Our mission for Lively Village is to create a safe, supportive and low-pressure environment for kids to decompress in the hours between school and home.
Our facility offers opportunities to read, write, craft, draw, paint, knit, sew, play collaborative board games and card games, talk, snack, work on homework, play outside in our yard or the park across the street, sing, dance, stretch, build, and most of all: play play play.
We take principles from the Agile Learning philosophy to guide our afternoons together.
Their time, choices, pacing and participation belong to them.
We dig deep to find out how they want to spend their time.
And work to support their choices.
Every activity is opt-in and opt-out.
We respect their choices and strive to meet them where they are.
We support without directing their play.
We believe kids know how to play!
We cultivate a collaborative, not competitive environment.
We focus inclusive play and do our best to avoid winning and losing dynamics.
We have clear, articulated boundaries so kids feel safe and supported.
We respect everyone's physical, mental and emotional space.
Days available: Mon, Tues, Thurs and/or Fri.
Hours: 2:00/school dismissal until 6pm. Pick up your child at your convenience within that time frame.
Afterschool pick up can be arranged for 2 - 4 students.
Commitment: None! Sign up for a day at a time or a whole month at once.
Jennie Brown co-founded The Playschool (a progressive learning environment for young children which is based in hands on exploration and social-emotional teaching) in 2014, where she is currently the co-director, a head teacher and the science teacher.
From 2010-2014, Jennie ran two other alternative home-based education programs in Brooklyn: The Little Green Schoolhouse and the Greenpoint Co-op. From 2007-2009, Jennie was a head teacher at the Montessori Day School of Brooklyn.
Jennie has a BA in psychology and a BS in rehabilitation counseling, both from Boston University. She received an MA in Early Childhood Education from NYU in 2007 and is a certified NYS teacher.
Jennie has lived in Brooklyn since 2003 and currently lives in Greenpoint with her family. She enjoys spending time outside, especially walking her dog or playing soccer with her kids.