dependence. I've been to places where it seemed salesy or lacking authenticity. Teragi Academy is a place where they genuinely practice and instill jiu jitsu and its culture of honor and regard of others. The promotion of belts is carried out quarterly and only awarded based on merit. This is also something I greatly appreciate because I know many establishments that give out promotions for no reason at all. Since day one, the professors and coaches of this gym have been patient and meticulous in teaching techniques to the kids. Teragi has been instrumental in providing confidence as well as self awareness for my son. I've seen many of the other kids mature in their own ways for the past 2 years. It's always a wonder to see everyone come up together. For myself and my family, we seen so much growth and discipline in our boy. There's a comfort in knowing that our child is not left helpless and able to stand up himself as well as for others. I've been watching in the sidelines, two to three times a week, for the last 2 years. This is a program that provides a worthwhile experience. The benefit and journey is well worth the investment for anyone, young or old.

We celebrated our daughter Audrey's 8th birthday party at Art House on May 23rd, and it was truly…read moresuch a wonderful experience from beginning to end! We invited about 10 of Audrey's close friends and classmates, and the kids had an amazing time together. The party started with a one-hour instructor-led art lesson, and every child got to create their own beautiful art piece to take home. This year's party theme was "K-pop Demon Hunters," and Mr. Nathaniel and Mr. Kai did an incredible job bringing the entire theme to life. From the decorations and setup to the fun K-pop music playing in the background, the atmosphere was absolutely perfect. The kids were excited the moment they walked in and had so much fun the entire time! After the art lesson, we enjoyed cake time and play time, and it was so special seeing both the children and parents happily enjoying the celebration together. We are so grateful to Mr. Nathaniel and Mr. Kai for helping us create such a beautiful memory for Audrey's 8th birthday. All of the parents kept saying how cute and creative the party was! Thank you again for everything -- definitely a five-star experience!

Super friendly and flexible. They are so nice here and your child will accomplish a lot on all…read moredifferent elements using proper art supplies. We love our classes and their camp is incredible. They accomplish so much!

I have been coming here almost a year now. I am down almost 30lbs. Stranger than I've ever been. My…read moreknee pain is gone and even though the gym was outside all summer because of construction it was still amazing!! They have made so many accommodations to make us comfortable out there and I think I'm going to be sad when we can go workout inside again haha Every employee is so nice and friendly and I am so thankful to have found this place. My kids love it! Miss Megan and miss Sheri are so so friendly and loving to my children and my children love them so much!

A hidden gem!!!!!! Love the outdoor space in particular and the kid zone looks great as well. My…read morefriend and I will be coming back to utilize all the services as members including the activities for kids. Everyone at the front desk is very helpful and kind. Honestly I was more impressed with the older crowd getting a workout in versus those who likely have no children and workout for hours a day ha. I want to be 80 and working out that's a life goal

Amazing, amazing, AMAZING place. My 6 year old worked hard in summer school and earned karate camp…read morefor her last week before going back to school. The staff and sensei's provide such a fun, loving, welcoming, and happy environment to the kids. My daughter has enjoyed everyday that she went so much! Drop offs are a breeze but the pick ups are tough because she never wants to leave. You can tell that everyone who works here truly love what they do and cares about every person who walks through their doors. I had to pick up my daughter in the afternoon to take her to an appointment and the staff was so flexible with my request! They let me pick her up at the field trip and they let me drop her back off at the center. She missed getting ice cream because of the appointment but the instructor saved one for her when she got back this place is magical and wonderful!

American Martial Arts Academy has been a huge part of my son's life for the past six years, both in…read morethe after-school program, the black belt academy and cant forget the awesome summer camp. My son not only stays active and has a great time but each day i pick him up to his homework done and reviewed for accuracy by one of the instructors. This has become my sons 2nd family and each instructor cares for my son and watches over him. As a mother i feel comfort knowing he is there and i do not have to worry about his well-being. I 100% recommend this AMAZING opportunity and highly encourage you to give it a try. Thanks AMAA for the A++ service and programs provided for our children!!

My child started going to Little Da Vinci Art Studio at 4 years old. She is now 11 years old and…read moreloves to attend every week. Miss Connie is the owner and she has a vision for each child. She's very understanding, intuitive, and observant. She knows the needs of each child and nurtures the artistic side for each child by their personality and skills. When my child was younger, she learned the basic elements of art, from crafts and mixed media, from sewing and needle crafting. As she got older, she started working on ceramics, painting, production design, and digital art. Miss Connie works with the community and schools. She has students enter local art contests as well as art contests world wide. She has knowledge of preparatory art schools in southern california that can prepare a child for its future courses. Overall, my child loves attending Little Art Da Vinci and as a parent, I am forever thankful for the love, nurture, and guidance the teacher has done for my child.

I love this school, teachers here are awesome, very kind very professional, I can tell they care…read more about their students, Just for you to see what my 8 year old daughter with no experience or any signs of drawing.l Look what she did on her 3rd class I am impressed. My daughter loves this place and we as parents are so happy. She really enjoys it great therapy plus she is having fun. I really recommend this place .

My daughter absolutely loves going here for art! I love that she now calls herself an artist and…read morespeaks positively about her own creative abilities and ideas. It's not just "arts and crafts" it's a great opportunity to explore emotions and thoughts through art. They always read a book that goes with the work they are doing that day that gives the kids a chance to do self reflection and personal growth. My daughter also had her birthday party there and it was well worth the price to not have to do much planning for an amazing experience!! The teachers are so kind and I feel safe leaving my kiddo there each week for class!

Signed up for a trial class for my son (4.5) and daughter (2.5) and they both enjoyed it so much! I…read moreimmediately enrolled them for the semester right after. The owner, Eileen, is so sweet, kind, and patient. Not only is she great with the kids, but she has also created such an incredible space and environment for the kids to engage and experiment. So happy to have found this place!

The teachers are kind, knowledgeable, and always make sure students stay on track. The smaller…read moreclass sizes make it easy for kids to get the help they need. We've noticed so much improvement, and we appreciate how much care and effort they put into every student's success.

We recently moved our 2 sons, a 6 year old in kinder and 7 year old in 2nd grade, over to Optimus…read moreLearning Center in Fullerton. They were previously enrolled in the after-school program at the elementary school, but reports from the teachers, and my sons, quickly caused us to research new options. Here is a list of requirements I used to research/decide: 1. Must be open until 6pm. I work in. DTLA so I need to be able to have time to drive back to Brea through traffic. 2. Need transportation from school to place of care. 3. Located near my house, or my daughter's pre-school, or on my way home from work. 4. Must be run and managed by adults. 5. Must be able to help w/ my sons' homework. They are in dual immersion Spanish classes and all their homework and instruction is in Spanish. 6. Must have clam, friendly, clean place to work during the time they are in care. After a week or so of researching, I had it down to the Karate Studio in Fullerton, or Optimus Learning Center, across from Best Buy off Imperial and Beach. Once I saw the space, and met Ms. Rebecca, I decided to start them the very next month. They have been attending since the beginning of Dec. 2023 and I am extremely pleased. It is double the cost of the after-school program, even with the sibling discount, but this includes the cost to transport my children from school to the center each day and monitoring the bell/pickup schedules, and there are more adults per student for additional attention and help. Pros: 1. Open until 6pm 2. Have two locations in-case I need additional care 3. Are open on teacher/holiday school closure dates 4. Emphasis is on Academics 5. Calm atmosphere 6. Kids finish all homework at the center before pickup 7. Run by respectable adults who dress professionally 8. Other children in the space are respectful and obedient Cons: 1. No outdoor play area 2. On school closure dates, the Fullerton and Brea centers merge. The Brea location is far from our house, but I am still thankful they are opened. 3. Non-school days are 9am-6pm. Our after-school care was 7am-6pm daily. 4. They don't currently have the option for auto pay, so I have to wait for a receipt and then send payment through Zelle. Not horrible, just a little work to remember since my last program was automatic. Based on my experience, I believe Optimus Learning Center is a great after school program and I hope you will check them out. They've adapted the program to assist with my sons' homework (Spanish). One other note - they also offer engaging enrichment classes, tutoring, and piano lessons. I truly feel that Optimus Learning Center offers a supportive and nurturing environment that fosters growth and success. Thank you for reading this far. Optimus Learning Center is committed to providing personalized academic support. The program understands that each student has unique learning needs and goals, and therefore, offers tailored homework help and tutoring services. This personalized approach helps students improve their academic performance and gain confidence in their abilities. By providing one-on-one support, the program ensures that each student receives the attention and guidance they need to succeed. With its comprehensive approach to education and development, Optimus Learning Center helps students achieve their full potential and prepares them for future success. *note- some of these pics are from the Brea Learning Center. But the Fullerton and Brea centers look and feel similar.

My first grader attended the 2024 summer program at Young Scholars Academy ("YSA") and now attends…read morethe writing class during the 2025 school year. She has always been a pretty good student, but YSA has made her much better. It's as if she is a different student now than she was before that summer, especially with confidence in writing. She has learned so many things so organically that it was fun for her. She also has amassed a notebook of "beautiful sentences" (her words) that she constructs each week for YSA and from which she later picks and chooses phrases for poetry/creative writing. This has directly led her to win awards at national literature competitions, which I don't think she would have done had she not been in YSA. What more, she has made friends at YSA through the entertaining field trips and Fun Fridays. She was the new girl, but the kids attending YSA were all very kind, friendly, and generous. My daughter didn't want the summer to end! And I can't say enough good things about her teachers and Ms. Esther, the director. The teachers at YSA are creative and detail-oriented, and they give the kids so much individualized attention because the class size is so small (6 to 8 students per teacher). Then there's Ms. Esther, who you can tell from the start really loves kids and cares about how they are doing. She knows each student by name and who their parents are, she regularly sends detailed texts and photos showing how the kids are doing, and her interaction with each child is colored by warmth. For example, she thinks so much about each child's well-being that she will gently move children into the shade at lunch lest they get too much sun (such a mom thing to do but so bracing to see when someone does it for your child). She also makes sure that they wash their hands at the right times, that they have all their belongings with them, and that they eat what their moms want them to eat before rushing off to play. Wow! The children are taken care of so well--physically, emotionally, and academically. Overall, YSA is superb, and I will sing its praises to no end.

Our son attended YSA for a summer and two trimesters between grades 5-6. Our goal was to support…read morehim in an area of his strength and interest (reading, writing, and language skills) rather than to address a weakness. We liked that he was able to work in the middle school-age content/cohort and push his growth beyond what he was getting in his regular 6th grade school class. We are very happy with the results, and my son didn't want to stop attending (rare for an academy!) when we recently let YSA go to focus on other activities. Miss Esther is always positive, flexible, and easy to communicate with. Her teachers did a good job of connecting with our son and motivating him to keep learning and developing. Things went well enough that we made a request for a series of special, private sessions to prepare my son for the written portion of the Whitney HS admissions exam. Miss Esther and her team worked out a schedule over the course of a month, and our son felt very confident and prepared for the exam. He felt good both before and after the test and ended up earning admission to Whitney! We are appreciative of the care and investment that the YSA team made in our son. We can't think of a higher recommendation than to say we are already planning to enroll our daughter at YSA in about a year when she prepares for middle school.

I've been bringing my daughter here for almost a year now. She loves it!! We had originally started…read morein the evening class with Lauren, but my daughter was easily distracted with so many other students. We switched her to the morning class with Kellie and it's been a great fit. The gym is always so clean and everything organized. My daughter has learned so much from Kellie and the whole staff is awesome.

Emily is so kind at the front desk. She is thorough and efficient. I called once to inquire about…read morepricing and classes and she helped me sign up right then and there. Everyone has been so welcoming and inclusive. Love the ambiance. Love that all of the kiddos big and small work inches away from each other and they get to experience it all. It is truly a magical place. The teachers are young and vibrant. They are so full of energy and they keep our children entertained and in continuous movement. It is such a sight to see. The teachers are so loving that they hug and or high five our kiddos. I feel all of the love. My daughter is over the moon happy with her gymnastics class and we will continue our business in this beautiful facility. I wish we had more seats available for the parents/ audience but other than that it's a 10/10.