So we’ve been living in Brooklyn for a few months now and I am completely sold. Brooklyn is such a vibe. It’s like living on Sesame Street in the middle of a metropolis. Everyone is friendly and young. The landscape is a stark contrast to Manhattan where the buildings are mostly skyscrapers; the buildings here aren’t massive so you get good light which I love. We live in North Williamsburg and it’s quite safe; I’ve never felt scared or vulnerable (I’m also generally home by 8:00pm so not sure what goes on later on in the evenings lol). Also, the nearest subway stop to us (the Bedford Avenue station stop on the L train) is wheelchair accessible and has an elevator (meaning it’s stroller friendly).
My Brooklyn babe also loves his new neighborhood. As a mother of an energetic, active toddler being cooped up at home is torture so I’ve rounded up some activities to do in the area. The ones that have commentary are the classes that I have personally attended with Zoe.
Purposeful Play
https://www.purposefulplaynyc.com/
If you don’t live under a rock you’ve probably already heard of Purposeful Play. Purposeful Play is THE class to enroll your mini in and certainly the local favorite (its definitely the most trendy/popular class around). It’s basically a right of passage into motherhood in Brooklyn. First, I’m going to let you in on a little secret: if you email the owner, Michelle Tiflinsky, you can do drop-ins which is amazing because a) I have commitment issues and b) what if my energetic son hates it? Turns out he didn’t – he actually ended up loving it and so I signed him up for the entire series but if you’re like me and are on the fence email Meesh.
Now let’s dive into the actual class. Michelle has cracked the code. She’s entertaining, fun, bubbly and just a pleasure to be around. Think Ms. Rachel vibes. I also recognized a lot of her songs from Ms. Rachel greatest hits soundtrack (don’t judge me – I have to use the screen on occasion to maintain my sanity). Michelle makes you feel like you’ve been best friends since kindergarten and treats your child like her own. She really is a lovely person. Also, Michelle is a pediatric occupation therapist so knows a thing or two about minis.
Tunes for Tykes
https://www.tunesfortykes.info/
Brian is wonderful – with the use of his guitar, puppets, and sign language he is quite engaging – it’s no wonder families flock to his music classes! They’re very popular and I can certainly see why! When the going class rate in this neck of the woods is quite exorbitant, it’s refreshing to find a class that doesn’t break the bank. I also love that you can simply show up and not have to worry about registering in advance. He has multiple offerings at both McCarren Park and Sparsa. I’ve only attended McCarren Park so I can’t speak to the other venue but we’ve gone a few times and had a blast. And when class was over we let Zoe run around the park.
Tot Time at Marsha P Johnson Park
https://www.eventbrite.com/o/marsha-p-johnson-state-park-31268670177
They encourage you to register but we never did and it was never a problem. Our first time was by chance, we were on our way to the swings when we stumbled right into Tot Time and they welcomed us with open arms. They have a lot of little activity areas: a sensory bin, shelves with books to read, paper and crayons, etc.. The first half is essentially free play and the second half is story time and songs. It’s all free which is excellent. Unfortunately this doesn’t continue past October due to weather. I would check back in the spring and see when it resumes because it’s a nice way to spend the morning.
Music with Shana
https://www.instagram.com/musicwithshana
Shana Frutcher is a local toddler mom and music enthusiast! She has a Master’s degree in Music Therapy and over 10 years of experience working with special needs children. You can find her classes at Sparsa, Space Club and pop-ups at both McCarren and McGolrick park. We’ve attended a few of her pop-up classes at McGolrick Park and it was quite special! My son, Zoe, is a huge fan of Shana’s! She brings her vibrant voice and plenty of fun props (scarves, rattles, bubbles, etc.) for entertainment. We have this tradition where we go to Shana’s pop-up class at McGolrick Park, then play at the playground, then grab some sweet treats at Peter Pan Donut and Pastry Shop – I can’t imagine a more perfect morning.
Canopy Play Space
Canopy Play Space is the hottest, newest play space in town! It’s a members only club so think of it as the Soho House for kids. I visited the space for a tour and it did not disappoint! Canopy is nothing short of beautiful! I literally had to drag my son out when the tour was over and only narrowly avoided a tantrum with the use of lollipops and stickers. The owner, Rachel, is lovely and very welcoming! Although it’s a members only club, all non-members can take classes there so do check out their website. While I did love Canopy, we’re already members to Space and don’t use it as much as we should so I can’t justify another membership but if I had unlimited funds, we’d sign up yesterday.
A Rosie Day
So when I heard about A Rosie Day we were entering the fall and I didn’t want to commit for two reasons: 1) it’s a bit of a walk for me (we live right next to Marsha P Johnson Park and while I don’t mind the stroll my son will have a meltdown if he’s in the stroller for longer than 15 minutes and 2) as we’re entering the fall season it will inevitably get colder and colder and A Rosie Day is held outside at McCarren Park so that can get tricky depending on the weather. I instead chose to attend the pop-ups. So this class was quite different in nature than the other classes I have attended; it was a more open-ended approach. The other classes are a bit more formal and structured. While this is quite different I want to be clear that I by no way mean that in a bad way. I loved it and my son had the time of his life. I also think that some of the other structured classes are quite loud, rushed, and over stimulating so this was a nice change of pace. For the class we attended the instructor, Rose, had set up a bunch of different stations for the children to play at their own pace. She offered plenty of options including a painting station, sensory bins, water activities and much more. I will say I loved how she just allowed the children to use their imagination and wander around at their leisure. I would also like to mention that Rose is a peach – I adore her and her energy! We will certainly be back and I appreciate the pop-ups!
Songs for Seeds
https://songsforseeds.com/online
Let me start by saying the first class is free which I appreciated because these children’s classes really add up. Songs for Seeds was both interactive and fun! They hand out instruments to the children so everyone can get involved. They also incorporate numbers and learning which I found very clever. With songs such as ‘Uptown Girls’ and ‘We Didn’t Start the Fire’ even I found myself dancing like nobody’s watching! Another thing I really like about Songs for Seeds is you don’t have to commit to the entire semester, simply per month which I love because in this day and age momma needs flexibility.
Bebe Book Club
https://www.birchspeechtherapy.com/
This class is currently held at The Wild and I was excited to finally try a class at this establishment. The Wild is storefront that hosts classes in their back room. The classes all seem very nice and age appropriate for Zoe, however, The Wild is almost a mile from our home so getting there is a mission (I literally had to carry Zoe there and the only way I got him to sit in his stroller on the way back home was with lots of snacks and me singing ‘Baby Shark’ at the top of lungs). I immediately loved the concept of this class because 1) Zoe LOVES reading books, 2) the benefits of reading are profound: supported cognitive development, improved language skills, increased concentration, improved imagination, and the list goes on and 3) getting a spot at story time at the public library is akin to getting into the Hermes annual sample sale so this is certainly a great alternative. Zoe loved the class! Caroline has games, music and of course reading (Zoe was on the edge of his seat during the reading portion). We went on the Monday before Halloween and I loved how she infused the holiday spirit into the class. If you’re not yet sold, the price is also a bargain.
Space
Space is truly spectacular. The attention to detail is impeccable. The owner and visionary, CJ Hendry, is an artist and if you’ve had the opportunity to check this spot out that will come as no surprise (think Chuck E. Cheese meets MoMA). Space is an indoor playground where you can bring your minis to run around; they also offer classes, however, those are for members only. We loved it so much we became a member and have already attended a few of their classes (music, beading, and art) which is a nice perk. The monthly membership isn’t cheap but it’s also not super expensive and they’re running a promotion for new members at the moment. Their big selling point is that Space is open 365 days a year. Yes, that is correct, 365 days including holidays! You know where I will be New Years Day lol. Also, they’re open 8am-7pm which is a welcome change from the other play spaces that typically open at 10am and close at 5pm (with even more reduced hours on weekends and holidays). My son absolutely loves this play space and the added bonus is he leaves completely wiped out and usually falls asleep in his stroller on our walk home. I can go on and on about Space but I will wrap it up with this: Space is very thoughtfully designed an example of which is the calming blue room with gigantic star shaped pillows (I even caught a mommy nursing her baby there which was such a beautiful sight to see).
Jazz Baby
https://www.jazzbabymusic.com/
I’ve heard great things about Jazz Baby Music and it did not disappoint. I signed us up for the class at Talea – the venue was nothing like I envisioned. I thought it would be a stale, dark and woodsy brewery with an industrial aesthetic however it was an open, bright, welcoming space and very toddler friendly. Mariella is the founder of Jazz Baby Music and she was terrific! She sang a range of music – everything from ‘L-O-V-E’ to ‘Wheels on the Bus.’ She passed out fun props such as scarves, shakers, tambourines and more. Mommy was able to sip her coffee and enjoy a pastry while Zoe was sufficiently entertained which was a lovely treat (no pun intended).
AudraRox
We attended the class at the Wild and it was a nice experience! Audra, an actress and singer, has been doing this for over 25 years so she’s no novice. She asked the parents and nannies to limit the use of their phone which I appreciated because some of these classes are filled with stage moms/stage nannies who just have their phone out the whole time recording what feels like every second. She sang a lot of songs that I’ve actually never heard but were catchy and cute enough! She did play ‘One Love’ by Bob Marley which was obviously the highlight of the class for me! Audra has been crowned by Time Out NY Kids the “Queen of the NY Kids Rock Scene” and has been featured on Nickelodeon & Sesame Street so I’d definitely check it out if you have any interest.
Friends of Phonics
https://www.thewriggle.com/partner-profiles/friends-of-phonics
Friends of Phonics is a lovely class that incorporates singing, sensory play and of course reading. Zoe and I both loved this class – it was educational yet fun. Friends of Phonics is led by Alex Beviss who is a Literacy Specialist and former teacher. Each class focuses on a letter of the alphabet and that specific letter and sound is the theme of the entire class. The goal of the class is to introduce phonics and reading skills in a fun and engaging way and she certainly succeeded! We loved it so much we signed up for an entire package! Alex offers drop-ins (if there is availability) or you can simply buy a package (don’t worry the packages are only 4-7 classes which is quite manageable).
Spanish Sounds with Karina Naulaguari
https://www.instagram.com/spanishteacher_karina
I’ve been dying to try this class because it’s so important to me that my son learns Spanish, however, I’ve hesitated because the times offered cut a little too close to Zoe’s nap. The Wriggle offered a free trial class so I jumped at the opportunity. The instructor, Karina Voces, uses the Montessori approach to her class by teaching phonetics, the alphabet, and sounds in a fun way (learning through play). Let me start with the pros: I loved that the class was entirely in Spanish! I had no clue what Karina was saying but it all appeared quite educational and instructional. Karina was lively and seemed to have more energy than some of the children! The class was quite interactive and she engaged with the children. I also liked that the class is for such a wide age range (6 months to 6 years) – I love being able to plan class playdates with friends whose children are much older or much younger than my son. Now I’ll dive in to the cons. Karina passed around instruments and when she collected them midway through the class my son broke down crying yet she insisted he hand it over. Just give the damn guitar to my son, Karen… I mean Karina. Why not just maintain the peace and retrieve the guitar at the end of class? I had to remove my son from the class multiple times because he was crying so hard. My other con is that the times the classes are offered are not ideal for a toddler’s schedule.
The Play Lab
I’m not big on play spaces since we have a play room in our building and currently have a membership to Space in Greenpoint but I’m a sucker for these local kid classes and the Play Lab is running a class on Tuesday’s called ‘Science for Tots’ that I keep seeing on Instagram and figured I’d take Zoe. Zoe has been to the Play Lab quite a lot when daddy is on baby duty but never with me. Zoe was too excited by the play space to appreciate the science class; he literally lasted a total of 5 minutes (he’s not even 2 years old and already ditching class…). The Play Lab is fantastic – It’s like brunch and Barry’s Boot Camp for toddlers: kids run around the space and then end their visit in the little seating area in the front where they sit either at the table or in their high chairs to enjoy their snack/lunch before heading home for what most likely will be an excellent nap. I love the space – it’s tidy, clean, and cozy. We arrived at 9:15am for the class and by 10:30am it was packed but not overwhelmingly so. The Play Lab is a Montessori inspired play space with a cute little treehouse right in the center. It has everything from a mini market to a climbing wall. My son loved it so much that he had the meltdowns of all meltdowns when I tried to get him to leave. To be fair, he was overly tired, hungry and having the time of his life. He threw one of the biggest tantrums of his life and had people gawking. Two kind mommies came up to me to help – that’s how bad it was. By the end of his tantrum I was crying. It was quite embarrassing so next time I go I’ll have to wear sunglasses, a wig and go by a new name but I will certainly be back. My son passed out in the stroller on our walk home so that just goes to show how exhausted he was (stroller naps are rare these days). I think it’s interesting that they don’t offer monthly memberships – just day passes and annual passes.
Twinkle
https://www.twinkleplayspace.com/
So I was out of ideas for what to do for my son’s 2nd birthday and had narrowed it down to Space, the Play Lab or Twinkle (all of the play spaces in our neighborhood). His actual birthday fell on a Monday and I wanted it to be special and fun for him. Since we already have a membership to Space and he’s been to Play Lab quite a lot I decided to take him to Twinkle and I’m so happy I did! It’s similar to the other play spaces in design (slides, canopy walkways, etc) but it’s also different with some nice/unexpected twists. Zoe had a great time enjoying every aspect from the tree house to the life size fire truck to the water table vortex (pro tip: bring a change of clothes as Zoe got quite wet). Twinkle play space is the perfect blend of physical play, fantasy, and science! They offer different packages and we loved it so much we bought a package so we’ll be back soon!
Puppetsburg
https://www.puppetsburg.com/index.html
Puppetsburg is truly fun for the whole family! Puppetsburg is a uniquely contemporary puppet show that is entertaining for infants, toddlers, and parents alike. They offered a free trial class and I was very happy to give it a try as I love testing out new classes with my son. I’m not sure who enjoyed it more, myself or Zoe. It was so well done! It’s mostly improv which is remarkable – the instructors basically riff for the entire class (the banter and dialogue is hilarious) while following a program of dancing, instruments, dress-up, and bubbles. What truly sets Puppetsburg apart from the other classes is how varied each class is. While the other local classes are pretty much the same week to week, Puppetsburg has over 50 different puppet stories. We will certainly be coming back!
McCarren Tots Program
https://www.nycgovparks.org/facilities/recreationcenters/B058
I wasn’t going to post about this because it’s certainly not in line with the other establishments but I’m not one to gate keep so here goes… So you’ll first need to lower your standards to prepare yourself for the McCarren Tots Program. Have you lowered them? Okay lower them some more lol. The McCarren Tots Program is held at the McCarren Park Recreation Center and is a far contrast from the trendy, fancy classes I usually take Zoe to. But it’s convenient, indoors and with an unbeatable price of $50 for a 6 month membership. No, that is not a typo. $50 for SIX months. The Tots Program has open play every weekday from 9am-11:30am in a large space that reminds me of my high school gym – it’s a big basketball court that they have repurposed into a gym area for the children complete with a kids basketball hoop, cones, hula-hoops, and foam climbers. Sometimes they have additional activities such as a story time or a coloring session where they provide paper and crayons. It’s not the most structured or organized but you get what you pay for. Zoe loved the big open space to run around and we plan to go weekly during the cold winter months when we simply need an indoor activity to fill our morning. The program is designed for children from 1-5 years old but I would recommend it for walkers (I’m not sure where you would put the crawlers). They’re currently running soccer and painting classes in the afternoons and weekends but those have an expiration date and not sure if they will extend them or introduce new classes. Now let’s be honest, the classes in the area can be quite costly – that’s why I love to balance them with something such as this Tots Program. Honestly, in this neighborhood it’s GREAT value!
Storytime at the Greenpoint Library
So I tried to do story time and was unfortunately turned away because it was full. I got there at 10:15am for the 10:30am class and all 18 spots were already taken plus they had a waitlist going so definitely go early. To be honest I have a bone to pick with the library because I don’t mind getting there early and waiting but what toddler is going to put up with that? They really need to find a more systematic approach – I know other libraries do a sign in online, it is the 21st century after all but you wouldn’t know it based on their archaic approach to signing up.
The Mommy Archives
https://www.instagram.com/themommyarchives
Please feel free to give my Instagram account a follow! I host coffee meet-ups and other local events that are fun and free such as ‘Tarot and Tie-Dye’ and ‘Bubbles and Leather.’ Also, drop your email and subscribe so you don’t miss out on any upcoming events!
Storytime at the Williamsburg Library
Toc Toc Spanish
KPL Dance Co.
Pip Montessori
https://www.pipmontessori.com/
Peanut and Honey
Ms. J’s Gymnastics
Stay Small Art Club
https://www.staysmallartclub.com/
Williamsburg School of Music
https://williamsburgschoolofmusic.net/infanttoddlerclasses
Puppetsburg
Good Bubs Class at Good Day Pilates
https://www.gooddaypilates.com/
Ari the Singalong Guy
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn2p4ocu3bZ/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Toddler & Me Yoga at Sparsa
https://www.sparsabrooklyn.com/
Ferox
Mister John’s Music Classes
https://misterjohnsmusic.com/nyc/
Williamsburg Soccer Club
https://www.williamsburgsoccerclub.com/
Look Who’s Talking
https://www.lookwhostalkingnyc.com/
SounDance Children’s Ballet
http://www.soundancechildrensballet.com/home.html
Sunshine Circle Classes
https://www.sunshinebabiesandkids.com/
The Wild
https://www.shop-thewild.com/pages/greenpoint-calendars
SwimJim
https://swimjim.com/swimming-lessons-new-york-city/
AquaBeba
Blah Blah Nico
STREB
Skateyogi
Eckford Street Studio
Artful Sounds and Wellness
https://www.artfulsoulsandwellness.org
Also, the following are great Instagram pages and sites to follow that post about local events:
https://brooklynnw.macaronikid.com/events
https://www.instagram.com/calendarkiddo/
Feel free to check these places out! My frustration with some of the establishments here is that they don’t offer drop-ins. This isn’t tuition, I don’t have the emotional capacity to commit to 15 sessions at this point in my life. So hopefully the establishments will adapt for the modern family and let you pay per class.
I feel so very fortunate to have so many activities available for my son to enjoy. We attend about 3 classes per week. When we’re not in classes, we’re at one of the many beautiful parks in the area or on a play date with a local mommy and/or daddy.
Feel free to message me directly if you have any questions about particular classes or play spaces – I love discussing this topic!
If you’re considering moving to Williamsburg I highly recommend it. It’s a microcosm where I feel like I’m living in Mr. Rogers Neighborhood!
1 comment
Thanks for sharing! Can’t agree more with Purposeful play classes and Michelle is just amazing.
I am doing the Good Bubs Class on Weds or Tuesdays and they are really great. We work a lot on core and the pelvic floor. I love that it’s interactive with the baby. We use them as props and it’s a class with the reformer. It’s fun and the instructors are amazing. It’s safe for post partum bodies. The new joiner offer is great to give it a try.