Babyproofing seems likes pretty standard issue stuff. Put up some gates, install tot locks, put medicines away. But, in reality, there’s a lot to it. There are safety gates, window guards, stove knob covers, cabinet locks, plants, steps and fireplace guards (and variations of all of these).  It’s helpful to get some advice on what to look for and how to start babyproofing.

One place to get started is at a free seminar with Tribeca Parenting, who is hosting James Hirtenstein, founder of Baby-Safe Inc..  James will walk the audience through the rooms in a house outlining what to look for in each room: kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, living room as well as fire, electrical, furniture and window problems. James has appeared as an expert on shows such as “The CBS Morning Show,” “Dateline NBC,” “Good Day New York”, Parents TV, Moms in The City and many others.

Details:
Thursday January, 12th from 6:30-8:00
Upper East Side center (304 E 62nd St between 1st and 2nd).
Register now as space is limited.
Gift bags will also be given out

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Post tags: baby-safe inc, babyproofing in brooklyn, babysafe inc, free babyproofing seminar, how to babyproof, james hirtenstein, tribeca parenting

Whether you are an adoptive parent or an adoptee, there is a playgroup and peer-support group called All Together Now (ATN), where you can gather, connect and share resources.  There is something for all ages: an adoption playgroup for 3-8 year olds, Tweens Peer-Support Group, Parent Group Discussions, and Volunteer Opportunity for Teens.

For 3-8 year-olds:
• 3–5 year olds: free and group play with a craft project each session.
• 6–8 year olds: free and organized group play, as well as an expressive discussion, which informs craft and play projects each session.

For Tweens:
The tweens group, a related but separate offshoot of ATN, offers children, 9-11, the opportunity to come together in a more mature setting with the aim of fostering personal relationships with other adoptees at similar developmental stages in their lives. The aim of the group is to provide a safe, secure, and fun environment that will embrace adoption issues, as they come up, through participation in a variety of age-appropriate activities. The tweens group is facilitated by Kacy Ames-Heron, LCSW, who is, herself, an adult adoptee. The fee is approximately $175 for the semester. Enrollment for the Spring is already closed, but will reopen in the Fall. More information can be obtained by contacting Fran at weinstockf@earthlink.net.

For Teens:
They have volunteer opportunities for teens to assist with playgroups. Community Service credit is available. Please contact Fran at weinstockf@earthlink.net for more information.

For Parents:
ATN runs a parallel parents group, which discusses adoption-related issues.  Adult Adoptee Liaison Liz Raleigh, PhD, is a key component of these discussions. A sociologist specializing in adoption-related issues, L

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One of the many unfortunate results of the tanking economy, is that there are a lot of nannies out there looking for positions.  But with all the available nannies, it still comes down to finding the right one for you and your family. This includes a nanny that can meet your needs (number of hours, whether or not you want your nanny to take your child to school/activities, etc) as well as one that you can afford. Here are some of our top suggestions to help you find a nanny in Brooklyn and please let us know how you found your nanny in the comments section!

1. Yahoo! Parent Groups. Many Brooklyn neighborhoods have list serves or mirco-sites like Yahoo! Groups where you can connect with people in your area. This is also a great way to place an ad for a nanny where you can list your specific needs including hours, pay and start date. We also recommend branching out and placing an ad on other list servers and forums – you never know you might find a nanny willing to travel. To find your local Yahoo parents groups in Brooklyn, click here to see them all listed in our NEW marketplace!

2. Place on Ad on College Boards. Living in Brooklyn, there are numerous colleges like Brooklyn College, St. John’s and Pratt where you might be able to find a student to be your part-time nanny or sitter. Consider finding someone who is majoring in education or the arts who wants the experience and may be a fun and high-energy person for your child. The only downside is that hiring a college student situation may only work for families who need part-time or occasional help.

2. Ask Around. Your friends are a great resource when it comes to looking for a nanny – especially those that use nannies. Consider a mass email where you see if anyone you know has any recommendations or calling up friends (if you have the time!). You can also ask nannies themselves – not so that they can work for you – but whether they have friends looking for work and what community boards they use to find employers.

3. The Irish Echo. This widely read Irish-American paper has always been a place where nannies place ads and where many people place ads in the classifieds section. This is a great resource where you will find high quality nannies as well as a quick turn around for resumes.

4. NY City Explorers. NY City Explorers can help you find another family to “share a nanny,” find a nanny or a babysitter or you can join their babysitting club.  They also have drop-off too if you have to run errands. Both owners are lovely and the sitters we have met through their services have been vibrant and fun.

5. Use a Nanny Service. There are numerous services like Now Nanny, Brownstone Nannies, and the Nanny Gold Group who will do the work you and place you with the right nanny based on your needs. These customized services will of course be more costly but they will save you time in finding the right nanny. You can do a background and reference check with a service like Nanny Track too.

6. CraigsList. CraigsList is still a great resource to locate everything from an apartment in Brooklyn to a place to sell your old baby things. It’s also a resource to locate a nanny. You can either post an ad with your specific needs or comb through the ads based on your location. Since you will get a lot of responses from Craigslist, pre-screen all nannies first via email – maybe by asking them more specific questions about their experiences. Try to weed out as many people as possible and aim to interview about 5-6 nannies from your ad. This will be time-consuming but many parents have found their nanny from Craigslist!

Tips for finding nannies:

• Create a list of criteria that are important and then schedule time to interview qualified childcare providers.
• Sharon Tepper of Brownstone Nannies recommends scheduling a paid playdate (about two hours) with your potential nanny. This will allow you to evaluate how the nanny interacts with your child. This will allow you to learn pretty quickly who is good mesh with your family, which is worth the cost even if you are just a room away.
• A nanny provider should have extensive experience, excellent references, and a record to prove it. You should ask them for copies of their photo ID, which you should keep with your records. You can also use services like NannyTrack to investigate a nanny’s work history, verify employment dates, interview former employers, and based on that, make suggestions about which questions to ask the nanny about her former employment.
• Create a contract between you and your nanny. A contract gives you a chance to discuss expectations on both of your parts. Do you expect light housekeeping or just baby’s housekeeping? Telephone or not? TV or not? Vacation days, sick days, overtime, advance notice. If there’s a misunderstanding, you can always go back together and check the contract and resolve a question easily. Please refer to this excellent nanny contract that you can fill out.

Park Slope Parents also conducted a comprehensive survey in 2009 about how parents are concerned about the availability and affordability of childcare. While researching your nanny, be sure to read the survey, which can be found here.

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Post tags: bococa, Brownstone Nannies, Caregivers, Daycare, fort greene kids, how to find a nanny in brooklyn, Irish Echo, kids group, nannies in Brooklyn, nanny, nanny in Brooklyn, nanny service, nanny share, nanny share in brooklyn, neighborhood yahoo groups in brooklyn, now nanny, ny city explorers, parent groups in brooklyn, parenting groups in brooklyn, parents groups in brooklyn, park slope parents, the irish echo, where to find a nanny, yahoo parent group in brooklyn, Yahoo Parent Groups

Do you want to meet other parents, have a date night and make playdates for your children? Join a babysitting co-op! The parents of the 1970′s had it right when they realized that instead of paying for babysitters, they could pay “in kind” for a swinging night out with their partner.

Times have changed, but there are still babysitting co-ops everywhere and very much alive in Brooklyn!

I am hosting a meetup on “How To Start A Babysitting Co-op” where I will give you all the pointers on how to start a babysitting co-op and hopefully, you will find like-minded parents right then and there to start your own.

Lauren, the owner of the lovely Bija Kids yoga classes and camps thought it would be fun to do it in her studio so that there’s enough space for everyone to hear, meet and play while I give you some pointers. In other words, children are welcome.

Starting a babysitting co-op can seem daunting, especially if you don’t know enough parents to get one going. But…check out what one can do for you.

a.    Nighttime sits.
b.    Daytime/playdate sits esp for freelancers or SAHP or emergencies.
c.    Emergency sits (use Yahoo Group or phone in addition).
d.    Weekly swaps with one family.
e.    New baby. Playdates for older kid, social & relief time for you.
f.    Babysitting party- night out for parents.
g.    Airport rides.
h.    House sits.
i.    Pet sits.
j.    Sleepovers. You get a night away!
k.    Meal swaps.
l.    Last minute sits. Put a call out that you are free.
m.    Socialization for your kids
n.    Community of parents for you and for your children

Sounds good, doesn’t it?!

A few babysitting co-ops were formed at the last Meetup (2 in Greenpoint alone, 1 in Fort Greene/Clinton Hill and 1 in Park Slope), so I’m hoping we will continue that tradition.

The biggest bonus: the possibility of lifelong friendships and all that help through a co-op! So exciting.

*If you want the handout I give to everyone about “How to Start a Babysitting Co-op” then sign up for A Child Grows in Brooklyn Meetup Group and go to the Files section of our Meetup and download the Word document. You do have to be a parent in Brooklyn however!

I have written about “How to Start a Babysitting Co-op” many times on the blog too, here is my latest post on the subject.

The event is FREE, you just need to RSVP as we have limited space.

Yes! Bring babies, kids and partners!

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Post tags: babysitting, babysitting co-op, babysitting cooperative, brooklyn, cooperative, creating a babysitting co-op, how to start a babysitting co-op, joining a babysitting co-op

There are thousands of working, uninsured adults in New York. Some of them have families. Chances are good that you know someone in this category: the guy delivering your pad thai, a friend,  your nanny or maybe….you. Running around without insurance can be scary, especially if you get sick or have a major medical incident. But, there may be a program for you out there, regardless of legal status as a US citizen.

The state has a program called Healthy NY which is intended to cover low income folks who are uninsured and don’t qualify for Medicaid or Family Health Plus and whose employers don’t provide insurance. Some of that will be covered at the end, but we’ll focus primarily on New York City services.

The City of New York has a program called HHC Options which gives you discounted clinic and emergency visits at city hospitals and prescriptions. You are required to do some legwork on your own first, so don’t show up with a runny nose and tickly throat without following these steps first. There’s even a barter program for starving artists to ply their trade in exchange for care.

What is it?
City hospitals are run by New York City Health and Hospital Corporation, also called HHC. The city has a program called HHC Options which assists moderate and low income patients and families down one of two roads.

First, they will help determine if you and your family are eligible for public insurance options. If you are eligible, congrats, you no longer have to read the rest of this piece.

If you aren’t eligible for any public insurance program, the city allows ANYONE to apply for the HHC Option program, REGARDLESS OF IMIGRATION STATUS. All immigration status is kept confidential by the hospital. Once approved, you can enroll and receive steeply discounted visits at these city clinics and hospitals.

Even if you have insurance, like Medicare, that perhaps isn’t covering everything you need, you may be eligible for HHC Options.

How does it work?
You must prove who you are, that you live in New York City and that you don’t make that much money. Taking the following documents would be recommended:

• Proof of Identity and Date of Birth, like a New York state ID or driver’s license, birth certificate, Baptismal record, Consular I.D., or a U.S. or foreign passport;
• Home Address, which could be on your I.D. or a utility or cell phone bill sent to you…some official correspondence with your name and your NYC address on it…call for other proofs;
• Proof of Income, such as a copy of pay check or stubs, a letter or written statement from the employer, person, or agency providing income.

**If you can’t get a written statement, the HHC has a Financial Counselor to discuss your income.

Go to one of the city clinics and hospitals.  Sign up. If you are an uninsured worker with a low or middle income level, you likely will be eligible for some discount. Signing up can take as little as half an hour of your time. Once done, you can make your first appointments. There might be a fair amount of time between the day you sign up and when appointments are available, so it’s probably best to sign up for appointments as soon as your application is processed.
****(Our friend has been to one of the HHC clinics 3 times: the initial sign up took 1 hour, the first appointment she was seen on time and was very pleased with her experience as was treated very well and with respect with thorough medical care and for her last appointment for a follow-up and an MRI, she had to wait 2 hours! However, she paid very little for her visits and tests).

How much does it cost?
Prices are on a sliding scale for doctor visits depending on income. Costs vary from $15-60, depending on your family size and household income. For example, an adult female with a family of four and a household income of as much as $82,000 can visit an HHC clinic or emergency room for $60 a visit. A visit for one of her children would only cost $20. You might be saying to yourself that it’s almost like regular insurance. The best part is that’s the upper end of the scale…other levels of the program would have you pay less. Charts and pay scales are available here. Hospital stays are more expensive, but not as much as you would pay rack rate without insurance.

En espanol

Haitian Creole

Chinese

Other languages available on the HHC Options page

Artist Access Program – Bartering for Services
A short time ago, the folks running Woodhull Hospital had an epiphany. Many of the actors, singers, writers, painters, etc. that make up the thriving artist community around them didn’t have health insurance and likely wouldn’t have much money to pay for essential services. Maybe the Hospital realized it needed essential services too: walls needed paint, art needed to be hung…. Whatever was the genesis, they decided to take a novel approach, giving artists a chance to sing for their supper…or medical care.

So you perform your act, lead a patient group in an art class or maybe design a mural and you accrue credits to be used when you need it. The pilot program seems to be a hit, as Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan has also signed on for a similar program. If you’re a broke uninsured artist interested in paying little to nothing for care, click here or call 1.877.244.5600.

This is an extension of the HHC Option program, so some of the same eligibility requirements will have to be met, as well as the sign up process.

How can you find out more from Brooklyn HHC hospitals?

• Bushwick / Williamsburg / Bed-Stuy: Woodhull Hospital & Mental Health Center: Pre-Admission Office: 718-963-8995; ED Discharge Office: 718-630-3403
• Fort Greene / Dumbo / Downtown: Cumberland Diagnostic & Treatment Center: Patient Accounts: 718-260-7742 or 718-260-7691
• Prospect Lefferts Gardens / East Flatbush: Kings County Hospital Center: Health Insurance Enrollment: 718-245-4324
• East New York Diagnostic & Treatment Center: Financial Counseling : 718-240-0628/0629
• Coney Island Hospital: Insurance: 718-616-5024

Click here for a list of HHC Option hospitals in all buroughs

Healthy NY
Healthy NY is a New York state program designed to assist uninsured workers whose employers do not provide health insurance.  You can purchase insurance from an HMO in the state at below-market rates. These packages cover essential health needs like inpatient and outpatient hospital services, physician services, maternity care, preventive health services, diagnostic and X-ray services, and emergency services.

You can enroll in Health NY if you reside in the state of New York, you or your spouse has been employed in the last year, your employer offers no health insurance and you meet income requirements without qualifying for Medicare.

Since Healthy NY is provided by HMOs in state, you sign up through the individual HMO that you feel suits you best. The plan covers basically the same thing from company to company, though the monthly payments vary widely, so be sure to compare prices.

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Post tags: artist barter for health care, city clinic, city hospital ny, healthcare ny, healthy ny, hhc options, insurance for immigrant ny, medical care for immigrant, new york city health and hospital corporation, no insurance ny, woodhull hospital artist

Carousel Children's Center

Carousel Children’s Center just happens to be the daycare that four of my friends use- so I happen to think it must be pretty good. Carousel is moving their location from 96 Fort Greene Place to 150 Clermont Ave and are hosting open houses at their new space on:

Saturday, February 26, 10 to 5pm
Sunday, February 27, 10 to 2pm

Staff and parents will be on hand to answer questions about the program. They are also having a Scholastic Book Fair at the same time. So, if you are looking for some preschool books, you can shop for both a daycare and a book!

Details:
Carousel Children’s Center
150 Clermont Avenue (corner of Myrtle) in Fort Greene.
Call 718-596-7912 for more information.

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Post tags: 96 fort greene place, carousel, carousel at 150 clermont, childcare, clinton hill, Daycare, fort greene

We’ve had part-time nannies ever since our son Birch was born 4.5  years ago. The hours have varied from 11 hours a week up to 24 now (hello Brooklyn Baby Expo that is slowly killing me!) Along the way, I have learned some valuable lessons that I thought I might share. I’m sure some of you have some suggestions and advice too that you can tell us- feel free to add in the comments.

1. How do I find a nanny?
I found all three of our nannies from our neighborhood yahoo list serves. I also suggest visiting a playground and checking out other nannies there. No, most definitely don’t poach a good nanny you see out there, but ask her if she has friends who are looking for work. Good nannies are friends with other good nannies. What’s that saying, “birds of a feather flock together”? It’s okay to interview as many nannies as it takes to find the right one. Yes, really. We interviewed 12 (yes, 12!) this last time and I promise I am not neurotic.

2. How do I check out her background?
Do you ever wonder why no one did a financial background check on Bernie Madoff at some point? It seems like someone should have. If the job had gone to Brooklyn moms/ financial private investigators Leah Clarkson and Casey Drucker who also own NannyTrack- I’m sure these women would have swiftly brought Madoff down! These 2 moms have been doing financial due diligence (digging into the backgrounds of financial executives for their investors) for the last 20 years.  After becoming mothers themselves, they learned that their same investigative methods (with some tweaking) could be applied to vetting nannies.  Brilliant! They not only have access to the most up-to-date databases and investigative technologies, they have on-the-ground researchers that can search documents that are not in a digital format. That’s an essential element when you are talking to nannies that don’t have documentation in general database systems.  They also investigate a nanny’s work history, verify employment dates, interview  former employers, and based on that, make suggestions about which questions to ask the nanny about her former employment. When I looked at one of their sample reports, I was impressed by the narrative quality of it.  They aren’t just performing investigative services, they are pulling together a full profile of your potential nanny.  Think of it as high-tech and street smarts “nanny profiling”.  They not only get the information you need, they help you consider a nanny’s entire history. It’s a full work-up that can help you make an informed and intelligent decision for your family.   Though the cost $555 of a NannyTrack Report seems steep at first glance, when you are considering that this potential nanny will be in your home, caring for your children, taking care of potential emergencies, and become your “go-to” for everything- it seems fair.

3. How do I know if a nanny is right for our child/home?
Try them out. Ask them to do a “trial run” for a few days or even week. You should be there for part of the time. Don’t hover of course, just pop in and out to observe. I learned so much doing this. We tried out 2 nannies this way- each one for a few days and I paid their hourly rate. I learned pretty quickly who was a good mesh with us. It was worth the cost even if I was just a room away.

4. Get a copy of their photo ID
I know this seems intimidating to ask for- but just bite the bullet and do it.  It took me a few false starts to ask for it but by our third nanny, it felt normal. Trust me, you’ll be happy you have a copy of their ID. It’s valuable to have on hand for numerous reasons. What if she has to go to the hospital and you need her contact information or ID? What if…? It’s just best to have on hand.

5. Get a contract that is suitable for both of you
Again, this isn’t something I did with our first 2 nannies. I was nervous to ask them and just trusted we would work it all out. Luckily, it did but I say “luckily,” because for some people it doesn’t. A contract gives you a chance to discuss expectations on both of your parts. Do you expect light housekeeping or just baby’s housekeeping? Telephone or not? TV or not? Vacation days, sick days, overtime, advance notice, snow days…and it goes on and on.  If there’s a misunderstanding, you can always go back together and check the contract and resolve a question easily. This is a very good contract that you can fill out.

And, if you want to have a good resource on hand about average pay for nannies and what to do for vacation and sick days, Park Slope Parents did a survey here with some illuminating and helpful benchmarks.

Disclaimer: My Nanny Track is a new Directory Listing (Directory is debuting March 1st!) I was compensated for a Directory Listing and a post that mentioned what they do.

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Post tags: a nanny contract, average rate for Brooklyn, average rate for nyc, background check, background check service for nannies, brooklyn, caregiver, Holiday, how much to pay nanny, how to find a nanny, how to hire a nanny, investigate nanny, manhattan, my nanny track, nanny background check, nanny contract, nanny pay rate, nanny report, nanny share, nyc, report on nannies, right match, service, sick days, vacation days, what to ask a nanny

Sitters Studio Info Sheet

There are a lot of sitter services out there in New York.  One nice thing about writing a parenting blog is that I get offers to try them.  I have never used them…until now.  I was nervous to try a sitter that had been vetted by an agency, not a friend.  But, two things were different about Sitters Studio: one- their agency is staffed with artists who have a childcare background (being from a family of artists- that appeals to me) and two- they bring a tote of artistic toys in their area of expertise. Musicians might bring instruments, actors might bring scarves, masks and puppets and painters might bring art supplies.  You get a sitter and an art/theater/music class at the same time.  It was intriguing enough to give it a whirl.

Here’s how it works: After you set up your date and time, you tell them a bit about your family and they match you up with a sitter.  Sitters Studio then emails you the sitter’s bio. Our sitter-to-be was named Allison. We found out where she was from, what she wants to do as a career (acting), where she has acted, gone to school, her teaching and babysitting experience, that she was certified in CPR and a fun facts about her: “Allison’s favorite children book collection is the Amelia Badelia books”. I love the slapstick humor of those books too- she sounded like my perfect match.

Allison came on time, brought her tote of tricks and her skill of animated reading that thrilled my son. Her smile and gentleness appealed to my daughter. They did some dancing, laughed and generally got along well. After watching them interact for a while, we left, but not before filling out the Sitter Studio “Info Sheet”. (See top photo).

Six hours later, we returned. Allison reported that all had gone fine and handed us her “Studio Scoop” report. (See photo below).  It told us what the kids had done, said, eaten and what time they had gone to bed. We even saw a smiley face circled to indicate our kids’ moods. (They were happy).

Sitters Studio feels like a small operation because of the type of detailed information you know beforehand about the sitters….. and they about your family. It felt like we were connected to our sitter in advance. Babysitting agencies are more expensive than hiring a local sitter (in general $2-4 more an hour). But, with this service, I felt like a few extra dollars was worth it.  Our kids had a dynamic story time, a disco session with scarves and a “real” actor who could tell them about theater.  It’s a cool idea: your kids get to meet working professional artists, develop their own creativity, and the sitters get some money in their pocket while they try to “make it” as an artist. And we got to have a night out. It’s a cool exchange.

Details:

Sitters Studio
www.sitterstudio.com
646.246.6024  New York
312.890.8194  Chicago
*Rates vary by city
*Be advised there is a 4-hour minimum charge for all appointments
*After 4 hours, all booking charges will be rounded to the nearest half hour
*Sitters Studio has a 24-hour cancellation fee of $35

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I am really excited about one of our newest Directory Listings: Birth Day Presence. I’m excited because I’ve gotten to know them over the last 4 years while creating this blog and I think they are part of what makes the Brooklyn birthing community so special.  They care a lot about parents- and I’ve seen that through the workshops they do and also through meeting the 2 owners: Jada and Anna. Both are Park Slope moms so they know their way around the parenting world of Brooklyn too!

Birth Day Presence provides both birth and postpartum doulas (prices range from $300 to a doula-in-training to $2400 for highly experienced), childbirth education classes and professional birth photography. They also host newborn care, breastfeeding and infant CPR classes all in their Park Slope studio and in Manhattan locations too.

I love their Park Slope studio. Though you have to walk through a Pilates studio to get to it- it’s worth it. The intimate and light-filled space is a dead ringer for the set from hip cult movie Blow-Up.

In their Directory Listing, Birth Day Presence is offering 10% off any class when you mention “A Child Grows in Brooklyn.” Here’s your chance to sign up for that CPR, breastfeeding, childbirth education class you have been wanting to!

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Post tags: birth day presence, birth photography, birthing center, breastfeeding, brooklyn, childbirth class, childbirth education, class, CPR class, doula, doula in training, help, hospital, methodist, natural birth, newborn, park slope, photographer, postpartum doula

This email came in today about an established daycare in Brooklyn that is expanding to 2 new sites:
“After fourteen successful years in business Sunflower child care is expanding! We would like to inform you that in September we are opening two new Sunflower sites: in Park Slope area on 7th Ave and Saint John’s Place; and in Prospect Heights area on Washington Ave. The name of our new preschools will be Sunflower Playhouse. Both sites are spacious, neat, and clean. Both of them have private backyard. New sites are conveniently located close to subway stations. We will be accepting children from 2 years old. At Sunflower Playhouse we will be providing the same services we provide at Sunflower, such as preschool activities, music, foreign language and yoga classes. For more information please check our website www.NatalieSunflower.com (preschool program). For further information and for open house dates please contact Lolita 347 241 3771 or Natalia 646 642 3439.”

This is the original listing we have for them on our daycare page here.

Sunflower Daycare (AKA Natalia’s Sunflower Daycare)
http://www.nataliesunflower.com/
nbaechko@netscape.net
8th St. btw. 4th and 5th Ave (Park Slope) for ages 3 months to 2 years
16th St and 8th Ave (Park Slope) for ages 3 months to 2 years
4th Place and Smith Ave (Carroll Gardens) for ages 3 months to 2 years
238 5th Ave (Park Slope)- preschool- ages 2-4
Degraw St and Smith St (Carroll Gardens)- preschool- ages 2-4
Brooklyn, NY 1123
Tel: (646) 642-3439 Natalia Baechko (director)
Tel: 718-783-0738 Mahsuda Alikulova (director’s assistant)
Takes children ages 3 months to 4 years. Classes include infant, toddler, and preschool programs. We offer a wide range of extracurricular programs such as yoga, music, and foreign language: Spanish, Italian, French, or German.In each of our daycare centers there are safe, outdoor playgrounds for children to support their physical development through daily exercise. Nutrition and healthy eating also play an important role in our program, we provide organic food for breakfast and snacks.

My daughter went to Sunflower on 8th Street from 10 months until 2 years old when we moved to Sunflower Academy on 5th Ave. We loved both locations. At 8th Street, (where he was younger) she napped in a separate part area that was quiet. My daughter took yoga, music, language and art classes at the daycare- all of which were great extension of the usual program. Natalia, the owner, works on creating a well-rounded day for them. We really appreciated Zekiye, Mahsude and Diane too.
-Nancy

For a list of other daycares, visist our daycare page here and our Directory here.

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Post tags: carroll gardens daycare, daycare in Brooklyn, daycare in park slope, daycare in Prospect Heights, natalia baechko, natalie sunflower, park slope daycare, review of Sunflower Daycare, sunflower daycare, Sunflower Playhouse