NY Kids Club - Park Slope
- North Slope
125 5th Avenue, Brooklyn (718) 857-0700
See Map | Get Directions - www.nykidsclub.com
Categories
Description
The New York Kids Club, now in its twelfth season, is New York's premier children enrichment center renowned for an exemplary preschool program and creative and innovative kids classes, day camps, birthday celebrations, and special events! Our unique and original curricula provide children the opportunity to build confidence and express their individuality through participation in physically challenging, artistically enriching, and intellectually stimulating programs. Our brand new, totally renovated Park Slope location is located at 125 5th Avenue. This three story NY Kids Club location features eight premier classrooms, two state-of-the-art gyms, a culinary institute, a dance studio, and an outdoor rooftop play space.
Reviews (49)
Review from the 2023 Summer Camp Survey
Location: Park Slope (5th Ave) How old was your child when they attended camp this summer? 4 Review: My child had a great experience this summer. Kids Club hires engaging, fun, talented counselors/teachers - there's an especially great "theatre kid" vibe to the staff there once the full summer starts. The overall feel of the camp is very inclusive. The day-to-day is structured, which is great for kids who like routine. I saw a lot of growth in my child over the summer, and a lot of excitement to share what they learned at camp, which covered a whole range of topics - geography, science experiments, how to mix different colors in art. It was a brutally hot, humid summer and my child does not tolerate heat particularly well - so it was a relief and a pleasure to send them to a comfortable, air-conditioned camp where they were able to get out a ton of energy in the indoor gym. And the gym is especially great! Obstacle courses, trampoline. I also like that it's a barefoot facility for the kids, and not just in the gym. Finally, I found the management and staff to be extremely communicative, helpful, responsive, and kind. My child has some challenges and Kids Club was supportive and helpful. My child was comfortable and happy there and I was very pleased. What would you change about the program, if anything, and why? I wish we had gotten emails/photos. I appreciated that the counselors were engaged with the kids and not on their phones, but it's fun to see what our kids are up to and can be helpful to reinforce things they're discussing at camp. Would you like to add anything related to COVID and how the camp handled it? My child spent the full summer there and had one "close contact" exposure that, as far as we know, resulted in no local spread. There is a lot of hand washing, which I appreciate!Review from the 2023 Summer Camp Survey
Location: 125 5th Avenue How old was your child when they attended camp this summer? 4 Review: My son had a lot of fun. He came home talking about the various things he did - he particularly enjoyed all the gymnastics and movement. They also read a lot of well-known kids stories, like Mary Poppins and The Wizard of Oz. He was tired at the end of each day, and happy to go back. The hours are really good for working families. I also appreciated that they credited us a day when my son was home sick one day. What would you change about the program, if anything, and why? It’s a bit pricier than other options, but worth it for us in terms of location and scheduling.February Break Camp with Aftercare Until 5pm for 4 Year Old
NY Kids Club! Our son attended the Park Slope location during Christmas break and loved it. They have an awesome/huge indoor gym for kids to run around in and offer extended hours (through 6pm).Review from the 2022 Summer Camp Survey
Location: 5th avenue, park slope How old was your child when they attended camp this summer? 4.5 Review: My child did not like this camp. They only positive thing he has to say was that there was nice gym and a trampoline. What would you change about the program, if anything, and why? Poor communication that was not transparent. Disorganized staff. No feedback from The teachers or administration. Would you like to add anything related to COVID and how the camp handled it? I requested that my kid wear a mask (multiple masks provided in his backpack), it took several days for the teachers and admin to get on board with that request.Review from the 2022 Summer Camp Survey
Location: Park Slope How old was your child when they attended camp this summer? 3 Review: Fun program with superhero theme. Some lost clothing and toys. A lot of new employees in staff who were not there in spring. Dominant new director drove some of the old staff away through attrition due to personality mismatch. What would you change about the program, if anything, and why? Strollers are still not allowed inside (this rule started in Covid) which is ridiculous at this point. Would you like to add anything related to COVID and how the camp handled it? A lot of days were missed due to close contact. All of the kids were in the same cluster. No difference between vaccinated and unvaccinated kids. Also strollers are still not allowed inside.Review from the Spring 2022 Early Childhood Education Survey
Location: Park Slope Type of facility: Preschool Review: We were very happy before the new director came at the end of the program this spring. What amenities does the facility have? Has outdoor space, Has after-school options, Has early morning hours What would you change about the program, if anything? This used to be one of the best options. Now with the new director, we are not so sure. Is there anything you would like to add about how the school is handling the pandemic? no strollers allowed inside2, 3, UPK
We’ve been really happy with New York Kids Club on 5th Ave. One of my children attended their UPK program after being at another preschool for 2 years and my youngest went to the New York Kids Club 2’s and 3’s programs and is now in UPK there. Happy to answer any specific questions. My understanding is that for UPK spots they do give preference to children who have attended their 3’s program.Summer camp for 4 year olds
Ny kids club and Beansprouts. My kids loved bothIn-person baby classes this fall?
The New York Kids Club has a wide range of activities and locations. My two older boys spent their younger years there. They are also very COVID conscience (all caregivers accompanying children must show proof of vax).Review from the 2019–2020 Daycare, Preschool, Pre-K, and K Survey
Review: Can’t say enough good things about the 3’s program this year at NY Kids Club. The teachers are amazing, small class size and extremely thorough Covid precautions (all staff AND all kids in masks except for snack time - 100% compliance by kids within first two days of the school year). My son is learning so much, speaks about his teachers/friends all the time and we get daily updates with pictures so we can talk about school over dinner every night. Would send him again in a heartbeat! Amenities offered: Has outdoor space, Has after-school options, Has early morning hours What would you change about the program, if anything, and why? The facility has outdoor space but could be utilized more frequentlyPreK- district 13
We loved New York kids club Park Slope which has the universal pre k.2020 Birthday Party Survey response
Recommended without review2019-2020 Year Review
NYKids has warm and inviting teachers and engages in a lot of different activities each day/week. The best part about it is the planned gym time. It offers many different circuits, games, and activities and I find my son is more attentive in class after getting all the jitters out in gym. It wakes him up and gets all his neurons firing so to speak. After each day the school sends out a list of the day’s activities and I love to use that to ask him about the day and reinforce any new concepts. … About the facility: Has afterschool options, Has early morning hours … What would you change? Sometimes circle time runs long and my son gets bored.2019-2020 Year Review
I'm very happy with NY kids club. My daughter is in the 3s program. I love that they have prek for all there so hopefully we can get in to stay next year. My daughter loves her teacher and the indoor gym class every day. I love the small class size - she has ten kids and 2 teachers. I also like that they have options for pickup at 12, 3, or 5. I'd def choose it again. … About the facility: Has outdoor space, Has afterschool options, Has early morning hours … What would you change? There was a fairly high teacher and staff turnover last year and so they are slightly disorganized.2019-2020 Year Review
This program is well run, well managed, and professional, and our 2s lead teacher is very, very good, definitely at a higher level than we have experienced at another 2s program elsewhere. No teacher turnover like we have experienced elsewhere. Our child loves being there, and we would send our child there again if we were doing over. For this age you can’t beat their indoor gyms with gymnastics equipment and full size trampolines that they use every day to be physically active. … About the facility: Has outdoor space, Has afterschool options, Has early morning hours … What would you change? I do think it is not really oriented toward working families—it is primarily set up for 2s and 3s to attend from 9 to 12. After 12 the remaining 2s and 3s who stay past noon are grouped together and the programming is not nearly as organized or consistent as in the mornings when they stay in their own classroom with their own teachers.August camps/ideas
Check kidville and NY Kidsclub!Daycare recommendations & thoughts on "school"
I had a similar issue with my son who is four tomorrow, and struggled to find a twos program that would take him. I'll probably face the same with my daughter who is a November birthday! I ended up at NY kids club because they had an October 30th cut-off and they ran a "younger" class for those who turned two by december 31st too. I chose the regular class and he loved it. We have stayed with them for 2s, 3s, and now pre-k and still love it.NY Preschool at NY Kids Club
We just started the 3s program this year and I really like it so far. There are also many reviews on PSP recommendations : https://www.parkslopeparents.com/4871_NY-Kids-Club-Park-Slope.html The program is 9-12 is preschool, 12-3 is after care and includes lunch, nap, and then more activity, and 3-? Is after after care. We're in 2 days a week 9-3. The kids have 45 min in the indoor gym every day which I really like. It is pretty big, which I like, but makes pickup and drop off a little hectic. My daughter's teachers seem great and we get updates on a private app. And for me a big plus is that they have prek for all there for 4's and existing students get priority. So it is likely but not guaranteed that we'll get assigned there for free pk4 next year so she would be able to stay in the same school. Her class this year has ten students and 2 teachers. Go check it out on a tour and see what you think. We're very happy there so far. You can also try to do a free trial of one of their gym or music classes to get more of a feel for it.2019 Summer Camp Review
Age: 4 Review: Loved it! Warm friendly staff and counselors. Excellent flexibility for days, hours, weeks, which is especially great for younger campers. They were great with potty training, napping, snacks, everything! What would you change? More feedback from the program on how specific child is doingReview from the 2017/2018 PSP Daycare, Preschool, PreK, Kindergarten Survey
He loves the daily gym time - they have state of the art equipment and always configure it differently so the kids and work on different skills. He loves his teachers. They always get down to his level and are so patient and kind. He loves the friends that he made. As an educator myself, I felt so comfortable leaving him there in the capable hands of the staff. I loved that the teachers give you a summary of their day at pick up and post pictures from the day. Parents feel involved and at ease with their child’s care. The facility is very clean and well maintained. About the facility: Has afterschool options.Review from the 2017/2018 PSP Daycare, Preschool, PreK, Kindergarten Survey
I love the amazingly kind and caring staff - they really care for the children. Great facilities and well thought out learning ciriculam. Has outdoor space, Has afterschool options, Has early morning hours, Great gym space! It's one of the more expensive options, so a price reduction would be good![Winter2016Babies] Indoor play gyms?
We also liked a gym class at NY Kids’ Club and Kidville, but the 10 pass thing was slightly out of our price range.[PSPStayAtHomeParents] Favorite toddler class?
At the toddler stage, my kids have really enjoyed the following classes: * art classes at Brooklyn Design Lab on 7th Ave. btw 13th/14th St. * Music for Aardvarks - various locations (www.musicforbrooklyn.com ) * tumbling classes (Gym Kids or Gym Juniors) at New York Kids Club on 5th Ave and St. Johns * Tinkergarten nature classes - various locations in Prospect Park (submitted 8/2017)NY Kids Club Park Slope UPK
We had a wonderful experience at NY Kids Club last year!!! The facility is clean, organized and provides way more physical activity than any other program I saw. My son flourished in the program. We adored his teachers who we found intelligent and warm. He also attended after school 5 days a week. EVERY single person from the front desk to the coaches and cleaners always greeted us with a smile and made us feel like we were part of a special community. It made Kindergarten a real wakeup call! We loved that they have an app and sent an email everyday about the activities and provided photos of the kids in action. I would HIGHLY recommend it! The only negatives -which I am just providing for a balanced review, is the food wasn't the best (but I have no basis for comparison and it might have changed). The outdoor space was the roof which was pretty sparse (but again - you have the NY Kids Club Gym which is awesome). The only other thing to note is the classes are downstairs so they don’t get a ton of natural light (this didn’t bother our kid at all).Review submitted via the 2016-2017 Afterschool and Extracurricular Survey
Specific program name: Gym Club Held: After school Review: The teachers are very knowledgeable and friendly. The facility is always clean and well-maintained. The instructors give lots of instruction to kids who are at varying skill levels. Skills developed: My daughter learned team building and advanced her skills in balance and flexibility. What would you change about the program, if anything, and why? More class time options and pick-up from my daughter's school Age of child: 6 Based on an experience from the 2016-2017 school yearReview submitted via the 2016-2017 Afterschool and Extracurricular Survey
Type: Gymnastics Specific program name: Gymnastics Held: Both after school and at the weekend Review: The gym class is perfectly thought and adapted to kids at every age. The coaches are wonderful and engage a lot with the kids. Lots of movements, music/songs, and fun. Skills developed: Balance, agility, strength, flexibility Age of child: 2 Based on an experience from the 2016-2017 school yearReview from the 2017 PSP Summer Camp Survey
They seemed to do a good job of keeping the kids occupied. They have time in their gym every day which my child loves. They also seemed to do art every day. Each week was organized around a different state so there was a minor learning component to it which also gave us something to talk about with our daughter. It is entirely indoors which I actually liked because it meant not having to worry about sunscreen. We only did mornings though so for full day I might have wanted more outdoor activity. For our purposes, we wanted to make sure our child was used to going to a school like environment over the summer so that we didn't have major issues re-transitioning for pre-k and I think it has been quite good for that. Age of child: 3 turning 4 Based on a Summer 2017 experienceReview submitted via the PSP 2016 PreK Survey
Review: We LOVE this program. We really feel like we hit the jackpot for Pre-K. The space is clean, bright and organized, with tons of activities, supplies and centers for the kids. The teachers are warm, caring, patient and intelligent. In addition to the wonderful teachers, the entire staff feels like part of his team, from the director Abbie, the front desk attendants, and the incredible team of coaches. We enthusiastically endorse this program to everyone who asks. Our son is thriving! About the facility: Has outdoor space, Has afterschool options, Has early morning hours, Provides meals What would you change about the program, if anything, and why? There is a charge for early drop off and the after school program can get expensive. They also only provide Lunch and afternoon snack so you need to pack one snack. Review submitted via the PSP 2016 PreK SurveyReview submitted via the PSP 2016 PreK Survey
Review: Rich curriculum from foliage, learn your body, safety, arts, physical activities, a lot of hands on practices. About the facility: Has outdoor space, Has afterschool options, Has early morning hours, Provides meals What would you change about the program, if anything, and why? Review submitted via the PSP 2016 PreK SurveyReview submitted via the PSP 2016 PreK Survey
Review: Classrooms were on the small side but nicely outfitted with toys and equipment. My child loved her teachers, and loved the special gymnastics/dance classes. I loved that the school uses a smartphone app to communicate with parents about everything from lunch menu to what students did that day. This was wonderful for helping me ask the right questions to Get my child talking about her day. About the facility: Has outdoor space, Has afterschool options, Has early morning hours, Provides meals, PreK kids get to use the gymnastics and dance studios daily What would you change about the program, if anything, and why? For me, drop off was a pain, sincecit is downstairs and in a narrow, crowded hallway (and I was wrangling another younger child). Kids don't come out of the class dressed and ready to go, so you're in a tight space putting on socks, shoes, and coats, packing backpacks, etc. Review submitted via the PSP 2016 PreK SurveyReview from Kids Birthday and Bar/Bat Mitzvah Party Survey - 2016
Age of child: 6 Venue Review: Expensive but wonderful party! My daughter wants a repeat performance for her 7th birthdayReview from Kids Birthday and Bar/Bat Mitzvah Party Survey - 2016
Age of child: 4 Venue Review: It was expensive!! The leaders were nice, but a lot of instructions and the kids were separated into groups. Disappointed for what was involved for the cost. Had to pay for the 1 year olds that ended up napping during the party too.Review from Kids Birthday and Bar/Bat Mitzvah Party Survey - 2016
Age of child: 4 Venue Review: We had a great experience here! The coaches were kind and warm and went out their way to make things special for our daughter, even making a custom drawing on the trampoline of her favorite stuffed animal. The kids all had a blast playing in the gym and it was great to not have to worry about rain. Also I liked that they were very hands on in the gym space making sure the kids were playing safely, but also gave them time to be silly. It's pricey but if you sign up for their mailing list they sometimes have special offers- we got $150 off the price.Review from Kids Birthday and Bar/Bat Mitzvah Party Survey - 2016
Age of child: 5 Venue Review: Great venue for a gym party. Well organized, kids love it and parents can relax a bit!Summer Camp Survey 2016
Age of child: 4.5 Review: He comes home happy and exhausted. He is a shy boy but loves everyone at NY Kids Club. They are fantastic and very flexible. What would you change about the program, if anything? I wish they had longer hours. As working parents, 9-5:45 full day is only an option we can consider as needed and not for entire summer.Kidville v NY Kids Club?
If you are mainly looking for an occasional playspace with a class, I prefer Kidville over Kids Club. We've done both, and while Kids Club will give you a ton of playspace passes, you will be hard pressed to actually get to use any of them..they basically are like cronuts: people apparently feverishly sign up for every possible slot on the allotted Monday at 10 am for the subsequent 2 weeks, meaning that anyone who either doesn't plan two weeks ahead or only wishes to use the playspace time here and there loses out. They give away so many passes when you register early that folks barely ever cancel, so even if you are on the waiting list (which is ridiculous), unless it is sleeting outside, you'd better make other plans.Kidville v NY Kids Club?
just wanted to chime in with a vote for NY Kids Club. I've never taken a class or been to Kidville, mainly because they don't seem to offer classes on the weekends. My kid is in school and then after school every day until 6 so our only option for classes is the weekend, and every time I've checked Kidville's site all the classes are offered during the week. We've taking several gymnastics classes at NY Kids Club and been very happy with them and the instructors. I usually convert a lot of my play passes to "events" which allow you to drop your kid in their PJs on Friday or Saturday night (6-8pm) for open play, pizza, dancing and art projects while the parents can have a grown-ups-only dinner. My son LOVES these parties and would go every week if I let him.Review submitted via the 2014-2015 daycare/preschool survey
Program: 2's Length of time: 2 days x 2 hours Child’s Age: 2-3 years Type of facility: Privately run daycare/preschool with multiple classes and teachersThere is little/no parental involvement with the administration or running of the facility. REVIEW: The teachers in our 2s class were great--high energy, kind, enthusiastic. Unfortunately there was a period when they were all out regularly and there were a lot of different teachers and faces in the room, which was hard because there was no communication with the parents or students about this prior. I think this happened because it is a big facility and the management could just assign another teacher to cover that shift, without thinking about the development of the relationships and trust in the classroom and the impact these changes would have on 2 year olds already struggling with separation from their parents. After complaining to the manager, there was an effort to let families know whenever there would be an absence which did help. The teacher absences came at a time when several kids who had been struggling with separation were on the verge of being ready for separation and the teachers discouraged separation during this rocky/inconsistent period. This is a problem when your class only meets twice a week for 2 hours--progress comes slowly. The second two months of the class went much smoother than the first two as kids and teachers all seemed to get into a groove. My kid loved the class's routines and songs and she was confident going each day in the final month, hugging me and waving goodbye to run in to the class and play. The cost of this class is quite high when you consider the hourly rate you are paying and I found their bonus open plays just never worked with my family's schedule, or they were booked when they could have. Would you recommend? Recommend Would you send your child again? Mayberesponses: drop-in summer camp
New York Kids Club offers a 2, 3, or 5 morning or full day camp that you can sign up for by the week, with a two-week minimum, and you can move the weeks around to whenever. They've been pretty flexible with me when my schedule changed, even letting me move one day to another week if there's room. Definitely not the cheapest, but they make my life easier ;-)August school break - what to do?
I sent this idea to the original poster but it looks like New York Kids Club (5th Ave and St. Johns) goes through Aug 28. My daughter always enjoyed it around ages 4 and 5. Along with time in the gym (which she loved) they have stuff like cooking, dance and art. It is pricey but they allow partial weeks, or at least they did. Also I heard a rooftop playground was opening but not sure of the status. When she went it was all indoors, but the a/c is kind of nice on those sweltering days.August school break - what to do?
New York Kids Club summer camp on 5th Avenue runs through the end of August. My five year old is currently there (for two weeks) and loving it.2014 Daycare/Preschool PSP review
Program: 3's Program Length of Time: 3 mornings/week Child's Age: 3-4 years Review: -most of the teachers do not have education-related degrees (though lots of musical theater backgrounds) but the common thread is that all have an intuitive sense with the children, are genuinely invested, and have the best combination of fun-and-calm I've ever seen. -very loose "curriculum" centered around play and themes from books, rotating activities. -5 (and some 3) morning options for their 2's, 3's, 4's programs. Lots of other classes to choose from, lots of open play passes included. Also, the facility is beautiful and they keep it amazingly clean every day. -Wonderful about following each child's potty-training trajectory, gentle but consistent with discipline, emphasizing a redirection of behavior, go to the front desk for serious biting or continuing out-of-control actions. -Casual check-ins about progress at drop-offs, periodic phone calls home to discuss progress more thoroughly, and two written progress reports over the year. Recommend (Hi/Rec/DoNot) Highly recommend Would you send your child again? Absolutelyplay spaces on Sunday morning
I know NYKids Club has Sunday morning play. But their open play sessions are only for those already taking classes.Gymnastics class for 7 yr old
There is also NY kids club. My 20 month old loves watching the "big kids" do floor routines and work on the uneven bars. We haven't taken classes for that age of course, but i've been impressed with what the kids can do.Re: Anyone going to NY kids club ballet I trial class today?
I went to the ballet class today for 3 year olds. No other parents in there, but my daughter didn't want to be left alone. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the teaching, the substance of the class, and the ease with which the instructors managed the children. My daughter didn't want to participate at first, but they did a great job of engaging her and drawing her into the class. Having started the class saying she did not like ballet, she now wants to go again. I've not been to other classes there, but I was very impressed with this one. It's a shame that for these trial classes, they discourage parents from sitting in (I had to get a manager's approval in order to stay).Re: New York Kids Club
We have been going to the NY Kids Club 2's program this summer in Brooklyn Heights, and will continue there for the fall until their new Wiliamsburg location opens this winter. My son has a speech delay and also has a very hard time in group settings (very shy, needs specific prompting), and I have nothing but good things to say about our experiences at the NYKC staff in Brooklyn Heights, which while not a direct translation to PS still says a lot about their philosophy, programming and hiring standards. My son's teachers were well experienced, and have the familiarity and training to work with my son's needs. The director of the location personally called me the 2nd day of class after my son had a rough start to make sure we got him going on the right foot and even modified their standard protocol to develop a plan to transition my son to a "drop off" class at his pace (it took all summer but he's managed several classes on his own now!) The teachers do a great job of personally getting to know and under each child and his or her strengths and weaknesses, and the programming this summer has been great (my fridge and bulletin board at work are testaments to their weekly themed art projects!) While we have only attended in Brooklyn Heights, I have also had great interaction with folks at several other locations as we were working through options for fall when the Williamsburg's location was delayed in construction. Several friends with children older than mine highly recommended NYKC to me based on their experiences in Manhattan locations and so far our experience has been equally good.Re: New York Kids Club
My daughter has been taking classes since she was six at the Brooklyn Heights location. She's ten years old now, & I will sign her up for gymnastics at the new Park Slope location, which I understand has full size gymnastics equipment. I have found all of the classes she's taken there to be outstanding (years of gymnastics and also cooking). I also have spent many hours on site observing the goings-on while DD had her classes. The curriculum for each class is very carefully planned, and they put a lot of resources into teacher training. The teachers and coaches that I've met have been uniformly upbeat and enthusiastic, energetic and very positive attitude toward the kids. They definitely benefit from having several locations, and being able to develop and refine their programs. It is true that it is not the cheapest option for classes, but the level of professionalism and the quality of facilities are commensurate. (no affiliation, just very happy to have such a great option in the neighborhood)Review from 2013 Daycare/Preschool PSP Survey
Review date June 2013 (for 2012-2013 year) Program: 2's Program Length of time: 3 days/week, 9-11 Child's age: 3-4 years Review: Coaches are young and energetic. Days are a mix of unstructured free-play and structured activities. Facility is nice, new and gym area is nice with lots of different equipment and activities. Reasonable discipline - gave short "breaks" if kids were fighting or not listening. Feedback on children's progress was very general... at the end of each session, a teacher comes out to say what they did, but not much talk about how a specific child was doing. Coaches are young do their jobs well but don't communicate back to parents all that well. Do you recommend? (Hi/Rec/DoNot) Recommend(no subject)
Recommended by PSP Member without review
