I was an employee at Young Wonders for a few years and got teaching experience I wouldn't have…read moregotten anywhere else. Dina, the director is incredibly supportive in every aspect (dealing with parents, lesson-planning, teaching etc). It is here that I found my passion for teaching and am now a certified Elementary teacher! The kids are a joy and the program is wonderful. I highly recommend working and or sending your children here!

I was an employee at Young Wonders for about a decade. I cannot say enough about the safety,…read morecleanliness, and endless opportunities for growth, learning and play. Not all childcare facilities are created equally and I can say with confidence that I would recommend Young Wonders to any family looking for quality care for their young children in the Briarcliff Manor area. The educational director is so dedicated to each and every child/families needs in the building, and I truly miss being a part of that world on a daily basis!

If you're looking for a fabulous Russian-language preschool on the UWS, this is the place! Your kid…read morewill love these teachers who have a wealth of pedagogical expertise and also make learning engaging, and care about the kids. I appreciate the thoughtfulness put into the curriculum, and the photos shared afterwards. We did the 2-3 yr old program and loved the half day aspect too. Marina (the owner) is great and everyone on the team is very responsive. 5/5 would recommend

We have been taking our two boys to Zplay since they were 2 years old. It was highly recommended by…read morean early childhood education expert that we knew. It did not disappoint. Marina and all the teachers there are nurturing, knowledgeable, and they work tirelessly to create a fun and educational environment for the kids. The classes are very well planned with a variety of activities appropriate to the age, and there is an outdoor patio where the kids can run around and develop general motor skills. They also do a fantastic job at communicating with the parents by posting photos (a lot of them) on a private google drive after every class. I highly recommend Zplay for daycare/ preschoo/ afterschool options.

Solid hiking here. We went during a beautiful day and enjoyed getting lost on the trails for an…read morehour or so. The mansion is closed for renovations, but there was more than enough to enjoy without it.

After almost two years living in Norwalk, I finally discovered this shady oasis from All Trails…read morewhen dog sitting. The trail system is super well maintained and an easy loop to follow. There are multiple green spaces and designated dog areas around the mansion. Cranbury park is super shady and a quiet place to unwind from city noise.

My daughter started Pied Piper when she was 2 through the summer camp. She was extremely shy and…read morenervous around anyone she didn't know and we were on the fence about putting her into any program. We approached Pied Piper with our concerns about her social development and from the very start we felt completely comfortable. My daughter had a rough start, as I'm sure many kids do. There was a lot of crying, but Kathy and Max communicated so well with us, helping us make a plan for drop off and keeping us informed of how her days were going, what they were doing to help her adjust and celebrating every little win! I was so grateful for the never ending patience and understanding as they let her adjust at her own pace. Before long my daughter was looking forward to "school" (camp) and we quickly signed her up for the 3s program through the school year. She had an amazing year, really finding her place at Pied Piper. We watched, really in awe, as she became so confident and outgoing. She has made so much progress both academically and socially. Pied Piper strikes a perfect balance between play and academics, giving kids a taste of structured work that will prepare them for kindergarten (activity times/music/crafts/worksheets) while still capturing the fun of childhood with plenty of playtime, outdoor time, holiday celebrations and fun. I honestly don't know how they come up with all the things they do, but my daughter is always coming home excited about something! The communication is amazing. Kathy and Max are always available to talk and regular emails keep us always in the loop. We can't imagine sending out kids anywhere else!

This is a cute pretty park located in the back of the Museum of Natural History. Some people may…read morenot realize there is this park here. I just recently realized it was there and I walk by there alot. Great place to hang and just take in the air especially on a nice day. There are no playgrounds from what I saw and it's on the smaller side. Nice little area to walk around in.

A cute little small park with flowers next to the the Museum of Natural History and across from…read moreCentral Park. It's the park to whet your appetite for parks. There's a Nobel Statue, and I saw the cutest little dogs. If you're in the upper west side and had a heavier meal, I would walk around here.

Discovery Village has been absolutely wonderful for our girls. From the warm greetings every…read moremorning by Stephanie, Yasmill, and Krystallyn at the front office, to the kindness and dedication of their teachers throughout the day, we've felt genuinely supported and cared for. They truly live by the saying "it takes a village"--actively involving parents and creating a real sense of community and family. The only reason we're leaving is due to a major change for our family, and we wouldn't hesitate to recommend Discovery Village to all of our friends and family.

This is both a genuine reflection of the services we have received from Discovery Village and a…read morefull-throated rebuke of a recent 1-star review by a clearly ill-intentioned person. Since enrolling our son in July 2019, we have been provided nothing short of high quality child care by a supportive, compassionate, and safety-minded staff and leadership team. We were present during the transition to the current web/app-based communication and documentation tool. It has provided us with a more than adequate level of security and connectivity with the daycare. Since the roll-out of the system last year, it was made clear that it was the parents' responsibility to check-in children on arrival. To think that a teacher should take the extra time - away from the other kids in class - to make up for your own irresponsible mismanagement of the platform is selfish and ridiculous. I, for one, am completely satisfied that the teachers prioritize direct care of the children over task-saturation within an online recording tool. The app-based tool has also provided parents with secure, direct access through a bluetooth-enabled unlocking system. Anyone that would consider providing access to this app to an unauthorized person is a security risk, and I think we are a safer community with this person gone. When I exit the facility, I either wait for someone entering to do so with their own access or I confirm with the staff at the front desk that the person belongs here before opening the door. I hope that everyone would challenge me in the same way when I enter! We are a community of families and should each have a vested interest in the safety of our children that supercedes an ease-of-access mindset. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 health crisis, the leadership at Discovery Village has been completely transparent about the challenges of both managing a business and meeting the demands of working parents in this environment. The center quickly adapted to the new normal by implementing more than the State-required sanitation protocols and providing regular updates to families. We suspended our enrollment in late March and returned to the village in May and have had ZERO complications. The idea that Discovery Village is, was, or has been lax about their cleaning and COVID protocol mandates is a baseless and belligerent accusation. This team is professional to the core! I would be remiss to not mention that our son absolutely loves his teachers at Discovery Village. He is happy as can be every day we pick him up and his learning and curiosity is clearly nurtured. I recommend this center to anyone looking for high quality care by a team that is genuinely invested in the well-being and development of your child. Thank you for all that you do.

We sent our 4 and 5.5 year old to camp this summer. They truly had a fantastic time…read moreevery.single.day. Each day the minute they got into the car I would ask them each what their highlight of the day was. Swimming was also a big one! Kimmy Schimmy was a close second. Legos and their electives also at the top of the list. They have a great operation going - I strongly recommend going to an open house to check it out. Better yet just sign up because everything about the camp is truly wonderful!

I highly recommend this camp after sending all 3 of my kids there for 3 summers. My kids, who are…read moreon the timid side, were excited to go to camp each morning. The counselors greeted them by name and escorted them out of the car. Not only is there a fun theme daily but there is also instructional and recreational swimming every day! The highly trained lifeguards taught my kids how to swim, and the campers show off their new skills at the water olympics that take place at the end of the summer. Don't hesitate to send your kids to this camp!

The Charles A. Dana Discovery Center is my favorite Discovery Center to visit with my friends and…read moretheir children. I'm not posting photos inside as I don't like to post photos of children. When my daughter was growing up I enjoyed taking her to the discovery center in any city I lived in. Now I live near this Discovery Center in Central Park. It's a decent walk from my apartment with my friends and their children. First we check online to see the schedule of activity and the hours of operation. With the pandemic going on most activity is remote. Typically there's fun filled educational opportunities for all ages. The atmosphere is always joyful and the employees knowledgeable and helpful. There's not much more to add. I'd advise you plan a visit if you're nearby. This Harlem Meer area of Central Park is one of my favorites. It's the perfect location for a Discovery Center.

This terrific little building that has been restored to it's original state is a wonderful reminder…read moreof what makes Central Park so magical. Situated at the far northern point of the park on the banks of the Harlem Meer this structure hosts some wonderful live music events during the summer season. Having been there on a few occasions it makes for a relaxing time to sit under the shade while listening to world music and local musicians. This educational center is a spot to attend different programs during the year, and you can also rent fishing rods for catch and release fun in the Meer during fishing season. There are plenty of benches and places to sit at to enjoy the view along the Meer and around the center. Decently clean bathrooms can also be found in the Dana Center. Mostly locals come here which is nice as it never seems overly crowded with tourists. It's also close to some great spots to eat a few minutes away up in Harlem.