After School - PS 118
Spring Nature and Gardening in Prospect Park!
We pick kids up from PS 118
Registration is now open!
We pick kids up from PS 118
Registration is now open!
SPRING INTO NATURE!
Explore the treasures of Prospect Park! Kids will hike to and learn about the most beautiful and peaceful spots in the park, including the Peninsula, Juneteenth Way and the Vale of Cashmere! And sometimes we just stay in quiet spots for bird and bug and squirrel and chipmunk watching.
We also ask: How does our presence in the park affect the plants and animals around us? Can we use our knowledge and power to help native plants and wildlife? Kids will create art wok to educate passersby about the benefits of native plants while learning about the birds which grace our waterways and the fascinating mushrooms which pop up in the oddest places. We don’t always know what we’ll find, but every week is an exploration of the park’s mysteries and histories.
GRADES: K - 5.
Older kids will have more challenging activities. Classroom buddies, siblings and similar age groups will work and hike together.
TRANSPORTATION:
We pick kids up from schools and school bus stops and walk them to Prospect Park. Parents also have the option of dropping kids off to Prospect Park. We sometimes use our cargo bike to pick kids up.
2:40pm - 5:30pm (sometimes we are in the park until 5:45 but flexible based on kids’ & parents’ needs)
Rain or Shine or Snow or Heat
WHEN:
10 Mondays in Prospect Park: $1150
2:40 - 5:20
April 1, 8, 15, 29,
May 6, 13, 20,
June 3, 10, 17
9 Wednesdays in Prospect Park: $1050
2:40 - 5:30 (If your child dismisses from school earlier than 2:30, please add $200)
April 3, 17,
May 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
June 5, 12,
10 Fridays in Prospect Park: $1150
2:40 - 5:20
April 5, 12, 19
May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
June 14, 21
Cost includes gear kids will be using to explore nature: binoculars, monoculars, magnifying glasses, maps, art supplies, etc.
There are no Prospect Park classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
If you have at least 3 students in your school who are interested in starting Tuesday or Thursday nature classes in Prospect Park, please reach out to Meghan at [email protected].
WHERE
We walk kids to Prospect Park, usually near the picnic house. As it gets warmer, we walk closer to the boat house. Dismissal is at Prospect Park West and Garfield Place at 5:30. If it’s easier, we can walk your child to Grand Army Plaza for dismissal.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
We follow relevant COVID protocols and have fun outdoors safely.
SCHOOL CLOSURES!
We do NOT have classes when public schools are closed. This includes school holidays, snow days, half days, etc...
NO HANGRY KIDS and NO PLASTICS
Please pack a full metal water bottle and 2 -10 snacks because your adorables sometimes eat their snacks during lunch, EVERY single one of them, or trade them or lose them. But they often disappear to the same place where socks and mittens go. If possible, please do not pack plastic water bottles. If you need a metal water bottle, we will get one for your child if you tell us in advance. Plastic takes HUNDREDS of years to decompose, causing irreparable harm to our planet, to many animals, to people's health, and to the future of all of our children and grandchildren. We often talk about the many harms of plastic in our nature classes and you can see the pain in kids' faces as we talk about the plastics as they stare at single use plastics sitting in their lunch bags. Kids take this very very seriously. So do we. Please find an alternative to single-use plastics so we're not also filling the garden with these harmful plastics that can never ever be reused. Also, if you'd like the full guilt trip, and want to not sleep for a few nights, watch "The Story of Plastic." You will never see plastic the same way again. And hopefully it will have the same effect on you that it had on us.
HAPPY KIDS WHO AREN'T BOSSED AROUND GROW UP TO CHANGE THE WORLD (Our philosophy. A bit judgy, but must read.)
We practice compassionate communication and incorporate social-emotional learning into fun nature classes. We find fun and gentle ways to communicate to kids about nature while giving them time and space to express their needs, whether it’s frustration about something that happened during the school day or sharing a meaningful experience with the group. We also give them choices. We encourage kids to question authority, to question the powerful (grownups), to question decision-makers, to question conventional wisdom and to never accept intimidation or "because I said so" as good answers. The only time we don't give kids a choice is when it comes to safety rules, like crossing the street, etc... But asking questions and questioning authority is a SUPERPOWER. Kids who don't question authority and think intimidation is an acceptable teaching tool grow up to accept injustice or think it's normal, at least for a while. They quietly accept the status quo because that's what everyone around them does. This fear of judgment and possible rejection by friends, family, coworkers and community can be paralyzing, can stop even the toughest and most just adult from speaking up. So standing up against the war on Gaza and demanding a ceasefire becomes scary- because the experts say the bombing should continue. Never mind what your heart says when you see the images of unnecessary suffering. Ignore all that. Just accept what the smart folks say. They must know something we don't know.
Kids who are taught to question authority grow up to be adults who question conventional wisdom- adults who speak up when plants, animals, people and neighborhoods are destroyed for profit or gentrification or highways or greed or the expansion of a hospital or university or a state or hatever. When your child questions you or us, it can sometimes feel like they're being disrespectful. Let them question all of us so they know it's safe to do so, so they can exercise that part of their brain and their heart. If they can't ask you or us, who can they ask? As long as they do no harm to themselves or others, these questions are a sign of a healthy child. It's not easy because it means we're always explaining, but it allows them to accept what we say or explore or research different options. If this philosophy does not sit well with you, please choose another program. Or maybe give our program a try? You will thank us in 5 or 10 or 20 or 30 years when your kids become compassionate, non-violent social justice leaders who actively pull to bend that long arc of the moral universe toward justice. It does not bend by itself.
WHAT TO WEAR:
All kids must wear comfortable shoes which allow them to run, hop, climb, skip and moon walk. NO SANDALS. Kids often step on other kids' toes, sometimes accidentally. It can be painful. Also, no fancy outfits because they will absolutely destroy them when they jump into that mud or rain puddle, which is often really funny for us. So please dress for easy and comfortable outdoor movement on Thursdays, and expect them to get very dirty. If your child absolutely loves mud, it may be good to pack an extra shirt or shorts. Comfort is also crucial because we will sometimes run or skip or hop or walk long distances as we learn about flora and fauna in Brooklyn.
TRUST:
We find fun and gentle ways to communicate to kids while giving them time and space to express their needs and feelings.
WHO WE ARE:
We pay our staff a THRIVING wage (25% higher than a living wage), include generous scholarships and hire from the communities we work in. We strive to be economically, racially and LGBTQI diverse. When you sign your child up for our Brooklyn Seeds nature program, you are supporting a community. Please consider giving to our GoFundMe campaign, where you can learn more about what we do and why we do it.
REGISTRATION:
Please click on the registration form link below for PS 118 pickup. Please read about our program before you register. Registration will include payment methods. Go to the Prospect Park page if you are dropping off or if we are picking your child up at a bus stop. If you have any questions or you have a creative idea on how we can include your school and/or child, please email [email protected]
Explore the treasures of Prospect Park! Kids will hike to and learn about the most beautiful and peaceful spots in the park, including the Peninsula, Juneteenth Way and the Vale of Cashmere! And sometimes we just stay in quiet spots for bird and bug and squirrel and chipmunk watching.
We also ask: How does our presence in the park affect the plants and animals around us? Can we use our knowledge and power to help native plants and wildlife? Kids will create art wok to educate passersby about the benefits of native plants while learning about the birds which grace our waterways and the fascinating mushrooms which pop up in the oddest places. We don’t always know what we’ll find, but every week is an exploration of the park’s mysteries and histories.
GRADES: K - 5.
Older kids will have more challenging activities. Classroom buddies, siblings and similar age groups will work and hike together.
TRANSPORTATION:
We pick kids up from schools and school bus stops and walk them to Prospect Park. Parents also have the option of dropping kids off to Prospect Park. We sometimes use our cargo bike to pick kids up.
2:40pm - 5:30pm (sometimes we are in the park until 5:45 but flexible based on kids’ & parents’ needs)
Rain or Shine or Snow or Heat
WHEN:
10 Mondays in Prospect Park: $1150
2:40 - 5:20
April 1, 8, 15, 29,
May 6, 13, 20,
June 3, 10, 17
9 Wednesdays in Prospect Park: $1050
2:40 - 5:30 (If your child dismisses from school earlier than 2:30, please add $200)
April 3, 17,
May 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
June 5, 12,
10 Fridays in Prospect Park: $1150
2:40 - 5:20
April 5, 12, 19
May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
June 14, 21
Cost includes gear kids will be using to explore nature: binoculars, monoculars, magnifying glasses, maps, art supplies, etc.
There are no Prospect Park classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
If you have at least 3 students in your school who are interested in starting Tuesday or Thursday nature classes in Prospect Park, please reach out to Meghan at [email protected].
WHERE
We walk kids to Prospect Park, usually near the picnic house. As it gets warmer, we walk closer to the boat house. Dismissal is at Prospect Park West and Garfield Place at 5:30. If it’s easier, we can walk your child to Grand Army Plaza for dismissal.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
We follow relevant COVID protocols and have fun outdoors safely.
SCHOOL CLOSURES!
We do NOT have classes when public schools are closed. This includes school holidays, snow days, half days, etc...
NO HANGRY KIDS and NO PLASTICS
Please pack a full metal water bottle and 2 -10 snacks because your adorables sometimes eat their snacks during lunch, EVERY single one of them, or trade them or lose them. But they often disappear to the same place where socks and mittens go. If possible, please do not pack plastic water bottles. If you need a metal water bottle, we will get one for your child if you tell us in advance. Plastic takes HUNDREDS of years to decompose, causing irreparable harm to our planet, to many animals, to people's health, and to the future of all of our children and grandchildren. We often talk about the many harms of plastic in our nature classes and you can see the pain in kids' faces as we talk about the plastics as they stare at single use plastics sitting in their lunch bags. Kids take this very very seriously. So do we. Please find an alternative to single-use plastics so we're not also filling the garden with these harmful plastics that can never ever be reused. Also, if you'd like the full guilt trip, and want to not sleep for a few nights, watch "The Story of Plastic." You will never see plastic the same way again. And hopefully it will have the same effect on you that it had on us.
HAPPY KIDS WHO AREN'T BOSSED AROUND GROW UP TO CHANGE THE WORLD (Our philosophy. A bit judgy, but must read.)
We practice compassionate communication and incorporate social-emotional learning into fun nature classes. We find fun and gentle ways to communicate to kids about nature while giving them time and space to express their needs, whether it’s frustration about something that happened during the school day or sharing a meaningful experience with the group. We also give them choices. We encourage kids to question authority, to question the powerful (grownups), to question decision-makers, to question conventional wisdom and to never accept intimidation or "because I said so" as good answers. The only time we don't give kids a choice is when it comes to safety rules, like crossing the street, etc... But asking questions and questioning authority is a SUPERPOWER. Kids who don't question authority and think intimidation is an acceptable teaching tool grow up to accept injustice or think it's normal, at least for a while. They quietly accept the status quo because that's what everyone around them does. This fear of judgment and possible rejection by friends, family, coworkers and community can be paralyzing, can stop even the toughest and most just adult from speaking up. So standing up against the war on Gaza and demanding a ceasefire becomes scary- because the experts say the bombing should continue. Never mind what your heart says when you see the images of unnecessary suffering. Ignore all that. Just accept what the smart folks say. They must know something we don't know.
Kids who are taught to question authority grow up to be adults who question conventional wisdom- adults who speak up when plants, animals, people and neighborhoods are destroyed for profit or gentrification or highways or greed or the expansion of a hospital or university or a state or hatever. When your child questions you or us, it can sometimes feel like they're being disrespectful. Let them question all of us so they know it's safe to do so, so they can exercise that part of their brain and their heart. If they can't ask you or us, who can they ask? As long as they do no harm to themselves or others, these questions are a sign of a healthy child. It's not easy because it means we're always explaining, but it allows them to accept what we say or explore or research different options. If this philosophy does not sit well with you, please choose another program. Or maybe give our program a try? You will thank us in 5 or 10 or 20 or 30 years when your kids become compassionate, non-violent social justice leaders who actively pull to bend that long arc of the moral universe toward justice. It does not bend by itself.
WHAT TO WEAR:
All kids must wear comfortable shoes which allow them to run, hop, climb, skip and moon walk. NO SANDALS. Kids often step on other kids' toes, sometimes accidentally. It can be painful. Also, no fancy outfits because they will absolutely destroy them when they jump into that mud or rain puddle, which is often really funny for us. So please dress for easy and comfortable outdoor movement on Thursdays, and expect them to get very dirty. If your child absolutely loves mud, it may be good to pack an extra shirt or shorts. Comfort is also crucial because we will sometimes run or skip or hop or walk long distances as we learn about flora and fauna in Brooklyn.
TRUST:
We find fun and gentle ways to communicate to kids while giving them time and space to express their needs and feelings.
WHO WE ARE:
We pay our staff a THRIVING wage (25% higher than a living wage), include generous scholarships and hire from the communities we work in. We strive to be economically, racially and LGBTQI diverse. When you sign your child up for our Brooklyn Seeds nature program, you are supporting a community. Please consider giving to our GoFundMe campaign, where you can learn more about what we do and why we do it.
REGISTRATION:
Please click on the registration form link below for PS 118 pickup. Please read about our program before you register. Registration will include payment methods. Go to the Prospect Park page if you are dropping off or if we are picking your child up at a bus stop. If you have any questions or you have a creative idea on how we can include your school and/or child, please email [email protected]
PAYMENT OPTIONS:
See payment options below: Venmo or Zelle or Check or Credit Card
Venmo -- www.venmo.com/Brooklyn_Seeds
Zelle -- Zelle Brooklyn Seeds using mobile phone number 646-302-3149. https://www.zellepay.com/
Check -- Check made out to Brooklyn Seeds.
Mail to Brooklyn Seeds. 127 Avenue C. #2, Brooklyn, NY 11218.
Credit Card -- Click for all the Credit Card payment options for After School
When making payments on all platforms, please note your child's first and last name, school and season-Spring 2023.
Would you like to support other economically struggling families? Please give what you can and we will apply it to scholarships. Over 25% of our kids receive scholarships, so any additional amount will help!
If you have any problems, please email [email protected] or text 646-302-3149. Please always text first.
Brooklynseeds.net
[email protected]
646-302-3149
