My daughter and I spent nearly two years training at Hive Martial Arts, drawn to the supportive…read morecommunity fostered by Mr. Froeming and other members, which quickly felt like family. With over a decade of experience coaching all ages--especially youth--I also served as an assistant coach and videographer at Hive, supporting the school in any way I could. Unfortunately, a recent incident with a confrontational parent, Andrea Deshone, exposed serious gaps in the school's approach to conflict resolution. After a class, Andrea aggressively approached me over a complaint from her daughter, Stella, an instructor at Hive that day. Instead of addressing her concerns professionally, Stella went to her mother, who then confronted me. Despite my calm requests for space, Andrea refused to back away and even stepped closer when I expressed that I felt threatened, effectively cornering me. She got so close that I could feel her breath and spit. Mr. Froeming and another student approached, and I pleaded for help, explaining that I felt attacked and trapped. It can be as frightening for a man to feel threatened by a woman, knowing that defending oneself could have serious consequences. Unfortunately, this nuance was not acknowledged here. A trusted adult student witnessed the exchange, observing that I had simply asked a question of the only instructor in my group. Later, this student confirmed to Mr. Pallesen that I had done nothing wrong. Despite this corroboration and texts supporting my account, Mr. Pallesen never acknowledged this and chose not to address the issue. Initially, he agreed to mediate, but after I submitted a personal account explaining the incident's impact on my CPTSD--which affected me severely for two weeks and still affects me--he declined to read it and suggested I pretend the incident hadn't happened. When I asked if he would take the situation seriously if the genders were reversed, he confirmed that he would, highlighting an inconsistency. In our exchanges, Mr. Pallesen shared his own experience with Andrea, recounting how her family aggressively confronted him in 2017 about his treatment of children, saying, "What the f--k happened? Why are you treating the kids like this?" According to him, this intervention forced him to self-reflect, helping him save his business. He also explained that Andrea's family threatened him with a bad review, which he acknowledged could have impacted his business. This may explain his reluctance to address my situation directly, but I genuinely hope he learns from this experience as he did with his previous encounter so he can grow as both an instructor and a leader. This experience reflects broader concerns about leadership and standards at Hive. During one leadership lecture, Mr. Pallesen stated that "both political parties are basically the same," a comment that bothered one student, Beth, so much that she responded, "That is the definition of white privilege," highlighting a lack of sensitivity in a group that includes people of color and people of the LGBTQ+ community. While Mr. Froeming and most of the community were wonderful, the lack of professional support from leadership ultimately left my daughter and me feeling disconnected from a place we once considered family. I share this review in the hope that Hive Martial Arts can reflect and grow, strengthening its community for all.

Great school with amazing teachers. My son has been going here for five years. I would never go…read moreanywhere else! I will follow this dojo anywhere if they ever move! Best dojo ever!!!!! :)

Our son has had the joy and privilege of calling Bilingual Child Care & Education Center his school…read morefor the past year. The center has been absolutely wonderful to our family as our son transitioned from his time abroad. He has thrived in the pre-kinder room where imagination is encouraged and play is part of the curriculum. He does this all in Spanish. We are a bilingual family, but our son's friends come from diverse backgrounds and all Spanish language levels and the teachers adapt to each and every child in the room. His main teacher makes time to speak with me every evening at pickup and the cultural nights are a wonderful opportunity to meet your child's friends' families and discover (with delight) that your child can tell you about the Andes mountains or sing you a song in Spanish. In two weeks they open their brand new site in Roseville, MN. They've shared the journey with the families at the community, and we can already tell that the new space is going to be an even more inviting, vibrant space where your children will discover the world around them right in the outskirts of Minneapolis. You won't regret your decision to send your children here. We recommend it wholeheartedly. Gracias BCEC!

My child's preschool teacher was hitting, pinching, and rough handling multiple children in the…read moreclassroom. Despite two earlier parent reports of potential abuse, it wasn't until the third and fourth parent reports after the teacher had been there nearly seven months that the center finally sufficiently investigated the situation and removed the teacher. The owner also discourages parents from communicating with each other about childcare issues at the center. For example, after the abuse was discovered, the owner sent a message to parents instructing them not to "gossip" about it.

Shoreview Community Center gets 5 stars! I went in not expecting much but I was blown away by how…read moremuch fun there was. The waterpark was the highlight. That waterslide with the lights and music? Awesome! It's a one of a kind experience. Beyond the waterpark the playground was also great. It's not your average playground; it's big, well designed and has tons of opportunities for kids to explore and play. What really makes Shoreview Community Center stand out is the community. They offer so much more than just a pool and playground. From the fitness center to the skatepark they have created a space for all interests and ages. It's clear they have invested in making a valuable resource for everyone.

What an amazing indoor water park for the family! We went here for a kiddos birthday party. The…read morecabanas are in Bamboo Bay area vs the main pool area. Bamboo Bay is much louder than the main pool area due to the fact it's more enclosed and there are sprayers with lots of water all over. The lifeguards do a great job of keeping their eyes on the kiddos cause it can get very very packed in both pool areas and kids of all different ages including adults too! The bathrooms and lockers are great and all facilities are pretty new and kept clean. I do love the spinner to spin clothes after swim time... As a side note, if you're like me and just hung out with other parents while the kiddos swam...it can get very very hot and humid so dress accordingly even in the winter time!

I took a group class at Northern Clay center and it was amazing! We had 11 brand new students…read morelearning about throwing pottery for the first time (so we all needed individual attention) and the instructor was so friendly and able to help us all! I thought maybe we would each make one piece, but we each got to make 4 or 5 bowl-like objects (you got to pick) and to paint them. We also used the break room to order food, since pottery in the morning was hungry work. Northern Clay is giant inside- I had not idea looking at it from the street. There is a parking lot right by the building, so you don't have to worry about street parking. We had a great time, and will be back to pick up or art in 3 weeks! I definitely recommend the group classes or private parties, which came out to ~$50 per person.

I came here to buy a couple gifts and was not disappointed. I'd browsed some of their selection…read moreonline and saw all the pieces they'd advertised on display in their showroom. The pottery is grouped by artist, which made it easy to limit my browsing to only the styles I liked. I will note that (at least on the day I visited) they very heavily feature artists whose style is natural and rustic, which isn't bad, but for the prices they charge I was looking for something more sophisticated. I know all pottery takes a lot of work, but I'm not going to spend $80 on a misshapen mug. The items do focus pretty heavily on dishes and cups/mugs, which made gift shopping a little difficult, since I wasn't about to buy a surprise dinnerware set for someone. The person manning the front desk was very helpful and brought out more pieces from the back room of artists I liked. She was also able to share with me which pieces were and were not dishwasher safe. I left with a good selection of gifts and would definitely come back again.

PARENTS BEWARE!!!…read more Midwest Gymnastics is not a safe environment for children. Understaffed, staff that are not attentive, and owners that only care about making themselves known and making money. With multiple staff members that have open SafeSport allegations and investigations for verbal and physical abuse. As well as staff members that are too busy watching their phones instead of watching for the safety of gymnasts. Midwest staff members also have multiple past investigations and allegations of abuse, bullying, and unsafe conditions. I would also recommend to be weary of ownership - Jess Graba was Ali's coach from the age of 4 and up and now they are married, sounds like the perfect example of "grooming" While there are some good athletes that have come from Midwest, I would recommend doing your research on the history of the gym, it's owners, and past events that have occured.

I signed up for the toddlers and tykes class because I wanted my son to have an opportunity to work…read moreon gross motor skills and to do something different. In my mind this was going to be more like gymboree style where we do a lot of floor stuff and just working on moving bodies around. Instead I think this is a class for people who REALLY want their kids to get into gymnastics and potentially become an Olympic gymnast. The class is split up into three rotations. The first is floor exercises such as walking across low beams, hoping along tape (etc.). You then move into bars. Kids are suppose to crab walk across bars, flip over the bars, and do other quite complicated gymnastic moves on bars not on the ground. The class ends with trampoline skills. Personally, I found the class not really geared towards toddlers. The class says it is for 18 months - three year olds, but I couldn't imagine taking my child in at 18 months to this class. I watch the coach telling us what they wanted the kids to do some of these times and my jaw hits the floor. They are asking them to do handstands by putting hands down and walking their feet up mats, do specific types of jumps on trampolines, do flips over bars, etc. Like real gymnastic moves. Some of the kids were able to do it, but for most they just play and run around. I kind of wish the class was more welcoming and open to people who aren't hardcore gymnasts. The instructors were nice enough. I think one of the challenges with working with this age group is you have to be the right person to do it. I used to work as a camp counselor for many years, and I totally knew I wasn't the prek/k group counselor material. The instructor is basically just walks us through each exercise then lets us have at it. She gives some praise every once and a while, but that is about it. No real hands on help with some of the more complicated moves or modifications for kiddos not ready to do back rolls and crab walks across parallel bars. I also have found the front office to be a bit unwelcoming. My first day there I came in and no one was working the front desk. I had no idea where I was going or what I was doing. Someone finally showed up, but paid no attention to me. There is no hello, goodbye, or have a nice day. I think if you are serious about gymnastics, this place is great. If you just want your kid to have some fun, burn off some energy, and work on gross motor skills, maybe look elsewhere.

Miniapple has been a wonderful constant in our lives for the last several years. We value and…read moreappreciate the level of commitment and care staff have shown our two children (ages 21 months and 4 years) as they have transitioned through the infant, toddler and children's house learning communities.

From the owner: At Miniapple Montessori Preschool in Roseville, MN, we believe that early childhood education lays…read morethe foundation for lifelong success. Our Montessori preschool nurtures independence, creativity, and a love for learning through hands-on experiences and global awareness. By fostering curiosity and self-motivation, we prepare children for kindergarten readiness and future academic achievement.

Um, wow! This Y is like a high end gym, but instead your money goes to a great non-profit! I felt…read morelike I was walking through a spa in some parts haha. I've only been to the Uptown Y before, but am so glad I checked this location out! PARKING: They have a private lot and it's $1 (I believe for the first hour, and then $1 each hour after), which is nice to have downtown! Entrance is by buzzer only. AMENITIES: Similar to other Y locations in Minne, you'll find a pool, sauna, hot tub, two weights areas, a few rooms for group fitness classes, a basketball court, and more here. OFFERINGS: They offer private training (3 free sessions when you sign up), group fitness classes, swim workout classes, massage and more here. They even have a childcare area! ATMOSPHERE: I loved the vibe here! Peaceful music playing, not crowded at all (I did go at 4pm so probably best the evening rush), extremely nice updated bathrooms (with all-gender option), and well cared for equipment and amenities. PRICE: I joined in January for $0 joiner fee and $66/month for the year - competitive with other gyms in the area with similar amenities, and your money goes to a non-profit with a great cause! Highly recommend this location!

I have been working out here for about 20 years and it has been upgraded constantly…read more This is a really nice workout facility for anyone living or working in downtown. They have a pool that is always open for lap swimming, hot tub and sauna. They have lots of cardio equipment and free weights. They also have olympic lifting gear including bumper plates. The trainers are top notch. I have taken Olympic weight lifting and boot camp at this location and have always had a blast. The inner courtyard makes for a great area to do incline or decline sprints or body weight workouts. This is my go to gym when I am in Minneapolis. The best part is they are a non profit and put all the money you pay into community development with an emphasis on empowering women and girls. What is not to love!