Early Enrichment Center
Educational Philosophy
Traditional lessons taught through a progressive approach, child and teacher directed activities, and the belief that children learn best through play.
Active Parent Communication
Weekly/biweekly program-specific newsletters from the director, comprehensive mid-semester reports, exclusive events for preschool families, and ongoing communication with instructors before and after each class.
State-of-the-Art Facility
Cutting edge toys and props, unique and creative art supplies, extensive library of new titles and classic books, and a USAG approved gym space.
The NY Kids Club, founded in 2001, provides children the opportunity to build confidence and express their individuality through physically challenging, artistically enriching and intellectually stimulating activities.
The NYKC classroom, a warm and welcoming home base for songs and art, is paired with a full-size, state-of-the-art indoor gymnastics facility to create a unique and engaging environment that inspires learning and discovery. Our creative curriculum is based on a developmentally appropriate approach that allows each student social, emotional, physical and cognitive growth at his or her own pace.
Educational Philosophy
- The NYKC curriculum is rooted in traditional lessons taught through a creative, organic, and progressive approach.
- Child and teacher directed activities (structured and unstructured) are included in the curriculum to help children develop confidence in body and mind through logical thinking, listening and speaking, reading and writing, and physical activities.
- Lessons are infused with song, movement, and imaginative exploration, which stems from the belief that children learn best through play.
Active Parent Communication
- Teachers are available before and after each class to discuss student progress with parents and caregivers.
- Comprehensive mid-semester reports provide in-depth insight into your child's progress socially, cognitively, emotionally, and physically.
- Weekly/biweekly program-specific newsletters from the director provide detailed information about what the students will be learning in the coming week(s), bridging the gap between home and school and allowing parents to be active participants in their student's education.
- NYKC-hosted EEC-exclusive Family Fun events help develop a strong educational community.
- Class parents, chosen at the beginning of each school year or semester, set up parent coffees, afternoons in the park, and other class events.
A State-of-the-Art Facility and Cutting Edge Toys, Equipment and Props
- Our extensive library holds a variety of new book titles and classic favorites. Students are read to each class session, but also have the opportunity to make their own choices during our library time.
- Cutting edge toys and props are utilized in classroom and gym lessons. Unique art supplies are provided in every class as students are introduced to different art mediums.
- Math and science learning tools are incorporated into the curriculum to provide each child challenges at the individual level.
- Our gym areas house USAG approved and age appropriate gymnastics equipment including a 6-foot trampoline, parallel bars, uneven bars, balance beam, rings, rope, safe soft play mats, slides, and tunnels, all designed to promote strength, flexibility, agility, balance, and most importantly confidence of your child.
Marks of a NY Kids Club Student
- Love for school and learning.
- Growth in sense of autonomy, sense of independence, and self-esteem.
- Ability to generate original ideas and questions.
- Body awareness and confidence in movement.
- Ability to cope with fears and frustrations.
- Persistence in completing assigned tasks.
2's Club
2-2.11 years
Our 2's Club program is a preschool alternative designed for children turning 2 years old before the start date of each semester. This gentle separation class meets 2, 3 or 5 days per week for 1.5 to 3 hours per day and incorporates art, gym, and music, with a focus on sensory and social development. 2's Club students are introduced to age appropriate letter identification and receptive language development in addition to important emerging literacy skills fostered through handling books, listening to stories and a healthy dose of music, movement and theater. Fundamental math skills such as numbers, geometry, sorting and ordering are taught each week as well as beginning reasoning skills from our sensory exploration and science units.
2's Club students build self-confidence and body awareness through activities engaging balance, strength, and hand-eye coordination, while verbal, social and fine motor skills are developed through imaginative art projects and an energetic, musical circle time that delves into the world around us.
3's Club
3-3.11 years
Our 3's Club program is a 2, 3, or 5 day per week, three hour per day learning experience for children turning 3 years old before the start date of the school year. The innovative curriculum of this program employs interactive literacy and thematic learning experiences that strengthen social, intellectual and physical skills in every child through language, math, science, social studies, gymnastics dance and art lessons. Teachers promote language and literacy development by introducing stimulating and challenging activities that reinforce higher levels of letter recognition, phonemic awareness, expressive and receptive language, oral language comprehension and concepts of print. Math theories are taught through block building and puzzle and patterning activities. Science and Social studies lessons reinforce creative problem solving skills as well as a broader discovery of the world around us. Advanced motor skills are reinforced through structured gymnastics, sports and dance classes in our state of the art gym A team of highly qualified experts will introduce a variety of key, age-appropriate lessons nurtured to develop a lifelong love of learning.
4's Club
4-4.11 years
Our 4's Club program is a 5 day a week 3 hour per day full year program tailored to the strengths and needs of each student. The 4's curriculum builds on the basic preschool fundamentals taught in the 3's Club as teachers encourage and strengthen social, intellectual and physical skills in every child through language, math, science, and social studies lessons. Teachers promote language and literacy development by introducing stimulating and challenging activities that reinforce higher levels of letter recognition, phonemic awareness, expressive and receptive language, oral language comprehension and concepts of print. Math theories and principals reinforce creative problem solving skills encouraging increased proficiency in numeration, ordering, measurement, place value and charts and graph work. In addition to our focus on fundamentals, students in the 4's Club benefit from attending specialty classes each week as they visit professional instructors in the disciplines of Culinary Arts, gymnastics, sports, dance and yoga.
Admission for all Early Enrichment Center programs is on a rolling basis. Registration begins in September for the following school year. Some programs require full year registration (September - June), while others are offered on a semester basis (September - January and January - June).
Tuition
Full year programs can be either paid in full or in three installments. When paying in installments, 33% of the full tuition is due at the time of registration and serves as your non-refundable deposit. The next 33% of the tuition will be charged February 1st, 2012, and the final 33% of the tuition will be charged on May 1st, 2012. All payments are non-refundable and non-transferable to other programs or families.
If choosing to pay in full, 66% of your total payment is refundable prior to February 1st, 2012, and 33% of your payment is refundable prior to May 1st, 2012. No credits or refunds will be given after May 1st, 2012.
Semester-based programs require payment in full and are non-refundable nor transferable to other families or programs.
Open Houses
Open Houses are held bi-annually, typically in October and May. Click here to sign up for an upcoming open house.
Director
Gair Morris, Director of NY Kids Club, has 15 years of Early Childhood Education experience in NYC, and is fiercely dedicated to the success of every student. A music, movement and Early Childhood Education expert, he is on site each and every week, providing an open line of communication between families and the NY Kids Club. He communicates with all NY Kids Club families via a weekly newsletter and is available for parent consultations and resolution meetings at any time.
Gair holds a BA in Education and Theater from University of Northern Colorado and is a member of the National Association of Education of Young Children, the United States Association of Gymnastics, and the National Institute on Early Childhood Development and Education. He is a Certified Music Together instructor, a Partner with Bank Street College of Professional Studies, and a Partner with NYC Department of Education - Early Childhood.
Teaching Staff
We adhere to a strict hiring policy and employ a talented and enthusiastic team of college graduates with diverse professional backgrounds. Our team of instructors consists of dedicated specialists in all areas: early childhood education, gymnastics, dance, theater, art and music.
All educators support a traditional approach to early childhood education with an emphasis on theatrical and athletic activities. The NY Kids Club hires teachers committed to nurturing, challenging, supporting and encouraging students as they grow and develop.
What does "gentle separation" mean?
While all parties (teachers and parents/caregivers) must share the goal of helping the child achieve independent learning, the parent/caregiver may stay with the child for as long as necessary. The parent plays a passive role in the learning environment and interacts with the child minimally, allowing the teachers to engage the child in class activities and to begin to create a student-teacher bond with the child.
What is independent participation?
Students are expected to participate without their parents/caregivers for the full length of program.
How do you deal with discipline ie. hitting, biting, pushing?
A zero-tolerance policy is followed in all scenarios involving hitting or biting. Parents of both children are immediately contacted and such behavior is promptly addressed. In instances of mild aggression, the child is put on a 1-2 minute break, and the rule (ex."no pushing"), is reiterated to the child both at the start of the break and at the end of the break. Parents will be informed any time a child is put on a break. Repeated instances may be escalated to further action.
What if my child doesn't want to participate on any given day?
All children at the NY Kids Club have two choices: they may choose to participate in the activity at hand, or to watch. Both choices are positive choices.
My child is not potty-trained. Do you change diapers?
Absolutely! There is no additional charge for this.
My child has allergies.
Adhering to a nut-free policy, the NY Kids Club is sensitive to the needs of children with food allergies, and takes great care in handling such situations. You will have the opportunity to specify your child's allergies on the Student Profile form that you will submit prior to the start of your child's school year or semester.
How do I let you know who will be picking up my child each day?
Carefully designed drop-off and pick-up procedures assure clear communication between the teachers and the parents. Students are released one-by-one at the end of the school day to the adult specified on the morning sign-in sheet.
How do you handle safety in the gym?
Curriculum lessons are designed with safety in mind, and our teachers are trained to prioritize safety above all.
How clean is your facility?
We take great pride in providing an exceptionally clean facility for our students. All classroom toys, gym equipment, and every surface in our facility are cleaned thoroughly on a daily basis.
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