- 3K-PreK: Theater Adventures
- Students unleash their imaginations and tap into their intrinsic sense of play in this vibrant theater class, anchored around a new theme and adventure each week.
- PreK-2nd Grade: Make a Musical
- Kids work in-depth on a specific show and use its plot as a springboard for their own mini-plays.
- Kindergarten-5th Grade: Improv
- Kids get practice being spontaneous, collaborative and hilarious while making something they can be proud of as they learn the skills of improvisation.
- 1st-5th Grade: Scene Study
- Improvisation and theater games help stoke creativity, create an ensemble and develop the spirit of play as students rehearse scenes and stories for a final performance.
- 1st-6th Grades: Musical Players
- Students receive scripts and roles as they rehearse a licensed musical production, learning music, choreography and becoming part of a vibrant ensemble.
- 3rd-5th Grades: Shakespeare Players
- Young people become confident with Shakespeare’s world, language and characters as they learn how to interpret a role with technique and courage through an abridged version of Shakespeare’s plays.
- 6th-8th Grades: Middle School Ensemble
- Using complex material from Greek Myths to Shakespeare, middle schoolers work on acting technique as they rehearse a classic play.
Child’s Play NY classes are offered in Brooklyn Heights at 121 Pierrepont Street. These classes include Musical Players, Shakespeare Players and Middle School Ensemble.
Child’s Play NY classes are also offered in many schools in Brooklyn and Manhattan. Learn more about bringing us to your child’s school.
We also offer private group classes. Details can be found here.
Here is a list of the schools that Child’s Play NY currently offers after-school programming:
- A. Fantis | Cobble Hill | Theater Adventures PreK, Make a Musical K-1st
- Arts & Letters 305 United | Bedstuy | Theater Adventures K-1st, Scene Study 2nd-4th
- Brooklyn New School | Carroll Gardens | Make a Musical, 1st-2nd
- CBE Kids Club | Park Slope | Improv K-2nd
- Columbia Grammar School | Upper West Side | Scene Study, 3rd-4th
- Corlears School | Chelsea | Scene Study, 2nd-5th
- Friends Seminary | Gramercy | Make a Musical K-2nd
- Greene Hill School | Fort Greene | Theater Adventures K-1st, Scene Study 2nd-5th
- Imagine Early Learning Center | Brooklyn Heights & Dumbo | Theater Adventures, PreK
- International School of Brooklyn | Theater Adventures PreK, Improv K-5th
- PS8 | Brooklyn Heights | Make a Musical K-2nd, Scene Study 3rd-5th
- PS10 | South Slope | Make a Musical K-2nd, Improv 3rd-5th
- PS11 | Clinton Hill | Theater Adventures PreK-K, Improv 1st-2nd
- PS29 | Cobble Hill | Theater Adventures PreK-K, Make a Musical 1st-2nd, Scene Study 3rd-5th
- Ps58 | Carroll Gardens | Make a Musical, K-2nd
- PS154 | Make a Musical K-2nd, Scene Study 2nd-3rd
- The Learning Experience | Battery Park | Theater Adventures PreK
Connect directly with your after-school coordinator for details on schedule and registration.
If you do not see your child’s school on the list, please feel free to contact us and we can connect directly with your coordinator about a partnership.
When registering for production classes (Musical Players, Shakespeare Players & Middle School Ensemble classes in Brooklyn Heights), a sibling discount will automatically apply when registering two or more children in the same semester. Contact us if you have any questions.
We have a limited number of tuition-reduced spots for BIPOC students and those from historically underrepresented backgrounds from the community.
If you’re interested in a scholarship, the first step is to fill out this form. We will be in touch from there.
Given the nature of our small arts business, Child’s Play NY does not offer refunds. We have several credit policies in place for use in future programs.
For private group classes, credit will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
For Child’s Play NY after-school programs and production classes:
– If you need to cancel 4 weeks or more before class starts, a full credit for use in a future program will be added to your account.
– If you cancel between 2 and 4 weeks before class starts, a 50% credit will be added to your account.
– If you cancel less than 2 weeks before class starts, no credit will be issued.
Credit can be used toward future camps or classes. Credit cannot be used for birthday parties or private coaching.
For private coaching and lessons, sessions must be cancelled at least 48 hours before the session is scheduled to begin. Any session cancelled within 48 hours will be charged in full.
If your child is enrolled for a class through their school, please contact your after school coordinator directly to ask about their refund policy.
For programs at 121 Pierrepont Street in Brooklyn Heights, the policy is as follows:
If you think you are running late for pickup at any point, please text our office and let us know (347-759-6313). Our team will need to plan accordingly!
Child’s Play NY understands the unpredictable nature of commuting around Brooklyn, and as such, there is a 10 minute grace period for late pickups.
If you arrive for pickup 10-20 minutes after class has dismissed, you will be charged $10 through our Sawyer network to the card we have on file.
If you arrive between 20-30 minutes late, you will be charged $20.
These fees cover the cost of our teachers staying late to ensure your child’s safety, and the delay in their clean up and locking up the space.
For programs in schools, the late pickup policy varies by location. Please contact your afterschool director to clarify.
Yes, depending on how many students are being picked up and the distance to our location. Contact us for more information.
Yes! Our classes often fill early in the registration cycle, but sometimes spots can open up. Join the waitlist for the class you want through our Sawyer registration network.
Our production classes have a specific number of ensemble members, and we cannot add additional students beyond that. Getting in off the waitlist hinges on someone cancelling their registration, which is impossible for us to predict.
In the event a spot opens up, we will contact families via text and email in the order they enrolled for the waitlist, and give them a deadline to confirm if they still want the spot. If they pass, or the deadline passes, we move on to the next family.
At any point, feel free to contact us and see where your child is on the waitlist.
Please note that we cannot accept waitlist requests over texts or emails, families must formally join the waitlist through our Sawyer registration network.
Even if your child does not get offered a spot in the class you’re hoping for, by joining the waitlist, you will be given priority access to register for the next semester before it opens to the public.
Our goal is that each child find their unique abilities and be honored as an individual. We celebrate inclusivity and individuality and we work together on challenging things. In order for students and staff to feel respected and safe, we establish Community Agreements at the start of each session.
First, we talk about being Kind and being Brave. From there, the students add on agreements that they want to uphold.
While the pacts differ slightly from session to session, we always have central goals that the children know and agree to. Here are the basic points that groups will speak about as they make their community agreements:
- 1) Participate in camp activities to the best of your abilities: Try things! Be brave!
- 2) Be respectful of teachers and follow directions
- 3) Be kind and inclusive toward fellow campers. Support and celebrate everyone’s efforts.
- 4) Be respectful of the spaces we are in, both outside & in our studios.
- 5) Be safe with your body.
Our goal is to help each student have a successful session and positive class experience. If a student’s behavior is negatively affecting the rest of the group and/or if there is any kind of safety concern, the following consequences will be implemented.
Each incident will be looked at individually and in terms of the degree of seriousness.
- – First Time – Teachers will speak to the child, write up an incident report to share with Child’s Play NY administration, and an email will be sent home to families.
- – Second Time – Child’s Play NY administration will have a phone call with families.
- – Third time – The student will miss at least one day of class in order to understand that there were better behavioral choices to be made relative to the incident. A second phone call will be had with administration to determine if the child can continue.
Thank you for helping us make a safe and nurturing environment for the Child’s Play NY community.
We have a long history of supporting many kinds of learners in our programs, and we are committed to creating an inclusive, joyful environment for all children. To do this well, we rely on families to share as much information as possible about how their child learns, what supports are helpful, and any challenges we should be aware of.
Communicating this information benefits your child most of all. For example, if your child has dyslexia, we may use auditory and repetition-based techniques to support line memorization. If your child has ADHD, we may incorporate movement breaks and collaborate with you on strategies that help them focus and feel successful. There is space on the registration form to share details, and we strongly encourage you to be as thorough as possible, including any diagnoses, learning plans (IEPs/504s), or effective tools and supports.
Our staff is made up of professional actors who are also experienced teaching artists. While they are trained in positive discipline and strategies that support focus, engagement, and group dynamics, they are not special education teachers, behavioral specialists, or one-on-one aides, and may not be equipped to support all learning or behavioral needs within a group setting.
We are always happy to connect with you to discuss how best to support your child and determine whether our program is an appropriate fit, including whether additional support (such as a one-on-one aide provided by the family) may be needed. Even with advance communication and planning, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to meet every child’s needs.
If, at any point during the program, we determine that we are unable to safely or effectively support your child – particularly if they are unable to work within our Community Agreements (see #10) – we will communicate with you promptly and work together to find a fair and appropriate next step.
Production classes include our Musical Players, Shakespeare Players & Middle School Ensemble classes in Brooklyn Heights.
In order to achieve our production goals, we are asking students and their families to be aware of our attendance policy.
Please give advance notice of any absences you know will occur (due to travel or other commitments) during the production calendar dates. The semester calendar can be found on the Sawyer registration page and in your welcome email. Please email emily@childsplayny.com with 48 hours notice, or text 347-759-6313 to notify within 48 hours of class.
We understand illnesses happen! Please communicate with us if your child will have an unforeseen absence due to illness. Text 347-759-6313 on the class day if your child can’t attend.
It is essential for us to know, in advance, who is going to be in the class so we can properly plan what to rehearse.
Any more than three absences in a semester will result in a conversation with families that may lead to roles or lines being reduced for the student. This is not meant to be punitive, but so each child can still feel successful in the show and the production as a whole can be effectively staged.
Yes! Our studio at 121 Pierrepont Street, where all of our production classes meet, is wheelchair accessbile. Bathroom access, however, is up or down a few stairs. Contact us if you or your child need support or guidance.
No! We will never cancel a class due to a teacher’s absence. Our classes are often staffed by two teaching artists. Given that they are working professionals, an occasion may arise where they need to miss class.
In the event that one of the instructors is out, another gifted teacher from the Child’s Play NY team will sub in for them.
The advantage of this is students get to work with more artists. We are proud to retain a teacher-base that is vibrantly plugged into the New York theater, film and television scene. We love that our teachers are real working actors and we appreciate your flexibility and understanding if a sub for one of the teachers is in the room on a given week.
Child’s Play NY follows DOE school closure procedures, and therefore may delay opening or cancel classes due to inclement weather. We will notify class participants via text, phone and/or email at the earliest convenience.
Classes may move to Zoom in the event of DOE school closure, or a make up class may be scheduled if time allows.
No! We find the audition process is stressful for the children and not conducive to team-building. Therefore, roles are assigned after the first day once the teachers have gotten to know the students through games, improvisations, text work and, if appropriate, learning music. Much thought goes into casting and all of the teaching artists of a given session are involved in decisions.
Age and experience of the students are taken into account, but we also look to challenge actors and work to stretch them to experience new characters that they might not normally play. Plays are selected with the ensemble in mind, and great effort is made to ensure the company knows that they are to work together as a team. We are very strict with how many students are in each show, so that each student has a role to challenge them. No student will ever just be in the “chorus.”
While there are no “lead roles” at Child’s Play NY, all parts are not created equally. We do strive for equity on stage as much as possible, so students may play one or multiple roles.
We do ask parents to help manage any expectations, as the spirit of the ensemble relies heavily on all kids being on board and trusting/enjoying the process.
Yes! For our Production Classes (including Musical Players, Shakespeare Players and Middle School Ensemble) our designer works with the children to provide costume pieces and/or accessories. This helps them inhabit their character and takes the production to the next level. We ask that the students come in a “base costume” from home on which we can then layer.
For our classes in schools, we encourage students to wear clothing from home to the sharing that helps them feel like their character.
Students in privately enrolled in-home classes are welcome to wear and bring costume pieces from home throughout their session.
Yes! Students in production classes will be expected to learn a certain amount of lines each week at home. This preparation makes their experience in rehearsal productive and fulfilling.
We ask that you help them with their weekly line-learning benchmarks so they can be prepared for rehearsals and the show.
Please reference this document to support your child at home with practice.
No, due to the popularity of the program spots will fill with students ready to commit for the semester. We do not allow observers in the rehearsal room.
The best way to see if this is a good fit is to come see a performance at the end of a semester. Check our website or join our newsletter to see our shows. Performances are in January and May/June.
These classes do tend to fill up and priority registration goes to current students and previously waitlisted students.
Registration typically opens November 1 for the winter session and May 15 for fall sessions.
Our Tax-ID number is 45-3252442.