Playgarden Prep

Top Tips for Booking a Birthday Party for Your Child: It’s that special time again, or maybe you’re celebrating it for the very first time — it’s your little one’s birthday! With the excitement of a birthday comes the possible anxiety of planning a party. Planning by yourself can be overwhelming, so whether you book a party or host at your own home, here are some tips for planning a birthday party for your little one. Party Size Does your little one want a big birthday party? You’d be surprised by how many families have booked big parties at a kids' birthday party place, just for their little one to be overwhelmed and uninterested in their own party. So, before you book a party for 30 kids, ensure your child is genuinely excited and interested in a large party. There are plenty of ways to make a small birthday celebration special and enjoyable for little ones who may get overwhelmed easily. At the end of the day, the party is to celebrate your little one, so doing what will make them happy is what matters. Party Theme If they have a specific interest, like a character or theme, that you know they love, work with that for decorations. Let it inspire the venue, decorations, party favors, and the cake. When you play into the theme, even if you can’t make the venue the exact theme (like an actual farm), a lot of fun and creativity happens! Party Activities Do they like music or special songs? Sports? Dressing up? Dancing? Our little ones have so many interests — if they can communicate what kind of party they want and what they would like to do, work with what they tell you. Agewise, typically, kids turning three and up will want to run around, play games, and do activities, so a place that will cater to that is great. Some kids, typically under or turning 2, are more engaged with song circles and puppet shows. Other activities that work great at any location include: - Temporary tattoos or face painting - Bubbles - Ring toss - Obstacle courses/playground - Entertainment (magician, live musician, character, etc.) Party at Home If you opt for a smaller party, making your home the venue has benefits: not worrying about the weather, having a reliable bathroom, and knowing your little one feels comfortable there. If the party falls in the spring or summer, look to a nearby park, so little ones can have space to run around and get messy without worry. Parties at Playgarden Prep Of course, there are also places that are devoted to planning and throwing parties for you. At Playgarden Prep, we provide the space, staff, planning, set-up, activities, and clean-up for your family and guests. We have enthusiastic staff who engage with the little ones while assisting with running the party. Little ones have a blast at Playgarden parties, and kids and grown-ups alike have shared their appreciation and admiration for the parties we host, making Playgarden Prep an amazing place to have kids' birthday parties! 

The Importance of Teaching Your Child Practical Life Skills: We emphasize the importance of academic skills and education for little ones through pre-k, enrichment, and mommy and me classes; however, an essential part of your little one’s early childhood education is learning practical life skills. These skills get us through the day – from using the bathroom independently to learning how to communicate their needs! Self-Care Some of these skills we may practice without even thinking about them, but that’s because someone taught us how early on. Activities like brushing our teeth, getting dressed, and washing our hands – at one point or another, we learned from someone else how to take care of ourselves. I have found that when a little one understands why we do something, they are interested and may feel more inclined to try it. Some practical life skills that fall under self-care include: - Washing Hands: Learning when it’s most important to wash our hands (after using the bathroom, before eating/handling food, when they are visibly dirty, etc.) - Dressing/Undressing: This can be very helpful when you’re in a hurry to get to your mommy and me classes, and you can trust them to get themselves ready. Helping Around the House As their parent, you will do a lot for your little one before they learn how to do things for themselves. As they are able, start inviting them to help you with specific household tasks. Cleaning up their toys is an excellent place to begin! Showing your little one what a tidy space looks like and how to get it there can help encourage them to keep their space clean. Learning how to take care of the space they live in and be of service to their friends and family is an incredible skill. Even if you have a housekeeper or someone who helps you with these tasks, it’s important for your little one to learn how to do them when they will one day have to do those tasks themselves. Other household-related practical life skills include: - Making the Bed: Straightening the sheets, adjusting pillows, and even arranging their stuffed animals can build independence in your little one and inspire positive energy for the day ahead. - Helping with Meals: Setting the table, clearing the table, cleaning dishes, or loading a dishwasher. These tasks not only teach them how to care for themselves and others when it comes to mealtime, but they can also show gratitude to whoever made the meal – “I’m so grateful my grown-up is making us dinner, I’m going to help by setting the table for us!” The odds are that you are already introducing your little one to these kinds of practical life skills. Learning the basics of taking care of themselves early in their development and education, like while they are still young enough to take mommy and me classes, can benefit them greatly. Knowing how to take care of themselves boosts their confidence and independence and sets them up for success when they’re older so they can be self-sufficient adults!

How to Tell if Your Child is Ready for Kindergarten As your little one grows in their early childhood education, you will slowly start to see the signs that they are ready for kindergarten. Connecting with your preschooler’s teacher about their progress is a great way to support your little one and their development. Additionally, working with your little one on the skills below a little bit daily can help ensure they will be ready for the next step in their early childhood education journey: kindergarten! Strong Letter and Number Recognition  At your NYC preschool or during at-home learning, your little one is: - identifying letters, numbers, and colors, - aware of how, or is learning how, to spell their name. A Love for Learning While practicing at home or at your little one’s NYC preschool, they have a genuine excitement when it comes to learning. They might: - ask lots of questions,  - enjoy reading and learning to read,  - have a willingness to try new things. Comfort with Independence  This one is especially important to check in at home – is your little one - getting themselves dressed,  - taking themselves to the bathroom,  - washing hands alone,  - having an increasing interest in doing things by themselves? Social Blooming  Socialization is important at your local NYC preschool (whether attending regular classes or enrichment classes). Make sure you check in with your little one’s teacher to know if they are - playing well with others,  - sharing toys,  - practicing patience,  - building their emotional vocabulary (asking for their wants and needs). Proficiency in Motor Skills  And at both your NYC preschool and at home, is your little one getting comfortable with - gross motor skills, i.e. they are comfortable moving and climbing independently, - fine motor skills, i.e. they are comfortable writing with pencils, crayons, paint brushes, etc., as well as holding and completing puzzles with large and small pieces?

Playgarden's very own co-founder and C.O.O. Amanda Vierheller was featured on SheKnows, discussing different parenting styles! Here are some highlights: "Amanda Vierheller...described [authoritative parenting] as 'a parent-driven method where parents set strict rules and use primarily one-way communication.' She added, 'Children’s social-emotional needs are not the focus, and there is no collaboration. Punishment is used rather than discipline, and children’s self-esteem often suffers.'" “'Permissive parenting is a child-driven approach in which parents rarely set or enforce rules,' Vierheller explained. 'In this style, parents often indulge their children to avoid conflict, which can teach habits that are incongruent with teamwork and establishing positive social connections. Children with strong temperaments may be able to take advantage of the lack of boundaries, and an overall lack of rules could lead to disruptive and dangerous behavior,' she shared." For the full article, click the link below! https://lnkd.in/e9mg9V5y

Staying Engaged During Homeschool: Keeping our little ones engaged is one thing, but staying engaged while feeling burnt out is another obstacle that may come up when homeschooling your little one rather than searching out “pre k schools near me”. Sometimes burnout feels inevitable, but there are ways to take care of ourselves that can help us recover, reassess, and re-engage. Know Your Limits Take breaks and know your limits. The days you (or your little one) feel less engaged are the days to embrace the flexibility of a homeschooling schedule. Sometimes, a plan change can add spontaneity to the day and effectively reset your engagement. Take a break if you lose steam – a snack or meal, a walk outside, or a quiet break could benefit you and your little one. Start your school day a little later and/or end earlier on days when it feels like enough. It’s a benefit of forgoing in-person schools and doing homeschooling your way! Keep a Journal Keeping track of your homeschooling journey, what is/is not working for you and your little one in the classroom, noting goals, and even just free writing to let out the feelings that come up can be very therapeutic. Keeping a journal can also help you see what leads to burnout for you and your little one. Change Up Material If your curriculum on a certain day or week isn’t working, find a new way to cover the material. With the internet at our fingertips, we can find videos, activities, and even advice from pre-K schools on endless subjects! For days you need a break, an educational video is always a great way to cover material. Additionally, you can print out coloring sheets or do an art project together on the same theme as what they are learning. These activities relieve stress so you can focus on creating and bonding with your little one. Self-Care is Key Having some type of self-care ritual that you can start your day with or look forward to after school is essential. It can be exercise, meditation, journaling, however you like to set yourself up for the day, or however you prefer to end the day. If you want a bit more of a weekly break, start or resume a weekly activity you do yourself (yoga, gym time, or time alone on your phone, whatever self-care looks like for you). Find Your Homeschool Community You are not alone in your homeschool journey! There are plenty of families and parents who will experience challenges. Reaching out to a community of support who understand those challenges is essential to keeping yourself motivated. Creating a learning pod can foster a supportive community for you and your little one. The work can be split up, and you teach your little ones the importance of community, support, and asking for help!

Preparing Instruction for Special Needs Homeschool Students: Homeschooling a child with special learning needs has many benefits, but there is a lot that goes into preparing to be their teacher. A homeschool classroom allows for teaching styles that work for your little one, finding activities they engage with, and having a schedule that can be adjusted. We at Playgarden Prep have some tips for preparing so your little one can get the most out of homeschool instruction! Teaching Methods for Your Little One Every child learns their way, and homeschooling allows you and your little one to discover how they learn best! Sometimes, introducing topics through activities they find engaging can help inspire focus and interest in the subject. Some methods include: - Introduce topics before you’re in the classroom: Giving your little one background knowledge about a topic allows them to relate to their experiences. For example, if you are learning about the ocean, take your little one to an aquarium or read books featuring sea creatures. The more dots they can connect for themselves, the more connected they will feel to the material! - Starting large and getting small: For example, practice the alphabet song and maybe the phonetic alphabet before working on each letter and its sound individually.  - Making big things smaller: Little ones with special learning needs can get overwhelmed by an influx of new material. Dividing more challenging lessons into smaller chunks and taking breaks to review material that they already know can help build their confidence when it comes to tackling the more challenging material next time. Multi-Sensory Activities Little ones with special learning needs can find it difficult to sit for long periods, which is one reason a traditional classroom setting can be tough. The advantages of homeschooling include teaching methods or activities you may not see in a traditional classroom. Interactive instruction – as opposed to “stand and deliver” – proves more engaging for little ones with special learning needs. You can always include videos and pictures as learning aids. Other activities can include but are not limited to: - Cooking or baking in the kitchen - Sensory exploration outside or in a bathtub (water, sand, etc.) - Field trips to sensory-friendly spaces (aquarium, museums, etc.) Schedule Adjustments Lessons and the time spent with them can vary based on your little one’s ability to stay engaged that day. If working on a certain topic or lesson requires more time, it is OK to take that time. If your little one is not as interested in a lesson, shorten it and move on to get them engaged again. Maybe they (and you) had a tough night with little sleep, or a doctor’s appointment took up a lot of the day. Make your instruction for homeschooling work for where you each are that day. Sometimes, that can look like a day full of learning through play, or it can look like watching educational videos on the couch together. 

Tribeca Citizen recently featured Playgarden Prep's NEW Spanish Immersion program on their website, saying: "Playgarden Prep, the preschool at 95 Franklin, will add an English-Spanish immersion program for students ages 12 months to 6 years old starting this September. The school has partnered with European early childhood education institution Arenales Red Educativa to provide the program, which to start will be four days a week taught half in English, half in Spanish by native Spanish-speaking teachers. The Spanish Chamber of Commerce will also sponsor a group of teachers from Spain to join the teaching staff at Playgarden Prep." Click the link below for more! https://lnkd.in/g2TpEaF4

We’re #hiring a new French Immersion Preschool Teacher in New York, New York. Apply today or share this post with your network.

With everything we have going on in our lives, it’s sometimes hard to even suggest being able to “avoid burnout.” Burnout can certainly feel inevitable with busy schedules, and homeschooling your preschooler can fill up a lot of that schedule. Adjustments to your homeschool schedule may need to be made, and that is okay! Review Your Current Schedule Take a look at your current homeschool schedule and locate any points where there might be tension. Is there a certain part of the day when your little one gets overwhelmed? Try implementing an easy activity or quiet time during that part of the day and see if there is improvement. Every day is going to look different — you could have one day dedicated to just activities, a field trip, or academics. You can decide whether to revisit activities or remove them completely if they are not working for you and your homeschooler. Take a Break Breaks, breaks, breaks! After a big new lesson, take a break. Between subjects or after tests, take a break. When everything starts to feel like too much, take a break. Taking care of ourselves is one of the biggest keys to avoiding burnout. Teaching your little one to implement breaks into their day and encouraging them to choose how they would like to spend their free time (and making sure they have free time to spend), is a great practice in self-care. Class Outside Having time to learn outside the homeschool classroom is incredibly important for our little ones, especially at the best preschools in NYC. It’s also incredibly important for you, the homeschool teacher, to take a little break from teaching and let other people or spaces do the teaching for you. For example, trips to museums, aquariums, or other places that have experts on topics you may not be super familiar with can help guide your homeschooling student. This way, you get to learn with your little one and bond over this shared learning experience. Homeschooling activities outside of the classroom can also include meeting with other homeschooling families, visiting the library, participating in extracurricular enrichment activities at the best preschools in NYC, or visiting other special places in your own community. If Burnout Strikes While we can do our best to avoid overscheduling and burnout, sometimes it sneaks up on us. We are human, and it happens! What is important is how you take care of yourself and your little one when one or both of you feel burnout. This is the time to turn towards activities that refuel our emotional and social energy: - Healthy snack - Time outside - Quiet time with a solo activity - Take the day off Homeschooling is hard work, but when you find your rhythm and methods that work for you and your little one, just like at any one of the best preschools in NYC, the sky’s the limit for your little one’s success!

Playgarden Prep's BRAND NEW English-Spanish immersion program is taking off at our Tribeca location! New York Loves Kids recently featured the program on its website; here are some highlights: "Playgarden Prep, a premier New York City-based early childhood education center, is proud to announce the launch of a unique English-Spanish bilingual immersion program at their Tribeca location (95 Franklin Street, New York, NY 10013) for all students ages 12 months to six years. In partnership with Arenales Red Educativa, Playgarden Prep will begin its bilingual immersion program with four school days a week taught half in English, half in Spanish by native Spanish-speaking teachers. Playgarden Prep is taking new student enrollment for the bilingual immersion program for September 2024, and current families can enroll in the program beginning immediately. 'Though New York City—a truly international city—already has multiple German, Italian, French, and Mandarin schools, there are surprisingly limited options for Spanish-English preschools,” said Playgarden CEO and Co-Founder Carlos Corona. “Because of the young age of our students, a full immersion program will be the most effective way to create a strong, long-lasting base in both English and Spanish languages.'" Click the link below for the full story: https://lnkd.in/gdj_HQsh