June 10, 2016 Sponsored Content
A new early development education center opened last month at 46-07 Vernon Blvd. in Long Island City.
MyTreehouse officially held its first day of classes on May 4 after meeting several requirements set by various city agencies. The center, according to owner Robert Cilinghir, was originally scheduled to open last winter. However, he was delayed by a great deal of red-tape.
There are four classrooms at MyTreehouse and each room is dedicated to children of a specific age group. Two classrooms have been set aside for toddlers that are 3 months to 12 months old, another room for children ages 1 to 2, and a fourth room for children ages 2 to 3.
“There are four classrooms with eight to 10 kids to each room, and two teachers in each. There are also instructors who float around from each room depending on the activities, so the adult to child ratio is sometimes greater than 1:4 or 1:5,” Cilinghir said.
In addition, each room is set to have its own gym area.
“Unlike the traditional daycare set-up where there is one gym for 20, 30, or 50 children, we’re going to have a gym in every room,” Cilinghir stated.
Summer Camp Enrollment Begins
Over the next month, the staff and faculty at MyTreehouse plan to reach out to parents and enroll children into their upcoming Summer Camp that runs from July 4 to August 26.
The camp will be open six days a week, Monday through Saturday, between 8:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Parents will have the option to enroll their children for the entire season, for specific weeks, or only on Saturdays.
“Curriculum in the summer camp is created for children to experiment with all different forms of art to create their very own masterpieces,” Cilinghir said. Families are then invited to a summer-end opening at MyTreehouse to view their little ones’ creations and receive a portfolio of their child’s work.
“We are incorporating the science of studying colors, clay sculptures, paper construction and even have child-friendly animals come in such as turtles and frogs so they can learn about their characteristics. Each week is complemented with recreational activities such as walks to the park, yoga, dance, music and movement,” Cilinghir added.
A Progressive Philosophy on Childhood Education
The center’s founder believes that while learning foundations of math and writing is important, a lot of early childhood development shouldn’t come from testing, but instead from playtime activities that have an educational component behind them.
“MyTreehouse provides a quality child care experience from infants to toddlers,” Cilinghir said. “Our highly trained teachers nurture each child to reach developmental milestones, ensuring each child becomes confident, joyful and fully prepared students.”
Cilinghir stated that the early development center reflects on what is known as “Progressive Education and John Dewey principles,” a guideline for childhood education that encourages children to gain knowledge through play, direct experience, hands on activities and social interaction with peers.
“The idea is very, very simple. Everything that they’re touching, looking [at] or playing with, those will all be geared toward them learning,” Cilinghir said. “Whether they’re playing with colors, the alphabet, or singing a song or dancing, everything that we do from the time the little ones come into our center until the time they leave will be geared toward education.”
In the future, MyTreehouse is planning to incorporate Saturday classes that enhance parents’ involvement such as “Mommy and Me Yoga” and workshops dedicated to “Principles of Parenting” that will guide families in parenting challenges. These workshops are designed to help parents deepen their connections to their children and foster self-love, responsibility and resiliency.
Parents who are interested in learning more, or who would like to fill out an application form for their summer camp in person, can e-mail info@mytreehouselic.com or call (718) 734-8862. More information can be found on their website.
