Playgarden Prep

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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

How to Bathe Your Newborn Congrats on your new bundle of joy! As a new parent in the midst of baby bonding, all the exciting firsts are about to unfold, including the very first baby bathtime. Waiting to Bathe Your Newborn The first few hours after your baby is born are crucial bonding time. This is the time to hold your little one close, which has also been shown to boost breastfeeding success.  About 12 hours after birth, you can give your little one their first sponge bath. You won’t need an infant tub for a couple of weeks, as you want to only give sponge baths until the umbilical cord stump has fallen off. After their first sponge bath, you can bathe your newborn about every other day. What Will I Need? Before you start, make sure your bathing space is set up, complete with: - Bowl of warm water - Baby body wash/shampoo - Two washcloths - A towel - Cotton balls - A new diaper - Clean clothes - Lotion Bath Time Your newborn may not enjoy bathtime, but if you feel confident about the steps, both of you are more likely to have an easier time. Having a partner as an extra set of hands can also help bathtime go smoothly, so your little one is constantly being held—important for both baby bonding and your little one feeling safe. When you are ready, with your newborn still dressed and in your arms: - Get a washcloth or cotton ball damp in the warm water. - Clean your newborn’s eyelids from the inside corner out, - Clean their nose, just around and outside. - Clean only the outside of your newborn’s ears – ear wax comes out on its own. (Be sure to use a new corner of the washcloth or fresh cotton ball for each of these steps!) Time to Shampoo While supporting your little one’s spine and head: - Wet their hair and scalp by sprinkling their head with warm water and one drop of shampoo/body wash. - Gently scrub your little one’s head, lathering some bubbles. You will not hurt them by gently washing the spot. - Use another damp washcloth to rinse their hair. - Dry their head with a dry towel. Body Wash If your little one had a hard time with the first part of bathtime, we recommend taking a break before washing their body. Even just a couple minutes in your arms will help them regulate before getting through the rest of their bath. When you are ready: - Undress your newborn and lay them on their back on a fresh dry towel – warmed if possible. - Use a drop of baby body wash on a damp washcloth. - Gently wash down the front of your little one, avoiding the umbilical stump, and cleaning between folds of skin where dirt can build up.  - To clean your baby’s back, gently flip them over and turn their head to the side, then wash down the back of your little one’s body, washing their genitals and bottom last. Drying Off Take extra care to dry your little one’s skin folds and creases to ensure they are completely dry. Apply lotion to your little one after they are dry and warm. After lotion, they are ready for a diaper and fresh clothes.

Our very own COO and co-founder, Amanda Vierheller, was featured in Today's Parent, answering some frequently asked questions regarding what's known as "Afterschool Restraint Collapse"! Here are some highlights: Are there warning signs that a child is reaching their limit before school meltdowns occur?  According to Amanda Vierheller, early education expert and the COO and co-founder of Playgarden, there are visible clues that signal when children are reaching their limits. "Passive behaviors like feeling tired, falling asleep, or removing themselves from others and activities could be early indicators," Vierheller explains. "At times, children may zone out or seem unable to concentrate on conversations or tasks at hand. They also might actively refuse to participate in activities, cry or become clingy. Additionally, children may exhibit agitation and express frustration through verbal or physical outbursts." How can parents help prevent after-school restraint collapse from happening? Parents can help prevent after-school restraint collapse by providing children with a consistent routine that addresses their after-school needs. Vierheller explains, "Kids thrive with consistency and routine as it calms them and makes them feel comfortable being able to predict what will happen in their day." Parents and caregivers can also support their children at school by using tools to stay connected while apart. Vierheller recommends, "Parents can try using notes in their lunch, photo tags of family on their backpack. These tools help children to feel bonded to family when stressful situations occur at school and can aid in managing emotions." Click the link below for the full article: https://lnkd.in/genhzUjb

Homeschooling your little one rather than going the “preschool near me” route can be a daunting task, especially as a single parent. And while there will inevitably be challenges, it is important to remember that you are not alone. Not only are there plenty of single parents out there doing the same, but you have the opportunity to build a support system around you and your little one so you both succeed! Ask for Help and Support Many families have turned to homeschooling, especially post-2020. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, even from your local preschool. With the influx of online curriculum and educational platforms at our fingertips, we have access to so much support—both as homeschool teachers and as parents. Especially on the days when we feel like giving up, our support systems are there to build us up and remind us to keep going. Set Realistic Expectations When you have homeschooling, work, family, friends, and activities all on the same plate (as many single parents do,) it’s important to set realistic expectations. Through all of this, you have to take care of yourself, too. There is no prize for being the best homeschool teacher ever, so be kind, gentle, and patient with yourself, especially if you are doing this for the very first time. Sometimes the dishes are going to get left in the sink, the errands aren’t all going to get accomplished, and that is okay. Set your priorities for schooling, and as long as your little one is learning, you’re doing an incredible job! Create Short-Term and Long-Term Goals The act of setting goals can be helpful in reaching them. Short-term goals can be something you want to accomplish within the week or month. Long-term goals can be what you want to accomplish within the school year and beyond. Goals help us cope with the overwhelm of everything we want to get done. Writing down your homeschooling goals for you and your little one can help you see what you want right in front of you. Lean into Budget-Friendly Homeschooling As mentioned before, there are so many educational platforms and curricula online, as well as people who have years of experience homeschooling – use their knowledge, tools, and ways to save on materials! As you build your community, you may find families near your local preschool that would like to homeschool together. Creating a learning pod can help cut costs, as well as socialize your little one with other children who are also homeschooling. Embrace the Team of it All You and your little one are in this together. You are taking charge of their education and your little one is always going to remember how their parent was also their teacher. There’s a special bond there, and when your little one learns something new, accomplishes a new skill, or breaks through a challenge, you are right there with them. Embrace the family learning together!

Parents know this better than anyone: through play, exploration, and more, little ones can get messy! Baths are necessary to make sure your baby stays clean, but baby bathtime can be stressful for new parents. Luckily, there are many simple tips you can use to make bathtime a breeze for you and your little one! Before we get ahead of ourselves, though, let’s go over some common questions parents have about baby bathtime. In fact, one of the first questions a lot of new parents ask is when they should even start giving their baby a bath. The general recommendation is to start full baths after your baby’s umbilical cord has fallen off. However, this isn’t to say you shouldn’t do any kind of cleaning prior to that moment — be sure to help your baby stay nice and clean through sponge baths until the cord has fallen off. After that, you’re welcome to start giving your little one proper baths using a bath seat or baby bathtub! Another question a lot of new parents have surrounds how often babies should get a bath, and when. In terms of how frequently babies ought to be bathed, it really depends on how clean your little one stays after their last bath! It’s always important to clean your baby’s hands, face, neck, and diaper area daily, but they might not need a bath every single day. Most folks bathe their little one two to three times a week. It’s up to you! What time of day you give your little one a bath is also your decision, and often depends on your little one. The “best” option is the one that will work for both you and your little one. Often, new parents wonder about the proper cleaning materials to use for their baby. Babies tend to be more sensitive than their grown counterparts, so it’s important to pick materials that will be gentle on their skin. We recommend using a special baby body wash and a washcloth to scrub them gently. Make sure the soap has as few dyes or additives as possible. For shampoo, a gentle tear-free soap will work fine! The most important part of keeping baby bathtime safe actually comes with the setup and cleanup! When giving your little one a bath, it is crucial that you stay with your little one at all times. Babies are very susceptible to drowning, even if there is only an inch of water in the tub. As such, a great tip for making sure you do not have to leave the bathing space is to have everything you need with you! Accumulate towels, soaps, diapers, and a change of clothes before bathtime, and have them right on hand when you need them. Additionally, before putting your little one in the tub, make sure to put a spout cover over the faucet to ensure that your little one doesn’t bonk their head, and have a non-slip mat in the tub to avoid sliding. After your little one is squeaky clean, it is crucial to remember to empty the tub immediately! This will prevent any waterborne accidents. 

With raising little ones comes the inevitable mess of toys and activities around your home. Especially in rooms for your little one, such as their bedroom or playroom, this clutter can quickly turn to chaos. Everyone deals with the stress of mess in different ways — a lot of the time, the cleanup is left to the grown-ups. However, instilling in your little one a positive attitude about cleaning throughout their social-emotional development can make this chore a lot more enjoyable from the start! Teaching your preschoolers how to keep their room clean and participating in other chores for kids is great for developing practical life skills and building good habits for their future selves. Builds Confidence When we know how to take care of ourselves, it makes us feel confident. As little ones gain and strive for independence, they want to try new things by themselves – it’s all part of their social-emotional development! Teaching your little one that keeping their room clean is a great activity they can try by themselves. This can start with asking them questions when they are done playing with a set of toys, like “Can you show me where these toys go when you’re not playing with them?” or “It’s time for these toys to go to sleep, where do they take their naps?” Knowing where their belongings live in their own space gives your little one confidence and nurtures a sense of pride in keeping it clean. Teaches Cleanliness Little ones love spending time with their grown-ups, especially when they are invited to help. Cleaning up communal spaces together, like the living room or kitchen, is a great option for chores for kids that gives your little one the chance to watch and mimic the ways you clean. Giving them the opportunity to clean up after themselves and letting them see what a clean space looks and feels like can help them learn to gauge when it is time to clean their own room. They may even take the initiative to clean their room after you two have cleaned together! Practical Life Skills One day, your little one is going to have a home of their own, and the skills they learn from you about ways to upkeep it will stick with them. Think of how your parents may have kept their homes clean, and what you may still do to this day that you mimicked them doing when you were a little one. Learning good habits through chores for kids when it comes to cleaning up after themselves will also lead to less frustration as your little one continues their social-emotional development and grows into adolescence.

Cars are so handy to help your little ones see more of the world, visit loved ones, and take fun vacations as a family. Having your little one sit in a car seat will help keep them safe, but just owning the seat isn’t always enough! Car seat safety is very important to ensure your little one’s well-being in a moving vehicle. A mistake we see occur quite often is a car seat that is too loose. Ideally, a little one’s car seat should not be able to move more than an inch in any direction when you pull on it. Most seats can be installed using either the LATCH system or a locked seat belt. Similarly, it’s crucial to your little one’s car seat safety that the straps on the car seat itself are tightened enough. A too-loose harness can be more unsafe than you might expect. Experts in car seat manufacturing say that parents should not be able to pinch the fabric of the straps between their fingers. This may seem like too much, but making sure your little one is tightly harnessed will reduce the chances of them coming out of their car seat in the event of a crash. The harness can be a tricky and dangerous part of the seat in multiple ways. Two other very common mistakes we see also have to do with the harness: the chest clip being in the incorrect spot, and the harness straps incorrectly placed. The chest clip should always be at the center of your little one’s chest — this will help ensure that the harness straps are in the correct place, and it stops the straps from sliding off. Additionally, harness straps must be placed in the correct slots depending on whether or not your little one is rear-facing or front-facing. There are different levels of reinforcement to keep the seat secure depending on which way the seat faces, so it’s important to look twice when you switch the direction of the seat! It’s also crucial to ensure that you’re not having your little one face forward too soon. If a crash were to occur, and your little one is facing backward, the back of the car seat will best help absorb any impact and protect their tiny body! It isn’t enough to just have your little one facing backward, though. If your rear-facing car seat is not positioned at the right angle, this can also be incredibly dangerous. The tightness of the straps is important, but if the seat is positioned at the wrong angle, your little one’s head, which is heavier at this stage of development, could fall forward and put them at risk of their airway being cut off. Most car seats have angle indicators, so it is a very easy fix. Car seat safety protocols can be overwhelming sometimes. However, most mistakes that occur are tiny and easily fixed! A simple double-check can make a world of difference, and your little one will be all the safer and will allow them to grow and have a positive early childhood education experience.

Learning to read is like realizing you have a superpower. Now where to take this superpower? The place with endless books to read — the library! Libraries are incredible spaces for all readers, and they're for more than just reading! A library is a space to learn about the world and the community around us. Little ones have a limited view of the world until they get the chance to learn about it themselves. Looking through books encourages them to discover interests, hobbies, and topics they want to explore more. In these ways, libraries are beneficial and essential for toddler development. Empowerment When our little ones realize their reading superpower, they will want to read as much as they can! This is a step in building their confidence and independence; when little ones learn how to access information, they will have the world at their fingertips. As they grow up and graduate from preschool, they can use that same independence and curiosity to explore new sections of the library — opening their minds to all there is to learn about the world. Teaching our children how to access reliable resources gives them a tool they will use throughout their lives. Social and Emotional Support The unlimited knowledge and imagination in the books at the library are just the beginning. When people, especially young people, come to a space they trust and know how to navigate, they will feel more inclined to work and socialize with their peers. For friends who prefer to work by themselves or just need some time alone, this space is for them too. A lot of young people go to the library to learn or study, or even because it feels safe. It’s important to educate our little ones about the places in their community that they can go to if they ever need help — whether it be an emergency, they have a problem they need to solve, or they just need a place to go after their school day. Community Building Libraries offer a free and safe space for people to socialize and build community, which is also integral to toddler development. Offering free programs and events to people of all ages, libraries are great spaces to meet other families. Introducing your child to this type of space teaches them about these special places that help and support everyone in a community. For example, here in NYC, Queens Public Library offers free lunch to anyone under 18 all summer long, from July through September. When little ones witness people helping people, they learn about community and the importance of supporting others within their own community. Unfortunately, libraries around the country are facing book bans and budget cuts, effectively limiting service and education to the communities they serve. That’s why it’s so important to reach out to our elected officials and stress the importance of funding our libraries, not only for our little ones at NYC pre-k in their toddler development but for everyone in our community.