George Eliot
“We could never have loved the earth so well if we had had no childhood in it...“
WHO WE ARE
Kew Kids is a forest school in a home daycare setting for young children. We are a mixed-age nurturing community of learners that values kindness, cooperation, curiosity, imagination, and respect for all living things. Here in New York City where forest area is sparse, we are lucky to live next to Forest Park, the third largest park in Queens covering an area of 538 acres and containing 165 acres of trees. Numerous trails wind through native hardwood (oak-hickory) forest and kettle ponds. Forest Park is the classroom, and Kew Kids uses the landscape, the hills, the edges, the trees to encourage exploration, experimentation and development.
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We are part of the nature preschool movement and are proud member of Eastern Region Association of Forest and Nature Schools and Natural Start Alliance, an exceptional network of organizations dedicated to helping young children experience and care for nature. In 2020, we were proudly featured in Warner Bros docu-series "Becoming You," exploring cognitive and sensory domains of the children’s development from birth to age 5 all over the world.
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Our teachers are creative, thoughtful, and trained for outdoor adventures. A small teacher-to-children 4:1 ratio enables teachers to dive more deeply into the exploration of the forest, and into each child's personal learning journey.
WHAT WE DO
We offer a unique full day, half day and afterschool all-season drop-off nature program and day camps that aim to cultivate in young children a love of the outdoors, hone a sense of wonder, provide healthy challenges that instill confidence, capability, and self-reliance. Through daily interactions with the environment, our program offers regular thoughtful opportunities for children to get to know and interact with outdoors and the world around them, to learn to look, listen, smell, climb, fall and get back up again, learn to be curious and to explore.
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Kew Kids allows children to lead in an exploration of the natural landscape and each other. Children are encouraged to explore, take risks and learn in a safe and open ended setting that seems just like play.
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Our children spend all of their time (except naps) outside!
WHO IS THIS FOR
Children up to 8 years old of all experience levels from expert salamander handlers to the novice trail blazers -- we invite young community members to enroll and experience the outdoor with us!
WHAT’S COMING UP
Stay up to Date with What’s Happening
We want you to come find your place with us. Words can only describe our school so much. A visit will let you experience it. Learn about our curriculum, community impact, and how we support our children here at Kew Kids. Join us in one of our upcoming events, activities and local projects. Sign up and reserve your spot today.
Come visit our space and explore our program. Please send us an email or call to make an appointment.
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2023 Fall Season now enrolling
2:30PM to 5:30PM Monday through Friday
Add an all-outdoor, immersive learning experience in our open-air classroom of meadows and forest trails to your school day!
Our students breathe fresh air, explore their imagination and build connections to the land and each other throughout the year through a combination of story-based learning, multi-sensory exploration and age-appropriate social development.
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For the 2023-24 School Year:
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Ages 3 - 8
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2:30 - 5:30 PM Monday through Friday (2 or 3 days are possible)
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Families may choose 2, 3 or 5 days per week
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Pick-up possible from P.S. 99 or select bus stops
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Seasonal prepaid enrollment: Fall (September to November), Winter (December to February), Spring (March to June)
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Enrollments are non-refundable
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DOE calendar observed. Optional holiday camps available for additional fee.
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Second Saturday of Every Month at 9:30am
Weather Permitting
Teaching our children to appreciate Mother Earth and to be her responsible steward.
Join Kew Kids Forest School and NYC Parks Department on the second Saturday of each month to help clean our forest classrooms and maintain the trails in Forest Park. Volunteers will participate in a range of trail maintenance tasks for all ages and abilities. From digging and brush clearing to raking and litter pickup, there is something for everyone! Toddlers welcome. Weather Permitting.
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Volunteers will meet at the entrance to the bike path off Metropolitan and Forest Park Drive.
To follow NYC Parks restart guidelines, we are keeping our group to 25 to allow social distancing. RSVP is required.