Juguemos a Cantar Spanish Institute
- Park Slope
357 6th St, Brooklyn 11215, NY
See Map | Get Directions - juguemos.org
Categories
Description
Various locations in Park Slope, Carroll Gardens/Cobble Hill, Windsor Terrace and Bay Ridge.
A fun way to learn Spanish as a second language. For Children ages 0 to 8 primarily through play, music and art.
Reviews (43)
Review from the 2023 Summer Camp Survey
Location: Prospect Park Brooklyn How old was your child when they attended camp this summer? 5 Review: My daughter did the Spanish immersion camp in Prospect Park for 2 weeks, with 2 of her friends. It was intense: she speaks basically no Spanish, and it is true immersion, so for a few days she had no idea what was going on. But she adjusted, and by the end of 2 weeks was singing entire songs in Spanish and had picked up tons of new words. The nature part is intense, too. They are outside all day in all kinds of weather. They come home caked in dirt. I'm glad we did it, but I think more than 2 weeks would have been a lot. What would you change about the program, if anything, and why? Love the Spanish immersion. Wouldn't mind if they were doing some indoor activities like art, etc. The nature/outdoor element gets to be a lot.Review from the 2023 Summer Camp Survey
Location: Prospect Park How old was your child when they attended camp this summer? 4/5 Review: The JAC day camp is outdoors all day every day with the exception of the extended day, which is held at their main physical location on Fifth avenue in park slope. You’ll need lots of sunscreen and bug spray! They play games, play some sports, sing songs, explore nature, and do crafts. We chose the camp because we are making every effort to raise our child bilingual. And the camp was truly Spanish immersion. My daughter loved the songs in Spanish; she learned at least one new song a week but usually more than one. And her Spanish vocabulary definitely increased. I didn’t feel like her counselors communicated that much with us, But there was no real need. Plus my husband did all the pickups so they would have naturally spoken more with him. You get emailed a short video each Saturday with highlights from the week. Don’t send a new backpack because they sit on them outdoors and they get filthy. The only other very slight negative is that you are told that each child must wear a tshirt every day that you purchase from them. They get very dirty each day. We bought 4 shirts. And now my daughter has these bright fluorescent yellow shirts with a mouse on them that she will probably never wear again. I understand why — it helps them monitor their group and I appreciate the safety measure. I just could probably have bought 3 shirts and been ok. And maybe they will still fit next summer. Because I’d definitely send my child to this camp again. I was quite happy with it. And I thought the cost was very reasonable. What would you change about the program, if anything, and why? The initial orientation was a bit confusing. Said they wanted kids to wear pants so I bought my dress wearing kid several pairs of lightweight pants. Then all the kids were wearing shorts. It was also unclear before registering that a shirt purchase was necessary. And communication about shirt pickuo was unclear.Review from the 2023 Summer Camp Survey
Location: Prospect Park + 5th ave classroom How old was your child when they attended camp this summer? 2 Review: Mornings in Prospect Park exploring and getting dirty. Spanish immersion. The keep the kids very active, including a .6mi walk back to the classroom after lunch. It's more work than a typical daycare but we loved it! What would you change about the program, if anything, and why? Providing food would be a big help- not only making it easier but also so the kids don't have to carry as much in their backpacks. Naps could be longer, especially for the little ones who need it.Review from the 2023 Summer Camp Survey
Location: Prospect Park How old was your child when they attended camp this summer? 5 Review: My son, age 5, has really enjoyed Juguemos a Cantar summer camp. I highly recommend it, especially for any children that are slightly more shy, reserved, and respond well to a smaller, more intimate camp setting. The groups (divided by age) are small (about 16-18 kids each), spend most of the day playing and exploring in Prospect Park, and have lots of time for self-directed play. The counselors are warm, engaging, and have great energy; they seem very experienced and have more of a "teacher" than "counselor" vibe, which is comforting for my son. They are brave (but safe!) in all weather; one day I came for pickup to find the group walking to the pickup site in the pouring rain, all smiles and adventurous spirits. In my opinion it's an ideal option for a curious, sensitive young child.Review from the 2023 Summer Camp Survey
Location: Prospect Park How old was your child when they attended camp this summer? 4 Review: Likes: -in park all day -counselors are very friendly -they make every attempt to help your child learn spanish or at least get comfortable understanding it and saying a few spanish words -range of ages of kids Dislikes: -disorganized. frequently arrived late for a 9am start time -despite being fairly disorganized themselves, they were pretty antagonistic when parents or babysitters arrived late. our babysitter had a bad experience being confronted by 3 counselors and reprimanded for not having cash for the late fee despite no one there knowing the Zelle address when she offered to pay that way. just unprofessionally handled. -comms are late and disorganized. limited photos, messages about rain days are sent half hour before, everything via a whats app. What would you change about the program, if anything, and why? The organization is unprofessional. Brooklyn Nature Days does a very similar program and seem leagues ahead professionally. We probably wouldn’t do it again just because it’s more inconvenient than other camps. Both in start times and how they handle everything. Would you like to add anything related to COVID and how the camp handled it? They sent a disclaimer as a result of the spike this summer. However, this is very similar to how our daughter’s school and Berkeley Carroll’s camp handlingAny suggestions for 3K options right now?
We love it there! It’s mostly outdoors in prospect park, it’s Spanish immersion, and they have a summer camp.2s camp?
Jugemos a Cantar's Pee-Wee Camp starts at 2! It is a Spanish immersion camp that takes place mostly in prospect park (full day campers go back to their center, which is across the street from JJ Byrne.) Our now 4-year-old did it last year and had a great time. They usually have online "open house" sessions around March if you want to find out more. http://www.juguemos.org/summer-camp-info.htmlJuguemos a Cantar opening in January
We are so sad to say goodbye as our experience at Juguemos has been fantastic! The staff is very loving, caring, and have a deep background in early childhood education. My daughter's Spanish language is exploding (as judged by her 6 year old bilingual brother because my husband and I do not speak Spanish.) She has developed a deep love of school only after few months. If you choose to enroll your child in January, you will be able to transition to a NYCDOE 3K spot in the fall. Juguemos has a 3K class through the DOE as of this school year.Review from the 2022 Summer Camp Survey
Location: 5th ave School camp location in Prospect Park How old was your child when they attended camp this summer? 4 Review: Truly one of the best experiences our kid has ever had. He went last summer for two weeks. And he went this summer for four weeks. The counselors were incredible loving and caring. We got pictures almost every day via WhatsApp. And they were making incredible artwork and designs. And they explored Prospect Park like it was their own backyard treasure. We cannot thank him enough. The other children and families were lovely. And we look forward to returning next summer. Would you like to add anything related to COVID and how the camp handled it? They did a great job with Covid and we’re very safe.Review from the 2022 Summer Camp Survey
Location: Prospect Park How old was your child when they attended camp this summer? 3 Review: Outdoor camp for the mornings with the option to go to their park slope location in the afternoons. Spanish immersion. Our daughter has so much fun. She attended another well-known outdoor program in the park previously and this is far superior in our experience, with more attentive instructors and activities that the kids love, including songs, arts and crafts, stem, and more. What would you change about the program, if anything, and why? It has a slightly higher teacher to child ratio, but it seems more in line with what she’ll experience in future programs anyway.Review from the Spring 2022 Early Childhood Education Survey
Location: 323 5th Avenue Type of facility: Preschool Review: This a wonderful Spanish immersion preschool. the teachers are incredibly warm and loving and the children all adore them. During Covid they switched to a nature-based curriculum so that the children could spend most of every day outdoors. the school never closed completely in two years. being outdoors was so popular with everyone that they will continue it going forward. Every day my daughter comes home with a special stick or rock that she came to appreciate in Prospect Park. And after 2 years of school she has really learned Spanish! She has a very good vocabulary and simply grasping that something can be said in different languages has helped her grow intellectually. Understanding that people speak different languages because they come from different places or backgrounds has helped her socially. I am a Spanish speaker and an outdoor enthusiast so I couldn't be happier about what my daughter is learning. What amenities does the facility have? Has after-school optionsReview from the Fall 2021 Early Childhood Education Survey
Type of facility: Preschool Review: Wonderful teachers and very sweet nature based curriculum. They did a good job adapting to covid. My daughter loves school and has made friends and is in her second year. She even learned some Spanish! What amenities does the facility provide? Has after-school options, Has early morning hours What would you change about the program, if anything, and why? Better communication with parents about upcoming events or schedule changes. Is there anything you would like to add about how the school handled the pandemic? So far we haven’t missed a day of school due to covid. masks indoors, outdoors masks are optional. At least half the day is now spent in prospect park. They adapted the curriculum to be nature based which I and my daughter love. Kids are required to test before returning after a school holiday. It’s been reasonable and manageableReview from the 2019–2020 Daycare, Preschool, Pre-K, and K Survey
Review: Juguemos is a wonderful program! My son loves his teachers and classmates, and he's learning so much. This fall they've been all outdoors, and they've managed to adapt beautifully. We love it so much! Amenities offered: Has outdoor space, Has after-school optionsReview from the 2019–2020 Daycare, Preschool, Pre-K, and K Survey
Review: This is a Spanish immersion pre-school. They adjusted for Covid by spending the entire morning session (until 12:30) outside at JJ Byrne or Prospect Park and only going inside for naps. They are extremely strict with hand washing, encourage mask-wearing among the kids, and ask that everyone fill out a health survey each morning before arrival. I've never seen a teacher with a mask even pulled down below their nose. They also provide regular guidance on how to dress kids for the weather and let us know if they were too hot or cold. They send lots of pictures and videos and share a monthly calendar of activities so we know what they're doing/learning. Our daughter is 2 and was counting to 10 in Spanish within a week. She also sings songs she learns there all the time and regularly tries to get ready to go to school instead of getting ready for bed. Amenities offered: Has outdoor space, Has after-school options, Has early morning hours What would you change about the program, if anything, and why? I wish there was some way for the kids to nap outside or to better ventilate their indoor space, but they've done an amazing just adjusting.Virtual spanish classes
We use Juguemos Cantar. My 7 year old has been going there for a few years. We really like them. This past March they started virtual and I’m still pleased. They got their act together. Ms.Patricia, her teacher really engages the kids online. They do projects while learning Spanish. Example what type of clothes do you wear in the winter. They color in the picture and point to the different articles of clothing, in Spanish. She says it they repeat. There is usually always coloring involved. Now my daughter at 7 is learning to converse, my name, my Birthday, the weather etc. once she asked the kids to show their pet to the class which was a big hit. Online. We do once a week, afterschool, but they offer up to 5 days.Review from the 2020 Summer Camp Survey
Age of child: 5 Comment: We have a great experience with juguemos a cantar. My daughter love to go and play in the park all day with her new friends. They were very responsible and followed all guides on social distance. Anything related to COVID and how the camp handled it you'd like to add? They reinforce the kids wearing mask at all times and did social distances every time for snacks and play timeReview from the 2020 Summer Camp Survey
Age of child: 3.5 Comment: Alejandra and Mayte (and Paz and Zulu) did an amazing job of engaging the kids with art projects, nature walks, science projects, and singing, all while learning lots of Spanish. At pickup my daughter was pooped every day from all the activities, and was constantly telling stories about things her new friends did and said. The teachers worked hard to create a loving, warm, and welcoming environment, which was a particular challenge given the restrictions that COVID placed on lots of things. Overall our whole family was so grateful for the time our daughter had with her friends at camp. Anything related to COVID and how the camp handled it you'd like to add? They strictly but gently enforced mask wearing for all, and distancing where possible.Shout Out - Spanish Lessons at Juguemos a Cantar Spanish Institute
Just a shout out to Juguemos a Cantar Spanish Institute in Brooklyn! My 8 yr old was able to do Spanish Lessons with Juguemos a Cantar Spanish Institute over the summer with a wonderful teacher and only one other student! They created a great program where they practiced one hour a day of conversational dialogue at the start of each lesson and then focused on different weekly topics to build their vocabulary and writing skills. We really loved our Spanish lessons and just wanted to give them a local neighborhood business shout out.2019-2020 Year Review
We've had a wonderful experience at Juguemos! Our daughter has learned so much Spanish that she now speaks the cutest spanglish at home :). They have a big focus on music and she's learned so many Spanish songs as well. The teachers are all very caring and attentive, Mayte the head teacher comes up with so many creative ways to engage with and teach the little ones. We are very happy and plan to send our baby boy (on the way) there as well. … About the facility: Has afterschool options, Has early morning hours, The school is located directly across the street from J.J. Byrne playground and the children play there everyday. … What would you change? You have to pay for the entire year before the school year even starts, and I think this makes the school cost prohibitive for a lot of families.2019 Review
We have had an amazing experience at Juguemos a Cantar, this is my daughter’s second year there and we are thrilled with her Spanish and general development. As an international family finding a school that had a bilingual program was essential and we feel lucky that we ended up in this school. She is fully bilingual, able to recognize and switch seamlessly between both languages. She loves her teachers Luli from last year and Mayte who she has this year. She is always excited to go to school, see her friends and spend time there. She also did the summer camp this year, they spent a lot of time outside in the summer which she really enjoyed. The school kindly accommodated us at the very last minute for summer camp after our nanny had a sudden month long trip come up, which we were grateful for. We also love that the school is small, everyone knows everybody, staff is great and loving, they do soccer, yoga, music, experiments with water, mini field trips etc. I would recommend Juguemos to anyone looking for a school in the neighborhood. Feel free to reach out with questions.Sharing newish drop in playspace
My partner took our child yesterday. They loved it.Sharing newish drop in playspace
Just spent a lovely morning at drop in open play at Juguemos a Cantar on 5th Ave & 3rd St. We were the only people there but the woman staffing the place, Alejandra, still did painting, a guitar sing-a-long and story time with us! The space is large and clean and the woman there was lovely. Lots of areas to play and it was only $10! No affiliation - just hoping for some other littles to be there when we go back!Spanish speaking daycares and preschools
My 2 boys went to Juguemos a Cantar and I have nothing but good thing to say about their program. Loving teachers, clean and safe environment and very educational program.[PSPMLFamilies] Dual Language Pre-K Programs
2 of my 3 kids went to Juguemos a Cantar (my little one will start next year) and we really like it. It’s full immersion Spanish pre-k. Feel free to contact me if you have any specific questions.ISO Reviews on Juegemos a Cantrar
Our daughter has been in their programs since she was 2 - preschool for 2 years, summer camps and now after school (she's in kindergarten at PS 39 - they pick her up and take her to the 5th Ave/13th Street location). They have been consistently lovely. It's a small organization and the teachers have all been incredibly caring and nurturing. The new space is great - yes, clean and they have lots of activities. They even have a yoga teacher who comes to after school. It is Spanish immersion so the teachers speak Spanish, but I find that most of the kids respond in English (this is probably my only complaint - I wish they would enforce the Spanish a little more). That said, they also offer a proper Spanish class in their after school program, and place kids in groups who are at their level. My daughter is reaching the top of the age group (I find it's more popular among the younger set), but I would recommend them highly.ISO Reviews on Juegemos a Cantrar
My 15month old has been to a handful of the music classes and liked it. We go to the one in South Slope. The toys are great. The place is clean , she loves the ball pit . Goes right up to the singer/drummer etc and claps, dances.Review submitted via the PSP Daycare/Preschool 2016 Survey
Age: 1-2 years Review: Love, love, love the teachers and curriculum at Juguemos a Cantar. The teachers and staff couldn't be warmer. I've found them to be very communicative, too--which I don't think is always the case. My son (who is under two) has a tough time with good-byes and they've been great at working with him (and me) through the tears, which at this point are pretty much just for show. The best part, though, is our son is learning Spanish! They've taught him days of the week, numbers, words about the weather, etc., all of which he uses with us regularly. It's clear they also work on basic manners--please, thank you, excuse me, etc. They also do so many other fun things: raise caterpillars/butterflies, plant plants, visit the post office, draw, paint, color, etc. They do a TON of arts and crafts projects. And they go outside everyday, too. Our son is thriving, and we feel incredibly fortunate to have found a school with teachers and staff who are so warm and engaging. Would recommend 110%! Go with your gut. I think so much of what makes a preschool/daycare great is driven by personality over curriculum. For us, a Spanish-speaking program was important. But even more important was finding a place where the teachers and support staff were warm, engaged, and caring. With Juguemos a Cantar we get the best of both worlds.Review Submitted via 2014-2015 Daycare/Preschool Survey
Length of time: PT - 2 days a week Child’s Age: 2-3 years Type of facility: Privately run daycare/preschool with multiple classes and teachersThere is little/no parental involvement with the administration or running of the facility. REVIEW: Both my kids have attended Juguemos for 2 years each - all years, including last, were great! The Spanish language was amazing and the teachers are so loving and sweet toward the children. My kids always loved attending and I always felt extremely comfortable with the care they received - I would highly recommended for anyone interested in a Spanish language program! Would you recommend? Highly recommend Would you send your child again? Absolutely2014 Daycare/Preschool PSP review
Length of Time: Part time: two half days Child's Age: 2-3 years Review: Juguemos a Cantar is a Spanish immersion program (although my child already was bilingual.) They seemed to have lots of structured fun which I found to be a good combination to get him ready for preK. We had some difficult drop offs but they we ok with letting us leave and he would calm down quite quickly. Although they let us lead the process, they did (rightly) encourage drop offs to be warm, nurturing, and relatively quick. Management is a bit sticky at times. There are cultural differences as well as an ongoing learning curve as they grow. Recommend (Hi/Rec/DoNot) Recommend Would you send your child again? Absolutely2014 Daycare/Preschool PSP review
Length of Time: 5 days/9am-12pm Child's Age: 2-3 years3-4 years Review: My daughter has been at Juguemos for about 2 months now. She is 2 years and 2 months old. She really enjoys school. Of course, at first, she was upset to have us leave her there, but within a few days she acclimated and now just loves to arrive at school. She sings in Spanish at home all the time! (and we don't speak Spanish!). She is picking up Spanish wonderfully. So far, the communications from the school have been on point and clear. We feel happy leaving her in their care each morning. We like the 5 mornings a week schedule because she (and we) have a routine each day: school, lunch, nap. Recommend (Hi/Rec/DoNot) Highly recommend Would you send your child again? AbsolutelyReview from 2013 Summer Camp Experience
Age of Child: 3 Likes: Selection of toys, trips outside to playground, friendly, attentive staff, cheerful, spacious classroom What would you change? I wish Juguemos had a Pee Wee program (for 2 and 3 year olds) in the South Slope (the camp for older kids is in the South Slope). Getting to the North Slope was quite a hike. Would you send your child(ren) again? Yes Do you recommend? Highly recommend Do you have any other information to add? Parents must send a snack with their child each day.Review from 2013 Daycare/Preschool PSP Survey
Review date June 2013 (for 2012-2013 year) Program: Length of time: 5 days a week Child's age: 3-4 years Review: My experience with the teachers at this school has been wonderful. There have been some major issues with the director of the program which has effected the parents and children. The director is a very bad communicator and manager. She was running the school "illegally" meaning that she was not certified with the Bureau of Child Care with a daycare license until January of 2013. This was never communicated to the parents until she had to close the school down early last year and then move locations in the middle of this current school year. The bigger concern with her management is her treatment of the teachers. There was a group of fantastic teachers that had been at the school for many years. And their reputation as wonderful teachers were the reason that I sent my child there. All those teachers have been fired because they wouldn't sign a ridiculous contract that the director demand they sign stating that they couldn't teach in any other capacity outside of Juguemos and if they left their position then they were not allowed to teach for two years after. She also cut salaries when the school moved locations. The teachers were fired in the middle of the school year which was extremely disruptive to the children. Since then teachers have come in and out without any communication with the parents about what was going on and who would be caring for our children. There have been many issues surrounding the director's leadership which has been very concerning for the parents. Do you recommend? (Hi/Rec/DoNot) Recommend with reservationsReview from 2013 Daycare/Preschool PSP Survey
Review date June 2013 (for 2012-2013 year) Program: 9th St location Length of time: 3 mornings a week Child's age: 2-3 years Review: We had a great experience at Juguemos. Our son loved the school so much that the first thing he would ask each morning was if he had school that day (he only went three mornings a week, 9-12). Originally, the Spanish immersion was totally essential and that is why he got there. But it turned out that the warmth, love, professionalism and curriculum of the school was so great that it became even a more important component of our decision. He was in a class of only 8 students and had 2 teachers (phenomenal) and one teacher assistant. The reason he is not going there next year is that we need more days and longer ours next year. Do you recommend? (Hi/Rec/DoNot) Highly recommendReview from 2012
Comment: ISO: Toddler drop-off classes without full-time commitment? We have Lucia @ Juguemos a Cantar 2 hours once a week. They originally created the option of twice a week but I guess not enough people enrolled. The teachers are GREAT and Lucia asks for more... I wish they had a little more hours. Its a stimulus I think she needed.Review from 2012
Comment: My son (5.5 years) has attended Juguemos on and off for four weeks this summer. While he is learning a bit of Spanish through songs and activities, overall I have been unimpressed with the camp. It may be "a place to go besides the street," but I wonder if doing the same thing day in, day out, every day another Oriental Trading craft "project," isn't kind of boring for kids of this age. The thing that plagues the camp most seriously, though, is its disorganization. They did not provide any official policy on what foods could not be brought to camp when we enrolled, and simply neglected to tell us about other children's allergy issues, until one day they actually snatched a peanut butter sandwich away from my son, after he had been bringing them for more than a week. They tried to blame me for the error, and only after this incident did they finally change their official printed materials to reflect a no-nuts policy. I noticed one week that they were also prohibiting "seeds of any kind," and on another occasion, "eggs." This was listed on the weekly schedule, but to truly be effective, the staff would need to talk to each parent individually to make sure they understand what the prohibitions are for the week. The fact that children can enroll for partial weeks makes this more complicated, of course. My husband submitted payment for a camp trip two days in advance, but on the day of the trip, another staff member denied that we had paid and this resulted in a scene in front of other parents and children at dropoff (it turned out to be their error, of course - another staff member had received the payment). Finally, a trip was listed on the schedule one day, so we did not send a bathing suit for sprinkler time. I received a phone call mid-morning asking whether my son could go in the sprinklers, since the trip (to Lefferts Historic House, which I had warned them in advance was no longer free admission) had been canceled. No, on one of the hottest days of the summer, I had to say he could not use the sprinklers since he didn't have a change of clothes with him, and I did not have time to bring one over. The teachers at Juguemos seem kind with the children but their interactions with parents need a lot of work. There is no excuse for having a wishy-washy policy regarding allergies, and enforcing it haphazardly. When something goes awry, it is probably a good idea to try to make it right immediately, rather than trying to turn the situation around and blame the parent. I hope someone from Juguemos will see this review.review from 2011
Comment: I have a daughter (5) who just finished 3 years in the Juguemos Escuelita program and another daughter (3) who just completed the 2YO class and will be in the 3YO class next year. Here are my thoughts: 1) The vibe: The school is very nurturing and loving. Though certainly a stereotype, in this case it stands true...the school has a low-key Latin vibe and the kids, teachers and families are friendly and warm and there is none of the competitive or aggressive hype that seems that seems to seep into some other preschools. The teachers are unbelievably loving...not one screamer of phony in the bunch. The upside of this is a very sweet program. The downside is that sometimes the school feels a little flaky (oops, we forgot to tell you it is pajama day!). No big deal. 2) Language: It is full immersion, so the kids do get a lot of language exposure. You do not need to be a Spanish speaking family to comfortably attend (the teachers all can speak English). I have coupled Escuela with a Spanish speaking nanny and both of my kids are now bilingual. Other families have had mixed results, depending on how open the child is to speaking during the school day. 3) Academics: The program has a curriculum but is very play and language oriented. They celebrate everything (you need to be comfortable getting some santa and easter holiday crafts). They love parties. They take the kids to the park nearby a lot. They make tons of art projects. The 4YO program is a lot lighter on academic curriculum than the public pre-K. (Escuela is also just half day.) But I think the language exposure, in balance, makes up for this. (And you can work on English phonics and counting, etc at home if you are worried). 4) Location: Escuela has 2 locations, 10th St and Sterling Place (a church basement). 10th is a nicer room, but Sterling has the advantage of having some blended activities among the classes. The classes have a lot of materials donated by families and it is simple but happy. A lot of the kids' art is up on the walls, which is nice. 5) Cost: Juguemos is not cheap but it seems a lot less pricey than some of the other options. It is not full day, so that is part of it. But I find the value of the nurturing teachers, the language exposure and the broader Juguemos community (which is very supportive and friendly) make this a hidden gem in PS.Subject: Review from Summer Camps survey, 2010
Comment: Age of Child: 4 Likes: Small groups and lots of traveling activities. i.e. trips to prospect park or JJ Byrn park, library, museum, etc. Great Spanish Immersion (although my son told me the kids did not talk Spanish to each other.) Fun art projects, lots of singing! What would you change? They offer the children sweets and candy snacks that I am not fond of. I had to ask that they not give out sweets on a daily basis, which seemed to work. Would you send your child(ren) again? Yes Do you recommend? Recommendreview
From 2009: Comment: I'm no expert in this so what I am about to say is solely based on personal experience. Our now 3.5 yo started going to Spanish music classes when he was around 2 (juguemos a cantar) and he loved it. Neither my husband nor I speak Spanish so we didn't count on him to pick up anything and did it mostly because it's generally good for brain development to expose kids to different languages early on and our son loved music. But to our surprise, he started picking up things. So, when he turned 3, we put him in the children's language workshop once a week (and he continued with the Juguemos a Cantar in Brooklyn). He got so into it that he insisted on speaking only Spanish at home, which, of course, for him meant a combination of Spanish and what he thought sounded Spanish. During school break, we put him in Juguemos a Cantar mini-camp, which was Spanish immersion from 9-12pm (I think). He picked up tons of stuff. He knows all his colours, body parts, counts, alphabet, animals and can put simple words together. He also tremendously enjoyed it and just the other day asked us if he could go to more Spanish classes. So, we signed him up for a Spanish class (again with Juguemos a Cantar) twice a week and he will go there full time in the summer for their camp. I think given how much he likes the language (and the teachers at Juguemos), I suspect he will pick up quite a bit over the summer and if we continue during the year, he'll learn the language very quickly even though we don't speak it at home.(no subject)
We had a wonderful 3rd bday party for my daughter at Juguemos A Cantar on 6th Ave at 10th st. It was actually our rain plan (we planned a park party but it poured that morning) but it was so amazing for the kids, that it could have easily been Plan A! Nice size playspace with so many activities- a ball pit, dress up area, foam pieces to climb on, a circus tent, pretend kitchen, etc. We brought in lunch, cake and decorations but i think they have several party options if you wanted them to provide everything. Alejandra, the owner, was really lovely and so accommodating in our last minute scramble and location switcheroo. Not as expensive as other places in the slope for a basic 2 hour rental. Highly recommended! September 2012(no subject)
I just wanted to let everyone know that Juguemos a Cantar has a beautiful new location (463 6th Ave. at 10th St.) They have a drop-in play space from 10am-12pm everyday for only $8. My daughter absolutely loves the space, and learning Spanish while you are there is the icing on the cake. (Feb 2012)(no subject)
I have a daughter (5) who just finished 3 years in the Juguemos Escuelita program and another daughter (3) who just completed the 2YO class and will be in the 3YO class next year. Here are my thoughts: 1) The vibe: The school is very nurturing and loving. Though certainly a stereotype, in this case it stands true...the school has a low-key Latin vibe and the kids, teachers and families are friendly and warm and there is none of the competitive or aggressive hype that seems that seems to seep into some other preschools. The teachers are unbelievably loving...not one screamer of phony in the bunch. The upside of this is a very sweet program. The downside is that sometimes the school feels a little flaky (oops, we forgot to tell you it is pajama day!). No big deal. 2) Language: It is full immersion, so the kids do get a lot of language exposure. You do not need to be a Spanish speaking family to comfortably attend (the teachers all can speak English). I have coupled Escuela with a Spanish speaking nanny and both of my kids are now bilingual. Other families have had mixed results, depending on how open the child is to speaking during the school day. 3) Academics: The program has a curriculum but is very play and language oriented. They celebrate everything (you need to be comfortable getting some santa and easter holiday crafts). They love parties. They take the kids to the park nearby a lot. They make tons of art projects. The 4YO program is a lot lighter on academic curriculum than the public pre-K. (Escuela is also just half day.) But I think the language exposure, in balance, makes up for this. (And you can work on English phonics and counting, etc at home if you are worried). 4) Location: Escuela has 2 locations, 10th St and Sterling Place (a church basement). 10th is a nicer room, but Sterling has the advantage of having some blended activities among the classes. The classes have a lot of materials donated by families and it is simple but happy. A lot of the kids' art is up on the walls, which is nice. 5) Cost: Juguemos is not cheap but it seems a lot less pricey than some of the other options. It is not full day, so that is part of it. But I find the value of the nurturing teachers, the language exposure and the broader Juguemos community (which is very supportive and friendly) make this a hidden gem in PS. (Aug 2011)(no subject)
Juguemos is great. My boys went there for Spanish last year, and they were speaking fractured Spanish in no time. The director and instructors are lovely. (July 2011)(no subject)
This is a great music group for little ones and their caregivers. Classes are bilingual for those who want their children to learn words and songs in Spanish. Children play instruments, dance, learn songs in Spanish and interact with other children. The teacher is fun and she makes the sessions very interested for adults and children. (September 2011)
