John Lewis Childs Elementary

Little Explorers Academy Floral Park is one of three Little Explorers childcare centers, alongside Bayside in Queens and our newest center in Garden City. We have served neighborhood families for 18 years, caring for infants, toddlers and preschoolers from 5 months to 4 years old. Our curriculum is built around early STEM, introduced from the start. Infants in the 5 to 24 month room explore textures, blocks and cause and effect through sensory play, songs and stories, with a low teacher-to-child ratio. Two-year-olds experiment with water and sand, shapes and patterns while building vocabulary and learning to share and take turns. In the 3 to 4 year program, children construct simple structures, explore nature and work on group projects, with storytelling and early literacy activities preparing them for reading. Every age group gets time for painting, building, dancing and outdoor play to strengthen fine and gross motor skills. We offer flexible schedules and extended care for working parents, and families join us for seasonal events throughout the year.

My First School is a cooperative nursery school, so parents are part of the classroom. Families make up our board of directors, serve on committees, and take turns as the helping parent about 5 to 10 days a year, working alongside our certified, Master's-level teachers. We meet in Floral Park United Methodist Church, with our entrance on the Violet Avenue side. Bumble Bees is a one-hour Mommy-and-Me class for children 15 to 24 months, with up to 8 children. Two Time! introduces 2-year-olds to the classroom twice a week with a teacher, an assistant and a helping parent, in classes of 10, and separation happens gradually once a child is ready. Our 3's Nursery, with up to 14 children, meets four mornings or three afternoons a week. Days include music and movement, gym time, sand and water play, block building, painting and open-ended crafts. We deliberately hold off on letters with 3-year-olds and focus on social and emotional growth through play. Wednesday Enrichment adds math and science activities, Handwriting Without Tears letter work, walking trips and visitors, and our week-long summer camp includes cooking and experiments.