Songs for Seeds, an early childhood music program with a mission to bring “a little rockin’ a lot of learnin’” to families and their young ones, just opened up its first Queens location in Long Island City.
Songs for Seeds is a music education franchise by Apple Seeds, a children’s amusement center that first opened in Manhattan’s Upper West Side and has various locations nationwide.
Molly Pfeifer, an early childhood educator who taught pre-K for seven years, said she was looking to get out of the classroom and start her own business, but didn’t know where to start. After meeting Apple Seeds and Songs for Seeds’ co-founders, Allison and Craig Schlanger and Alison Qualter and Bobby Berna, she found their franchise appealing.
Apple Seeds co-founder Allison Schlanger said Pfeifer was “weighing the options” of either opening up in Williamsburg and Long Island City, but “ultimately decided to launch in the neighborhood she knows best,” which was Williamsburg in 2018.
“Soon after her opening, we got interest in Long Island City from another potential owner and Molly jumped on the opportunity to secure it for herself,” Schlanger said.
Pfeifer said she wanted to bring the class to the LIC neighborhood after seeing that there’s a greater need for more educational resources as more young families move in.
“The opportunity came up to open in Long Island City, and it was too perfect to pass up,” she said.
The music class is located in the Renew Queens building at 47-20 11th St., and celebrated its grand opening in January.
Pfeifer described the program as “essentially, a mommy-and-me” class that is meant to engage children through musical activities and lay the foundation of early childhood education. The children’s ages range from newborn to 6 years old.
Classes are usually once a week and are about 45 minutes long. They’re led by a three-piece band and have various activities, including “Music of the World,” where they teach students authentic sounds and languages from different cultures. Pfeifer emphasized that students also learn letters, numbers and shapes.
“They’re learning so much just through songs,” she said. “It’s really cool to see week after week what they’re getting.”
Classes run on a monthly model, and starts whenever a parents signs up so there’s no 16-week commitment.
The first class is always free to try, and $115 per month afterward. They currently have a discount, offering the first month for $90.
Apple Seeds co-founder Bobby Berna said LIC’s recent boom in “residential spaces, shops and restaurants” and its short commute to Manhattan make it the perfect place for a Songs for Seeds.
“Molly has known this all along,” Berna said. “We can’t think of anyone better than Molly, and her incredible band of teachers, to introduce songs for seeds to this area.”
For more information, visit songsforseeds.com.
