We've been with the Teravista Stepping Stone family for the past 4.5 years. I have two boys ages 7 and 4 and just recently my 3 month old daughter has started going there as well. When my first son was born we had him attending a competing daycare that we'll say rhymes with Chilean Mourner. The first thing I noticed when we made the switch, were the people in the front office. Alysa Reid, and Tyson Wrinkle made sure that we felt at home there, and that we were 100% comfortable with our kids being under their care. We also had learned that Catherine Draper, whom had been my older son's infant care provider at that other place was now at Stepping Stone. She is the best infant care provider in all of Austin as far as I'm concerned. Here is what makes Stepping Stone a step above all the other places.... When you have a concern or problem, it is immediately addressed. At every daycare you will run into high employee turn-over, and children with behavioral issues. Stepping Stone has earned our business and trust because they know how to handle this. I know Ms. Michelle, Ms. Amanda Covan, Ms. Alysa, Ms. Jasmine, Ms. Jenica, Mr. Tyson, Ms. Amanda Lamia, and Ms. Draper have all been with Stepping Stone for as long as we have, and I feel like their employee retention is more than just a coincidence. When my son started having issues with another child on the playground, I talked to the director, Ms.Cristina Hanus and she had the problem resolved within that week. When my 4 year old was 2 and a half, he started acting out and hitting his classmates. (I know, how could my precious little buddy do such a thing?) The director had my wife and I come in so we could discuss what might be triggering this behavior and how we would work together to correct it. When my 7 year old started kindergarten two years ago, he was ahead of most of his classmates with his reading and writing, and I know this was a result of the kindergarten readiness program and the one on one interaction with Ms. Jasmine. Now, he loves all of the field trips and experiments they do during the summer camp at the Brainery for the school agers. Stepping Stone knows that having experienced, competent administrators is what sets them apart and is why they will be our daycare providers. read more

My son went the the private kindergarten class they had set up last year. I'll be honest... I was a little weary seeing that it was the first class they ever had, but it turned out to be an extremely positive experience for my son! We have since moved on to 1st grade, looking back I realize just how great his teacher at Stepping Stone really was! I want to give a HUGE COMPLIMENT to Miss Jasmine, the best teacher ever! It's always hard to judge exactly how much your child is learning, I would always ask him what they did in class and would get minimal answers from my 5 year old :) But now that he's at a new private school I am really seeing just how much Miss Jasmine taught her kids, she truly went above and beyond! By the end her of class my son was reading, could count to 100 effortlessly, and writes short words on his own, and understands the use of puncuation. Now that he's at his new school I can honestly see that standards at this school seem to be much different. They are working on reading very basic words, and the homework being sent home literally has worksheets to practice writing letters. My son seems to be ahead of the game, and still says Miss Jasmine is the best teacher, and as much as he likes his new school and current teacher, he always says how much he misses Ms. Jasmine! I want to thank you for all your hard work, I always saw how much well you interacted with the class, and not only did all the kids and parents love you, but the taught them so much! You made a huge impact on my son's education and his transition to kindergarten to 1st grade has been a snap! Thank you thank you thank you! As a side note, as much as my son liked attending this school I was appalled at how many principals and assistants were quitting in just one year! ( 3 principals and I too many to count of the other) It definitely seemed to affect the great reputation that this school had, and I would hope that they get back on track. read more

My daughter has been in the care of Stepping Stone for greater than 2 years; from 7 months of age to 33 months and counting. My wife and I are very thankful for Stepping Stone in many ways. Here are some of the areas of thanks based on our own experiences: 1) The vision and leadership from their corporate office 2) The leadership at the local school sites (our child attended two locations) 3) Their attention to detail for both child and parent needs 4) Their responsiveness, kindness and care for our child 5) Their cleanliness and well maintained facility 6) Specific to Teravista, this is a fantastic location for anyone in the IKEA, outlet mall area. When I visited this site a few minutes ago, I was surprised to see the lone 1 star rating and that alone has compelled me to write this review. I must say, as a parent with a child in that class, I have some knowledge of that situation and there was more going on than was reported in that review, up to and including the biting of my own child, the biting of a teacher. In response to the report that "no parents were complaining", it was all about to come to a head as a few of us parents were about to file a formal complaint. If you look at the 1 star reviewer's input to Yelp, you'll notice at least one other review where another care facility was thrown under the bus by the same reviewer. The takeaway is there's a history with the child, at multiple facilities, and that's more of an issue with the parents and not the child. The bottom line is the child was not being disciplined by the parents as observed by both Stepping Stone teachers as well as other parents. read more

I am so grateful to have found Stepping Stone, and so close to my house! My family moved from California and I had to find daycare quickly. This is even more nerve-racking for me because my son has a potentially life-threatening peanut and nut allergy, as well as other food allergies. I had first toured another nearby facility and when I asked about their policy/plan for kids with food allergies, the tour guide could not tell me, and didn't even bother to tell me she would find out. But not at Stepping Stone! When I asked, not only was I informed that they were a nut-free facility, but that staff was trained to use Epi-Pens, and that all rooms and teachers my son would come into contact with would be aware of his allergies and ready to implement an action plan if needed. My daughter attended the PreK program there last year. She progressed so quickly, they moved her into the Advanced PreK, and she entered Kindergarten this year reading at a 2nd grade level. The teachers there addressed her needs, kept me aware of what she was working on, and together we helped her to excel. Every day when I arrive, I am greeted by happy attentive staff, and my kids love all the teachers. All too often, they don't want to go home when I arrive to pick them up because they are having fun, doing a science experiment, or are in the middle of a chess game. I never thought I would like a bigger daycare facility, coming from a home daycare in CA, but I am so happy that I found them. They are great! read more

Stepping Stone has been great for my kids. My daughter started there at 6 weeks and is now 2 and my son has been there since 8 weeks and is now 8 months. Catherine in the infant room is the reason we chose stepping stone and has been an amazing second parent to both of my children. She has helped get me through developmental milestones with my both my children and when my daughter was in her class, that was great to have as a first time parent who didn't know what to expect. Amanda in the 1 year old room and Michelle in the 2 year old room are equally amazing. Michelle helped potty train my daughter in no time flat. It makes it so much easier to go to work during the day knowing that the people caring for my children are giving them the love and attention that I can't during the day. My daughter loves the teachers she has had so much that they usually make her prayers each night! The communication from the teachers regarding my children and their daily activities/progress is great. If I ever have a question, I get follow-up right away. I am also very excited that the school is now starting to offer gymnastics so my daughter can do that on a weekly basis. I can't say enough about how much my kids love the staff at this school!!! read more

I LOVE THIS SCHOOL. Not only do they care for baby but they care for me as well. I know that when I drop off my son in the morning he will be loved, safe and cared for. He is a 19 mon very energetic baby that now knows a few words in sign language that helps him communicate with us. Did I already mention I love this place? Every single staff member is AWESOME and always have a smile for everyone. Both Cherie and Justine are very involved with everyone. Both are very understanding of any type of situation and are very willing to work with us to make us feel right at home. My son still cries in the morning when I drop him off but within a minute he is good to go. I love the fact that at there is a monitor that shows all the rooms where the kids are at and before I leave I can make sure my baby is fine. If my son cries non stop the staff takes their time to cuddle with him and make sure he feels safe and loved. Sidney/Jameka/Jessica Alcala/Jessica Waggoner/Justine and Cherie thank you ladies for everything that you do I don't know what I would do without you ladies. read more

My six year old daughter, Kimberly McFarlin, has attended Stepping Stone-Teravista for more than a year. Not only are the administrators and teachers friendly, they are patient and creative with personalizing learning and behavioral initiatives for my daughter with ADHD. As an afterschool student, my daughter is promptly picked up from school (Union Hill) and safely transported daily. She receives a snack daily, along with creative and educational indoor/outdoor activities. Moreover, Kimberly enjoys the computer labs, science experiments, and large assortment of friends from various ages and backgrounds. Vanessa and Carmen, my daughters teachers, daily review Kim's homework assignments, which leaves me with one thing less to do as a working mom and student. Most importantly, my Kimmie LOVES going to Stepping Stone daily, and looks forward to her full day attendance scheduled during the Summer and Holidays! The investment made in Stepping Stone is well worth the ease, and peace of mind I am afforded daily. Keep up the excellent work, Niki McFarlin read more

I am a teacher and visited this school last week. This school is amazing and the most innovative school I have had the opportunity to tour. When I walked in to the center I was greeted with excellent customer service and a great vibe. The facility was clean and well organized. During my tour of the facility I found that children were constantly surrounded by learning opportunities, whether inside the classroom or in the halls. The classrooms were strategically designed and structured based on target age and development to provide optimum learning environments. The students are not only immersed in an environment that promotes knowledge and understanding of concepts such as letter, number, and color recognition, but the S.T.E.A.M based curriculum is evident in all areas of the center with impressive technology and innovative engineering and science representations. I would recommend this school to anyone wanting to provide their child with a strong early childhood education that promotes both individualization and development. read more

Our daughter has been attending this Stepping Stone ever since she was 3-months old (she's now 2.5). We also have an older child that attended for over 5 years. We've had a great experience over the years. Her teacher (Mrs. Alisa) is doing an amazing job. We're extremely proud of the progress that we're observing on a daily basis. Our daughter is able to recognize most letters and their sounds, provide a recap of her day, knows shapes & colors, she's also able to spell her name and the list goes on and on... Mrs. Alisa is also doing a great job with potty training her. We love the structured, caring and loving environment. We also enjoy receiving pictures/videos and updates throughout the day. We're able to go to work on a daily basis w/out worrying because we know that she's in good hands. Our daughter also tells us that she loves Mrs. Alisa. Mrs. Alisa, thanks for making our our lives easier! You have raised the bar...We hope that our next teacher will be as awesome as you are. read more

I was very fortunate to have picked this school for my 9 yr. old daughter's summer care. It was actually a blessing in disguise as we had been going to another school in prior years, but it filled up before we were able to get her registered. So, we had to take our "second choice". What a great turn of events, as it turned out to be the perfect place for Sarah to spend the summer. Not only did she end up having a friend from her class at Teravista, she made new friends and was always in a great mood when I picked her up. I also wanted to give kudos to her teacher Amanda. Sarah loved her, and she always had a smile for the parents picking up their kiddos. I also want to mention the Principal, Alysa Johnson. She always had time for any of the parents that needed her attention. It is to her credit that Stepping Stone Teravista is such a great place, along with the entire staff. The only regret I have is not having found this school years ago. Thanks, Keith Arenson read more

I can't say enough great things about Stepping Stone. I searched and searched for a respectable daycare. That's when I found Stepping Stone. Both my boys have been going there since they were each 3 months. ( now they are 9 and 7). I feel comfortable knowing they are in such great care. My oldest had some behavior concerns, but Mr. Tyson, Ms. Jenica, and Ms. Amanda worked with him. They helped him get through his ruff patch. They spent time figuring out the needs for him. I am so glad I chose this daycare serval years ago. My boys have learned so much from the staff there. My youngest went through their kindergarten program. Ms. Jasmine teaches that class. She is amazing. She thought him so many new things. He loved going to school. He loved coming home and telling me all about his day. Ms Jenica and Ms Amanda are amazing. Thank you both for all you do and continue to do for my boys! You guys rock! Thank you Stepping Stone you are top notch! read more

My daughter is currently 2 years 4 months, she started going here when she was 6 months old. I was a hot mess because she wouldn't take a bottle for anyone. She was just nursed. I needed to go back to work so I was so worried. The teacher was so calm and she had her drinking and so happy in two days. I couldn't believe it. They kept me updated all day so I wasn't worried that she was just crying and starving the whole day. This gave me such a calm feeling. Now she is with Ms. Alisa who is my favorite teacher. She never cries when dropped off, she loves all of her activities, and looks forward to school everyday. Ms. Alisa makes my life so much better as I am never worried about my daughter. Even when she has seizures, the principal and vice principal always handle it professionally and lovingly. The principal and vice principal take all of my concerns seriously and address them as needed. I am very happy here. read more

My daughter attends Stepping Stone and loves it. The school is a warm, inviting place. I love how we are greeted from the moment we step into the school all the way to her classroom, by not just her teacher but the principal, assistant principal, even the cook! The learning she is getting is top notch. She is only 3 1/2 and already knows all of her letters, numbers to 10, can count by tens to 100 and has great social skills from all the fun interaction she has with other children and the great staff. Her teacher Lindsay is very understanding and nurturing. She has been a huge help in getting my daughter fully potty-trained. My daughter loves her and talks about her all the time at home. The principal and assistant principal are a great team who really have a way of connecting with the parents. They are quick to help when any problems arise. I recommend this school to all my parent friends. read more

We have had a very positive experience at Stepping Stone in Teravista with our baby girl. She started at 3 months and the infant room lead teacher is amazing! We felt so comfortable leaving our baby with her. Her compassion and intuition with your child is unreal. We quickly grew to love the other infant room teachers as well and started conversing and taking their advice with our baby since some of them are experienced mothers. The principal has done a great job with communication and implementing new programs to improve your experience as a parent. Everyone in general is so friendly and other teachers from other classrooms comment on how they love my daughter and go in and visit her when they can. I'm sure as we move up into other rooms we will continue to have a good experience. The other families are very friendly as well. I would highly recommend this school for your children. read more

Best daycare we could have ever imagined putting our child in. The teacher (Sydney) seems to truly care about our child's development. You can tell she's not just there for a paycheck, but because she really cares about children. That can be hard to find in child care but we did at stepping stone. Them starting to teach sign language at a young age help our child a lot by being able to express what our child wants. Our kiddo is leaps and bounds ahead of other kids the same age, Doctors words not mine, and we 100 percent believe it's because of the care and attention our child receives at stepping stone. They feed our child well rounded meals that we can't seem to get our child to eat at home. Over all we can't say enough good things about this school and couldn't imagine what we would do without such a great place to invest in our child's future. read more

This year brought a lot of changes for our family-we moved our one year old from Dallas to Austin, and put him in school for the first time. I was nervous about the transition but the teachers at Stepping Stone went above and beyond helping our son get through this tough transition, and helping him excel. We saw immediate improvement in his social interactions, growth in terms of putting on shoes/running/reading, and he would come home dancing when we sang the songs they played at school. All his teachers were engaged and offered suggestions and activities to keep him challenged and move to the next level. We really have to praise Catherine, Amanada and Jeneane because they were absolutely wonderful with him. My husband and I can not say enough good things about this school! read more

Lindsey and all the wonderful staff at stepping stone are my saving grace!!!! I found myself scrabbling for last minute care for my son after finally finding a job and after calling/visiting many daycares I was about to give up....thank god I didn't. Everyone at stepping stone immediately made my son feel right at home and I had no problerns dropping him off his first day. We have to be there right at 630a which at other daycares was always a problem, but not here. They were open and ready to accept kids right on time, making the start to my always hectic day much easier. My only regret is not finding stepping stone sooner!! If you're looking for a great child care center regardless of your kids age go by stepping stone at Tera vista. You WON'T be disappointed!! ;) read more

If a parent is protective, you have never seen a grandma with her grandbabies! My granddaughter started at Stepping Stones around 10 months. She was in a previous facility for a week and we knew that the atmosphere was not a place that she would thrive in. My little ball of energy was welcomed with open arms and a very patient heart. She is loved for who she is and is being trained (even at the young age of 14 months) to use her strengths to learn and develop. She tells her mom bye before she even drops her off, and trusts the director and staff. As a previous Child development director of 20+ years, when your child is in a place that loves, protects, and nurtures your child, you have won. All the educational benefits are just the cherry on top! read more

My son attended this school, and we love the teachers and staff. It is an awesome school. My son started this school this spring and he just love his teacher (Mrs. Deepthi) who was so kind and patient during his initial journey which was easy to settle down for my son. We personally parents love this place a lot and it is very safe and structured well. Mrs. Deepthi is so caring, wonderful and great teacher and her vibes is so positive. She took care of my son as her kids and sent lots of activities pictures during the day. My son is in disciple and listen what his teacher says, now we are applying the same at school. The school and class is always clean and great for kids. I recommend other parents to enroll in this school. read more