In New York’s Upper East Side, you can find nearby Mommy and Me classes for just about everything – art, music, exercise, yoga, Pilates – even animal care! While each and every one of these gives toddlers socialization and early learning through hands-on activities, they leave a gap. FasTracKids saw an opportunity to prepare New York’s youngest learners for preschool and beyond. We’ve added multiple Mommy and Me enrichment classes for toddlers (1.5 to 3 years old) at our Upper East Side Preschool learning center.
Hold Your Toddler’s Hand – Literally!
Leaving a preschool-aged child at school is challenging! At the same time that you’re investing in their future, you worry about how they’ll do and feel. Will they be scared? Will the teacher notice if they’re feeling bad? Will they cry? Preschool Mommy and Me classes give your toddler the chance to start school with you by their side. Our introductory FasTrack Tots class allows 2-year-olds and children as young as 18 months to experience the classroom with a parent in a short, one-hour session. It’s especially valuable for toddlers with a stay-at-home mom or dad who haven’t been apart from their parents or spent much time with lots of other kids. Tots has a very flexible and convenient schedule of weekday morning and weekend sessions that’s perfect for the toddler age, when naps and moods can be unpredictable.
Gentle, Gradual Separation
You may not want to leave your child at school without you, but the vast majority of parents have to do it at some point. The best thing you can do to minimize anxiety (for you and your child) and create a positive attitude towards school is to start the transition before formal schooling begins. At our Upper East Side Preschool, we practice gentle gradual separation, which helps children to feel secure and be successful in the classroom. As your toddler engages more with teachers, activities, and other children, your role will be reduced over time. Eventually, you’ll be able to watch live video feed of your child building independence in class from the comfort of our parents’ waiting room.
Moving On to a Head Start
Once your child has gotten more comfortable being away from you, the multi-day FasTrack Explorers preschool program will take them on a more structured learning adventure. Our FasTrack Explorers curriculum for 2 to 4-year-olds provides interactive, traditional, and digital learning experiences, along with chances to collaborate with teachers and peers. This STE(A)M-based learning program builds math, phonics, music & dance, and early handwriting skills.
Academically Focused
The drawback of many Mommy and Me classes, especially for toddlers, is that they’re rarely planned with academic enrichment in mind. The research-backed FasTracKids teaching method is actually proven to deliver a firm foundation for learning for toddlers. Guided by the foundation skills that pertain to the OLSAT/NNAT, Stanford-Binet, and ERB admissions exams, FasTracKids Preschool actively builds early reading, writing, and math skills. For young learners, play-based learning begins with lots of music, movement, and art. You will watch as they discover curiosity, communication, concentration, self-esteem, and social skills.
It All Starts with an Hour
With studies showing that about one-third of children’s intellectual skills develop by age six, you have an immense opportunity to increase your young child’s early exposure to a variety of experiences. Our preschool classes do just that. If you want to give your child as many tools as possible to achieve success in school, schedule a tour of our Upper East Side Preschool and learn more about how our Mommy and Me Toddler programs can give your child a great first experience of school.
According to NYC Department of Health Code: Parents of young children must stay on premises at all times.
