Why 5 stars? Because we will definitely miss taking our son here…read more --- --- --- As of this writing, our son is about 2.5 years old and had been going to Kiddie Academy since he was about 5 months. The only reason I say all of this in the past tense is because we just moved out of state. If not for that, we definitely would have kept him here indefinitely. Back when my wife was pregnant and we were touring all of the daycares in the area, we truly could not believe how expensive they were. Literally, the cost of daycare was the same as a monthly payment for a luxury sports car. Heck, it was even on par with my first mortgage. How does anyone afford this?! But fortunately, while still cheap by no means, Kiddie Academy was definitely the most affordable option in the area. And as first time parents, we *immediately* learned that not only was tuition worth it, but we were probably under-paying. Being able to leave our son in the hands of these lovely people for up to 50 hours a week was invaluably helpful for two working parents. We knew he was in great hands and we knew he was having a lot more fun at school than he would have been at home with us. If you're in the Carrollwood/Northdale area, be sure to stop by for a tour here before you decide on visiting another school. We are excited for our new adventure but sad for our son to leave his first group of best friends. This is my last review of a Tampa Bay business. I wanted to save a place that was incredibly important to us for my last review, and there was no place more crucial to our family than Kiddie Academy over the last two years. Now, it's off to writing about a million businesses in the Houston area!

Kiddie Academy Carrollwood is AMAZING! We have been taking our daughter there for the last year and…read moreher and us have loved it! The teachers and administrator Linda are amazing!

This was my first time putting my child into a school setting so I was extremely nervous. The staff…read moreat Kiddie Academy was so warm and caring and put my mind at ease with their professionalism, kindness, and passion for kids. The school is clean and organized but fun and engaging for the kids who are lucky enough to attend. My only regret is not finding this school sooner!

I just have to say, this daycare is AMAZING! The people here are like family. They provide a safe…read moreand stimulating environment. I highly recommend this school to any parents looking for a fantastic educational experience for their kids!

We drive from Wesley Chapel to come to the Tampa location. The staff are very welcoming and the…read morechildren are well disciplined. My son's confidence has grown exponentially and has broken out of his shell. If you have been searching for a spot, definitely give them an opportunity.

I've been off and on training at this facility for over a year now and they've been nothing but the…read morebest. I have no experience with the kids classes, but the adult kickboxing, tae kwon do and Brazilian jiu jitsu classes are all great. The instructors are super understanding and make sure that you learn without acting like drill sergeants. If you want proof of how effective their training is, check our the company Facebook page. They have some reels posted of their students and instructors training. No better place to learn martial arts.

My daughter was dealing with bullying at school. We decided to enroll her here. I have seen a…read moredrastic change in her confidence, discipline and resilience. This place is excellent.

Great place to get your kids into Martial Arts. Staff is caring and very informative. They make…read moresure all the kids get the necessary training and attention. My kid look forward to his classes and always comes back excited eager to share what he has learned. Moreover, the studio provides a wealth of resources for parents, keeping us informed about our child's progress and offering guidance on how to support their martial arts journey at home. In just a short time, I've witnessed my son's confidence soar as he tackles new challenges and hones his skills. I couldn't be happier with the positive impact it has had on him. If you're searching for a martial arts studio that prioritizes both physical and personal development in a caring and informative atmosphere, look no further than WESLEY CHAPEL MARTIAL ARTS ACADEMY. It's more than just a place to learn martial arts - it's a community where children thrive and grow into confident, well-rounded individuals.....Steve K

I write this review not to bash Lutz Montessori, but in the hope that their leadership and…read moreprocesses might evolve to prevent similar experiences for other families. What my family went through caused significant stress, anxiety, and sadness, and I would not wish that on anyone else. Overall, Lutz Montessori is a good school. The teachers appear experienced and genuinely care for the children. My son was enrolled in the VPK class for nearly a full year (with just two months left) and we had planned for him to continue into kindergarten there. Toward the latter part of the school year, we began receiving concerns from his teacher about behavioral challenges--such as difficulty sitting still during circle time, interrupting, or hesitating to transition indoors after playtime. The teacher offered several strategies, including using weighted blankets, sand timers, and even seeking occupational therapy. We followed through on all of these recommendations. I stayed in close contact with his teachers, frequently asking for updates and doing everything I could to reinforce positive behavior at home. I even raised concerns multiple times about whether the Montessori method was the right fit for my son, wondering if he might do better in a more traditional classroom. But I was reassured by staff that he was thriving within the Montessori environment . Like many four-year-olds, he had moments of energy and impulsivity. Still, his pediatrician, the occupational therapist, and a county counselor (whom the school referred us to) all offered consistent advice : "He is a young boy. He's too young to diagnose with ADHD, and many children outgrow this behavior." None of them felt alarmed, and importantly--his behavior never interfered with his academic development. Unfortunately, things changed drastically. Just eight weeks before the school year ended, my husband and I were called in for a meeting with the leadership team. During this meeting, we felt pressured to pursue ADHD testing for our son. Statements were made that strongly implied a diagnosis--despite the fact that no one on their leadership team was qualified to make one. The tone and approach of the conversation left me feeling so uncomfortable. Despite my concerns, we decided to allow him to finish the school year, not wanting to disrupt him socially or emotionally so close to the end. But during those weeks, we noticed changes in him: biting his nails, chewing on his sippy cup straw, and acting out in uncharacteristic ways. Then, I received a phone call from the school director. She informed me that she had recorded my son's behavior on her personal phone--without my knowledge or consent. The video was heartbreaking. I saw my son overwhelmed and unable to express his emotions. Rather than offering him a break or comfort, the director questioned him repeatedly and continued recording, placing the camera close to his face. I was shocked. I pulled him out of the school immediately. It's now been almost 3 months since that decision, and my son is in a new school where he is thriving. His new teachers speak highly of him, and I have not received a single behavioral complaint. I will likely always carry disappointment in the actions of the leadership team at Lutz Montessori. Writing this review was not easy. But these are children, and how they are treated during times of emotional vulnerability matters. My hope is that by sharing this necessary changes will be made so that no other child--or parent--has to go through what we did

My granddaughter., who I've been watching while my daughter, who is active duty Air Force, was…read moredeployed for 6 months loves this school. They were happy to work with us when she returned home.

We started our infant daughter at 14 weeks old at this Goddard campus while on the wait list for…read morethe owners' other school which is under construction in South Tampa. We had issues starting on Day 1 when we arrived and teachers were not wearing masks in the infant room. I told my concerns to the Director at the time who assured me they would wear masks moving forward. From then on we always saw her teachers in masks. We had several other issues including a lead teacher who did not provide our daughter any tummy time for several weeks, which we only noticed was happening after she stopped rolling over at home. On several pick up days, the fill in teachers in the afternoons were also using the iPads to show videos to our daughter. We also had some communication issues with her initial lead teacher Re later to scheduled and feeding. When the school director changed from Michelle to Ashley we had a discussion and Ashley addressed all of our concerns. They also brought in a new lead teacher for the infant room - Ms. Jessica - who we really loved and still think is a great infant teacher. The final straw for us, though, was 10 weeks after enrolling when we received the attached notification via the school's app on a Monday evening without any prior notice or warning. When I went to drop off our daughter the next morning, the director confirmed that vaccinated staff and parents would not be required to wear masks although they may still choose to. From what I experienced no one was checking vaccination status at the door. I told her we weren't comfortable with it, and she said that the decision was made by the owners the day before without any warning to anyone - teachers and staff as well. We weren't comfortable with this abrupt policy change, and I took our daughter home. I wrote to the director and asked that they reconsider requiring masks for teachers and parents in the infant room, otherwise we'd have to withdraw our daughter. I don't think this is an unreasonable request. They also already require you to clean your hands and put booties over your shoes to enter the infant room - why is a mask out of the question? The owner wrote me back and said they wouldn't be changing the mask policy and understood our decision to leave the school. The abrupt policy change without warning really put us in a horrible position. Thankfully we have grandparents who live close by and can help care for our daughter while we look for another solution, but if we didn't we would have no choice but to leave our daughter in a situation that we feel is too risky at this point. As a daycare which is intended to provide childcare for working parents, the school's actions have affected my job. Their actions certainly lost my trust and confidence that their school is managed and operated with my daughters best interests in mind. I am giving the school two stars because I do think the director and many teachers mean so well and do care about your children, but I think this school is experiencing several growing pains and that their management has some learning to do re: parent communication and relations. The same owners will be running the South Tampa campus when it opens as well and so we will no longer be attending that campus.

We love this school so very much. They work hard to accommodate our toddler's food allergies and…read morespeech therapy needs. The owner even recommended an on site therapist to us when he was diagnosed. Colleen, the owner, is so organized and direct with every detail, there are no surprises. Our child is happy, hugs and loves in the staff like they're family. We are SO thrilled to be a Goddard family! The school is quick to notify if there are health concerns like Covid or RSV. This has allowed us to keep our son safe in times of higher transmission. It's true the staff doesn't wear masks, but we personally prefer that to assist with ensuring our child can communicate effectively with staff members. His previous school wore masks and that seemed to delay his learning. This school was recommended to me by a friend who's child also attends and raves about her child's teachers. Lastly, the school isn't covered in gross carpet. They have tiled / laminate flooring that can be easily sanitized. I'm a big believer that this helps keeps the kiddos safe and healthy. Tuition is paid monthly and again, everything is very up front and directly communicated. Colleen is available for any parent any time. What more could you ask for?

After pulling my children out of this place, I felt the need to actually sit them down and…read moreapologize for ever sending them there in the first place. Shame on me for not doing enough research prior to sending them. This place is a disaster run entirely by kids. They lack proper training, level of supervision protocols, compassion, and just common sense. They need an adult in the room and sadly, there are none. The owner, Ric Martin is almost never present, has a terrible attitude if you can even get him on the phone, and is no way concerned with how to improve the overall experience for the children. The trouble here clearly starts at the top. Please do not make the same mistake I made. Send your kids to a place with a staff that is held accountable to providing an exemplary experience for your children. Your kids deserve better. Another major concern I had was safety. They do NOT check IDs when you pick up your child, so anyone can walk in and pick up any child and the "kids running the show" would have no idea. It's amazing this place hasn't had someone taken like this before, but then again, maybe it has. Not ok.

Best summer camp and after school program! The kids build friendships that last! They learn…read morediscipline and respect !

I attended the kindergarten/elementary graduation a few months ago. It was so inspirational. The…read morechildren sang beautiful community building songs and enjoyed their interactions with each other so much. They play outside a lot and have so many nature based activities. It seems to be a wonderful educational adventure.

Highly recommend this daycare. They're so friendly and the staff is so nice and they really care…read moreand it shows. After I went through a nightmare with another daycare, I am so relieved to have people I trust my child with now. Love Morgan and Megan at the office, they're so kind even after a long day. Ms. Kathy and Ms. Suzanne are AMAZING! They have such kind hearts and you can tell they love what they do. River is awesome with my kiddo and so patient. I just love everyone we've met there so far. Thanks again for everything you all do!