My child went over the holiday break and absolutely loved her day there! Michelle kept them so…read morebusy, learning and having fun! She came home with lots of evidence of all that they did- crafts, snacks, and items they made during the science portion. Definitely sending her to some of the spring camps! Love the smaller size and convenient location too!

From the owner: Science + Cooking = FUN!…read more Looking for an exciting, hands-on experience for your child? Kids Chem Cook offers STEM-powered cooking classes, camps, and parties where kids explore science through delicious experiments! Perfect for: Birthday Parties School Events & Camps Fun Weekend Classes Learning has never been this tasty! Your child will mix, fizz, and create edible science while gaining real-world STEM skills. Book your child’s adventure today! Limited spots available! Call or message us to reserve your spot!

After 2.5 years at Ladybird Montessori, it's clear that the "perfect" farm image hides a chaotic…read morereality. The school prioritizes enrollment numbers over child safety and quality education. We experienced extreme instability, with at least 10 teacher turnovers in our classroom alone. Without lead teachers, the environment lacked structure, leading to incidents of teacher's yelling and writing up excessive incident reports. Major Safety & Management Red Flags: * Severe Negligence: My child was left outside alone and was banging on the door to come back in (documented with the state) and was left in a bathroom with an unauthorized adult without staff realizing she had left her group. * Unstructured Aftercare: Most incidents occurred during the 60-kid aftercare "nightmare," which lacks any meaningful supervision. * Financial Gatekeeping: The school often holds children back in YCC (Toddler) longer than necessary just to collect higher fees, regardless of whether the child has mastered the curriculum. * Exclusionary Practices: Extracurriculars like soccer are restricted by age (4+), effectively excluding half of the mixed-age Children's House (2.5-6) classrooms. * Retaliation: Be prepared for your child's hours to be cut to half-days as a way to slowly push you out. Communication is a "secret" here; I never received enough communication or updates on my child's progress. Enough was enough. If you raise any concerns, the director deflects blame onto the child. Please check the state's licensing website for their violation history. Your child deserves a safe, attentive environment--not just to be a number in a crowded room. Disabling Google reviews to limit transparency is a clear indicator of the issues present here.

I am sharing our experience to alert parents who choose Ladybird Montessori School (LMS)…read morespecifically for its AMS "Verified" status and its promise of a high-fidelity Montessori environment. The school markets itself as a development partner. However, our experience revealed a systemic failure. They did not follow basic Montessori principles when faced with a child's natural developmental whirlwind. 1. Interaction with Administration: A Failure to Lead. My interactions with the administration were consistently dismissive and lacked the pedagogical depth one expects from a Montessori leader. The Director utilized administrative pressure to silence concerns. pick-up incidents occurred, I was met with visible frustration rather than a collaborative, "connected" approach. It became clear that the administration prioritizes its own convenience and "harmonious" image over the actual hard work of supporting a child. 2. Inability to Handle High-Energy Children. This school is fundamentally equipped only for children who are "perfect" or passive. If your child has high energy, curiosity, or a "whirlwind" personality, LMS will likely label them a safety liability rather than a student. Despite Montessori literature stating that high-energy toddlers often need "heavy work" or movement outlets to regulate, this school treated my son's natural physical drive as a critical safety "impasse". They simply do not have the patience or the staffing expertise to handle children who don't fit into a quiet, compliant box. For parents considering any Montessori program, I strongly recommend taking a close look at how the school accommodates children with different temperaments. During a tour, observe whether classrooms offer movement opportunities or "heavy work" materials for children who benefit from physical activity. Ask staff how they support children who are active or struggle to remain still, and what strategies are in place for channeling high energy in a positive direction. Look for evidence of patience, flexibility, and an individualized approach, not just for compliance or calm. By being proactive in your questions, you can determine whether the environment will truly support your child's natural development. 3. Lack of Developmental Expertise The school consistently mislabeled age-appropriate milestones as behavioral "red flags." Most notably, my three-year-old son's natural development of oral-motor skills--commonly known as "raspberrying"--was documented as "spitting" in multiple incident reports. It was only after we clarified this developmental milestone that the school's documentation began to shift. Discouraging a child during a peak phase of speech development is a direct contradiction of the principle of "following the child". 4. Non-Montessori Disciplinary Practices Despite claiming to follow the AMS 5 Core Components, the school used interventions that are fundamentally non-Montessori. My son was removed to an administrative office to "sit and take breaths" while being lectured. This practice ignores Montessori guidance on toddler development. Authentic practice requires classroom-based "Grace and Courtesy" lessons and a prepared environment with "heavy work" for high-energy children. LMS chose administrative isolation over pedagogical support. 5. Dismissal Instead of Partnership When we formally requested the school realign its practices with AMS standards, the Director responded by immediately terminating our enrollment. This pattern of "quick dismissal" is echoed by other parents who report their children being asked to leave for behaviors like separation anxiety, without any attempt at modification. 6. Concerns Regarding Qualifications Public testimony from former staff members suggests that the "Lead Guides" at this school may not all hold the years of in-person training and practicum required for high-fidelity Montessori, with reports of "hiring off the street" and relying on online courses. This would explain the staff's inability to differentiate between developmental milestones and behavioral issues. How to Verify These Patterns: I encourage any parent considering this school to read the employee reviews on Glassdoor and Indeed, as well as the 1-star parent reviews on Yelp. You will see a consistent pattern of administrative dismissal and allegations of unqualified staff that mirrors our experience exactly. Furthermore, parents should check the Kyle/Buda community boards on Facebook, where numerous other families have expressed similar concerns about LMS. Finally, you can verify on the AMS School Locator (amshq.org) that while they are a "Verified" member, they have NOT attained full Accreditation. Conclusion: If your child is "perfect" or already accustomed to a school setting, LMS may suffice. However, if your child exhibits the "tricky behaviors" typical of a three-year-old such as darting, physical play, or vocal exploration, thi

Great FREE option in Austin for kids!…read more One of the best parts is you can see an axolotl (two, actually) in their visitor center building. Then you can head over to the birds of prey, the reptile/fish building, and the animal enclosures. There's also a little lake and a large sand pit (dino dig). There's a cool room in the visitor center that has all sorts of nature items (bones, dead bugs, shells, rocks, etc.). You can bring in your own stuff to trade! Is it a huge amount of things to do/see? No but for a free attraction, it's pretty great. Parking is across the street -- lot is shared with Zilker Park and all the nearby attractions so it can get busy.

I didn't know what to expect from this place. Some science centers are kids-only affairs (despite…read morenot being billed as such) while others have more to offer visitors of all ages. Fortunately, the Austin Nature & Science Center ended up falling in the latter category. The main building houses an assortment of bones, shells, and rocks (as well as an axolotl tank) and another building is home to various reptiles. Outside areas include a dino pit (where kids can dig for fossils) and several animal enclosures. What makes the latter unique is that the animals are rehab/rescue cases. They include everything from a bobcat to a porcupine to a 34-year-old one-eyed owl (!!) and more. Granted, Austin Nature & Science Center does offer more for a younger crowd, and it isn't particularly easy to get to by bus, but it's hard to argue with a chance to take in flora and fauna for free.

My biggest regret as a parent is enrolling my 2 year old daughter at Stepping Stone. I still feel…read moreguilty that I did not find another option. My daughter was at another daycare for two years that we loved! No issues and no incident reports. The 7 months she was at Stepping Stone were awful. Coming home with massive bruises from bites that staff did not notice. I repeatedly emailed but she kept being bitten by multiple children. We kept waiting for Children's Lighthouse to finish being built but it was hard as an educator who provides other people's children with a safe learning environment not to have a safe place to send my toddler. The last straw was her reporting to us a teacher hit her. Pulled her immediately. Ms. Brittany did not seem surprised when we told her of our concern.

Love! The teachers have been limited due to Covid but they make it work! My husband and I are happy…read morewith our decision to move our daughter here

I LOVE IT HERE ITS AMAZING, the service and cable operators are amazing! The blonde girl at big bro…read moresaved my life, abby truly is one of a kind!!

Our first time coming here was for a friend's birthday party. I did not realize how big this place…read morewas. I've come here before for ax throwing but only stayed up in the front area inside the building. This place is huge and there are plenty for the kids to do. What I love about this place is that they have timeslots. Once the occupancy is full for the specific timeslot, they will not allow any more people in to prevent crowding. I also love that it's in two hour increments because it doesn't seem like it is a long time but once you're out there and you're having a great time, time goes by so fast and that two hour timeframe is more than enough time for someone to go out and enjoy themselves. My boys absolutely love when I bring them here. The lifeguards are so amazing. They hired some of the most caring and friendliest young men as lifeguards. If you're looking to occupy your active kids and burn off some energy, I highly suggest you bring them here.

I hate this place i went to it and it is poorly runned bad its bad staff i got hurt on The main…read morecable and we are forced to stay on the wibit to 11.00-3.00 stay away the worst camp one Earth.

We loved the water park at Quest! We took three pre-teen boys to the park and they had a blast…read more The "blob" was so fun to launch them skyward, and they loved the giant obstacle course. The slides and the swings were great, too. Being able to bring our own food helped us save some money, and all the people there were extremely friendly and supportive. The "big kids" were so nice to our kids and it made for a really nice environment. Will definitely be back.

Our sweet & shy 14 year old daughter had the most amazing time on the 8 day River Safari. She…read morelearned so much about team work, leadership, and outdoor survival from the wonderful leaders and had an overall excellent time. Her only complaint was bug bites. But seriously; that's expected on an outdoor adventure. lol.

I just picked my 13 year old son up from the 12 day Texas Hill Country trip and all I can say is…read moreWOW! When I mentioned this camp to him he wasn't interested at all! He said there was nothing he could gain from it, nothing that interested him. All he wanted to do was sit around the house all summer. I signed him up anyway... Needless to say I was nervous picking him up. When I got there he was hugging everyone and high fiving and talking about how he was going to miss everyone and how all of them were going to do it again next year. Even though he was away from his beloved cell phone for 12 days, he was much more interested in telling me all the wonderful things he did than texting with his friends! That's a pretty big deal there! This has been one of the hottest summers in Texas in a long time, but he never once said anything about how hot it was or anything else. The only complaint I heard from him was about powdered milk and peanut butter ramen noodles! What's even better is that he is happy to have gone but also happy to be home! He even thanked me for making him go on the trip!! The trip isn't cheap, but with the reaction I'm getting from my teen, I think it is WELL worth the money! I'm going to start saving so he can attend the 16 day Big Bend trip next year!

I love this school and my son has literally blossomed in the 2 months he has been here! Such an…read moreamazing 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!

My 4 year old started stepping stone in March of 2024 when I decided to return to work. It was the…read moreonly 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.