philosophy

Four Pillars of GaragePod

Nature and Community are intertwined. Children learn that when they care for the natural world, they also care for the community in which they live. Civic responsibility is a huge part of GaragePod. Our podsters regularly clean trash from trails and creeks and grow veggies to donate to our local food pantry.

Movement is vital for children's growth. All children need practice with uneven surfaces, climbing up and down hills, balancing atop fallen trees and slippery stones. Movement also includes fine motor manipulation of tools and crafts as well as gross motor activities. The pandemic and other cultural changes have affected the spirit of childhood physical development. At GaragePod, we seek to reclaim and support a risk-taking, fearlessness in children.

Free Play means that as teachers and adults, we step back and let children engage in unbridled, imaginative play. Through free play, children inevitably explore social dynamics so they can come together as a group to solve problems.

Creativity is the gem of childhood. At GaragePod, children have the opportunity to learn instruments, be an artist, make up games with friends, and be free to be who who they are.

Access

Mission

GaragePod thrives best with participants from a range of socio-economic and diverse backgrounds. We encourage all children to participate in our programs including those with IEPs, 504 plans and English-Language Learners. This is an inclusive community. We wouldn't have it any other way.

Affordability

We took a lot of care and consideration to come up with a pricing plan that is comparable to hiring a babysitter. We offer sibling discounts and have established a partnership with SPRING Community Partners.

A Statement on Technology

Boden tube radio and receiver that belonged to my grandparents. Circa 1960s

Our children have the rest of their lives to be on their phone, tablet, computer, iPad, whatever, Therefore, at GaragePod, they check their smart devices at the door. They need to engage with people and the world around them without the addictive distraction of web 2.0. However, it is important for our kids to have an understanding of media and its history.

GaragePod is a place that harkens back to my days as a kid growing up in Coney Island in the 80s and 90s. I never had to worry about Snapchat, FOMO or my profile picture. There were no ubiquitous blue lights emanating from every corner and surface of the world. It was just me, my friends, and lots of broken pay phones on my Brooklyn city street. We waited hours for our favorite song to come on the radio. We rummaged through record stacks, went to CD shops and spoke with merchants about their favorite bands. The world was tangible, not swipe-able.

So expect your child to learn how to use a record player, handle CDs, rewind cassettes, play VHS tapes and even type on a typewriter. We will have a sort of archive to old tech in our music section, which will give children a much needed media context. Kids will be able to discover music by flipping through CDs, tapes, and vintage records as if they were in a music shop somewhere in the East Village or on Avenue U in Brooklyn, NY.