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

I love Sterling Hunter/Jumpers. Erin is by far the best…read moreinstructor I have had since I started riding again in March of this year. The location is serene, green, always cooler than in town, there's always a breeze. It is a small barn but their focus is lesson students and lesson horses. The horses were great too, the 2 I trained on were sensitive to leg and hand aids. I love that this is truly a lesson barn and that they take great care of their horses and pride in them. The horses were so sweet! I had to stop going due to the heat, schedule conflicts and some body image issues. I plan on going back, Erin is the best teacher, she is really good at what she does, she trains the equestrian teams at Texas State and UT I believe too. Very prestigious. But she is down to earth, approachable, flexible and friendly. I valued that too as there is a lot of snobbery, unprofessionalism and mistreatment of clients and horses in this town too. I loved how Erin cared for her horses and as I client I felt valued too. She taught me so much in the 2 short months I rode at SHJ. I can't wait to go back. This truly is the best barn in Austin and I mean, I rode at 2 other barns and it was no bueno. This place is awesome. A great value, you truly get what you pay for and more. I felt more confident as a rider after riding here, less anxious and more serene. When I go back to riding this will be the barn I will call. If I ever buy a horse this is where I will keep it and if I decide to lease a horse I will lease it from Erin and John her husband. They are real professionals, yet laid back and friendly.

I took lessons here while in college and loved it. Erin is a wonderful trainer and the lesson…read morehorses are the best. This barn is safe and full of friendly people. If I were a parent I would have no problem leaving my child here for lessons or camp. Lesson prices were fair and Erin is a devoted trainer. She gives you her full attention when you are in the arena and makes the most out of lesson time. I look forward to resuming my lessons once my schedule allows me.

I have repeatedly tried contacting the stable through various avenues. They remain unresponsive and…read morehave not returned any messages regarding boarding. I decided to not keep my horse there because they come off unprofessional.

This is my daughters' first summer at Monarch Stables. Last year we tried a different horseback…read moreriding camp in westlake for a week and it was the highlight of her summer. Then we heard about Monarch from her friend at school and are so glad that we came here! It's really beautiful! All the horses and ponies are gorgeous! The staff and camp counselors are super friendly. The kids are all happy to be there. They do arts and crafts, swimming & fishing in the creek, in addition to taking care of the horses and riding lesson. At the end of the day your kiddo WILL sleep well at night. I'm a little jealous she gets to spend her summer around horses! We will DEFINITELY be back next summer for camp and will look into there after school program this fall.

This a great place to wake board. The owner and staff are fantastic. The facility is great and…read moreequipment is quality gear. Kyle did a great job coaching our boys so they could get up and board quickly (1st time beginners) all the staff were super helpful. I highly recommend this business, we will be back again soon!

This place is a hidden gem. My wife and I came out here not sure of what to expect. Travis, Mike,…read moreand Curtis were great instructors and before we knew it we were wakeboarding naturally. Im being told they have a ladies night on Wednesdays and its BYOB after you ride. I'll be back for sure. Oh and try the fish tacos from the food trailer! This place doesn't have a lot of reviews since when they opened they got flooded. So come check them out and write a review!!

Both of our boys took piano here for several years and loved it! It's a family run business that…read moreprovides super cool instructors who give 1 on 1 attention to the students. They do periodic recitals that are lots of fun and my kids both LOVED the summer Rock Camp program which culminated in a performance at the Broken Spoke! Very Cool!!

I am currently a student here, and I love it! The teachers here are very helpful, and our recitals…read moreare really fun! Every summer we have a school event called "Rock Camp". It's where we form a band, write songs, and preform at the Broken Spoke in Austin. This is definitely a place for young musicians looking to be big musicians!

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