Chickpeas Cooperative Preschool

Reviews (28)

• 3K programs with aftercare (pickup or onsite)

  March 2025

  My son attended Chickpeas- A Mixed Age Preschool on 7th Avenue in South Slope. We got the 3-K spot off the waitlist the summer before the school year started. Chickpeas has both Earlybird Dropoff and After School care programs, which parents pay for. At various times we paid for both due to our work schedules. I highly recommend Chickpeas School to local families considering 3K and PreK programs. The program is child-centered, play-based and taught age-appropriate skills that helped at home too. While my son attended I also served on their board. My son is now in Kindergarten at a public elementary school and he was very well prepared!

• Review from the Fall 2024 Early Education Survey

  December 2024

  Review: Chickpeas is the preschool of our dreams! The teaching staff, lead by lead teacher Kaileigh, are warm, kind, and know exactly how to lead the children, guiding them to cooperation while allowing them to be themselves. The school is such a wonderful community and my child has been made to feel like an important part of that community. I love that 3 year olds and 4 year olds are in one classroom together and have seen my child enjoy stepping into the mentor role with you get kids now in the space. The executive director is communicative and very helpful and I have enjoyed getting involved with the board and committees to support the school. Lastly, I have really appreciated the opportunities for parents to stay connected and that we are always welcome in the classroom for family days, birthdays, and if our child needs a little extra time at drop off.; Amenities: Has outdoor space, Has after-school options, Has early morning hours, Provides meals;

• Review from the Spring 2024 Early Education Survey

  May 2024

  REVIEW: Chickpeas is a very special school led by such a thoughtful and knowledgeable group of educators. The play-based, student-led approach has created a love of learning and curiosity in our child, and the focus on social-emotional development has had a significant impact on how our son handles difficult situations and relationships with peers. There is a strong focus on creating community, both inside and outside of the classroom, which our whole family has appreciated. We have truly loved our two years at Chickpeas and would absolutely pick Chickpeas again if given the choice.; Amenities: Has outdoor space, Has after-school options, Has early morning hours, Provides meals;

• Review from the Spring 2024 Early Education Survey

  May 2024

  REVIEW: We ADORE Chickpeas Mixed Age Preschool. My son attended last year for 3K and currently for PreK. The reasons we love it? Caring, nurturing teachers who emphasize social-emotional learning and play, engaging youngsters with age-appropriate, hands-on learning - often using student voice and choice as a way to approach learning units of study. I love the mixed age model - last year my son benefitted from learning from the older kids - and now he's a role model for the younger group. Teachers share information frequently about what's happening in the classroom, and reply quickly and throughly to parents' questions and concerns. The whole school community is warm and welcoming, and to be honest, I am going to miss this lovely school environment when my son finishes up in June.; Amenities: Has outdoor space, Has after-school options, Has early morning hours, Provides meals; What would you change? Can't think of a way to improve the school, tbh.

• Any suggestions for 3K options right now?

  March 2023

  My son is in the 3K program at Chickpeas and we love it!!!! I am expecting him to return next year for PreK, too. We love the teachers, the student-centered, hands-on, play-based curriculum! The teachers create such a warm and inviting environment for young children to thrive!

• 3s program feedback

  July 2022

  We loved chickpeas! The approach to learning and the teachers are wonderful. I’m a sucker for a coop, but if that’s not your jam, you may want to think hard about it. I loved the community a coop created and being involved in the school was really fun.

• Review from the Spring 2022 Early Childhood Education Survey

  July 2022

  Location: 451 7th Ave Type of facility: 3K, Pre-K Review: The curriculum is excellent at chickpeas all the teachers are patient and have helped develop our child confidence and integrate learning in ways that feel natural and fun, rather than forced. The Banks St. method is wonderful. 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? The school is a coop (changing next year so should be less/easier) it’s hard to balance the time and demand of the school with home/work life and it has cause friction between parents and teachers at time, but again that’s changing next year with the addition of an exec administrator (I don’t recall the exact title). Is there anything you would like to add about how the school is handling the pandemic? While they’ve been very cautious with policy and err’d on the side of more caution, which can be hard when you’re trying to work from home with a child, it’s been with the objective of protecting as many people in the school/community as possible and trying to stop the spread since many of the kids were unable to be vaccinated. I’m glad, with rising rates they’ve continued to require masks indoors.

• Review from the Spring 2022 Early Childhood Education Survey

  July 2022

  Location: 451 7th Avenue Type: Preschool, 3K, Pre-K Review: Chickpeas is a one-room school on the ground floor with 3 and 4 year olds in the same classroom. There's a backyard with playground equipment and a sandbox. It has been a parent-run cooperative preschool for 40 years. There are benefits and drawbacks to this. Ultimately, we chose to send our child there because we wanted to be more involved with their preschool and we weren't turned off by the extra work that's required. I think the classroom experience was probably fine. There's a social-justice focus. A parent just has to wonder how a difficult subject is being taught when your young child tells you they are "scared of policemen because they kill people". This tells me that the nuances of this fraught topic are perhaps not being communicated in the best way. The school created its own Covid policies that went above and beyond CDC recommendations and DoH policies. It has had a contract with DoE for 4K for a few years and next year will be the first year that it has both 3K and 4K. This means the entire structure of the school and how it's run will be shifting. Will this be a good shift? That remains to be seen. The teachers have their strengths and weaknesses. The head teacher is moving into a role that is more Administratively-focused with less classroom time. This will be problematic given her specific strengths and professional weaknesses. If we had to do it all over again, we would not have sent our child to Chickpeas and would have saved ourselves a lot of grief and stress. We are definitely not sending our younger child. Despite the city funded 3K and 4K offering - I'd rather pay money to a different school that has a staff which does not have deeply ingrained issues about working with parents on their child's early education. 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? I would change the teachers. There are real problems there.

• Review from the Fall 2021 Early Childhood Education Survey

  December 2021

  Type of facility: 3s preschool and Pre-K Review: The program is a small, individualized, blended class of 3s and 4s. The child : teacher ratio is excellent. Chickpeas is a cooperative, which means we (the parents) are responsible for making sure the school runs efficiently. This can be a lot of work; it also enables a community spirit, caring about the social-emotional principles the school runs by, and greater investment in what and how my child is learning. During COVID-19 times, we have also been able to have a real effect on school health and safety measures. My child has learned a lot about a wide range of material as well as being part of a community. He enjoys at times getting to be a leader, getting to be a joiner, or sometimes doing his own thing. I would send him again if doing it all over again. What amenities does the facility provide? Has outdoor space, Has after-school options, Has early morning hours What would you change about the program, if anything, and why? Parents come in facing a sharp learning curve in their cooperative roles, and a more stable knowledge base would be helpful. The families over the past two years are working hard to improve this. Is there anything you would like to add about how the school handled the pandemic? This is a place being a cooperative has shone through. We have been able to do the research ourselves (through setting up a "health committee," for instance), create policy along with the teachers, and create our own flexibility to plan schedule shifts, testing protocols, etc. to keep our community safe. This has had tangible effects: since reopening for in-person school in September 2020, there has been only one 1-week-long shut down due to a positive test. Protocols include: masks are worn by all, daily screenings, weekly in-school PCR testing, additional testing after breaks/holidays, increased cleaning, and community expectations regarding the use of extracurricular activities and travel.

• Review from the Fall 2021 Early Childhood Education Survey

  December 2021

  Type of facility: Preschool and Universal Pre-K Review: My son is currently enrolled at Chickpeas and it has been a delight to watch him blossom in the last few months. Having kept him at home since March 2020, I was nervous to send him in-person anywhere, but the cooperative model and involved family participation was a huge draw for me to this school. They have been extremely Covid-cautious, and the entire community is on board in working to keep each other safe. Chickpeas has been a supportive and welcoming environment for my family, and while there is much work to be done in keeping a parent-run cooperative going, the community is dedicated and caring, and looks out for one another. They are also LGBTQ-friendly and adopt a social-justice lens in their approach. The teachers at Chickpeas are outstanding. They are warm, enthusiastic, silly, nurturing, and extremely knowledgeable in early childhood development. I have never had a 30-minute parent-teacher conference with any of my kids until we joined Chickpeas, but that is their style: they go above and beyond in parent-teacher communication. They are very dedicated to engaging families in the child's development, and in creating conscious and caring little citizens. I feel fortunate to have found this place and this community, and cannot wait until we can gather together more as a community once Covid is not such a concern. What amenities does the facility provide? Has outdoor space, Has after-school options Is there anything you would like to add about how the school handled the pandemic? Very covid-cautious. Weekly testing for all students and staff is available on-site. Everyone is masked.

• Review from the Fall 2021 Early Childhood Education Survey

  December 2021

  Review: Our program is great. Chickpeas teaches non-bias curriculum and is nurturing and welcoming to all families. My child has grown up in just a few months, talking a lot about feelings, showing empathy, and currently learning about space and the universe. Learning through play is a method that works wonderfully for our child and we couldn’t be happier with Chickpeas. We will be keeping our child there for Pre-K next year What amenities does the facility provide? Has outdoor space, Has after-school options, Has early morning hours, Meals has been provided in the past but due to Covid the policies have changed and meals are not provided. Is there anything you would like to add about how the school handled the pandemic? Safety has been a top priority for teachers and parents. Because Chickpeas is a cooperative school we have the flexibility with the policies. There are voluntary weekly Covid cheek swabs, all grown ups who enter the space must be vaccinated, and other testing requirements have been instituted around travel. Masks are worn except for eating and rest time (even outside) and the DOE has provided all the PPE in the classroom.

• Review from the Fall 2021 Early Childhood Education Survey

  December 2021

  Type of facility: Preschool Review: Such a special small, intimate school. Our son loves his days at Chickpeas and it’s remarkable how much of the culture he brings home: from thoughtful language to school jokes. We’re thrilled to be a Chickpeas family. What amenities does the facility provide? Has outdoor space, Has after-school options, Has early morning hours

• Review from the 2019–2020 Daycare, Preschool, Pre-K, and K Survey

  June 2021

  Review: One of the first things you learn about Chickpeas at the open house is that the school has a language unto itself - "Chickpea-isms". It all sounds a bit cult-like... until your child comes home from their first week at school able to express themselves in astounding new ways. One of the isms is "style". It's a stand in for a lot of things ("My family's style is celebrating Hanukkah." "That food isn't my style." etc.) Fast forward to back to school night when the teachers told me that Chickpeas is very much my child's style - and it is. My child loves the silliness, but also the opportunities to learn, and try, and gain independence, and surprise herself with what she can do. She loves the teachers (as do we - they are really talented and special). She loves the jokes. She loves the physical space itself. Especially in 2020, being part of a cooperative took on a whole new meaning. The community had the opportunity over the summer to develop our own health and safely reopening policies. We liaised closely with the DOE, who grants Chickpeas Pre-K for All program, and were able to open before public schools and remain open when they temporarily closed. (Chickpeas is a one-room schoolhouse, so a lot of the obstacles the public schools were encountering just didn't apply.) It's truly the best of both worlds: a UPK contract, in a small, preschool setting. We had the opportunity to do it all over - my child is now in her second year at Chickpeas as a 4. We feel lucky to be part of this community, especially during this insane year. Amenities offered: Has outdoor space, Has after-school options, Used to have 8am dropoff - now 8:30am due to COVID. Used to provide snacks - now BYO due to COVID. What would you change about the program, if anything, and why? Chickpeas is small, and that smallness can sometimes equal instability. No thanks to DOH changes, securing qualified substitutes remains an issue for them. The smallness and leanness has pros and cons: it means it can do things like open during a pandemic even when public schools can't. But it also means that it's an issue if one of the three teachers can't attend on any given day.

• Review from the 2019–2020 Daycare, Preschool, Pre-K, and K Survey

  June 2021

  Review: My child started at Chickpeas this past year (in the 3's class) and will be moving on to UPK in September. We specifically looked for a co-op school because the sense of community was very important to us. Our experience at the school has been extremely positive. The school has 3 amazing teachers for a mixed class of 20 children, all of whom are qualified teachers by NY State. Our teachers are the best I have seen from all the programs we toured. They have a very specific way of dealing with conflict by using special neutral language. I have observed so many situations in the classroom where teachers handle conflicts amongst children in such a brilliant way, teacher a lesson with each interaction and leaving nothing unfinished. The curriculum is student led, with units of study built based on the kids' interests. This year, they spent quite a few months "traveling the world", learning about various countries, cultures and issues that exist there. My daughter was knowledgeable about the fires in Australia, environmental issues, etc. Amazing stuff! There is a real sense of community within the parent community. Parents step in to help one another (in case someone's child has to be picked up and much more) and to help run the school. If you have the time, there are lots of opportunities to get involved in the classroom by participating in learning (we did a talk about one of our family trips), reading books to the class, chaperoning on field trips. None of these are required but many parents with flexible schedules participate. Parents know one another and kids know their friends' parents. We love the flexible after school, for which we pay by the hour at a very reasonable rate and without having to commit to a full semester or year. You can decide that morning whether you will be using after school hours in 15 minute increments. There is also a buy-sell system where part time families can buy / sell days amongst themselves to accommodate changing schedules. And, of course, you are guaranteed a UPK spot as an rising 3 year old. This school is a coop with pretty significant commitment from each family to perform certain jobs. While this has created inefficiencies in years past, the school is planning to hire an administrator to take some jobs off the parents' plate. There is a commitment to improve operations of the school and some very dedicated parents in helping make this a reality. That said, families attend and participate in monthly board meetings, along with their volunteer jobs for the school. It is a time commitment but also an opportunity to have an impact on the school where your child spends a significant amount of time. We are looking forward to our UPK year this fall. Amenities offered: Has outdoor space, Has afterschool options, Has early morning hours, Provides snack What would you change about the program, if anything, and why? Hiring an administrator, which the school is already doing

• Pre-k feedback

  November 2020

  This doesn't exactly answer your question about how my pre-k child is doing with hybrid or fully remote, but I wanted to offer that my child attends Chickpeas Cooperative Preschool. We're a largely parent-run co-op with a private 3s program like the ones you referenced, and a public Pre-K for All/UPK program for 4s. For school year 2020-21, at least so far, Chickpeas is offering in-person learning five days a week because we're a one-room/one-pod school (our class is a mix of 3s and 4s), as well as a fully remote option. The fully remote lesson plan includes a morning meeting, afternoon lesson, option for 1:1s with teachers, once/week music class, and option to join the in-person children on Friday mornings in Prospect Park. My family has opted for in-person learning this school year, but when we were all fully remote March - July (Chickpeas runs through July), my then 3-year-old was very engaged with the remote meetings - and they saved us by offering some structure to the day and a break for us parents. We were and continue to be not just satisfied but impressed. I hope that helps!

• Chickpeas Cooperative Preschool

  October 2020

  Chickpeas is a special place. It's a true Coop, in that everyone has a real important job and must do it for the place to run, and that you form a pretty tight community as a by-product. That's what the grown ups can get from the experience. What the kids get is something else special. They are spoken to with respect, love, kindness and shown how to be responsible, fun, caring members of their own very tight community. The teaching staff is incredible, and the language they use to talk to the kids about everything from using the bathroom to racial injustice is uniquely geared to this age group - so powerful and effective in getting the big ideas out there. The way they manage big feelings and conflicts in the classroom is something I've learned to adopt in my parenting and has helped enormously. The school is basically a one room schoolhouse with all the 3s and 4s mixed together, usually 24 per year with 3 teachers. They have a great outdoor space in the back with jungle gym and sandbox and they do a lot of outside time activities. They are also close to Prospect Park and take frequent park trips for a whole morning. This is our second year there, the first as a 3 and this being the 4s UPK year. They have managed remote learning during COVID and even now really well and I feel lucky my kid gets to partake in something so thoughtful during this crazy period. I recommend it wholeheartedly and am glad to have found this community. It's unique, as any real home is.

• Chickpeas Cooperative Preschool

  September 2020

  My daughter has been at Chickpeas since she was 3 and just started the UPK program. If you're looking for a school with amazing teachers, involved parents and a sense of community, Chickpeas is a great place. The teachers are the best I have seen in our experience. My daughter was previously at 2 childcare centers in Park Slope. The way they communicate with the children and the life skills they teach are incredible - independence, caring for others, inclusion, etc. It is a child-led curriculum where the class focuses on units of study throughout the year. Last year, the kids were interested in exploring the world so they studied Australia, Egypt, Maine - with environmental and other issues included in the studies. The mixed age classroom allows the older kids to teach/help younger ones, which is great. Chickpeas is a coop and the parents run many of the school's functions. We hired an Admin this year and it has helped a lot with the more regulatory tasks, and has taken these from the parent responsibilities. The current school leadership has done a lot of work to help the school function in a very organized way. The coop responsibilities require commitment and the families part of this coop really want to be here, and are working as a strong team to run the school. The coop structure brings a true community feel to the school where everyone helps each other. During COVID, the move to virtual learning was hard but the teachers did an amazing job with live Zoom meetings 3x a day, and lots of activities and recorded book readings included. Over the summer, we all worked together to do what's needed to reopen Chickpeas safely. The whole process made us value the school more than ever.

• CHICKPEAS CHILD CARE CENTER, INC.

  July 2020

  Our child just completed their 3s year at Chickpeas. We chose Chickpeas because they have a UPK contract and were in a position to guarantee current 3s a spot in their UPK program. K280 wasn't geographically convenient for us, and we loved the idea of two-year continuity. They have a backyard with a great jungle gym, and the teachers also plan great field trips that get the kids out into the community. I'll start with my child's experience, which was simply excellent. Chickpeas has three credentialed teachers for a classroom of 20 students. It's a one-room schoolhouse, and the class is a mix of 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds. I loved (and still love) the idea that it's a blended classroom where the 3s can learn from and look up to the 4s, and the 4s can be role models for the 3s. The teachers are really talented. They patiently and caringly coached my child and us through separation anxiety and other behavioral and social-emotional issues that arose, and my child is noticeably more confident coming out of Chickpeas than they were going in. The Chickpeas language really helps the kids to understand the world and their feelings, and we were amazed by how much better our child was able to communicate with us even after a few weeks at Chickpeas. It's really amazing. After school is taught by the same teachers, which was unique when I was searching, and which I really valued. Now for the parent/family perspective: it's a coop so, like all great coops in Park Slope, you have to work for it - "it" being affordable (by Park Slope standards) preschool, a guaranteed UPK spot at a school closer to the subway/Manhattan (pre-COVID, when that still mattered), and two-year continuity. I won't lie: the workload is not insignificant. They are planning to hire an administrator next year, which should ease/redistribute the workload. 2019-20 was a transition year for the school, with the promotion of a longtime teacher into the Education Director/Head Teacher role. A new head of school and parents in many critical jobs (like DOE and DOH liaisons) meant there wasn't always continuity in how things were run. I think an administrator will also help there. Nonetheless, you have to have an appetite for "cooperation." For example, there are monthly board meetings (every parent is a board member) where everything about the school -- from whether to get a dishwasher to how to handle tuition for remote learning -- is decided. You'll have a say in how the school is run, and/but you'll also be expected to be involved. So what do you get for all that cooperation? You get a real community. For example, when we were nervous that we might run late for pick up trying to fight the rush hour commute, two families immediately stepped forward to offer that we could always call them and they could pick up our kid. Some final, 2020 specific notes: the remote learning they've offered during COVID-19 has been so impressive and, by comparison to what I hear from parents outside of our community, at a far greater volume than what other preschools are offering. March-June, Chickpeas offered three daily Zooms: a morning meeting, a social lunch, and a "closing/feelings circle." Four times a week they offered specials classes (movement, music, dance party, etc.). The teachers made themselves available, one-on-one, during afternoon slots for which you could sign up if your child or you needed individualized support. They offered activity ideas and tutorials, and videos of themselves reading favorite books, online. They also offered a resource guide for how to talk to our kids about "the new germ." Another thing that makes Chickpeas unique among the preschools I toured is that it practices and affirms the goals of anti-bias education. During the BLM protests starting in March 2020, the teachers offered support via resource guides, books, conversation with the kids, and suggestions for safe ways to get involved.

• Review from the 2019 PSP Daycare, Preschool Survey

  September 2019

  The program is play-based and a mix of 3s and 4s in one classroom. There has been a high rate of turnover with the teachers and assistant teachers so it's hard to know how the school will continue. The school is a coop, but lacks a administrator like other cooperative schools like BFS, so when a concern arises you usually deal with the teachers directly via a parent volunteer. The teachers are highly involved in the running of the school. We've been told that the teachers just don't have time to prep a curriculum etc and they spend a lot of time doling out tasks for parents to do or micro managing the parents to stay on top of their jobs (if not done right away even though there isn't an urgent rush) and they do so in a slightly condescending manner. Our child has days where they love going and days where they don't love going. The teachers seem stressed and not able to handle the job. The parent workload is very high and we constantly get a barrage of emails regarding job duties usually because the school is just set up to run really inefficiently. In addition, teachers get really defensive and dismissive when a problem occurs. A conversation with them that does not involve praise puts them on the defense and they get really hostile. The pros: field trips, outdoor space, healthy snacks offered, flex pick-up, offers UPK. DETAILS: Has outdoor space, Has afterschool options, Has early morning hours, Provides Healthy snacks - morning and afternoon What you would change: Hire an administrator or a teacher that can handle the heavy workload.

• Review from the 2018/2019 PSP Daycare, Preschool, PreK, Kindergarten Survey

  December 2018

  We've had a really good experience with Chickpeas. Our older child, who is in first grade now, attended Chickpeas for two years and we have seen how his time there set him up for success afterwards in terms of building his confidence, teaching him vital learning skills and developing his ability to socially interact with others. Our three year old is currently in his preschool year there and is thriving. In spite of our children having very different personalities, as well as interaction and learning styles, both have loved the school and done well in the environment Chickpeas provide. The teachers are amazingly nurturing with the children and responsive to their needs. There is a real sense that your child, whoever and however they may be, is cared about. And, they look to build the experience around who your child is. The teachers' attention to detail is particularly impressive. They really do notice all the little ways in which your child succeeds and struggles, and look to build on the first and thoughtfully work with you on the latter. For instance, when they noted something our younger child might have needed some outside help with, they didn't wait for our parent teacher conference. They reached out to us, stayed late into the evening (on a Friday, no less) well after their normal working hours to sit down and talk with us and work out a plan than all of us felt good about. There is also a real sense of community at Chickpeas since everyone whose child goes there, has to do work for the school. Which means the parents get to know all the kids and vice versa, and the kids get to see the example set by the parents as they care for the school. It makes the school (and school in general) more a part of their family's lives. Which is a valuable lesson. On a more practical level, the field trips are good (and they do a lot of them), the early morning hours are helpful, as is the way they handle afterschool. Their backyard is great for playing and the interior of the school is warm and welcoming. About the facility: Has outdoor space, Has afterschool options, Has early morning hours

• Review from the 2018/2019 PSP Daycare, Preschool, PreK, Kindergarten Survey

  December 2018

  Our family is starting our second stint at Chickpeas with our second child. There are lots of great preschool options in the neighborhood, but what brought us back to Chickpeas (even after a great experience at another preschool) was the sense of community and quality of the educational program. The coop model does require real work from Chickpeas families, but it also creates connections that aren't easily replicated in other preschools. Both our kids have thrived at this school - the teachers work very hard to meet kids where they are and give them the tools to grow. It may not be for every family, but it is a great option for families willing to commit time in exchange for a (comparatively) affordable program with top quality education! About the facility: Has outdoor space, Has afterschool options

• Review from the 2018/2019 PSP Daycare, Preschool, PreK, Kindergarten Survey

  November 2018

  Our child loves going to school here and has made good friendships. They are particularly fond of one of the three teachers there. That was enough to keep them in despite some strong negative and toxic feelings the parents experience with the teachers (who run the school). This is a coop, but the parents have little say and the two lead teachers are very defensive if you bring up an issue. The good news is that the most toxic teacher will be leaving after this school year. There is a bank street component which we really admire. I would say it's one of the more progressive and inclusive schools I've visited. I give it an A+ for that. They do provide snacks and they are healthy -- fruits, veggies, etc. And their pick-up time is flexible. There is no pre-paying for the aftercare and you are just billed for the after schools hours your child attends. They go on awesome fields trips (puppetworks, tiny scientist, prospect park, etc). And if you get in when your child is a 3, you then have UPK when they are 4. I want to really, really love this school, but the lead teachers need to rethink how they communicate with parents -- they need to be more understanding and less defensive and condescending. Also note, when your child is in UPK it is not free. You still work your coop job (which can be a significant amount of work) and they expect a $3500 donation. About the facility: Has outdoor space, Has afterschool options, Has early morning hours, Provides healthy snacks What would you change? Have a Director (not an unqualified teacher liaison aka another parent) that you could go to with issues. Someone who can see the school objectivity and work with the parents on helping resolve issues or even better understand the pedagogy.

• Review from the 2016/2017 PSP Daycare, Preschool, PreK, Kindergarten Survey

  July 2017

  Type: Preschool About the facility: Has outdoor space, Has afterschool options, Has early morning hours, Provides meals, Field trips Review: It's a coop preschool and prek program. Teachers are top notch. Educated, available, and experienced. They have been at the school for years. The year goes from Sept to July. There is an after school program until 6:00. We have social events with the parents on a regular basis. Everyone helps out each other. Our son had difficulties transitioning and the teachers really helped him gain the confidence he needed. Now he never wants to leave. He didn't have to be potty trained to attend but was a month in (one teacher is a "potty whisperer"). So happy he can attend the UPK program next year:) What would you change about the program, if anything, and why? Honestly - I wouldn't change a thing. We love it.

• shout out for Chickpeas preschool!

  November 2016

  Those of you with 3 and 4 year olds...our son began Chickpeas a few months ago and we wanted to give a shout out for this great program. It's a cooperative preschool and it feels more like a family than a school. I visited a bunch of schools this time last year and was so delighted when he was accepted by this program. There is something really different about Chickpeas - our son is learning how to express his feelings, he is engaging in social play, and his vocabulary has grown exponentially! I am happy to chat with any parents of kids turning 3 in 2017 who are considering this program. I think there are a few open houses coming up.

• Review submitted via the PSP Daycare/Preschool 2016 Survey

  July 2016

  Program: UPK Age: 4-5 years Review: What I love is the environment created by the warm and skilled teaching staff. It's a child-led program, as the teachers follow the Bank Street style of education. I marvel at these teachers' skills and energy! The kids follow a set schedule daily with rest time, circle time, music, movement, arts and crafts, and indoor and outdoor free play, as well as 'units' of study throughout the year. The kids choose what they want to learn more about - last year it was Big Cats and Cooking, this year, they followed Koko the Gorilla, and then learned about Dogs. The teachers are very skilled at managing the kids feelings, teaching them to work out a plan for sharing, deal with disappointment, etc. - all issues for the 3 and 4 year old sets (and arguably any other age-groups, adults included)! My husband and I have both been really happy with our child's development in this supportive environment. There are also group activities throughout the year - fun field trips every 6 weeks or so (firehouse, bagel shop, Puppetworks, Transit Museum, etc.) and group activities for the families overall. It's a real community - the parents are welcome to linger at drop off; you can read a book to your child, draw a picture or just hang out with them, before leaving at the day's start. The school has two set conferences a year, one toward the beginning and one toward the end of the year, and of course you're always welcome to contact the teachers if you have any concerns in between there. Simply put, we feel totally lucky to have gotten a chance to be a part of this co-op. Chickpeas requires work, from cleaning the facility 2x a year along side the other 23 families, to running the finances. EVERYTHING except the teaching (save for one parent music teacher and one parent movement teacher, 1 hour/weekly) is parent-run and organized. Everyone gets a job for the year and it's certainly a commitment, but one that we've found well-worth it.

• Review Submitted via 2014-2015 Daycare/Preschool Survey

  July 2015

  Program: 3-year old program Length of time: 4 days a week Child’s Age: 3-4 years Type of facility: Parent-Organized Co-op where the parents do the admin and hire the teachers and staff REVIEW: We are in our third year of Chickpeas with our second child, and have loved the school since our very first day. The teachers create a safe and creative environment for the kids, allowing them to explore and play. What impressed me most however is how the kids learn to interact with each other, the teachers guide them to become independent and vocal, and strong collaborators as well. Chickpeas has 3's and 4's that are mixed together, allowing the younger kids to learn from the older ones, while the older kids become mentors. It's amazing to see this transformation in each child that comes through the full 2 years. Chickpeas is a co-op so there is quite a lot of parental time commitment but every minute is worth it. We feel lucky to be a part of this Chickpeas community. Would you recommend? Highly recommend Would you send your child again? Absolutely

• Review Submitted via 2014-2015 Daycare/Preschool Survey

  July 2015

  Program: N/A Length of time: Full days, 5 days per week Child’s Age: 3-4 years Type of facility: Parent-Organized Co-op where the parents do the admin and hire the teachers and staff REVIEW: Both of my children have gone to Chickpeas; my second child is in his second and final year. Chickpeas is a wonderful place where children are given space to develop their social and emotional skills through play and exploration. It's not an "academic" preschool; rather the focus is on letting the child explore their interests and helping them learn to work well with others. I can't rave enough about the teachers. They are creative, energetic, and loving, and they create an amazingly supportive space for the kids. Chickpeas is a co-op -- every family takes on a job, from facilities management to admissions to field trip coordination to web site management . . . and the list goes on. I won't lie -- the workload can be intense, especially for parents who have other full time jobs. But on the other hand this helps to create a unique sense of ownership and community that I haven't seen in other schools we've been a part of. We are so grateful to have found Chickpeas. I wish we could bottle up just a little bit of what's so special about it and take it to Kindergarten with us! We will miss it! Would you recommend? Highly recommend Would you send your child again? Absolutely

• (no subject)

  January 2012

  PROGRAM: 3s Length of Time: 3 dates per week 830 to 3 PM 3-4 years We really love Chickpeas. The teachers are great and our daughter really enjoys it. Do You Recommend? Highly recommend (Review date: December, 2011)