Red Hook Playgroup Tours Now Available

Red Hook Playgroup is a progressive preschool founded by Red Hook parents, and the school has become an active part of our community. They are members of the community gardens and take their kids to Mother Cabrini Playground and field trips in the neighborhood. Priority is given to Columbia Waterfront and Red Hook residents, and they are now scheduling tours for families interested in applying for the 2014-2015 school year. Tours will take place from October to early December. See teachers and their classrooms in action, learn about RHP's educational philosophy and approach, and discuss any questions you have about the program and policies with RHP's Directors.

Visit www.redhookplaygroup.org to find more information and an application form. Once your form is submitted, you will receive an email within a few days confirming your tour date. 

Red Hook Playgroup is located at 295 Columbia Street between Woodhull and Summit. 

Karen K & the Jitterbugs Sing-along at the Children's Garden

Next Thursday, Karen K & the Jitterbugs will be doing a special sing-a-long at the South Brooklyn Children's Garden, 204 Columbia Street (corner of Sackett and Columbia Streets)

Thursday, May 23
11:30 am-12 noon
$10 suggested donation

Karen K & the Jitterbugs have been delighting families up and down the east coast since the release of their debut album, Pancakes for Dinner, last year. Donned "The Kiddie Queen" by the Brooklyn Paper, Karen K's well-crafted, catchy tunes combined with the band's high-energy highly-entertaining shows make them rising stars on the "kindie" music scene - a term coined for the blend of kids music and indie rock.

Karen K and her Jitterbugs have been featured in the New York Times and in New York Magazine's Best of New York 2011 issue. They were also chosen as a Critics' Picks in Time Out New York Kids. Jitterbugs retro-style music classes for kids ages newborn to age 5 operate in NYC and Boston, MA. Visit www.jitterbugsnyc.com for more info. 

The South Brooklyn Children’s Garden is a community garden founded in August 2012 with a mission to provide a physical and educations space for local children to learn about gardening, food cultivation, how it effects the environment and our local ecology. It is a member of New York City’s Green Thumb Program, a division of the Department of Recreation and Parks. www.southbrooklynchildrensgarden.org.

Worm Festival at South Brooklyn Children's Garden

Come one, come all to the Worm Festival on Saturday, April 20th at the new South Brooklyn Children's Garden on the corner of Columbia Street and Sackett Street. Bring your compost-able items to feed to the "wormies" and enjoy the festivities:


Activities will include:
• Arts& crafts activities for kids
• Music provided by The Dads Beats- with songs about worms and gardens!
• Compost drop off
• Games
• Bake sale and lunch
• Book reading – worm-related books will be read to the kids
• Raffle

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!

Spring Egg Hunt April 8

Kiddos! Get ready for the Fourth Annual Columbia Waterfront Spring Egg Hunt! Babies - 4 year olds hunt in the Urban Meadow, kids 5 and up hunt in the playground. Don't forget to bring a basket. There’ll be baked treats to buy and Urban Meadow t-shirts for sale. Brought to the neighborhood for the fourth year by volunteers with the Urban Meadow garden.

For more information on the Egg Hunt and other events in the Urban Meadow go to urbanmeadowbrooklyn.blogspot.com

Sunday, April 08, 2012, 10:00AM
Urban Meadow/ Cabrini Playground
Corner of President and Van Brunt Streets
Free admission

Parents Needed for Transportation Survey

Transportation Alternatives is NYC's leading advocacy group for pedestrians, cyclists, and mass transit users and they are now beginning a street study comparing Brooklyn neighborhoods, one of which will be the Columbia Waterfront. T.A. is seeking parents for a 15-25 minute survey about themselves, their physical activity, and their neighborhood. Participating families will receive a small gift in appreciation of their time and input. Full details are available by clicking on the  adjacent flyer or contacting Stephanie Kneeshaw-Price, stephanie@transalt.org.

The 9th Annual Columbia Waterfront District Halloween Party and Parade!

Carroll Gardens Patch

Hey kids, meet in your costumes this Sunday, October 30 at the Urban Meadow for some Halloween fun.

From the site: "There'll be treats and Urban Meadow t-shirts for sale, a costume parade led by the Underground Horns band and a fire engine from a local FDNY ladder company, hula hooping in the Meadow and more!"

Sunday 10/30 10:00 am - 12:00 noon 
Urban Meadow
President St & Van Brunt St, Brooklyn, NY
FREE

This event is brought to you by volunteers for the Urban Meadow. Contact stephanie_cherry@gmail.com if you can help decorate/bake/volunteer in the morning.

Registration open for music classes at Jitterbug NYC

From Karen at Jitterbugs NYC, who offer retro-style music class for babies, toddlers and preschoolers:

Calling All Jitterbugs!

Thanks again to all of those who joined us at Carroll Park last week for the Karen K & the Jitterbugs concert.  Over 300 people came out, and we had a ball!  Check out photos on Facebook at Jitterbugs NYC! 

FALL REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!  Classes offered with Karen & Aaron in Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens and Red Hook!  Check out the Schedule & Register at www.jitterbugsnyc.com. Classes are already filling up, so be sure to register soon!  10 weeks for $225 / Classes begin Sept. 19th.  $25 / siblings.  Remember, Stroller Strides participants get $10 off. (Sing, wiggle, shake and...exercise with baby!)

LATE SUMMER / EARLY FALL DROP-INS!  $20/family, and FREE if you've never been to a Jitterbugs class before!  Classes offered the weeks of September 6th-9th & 12th-16th.  Check www.jitterbugsnyc.com for details. 

FAQ: Who's teaching what?  Karen will be co-teaching the Wednesday and Thursday morning classes with Aaron this fall, so you'll see her often.  And you'll see Aaron more often on Mondays, Thursday afternoons and Fridays! 


Karen
_____________

Karen Kalafatas
Jitterbugs, Inc.
www.jitterbugsnyc.com

Panel discussion on raising your child bilingual

Whether you want to preserver your heritage, nurture your child’s brai, or teach your child to appreciate the world’s rich diversity of cultures, there are many reasons for kids to learn a new language.

Join other like-minded parents for a discussion with a panel of local bilingual experts and special guest Barbara Zurer Pearson, author of “Raising a Bilingual Child.”

Information, classes and practical advice about how to raise kids bilingually will be shared followed by Q&A.

Saturday, March 7, 2009

4pm-5:30pm

Playspace @ Christ Church Cobble Hill

326 Clinton Street at corner of Kane

$10 advance registration, $15 at the door

Register online at http://languagekids.eventbrite.com

No childcare is available. All proceeds will be used to cover event expenses.

For more information contact Angela Long at 917-609-9899 or languagekids@earthlink.net

Please pass on to other parents who might be interested.