My 4 year old started stepping stone in March of 2024 when I decided to return to work. It was the only daycare with availability I felt comfortable sending him to in the area. When I came to make the initial payment and the director asked if I wanted to meet his teacher I of course said yes. We went outside where the kids played and I was excited to see who he'd be with all day. Mind you, this was to be his first time ever being away from me. His teacher was young, and looked super uninterested in talking. She said hi with what I couldn't even consider a smile, and didn't say much to my son. At drop off his first day the morning teacher didn't say much either. She didn't really offer any assistance when I was trying to leave and my son was visibly scared and upset. This went on for the weeks he was there. I did not like the staff member who hung out with the kids until his teacher showed up. She said good morning and that's about it. Towards the end I think she could tell I was irritated and offered my son things to keep him occupied while I left. My overall feel was these "teachers" don't like being there. I did not like this environment. When The lighthouse opened we made the switch and it was night and day! My son was SO EXCITED for daycare because the staff is AMAZING! I got constant updates, I don't have to ask for his meals to be updated through the day, he was engaged, the teachers are engaged and happier. I would never suggest Stepping stone to anyone. read more

ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL! We toured several daycares before making our decision and once we toured this establishment, we knew it was the best one in several ways. Each team member was so polite and knowledgeable. Ms Alice is the sweetest most kind hearted individual. You can truly tell she cares about each and every child there. As a first time mother, she immediately gave the reassurance that I needed to feel comfortable and confident with leaving my baby there. My baby started at just 8 weeks. The gigabyte classroom and all their teachers including Ms Dorthy, Ms Jackie, Ms Kiana, and more, showed so much love toward Jackson immediately. They surprised us with crafts and daily photos. Every day, pick up and drop off was efficient and welcoming. The monthly cost is truly worth it for the value and time that each team member bring day after day. I cannot recommend this place enough. I know Jackson is still growing and may not remember these days but, as his parents, this place and staff will hold a deep place in our heart. read more

I love this school and my son has literally blossomed in the 2 months he has been here! Such an amazing staff, so helpful and informative for parents like us who are so new to early learning centers/daycares. My son has been at home with dad for 3 years so all of this was very new for my family. When I first called to get information about the school it was just a wonderful conversation! Desiree was so patient with all the questions and concerns I had, such a different experience from any other place I reached out to who just seemed to be annoyed with all my questions I had. Needless to say the entire staff helped make this new transition for us all so easy and helped us every step of the way and we couldn't be happier with our decision! read more

Stepping Stone School at Kyle-San Marcos - Dale enjoying outside activities at his new school - Preschools Near Me - Kyle, Texas

Not a safe environment. Teachers are overworked and not supported and given too many kids at one time that the safety of the children suffers. I picked up my son and he was very overheated and lethargic at the playground and his water was empty and he was sitting in the corner under the shade and had an elevated temp. Once I cooled him down and got him water his temp went away. My son was also bullied on multiple occasions and the school turns a blind eye too bullying. Also the turn over is insane. Once kids get used to a teacher and bond the teacher leaves and is replaced with someone new and the revolving door continues. Not just the teachers but the principals as well. It's expensive and I would have expected more. read more

It has taken me over a month to ponder things and write this review. I want to be fair and not let my disappointment taint this review. Our 2.5 yo grandson was here at this Stepping Stone for three months from Dec 2022-Mar 2023 and we kept thinking that things might get better. The classes were overfilled , he was rotated from person to person daily, we would drop him off and it would be somebody new that didn't know him or his name, he was moved from class to class. We would drop him off in one room in the morning and then go to pick him up in the afternoon and he had been moved to a new room/ teacher and had been in another class for that entire day. There was no continuity or consistency. We tried taking him later in the morning because we were told the " teacher" arrives at 9 am. But, that didn't help, I am not exaggerating when I say, each day felt like we were dropping him off to a new exasperated substitute/ helper that had no idea who we were , who he was nor what they were supposed to do. One girl told me it was her first day, another told me " I have 17 kids( 2 year olds) and I'm trying to get some other staff to take some kids( move them around from room to room with other older kids and adults that these children do not know). There were mornings I would stay for up to 30 minutes helping to assist with the kids for the overwhelmed morning caretaker. After 3 months we were so disheartened, realizing that the dysfunction of this school was systemic. Our grandson was suffering from the inability to bond with his caregivers, feeling lost in various classrooms with older children and adults that were unknown to him and worst of all, the sense that we were taking and leaving him in an environment that was unstable and unsafe. I witnessed multiple instances where toddlers were very upset and crying for long periods of time and not attended to or comforted. This is why I would stay to help, many times they needed a drink of water, help taking off their coats/ outerwear ( being overheated) help with a shoe, or just a kind word of recognition and a smile. The staff was super frustrated and it showed, the environment for these small kids was extremely chaotic. Two examples of disorder/ potential harm: 1. I came to the school about 4 pm to pick up our lil guy, I found him on the floor laying against the wall lethargic, his face was flushed red, he was burning hot. I asked his caretaker about him. She hadn't noticed him and said they just came inside from the playground. I took him out of the room into the atrium and removed all his clothes. Raced home and took his temperature, it was 103.5, ( he had strep throat) no one noticed his ill appearance or that he was very sick. 2. Another afternoon when being picked up he was on the playground wearing one boot. His mom asked about his missing boot. Concerned because there are tricycles and push-cars that can run over unprotected feet. The staff member shrugged ( he'd been on the playground since nap time ended, for at least 30 minutes). After searching two to three classrooms his boot was found on the floor in the corner. No one seemed to notice or care. It was also a cold January day. I cannot in any way recommend this facility especially for young children. If you look you'll see that I left a good review when we went to tour the school and we were very hopeful about this new school. read more

Our daughter is (almost) 3 years old and has been going here since before she was 1. We were in a crunch for finding childcare when we moved here and went with the first place we could find that had availability... best choice ever! As a mom, it can be hard to trust just anyone with your child and I couldn't ask for better caretakers for my child. They love her and treat her as their own and every morning she wakes up super excited to go to "school" because she wants to see her teachers and friends. Their communication is fabulous and are always there to help with any questions you may have. read more

Great place to work at. The management and staff are amazing. The children are wonderful as well.

It's so nice to have somewhere I can confidently say my little one will be safe and cared for, where she looks forward to going everyday!

Mask policy for 4 year olds and up. They waited two years into the pandemic to then institute a mask policy for children 4 and up in the school. read more

My son started daycare when he was 17 months old. He screamed every single morning that we dropped him off. He's my 3rd and I knew this was normal but then it was 8 months later and he was still doing it and having screening nightmares all night every night, we decided to move daycare. We didn't think that would work because he had his favorite teachers at the old daycare but within 2 weeks of being at Stepping Stone in Kyle he was sleeping through the night without nightmares, bedtime routine was pleasant, and he started talking more.. and within 2 months he was walking into daycare without asking to be held and was waving bye to me. My heart is so happy and full I just don't know what else to say... I wholeheartedly recommend Stepping Stone.. and Jax said love you to Ms. Lizzie and Ms. Mel!!! read more

My family and I love stepping stone -Kyle. Ms Mattie is amazing and really takes the time to learn about your child and their individual needs! We've been there 6 years and are very happy! read more

There are so many negative things to say about this location, but the fact that the director at the time (Bailey) never properly filled my son's enrollment paperwork and then Anise (new management) lost every piece of paper they ever had on him takes the cake. Apparently, it was only 4 pages of paperwork because I was never given a full enrollment package nor was that packet ever completed by management! I also signed for $700/month but was given a yellow sticky note saying the price was actually $1150/month on my son's first day. I asked for the paperwork to be pulled at that time as well and was "assured" that information was all in my paperwork. I can understand how easily they can lose paperwork, especially how they shuffle children from classroom to classroom. I never knew which room to drop my son off in the morning and when I would pick him up in the afternoon, he was never in the same room I picked him up in the previous day. THIS IS TERRIFYING!! Not just that but they didn't have my child's emergency contact or doctor's info because THEY NEVER FINISHED THE PAPERWORK!! The only record they have of my son ever going was my monthly payment! read more

We have had at least one of our children at Stepping Stone in Kyle since they opened. I love the staff...many of whom have become close personal friends over the years. My children are well prepared when they enter kindergarten, and their social skills are significantly more advanced because of the excellent care and teaching at Stepping Stone. All four of our children have been very happy here, and so are we! read more

My son (20 months) loves it here! All the teachers are really nice, know his name, and I have had no issues. We changed him from another location in March and we like this one so much more! I wish they had the video feed to peek in here and there, but I do get daily pictures. He his happy when I drop off and at pick up. He's great as using sign language ( taught here), and his vocabulary and dancing skills grow daily! read more

I was one of the first families at Stepping Stone-Kyle and I can say that I wouldn't trust anyone else with my children's care. The building is very clean and Ms. Mel makes the best food and is so nurturing. We have Ms. Marnie now (4 year olds) and she is wonderful. Ms. Jeanette knows all of the children's names and will tell you a personal story daily about your child, she is very involved as a director. Check with Stepping Stone before taking your child anywhere else! read more

When we had our first child I thought all daycares were the same... so we shopped on price. Ended up moving her 3 times in that first year as we learned our lesson. We ended up getting her into the Child Development Center at Texas State (CDC). Well.. about 3 years later, we had another daughter and during her first year I was "downsized" from my job so we had to take them out of daycare. By the time we were back on our feet, the CDC was booked solid. I never thought I'd find a daycare that was as tuned in and interested in the progression of our kids' development, mentally and emotionally. Well, both our children now go to Stepping Stone, and I'm as impressed with them as I was with the CDC. Maybe even more. My oldest is now enrolled in the "after school" program and is attending the summer day camp where she's getting to go on field trips and learn. My youngest (4) has really blossomed with Ms. Marney as her teacher. She comes home at night and tells me all about what she learned (this week they were studying sea-life so it was "leopard sharks, hammerhead sharks, oh...and seahorses!"). I have no worries when I drop the kids off each morning. They WANT to be there and they talk about their teachers in the nicest way. Yes, We've had a few concerns over little things during the last year that we've been sending the kids, and every time we do, the concern is taken seriously and resolved quickly. Very professional. read more

My daughter began here when we moved in June 2020 to the area. She is now in the 2 year old classroom and loving it!! We haven't been in the facility since we toured in February but the staff make us feel so at ease and always have time to discuss anything we may have even during busy pickup time. Ms. Jamie is her teacher and she loves her. She brightens up every day we go to school by reminding herself she gets to see friends and Ms Jamie:) she was also the key to helping us potty train and 27 months in a matter of two weeks!! She is kind and patient and we are blessed to have her in our daughter's every day life. read more

UPDATE - Thanks to the graciousness of the Principal of our location, I felt compelled to update my review. I still think the company would benefit from upgrading some of the payment systems and clearly whoever answers their emails sent to their home office needs better follow-thru but as I said, we've never had an issue with the people in the Kyle facility and my and my wife's experience with Jeannette this week just reinforced that; she was great and definitely made my whole experience better! So to be clear, I'm giving 3 stars (and would probably do 2.5 if I could) due to the administrative process of the company as a whole, as our actual experience here in this location has been good, and if things improve with their administrative processes & communication I'll consider updating the review (but one of the cut and paste stock replies I see to some of the other reviews on all their Yelp pages is not what I'm talking about). So again, the people in the Kyle facility have all been good and my kids have had a good experience here thus far. I have a number of issues on the more administrative side, but honestly if they just communicated in a clear and timely manner I would overlook the other issues. As of now, I have still never received replies to 2 emails I sent over a month ago (to their main office) pertaining to auto-draft charges (amounts, dates and whether the initial prorated charge the first month and the supplies charge would be auto-drafted or if we needed to pay manually for that). But they never bothered to respond to either or my emails about that. If there was a parent portal on their website I could log into and see the schedule of payments, or update a payment method; even better. It is 2016 after all. As for processes, I find it cumbersome that you can't register online (seriously, their website says to print out an application and snail mail it) and even when you sign up for auto-draft your initial payment and the semi-annual supply payments have to be made manually AND they don't take debit/credit cards; they make you go to the bank and get a money order or cashier's check. They do take checks, but seriously, who under age 60 still uses checks? Then there's the 5% sibling discount that was mentioned when we first toured the place that come to find out AFTER the first charge went through doesn't apply for after-school care. It also never occurred to me (and was certainly not mentioned) that even though the school they pick my kids up from is about 1.5 miles away from their facility that it takes upwards of an hour to get from the school to their place (so instead of supervised play time or homework time, I'm mostly paying for them to ride the bus). So all in all, I'm glad my kids like the people who work there as otherwise I would not be as generous with my rating as I am. I don't have 1 gigantic issue; just a bunch of little ones that annoy me (can you tell they frustrate me?) There aren't a lot of options for after-care (and the more well known one that's typically on campus is worse) and I guess they know that and treat parents accordingly or maybe they've just grown so big and hired a bunch of people at the home office who just give the bare minimum in effort, but if this were my company, I would take a strong look at the operations. And they need to take their business systems into the 20th century. read more

Was going to enroll my daughter here and based upon the way I was treated when my trying enroll her for weeks and the total lack of communication and care from the principal I have decided to go else where. read more

I'm really surprised how many 5-star ratings this daycare received. Until a very unfortunate incident, I would still have given them just 2 or 3 stars. We transferred our child here last summer and were disappointed from the get-go, compared to the facility we'd brought him from (a different Austin-area chain). Here are just a few things that point to a general lack of leadership and disorganization: 1.) After a couple of weeks of communication and a message from SS that there was "no rush" to drop off the deposit for enrollment, because there were two spots available, I dropped it off one morning. That afternoon, I received a call that the Assistant was mistaken, and that those spots were spoken for (disappointment #1). I asked her how this happened, as we'd been communicating for a couple of weeks that there were two spots. Apparently, the spots were earmarked for younger siblings of currently enrolled students, and the Principal had not documented or communicated this more broadly to her staff. As I'd just dropped off the check that morning, I let the Assistant know I'd be by that day to pick up my check, but was told it was "non refundable." On the upside, they did find a spot for my son within a couple of weeks. 2.) They park the school's shuttle in the handicapped spots. Not frequently, but not just for drop-off either. It's there overnight. I find this incredibly disrespectful. 3.) My child got sick here often, at the age of 11 months+, where as he never got sick at the previous location (where he was from 3 months to 11 months). I think that the school is not very stringent when it comes to dolling out the food on high chairs. Where as the previous daycare wore a different set of gloves for each student, and used utensils, SS in Kyle would shake some Cheerios from a Styrofoam bowl onto each high chair. Also, see #4 for another reason I think my kid (and likely others) got sick here. 4.) One day, around noon, my son came down with a fever. It just so happened that I was flying out that day. They called me when I was on a flight, and so I didn't get the message for an hour or so (and only barely, as I didn't have much time between flights). I called my husband to let him know, and he hadn't received a single call from the school. My son was there for a long time with a fever, not only not feeling well or receiving Tylenol, but also likely infecting other kids. Note that when my husband asked the principal about why he didn't get a call, he was told they tried to call him (no missed calls), and also that they didn't have his work number (though later produced it). He asked the principal to clarify the policy for reaching out to parents when kids are sick, and she said to call both parents, and if the parents couldn't be reached, call the emergency contacts (who were not called). When my husband pressed as to why the policy was not followed, the principal then blamed me for not letting them know I was traveling. This is unacceptable - if you have a policy, follow it. 5.) The nutrition of the food here is quite terrible. Breakfasts are graham crackers or Cheerios, where as previous facilities I've attended include yogurt and/or fruit. In fact, my son has spent time at a different SS, where they scoffed at the notion of giving just carbs for breakfast. 6.) I showed up daily to my kid covered from head to chest in food stains and graham cracker crumbs, sitting in the 6-kid stroller. I'm willing to bet he sat in that stroller for 2-3 hours each afternoon (I picked him up as early as 3:30 and as late as 6:15 and he was in it). If one of the kids needs a diaper change, they move the stroller to the door of the class room, take one kid out to change him, and leave the rest kind-of sort-of attended. 7.) A really unfortunate event was the final straw. I won't detail it here, but it can be found on the state's website. It involved an investigation of the facility where they were ultimately found not negligible. I will say during the same inspection, the state reported they found a kid in a different class with a battery in his mouth. In general, this facility comes down to a pretty bad principal, in my opinion. Other parents I've spoken with describe her as awful. She blames her staff and parents (see #4) when things go wrong. She has one of those personalities where anything you bring up as a concerned parent is practically a personal attack on her. "Well if your wife would have just told us she was traveling...," (what, you wouldn't have been caught not following your own policy!?) Or, "Well I told Ms. [Teacher's name] to take care of that already" (so what... it's not your job to follow up as that person's direct supervisor?) The teachers are really very good, and unfortunately seem to have to put up with poor leadership at this particular location. Anything I saw not going well in the classroom, to me, came down to poor training and practice of policies. read more

I absolutely love this daycare. My son has been here over a year now, and he too, absolutely loves it. The staff is amazing. He has learned so much, and you can feel the love the staff has for the children as soon as you walk into this place. I'd recommend them for any family that is looking for a safe and loving place to keep their children during the work week. read more

My family has been at Stepping Stone for a little over 3 years, and I can't imagine us being any place else! We were at another daycare in Kyle before coming to Stepping Stone and there is absolutely no room for comparison. I'm amazed at how much my children are learning, even at the age of 13 months! The facility is always clean, and just presents a fun environment for all the children. The teachers are loving and do a fantastic job at teaching the children. Ms. Jeannette and her staff are very friendly and are very thorough in every aspect of the center. My 4 yr. old is in the kindergarten readiness program and the teachers in that program do such a great job at preparing those children for kindergarten. It's reassuring when both of my kids are excited to go to school! Overall, this is the best daycare/school there is for kids! read more

I'm so happy with Stepping Stone (Kyle)! We've been taking our daughter since she was 6 months old (she's 2 1/2 now) and don't plan on leaving any time soon. There's always a warm welcome every morning, she's excited to be there and it's always a nice surprise to get photos from the app (that also logs meals and potty updates) during the day. We feel like they provide a wonderful nurturing environment and have even lead the way in the potty training department which was a huge bonus! Leaving your baby in someone else's care is such a big decision but we couldn't be happier with this team! read more

We took our child here after another daycare was being mean to the children in an inappropriate way, yelling and telling kids to shut up. So we were defintely watching closely when we started about a year ago at Stepping Stone. They are nice to the kids, they learn a lot, get hot meals for lunch, and seem to care. My kid likes going there and I am comofortable taking him. Everything is always clean and the playgrounds (which there are more than one of so different age groups can play seperately) look great. Events like father-son pumpkin carving are great and helped create memories I will aways cherish. read more

The decision where to place your child for care may be the hardest choice a parent has to make. I'm confident in the program, leadership, and organization that Stepping Stone Kyle has to offer every family. The preparation for elementary school thrusts children into an accelerated learning environment where they can thrive successfully. I highly recommend Stepping Stone as a teaching and learning facility at the top of the South Austin suburban list! read more

My children have been at Stepping Stone since they opened in Kyle. I have to say, we feel like family there! They take wonderful care of them, and teach them a good curriculum. The school is just that, not a daycare! We are so appreciative of the things our children have learned, as well as the care they have been given! read more

We have had our little one enrolled here for 3 months or so and are extremely happy with our experience. He comes home happy and his verbal growth and personality are growing so fast partly due to him being here with his teachers and friends! read more

I have had my daughter here since she was 2. This fall she will be going to kindergarten & I must say that the teachers & curriculum have more than prepared her for kindergarten! We were so lucky to have found this place for our child to flourish. The teachers here have exceeded our expectations in every way....they treat my daughter like my own family. We already have enrolled our next child which hasn't even been born! Word about this great place has spread, so enroll early, as class space fills up very quick in this growing town! read more

When my husband and I had our first son (in 2010), we were quite nervous about enrolling him in daycare. Before the school opened, we attended an open house where the teachers eased our worries. He was one of the original students in the infant class at Stepping Stone. His teachers have been amazing. I am so grateful to Stepping Stone for taking such wonderful care of my baby. We have now enrolled our second son, and we just love his teachers. The principal has been there since the school opened. She has been great about addressing my concerns and worries. We really love this school. read more

My child went here for almost a year. I abruptly pulled her out of the school after hearing a teacher scream at one of her classmates and watched the teacher throw a coloring book at her. This was the 3rd time I had walked in to hear a teacher screaming at the children. I had complained about the other two incidents. The third time made me believe that this kind of behavior is acceptable at this school. It is not acceptable to me and my toddler should not have to deal with it. She was coming home saying all kinds of weird things and yelling on a regular basis. I saw a former teacher not too long ago and she told me that she left for those reasons. I waited a long time to post this but feel like people should be aware of the things that I dealt with at this school. read more

Stepping Stone 19 is a great place. My son has learned so much from the teachers. We are very happy with the progress my son has made and continues to make because of the teachers at Stepping Stone. There are several teachers that have kept us informed of my son's progress. My son comes home every day excited about the topics they are learning about. Ms. Jeannette and her staff make this a wonderful place. I give kudos to Ms. Marnie and Ms. Terry. They definitely do a lot to prepare kids for kindergarten and I am very blessed to have found a place like this to send my son and know that he is great hands. read more

I don't rant or complain, but feel free to share. I went to pick up my daughter at Stepping Stone School today and there was an incident where a passing car stopped and pointed a rifle at an employee from the school. The perp was a white male, wearing Camo and driving an Aqua colored GMC pickup. The parents were not notified about the incident. Kyle PD did not post an officer outside the school nor did an officer go in person to take the report. And come to find out, all the cameras outside the school are not connected to anything!!! They're dummy cameras!!! This school is supposedly rated #1 in the Austin area and they raise our tuition every year. I told the head hauncho, Lisa 512-459-0680 , that I was gonna let as many people I can, know about the incident. She said that the bank should have cameras across the street. Really? Let's hope they don't have dummy camera either. So if you know someone who has a child that attends this school in kyle, let them know. read more