Melissa's Playschool

Our Teachers

Melissa Connelly is the founder and head teacher of Melissa’s Playschool. She has been working with children in one capacity or another for over thirty years as a pediatric nurse, public school teacher and psychiatric child therapist. She holds a BS degree in nursing, a MS degree in education and keeps her R.N. license current. She also holds an MFA in creative writing.

Ty Matsushita is a native New Yorker who is happy to be bringing joy to the children of the city he loves. Ty got his start working with kids at the Windsock Theatre Camp at the Weathervane Theater in Whitefield, NH, where he has helped to unlock kids’ inner creativity for the past six years. He earned a BA in International Relations from SUNY Geneseo. Ty has continued his work in early childhood education through Melissa’s Playschool and with the P.S. 154 After School program.

Jenny Burrill has been teaching yoga to adults and children for 15 years. She has an MFA in dance, certification in Kundalini yoga and is a licensed massage therapist. She is the author of Temple of True: a Breathing Meditation, for kids and their adults

Dan Vonnegut began playing drums and guitar at nine years old. He has a B.A. in music. For 15 years he has been a professional drummer and multi-instrument teacher. He is trained in Music Together and has taught groups of children in various settings. His two children are graduates of Melissa’s Playschool and love music!

Testimonials

“Forget the trendy, new-fangled, crazy-expensive Park Slope playschools, Melissa’s is where it’s at! We feels so lucky to have been able to send our toddler to her playschool, comfortably set in her spacious house on a fantastic neighborhood-y block. Don’t overlook it.” - Marcus

“The vibe is very relaxed and gentle, and the children formed lovely friendships. The art projects were all very tactile and just what a toddler can dig into (I remember these bins of various shapes of beans, you just wanted to put your hands in!). The outside space is a nice benefit, for some sunshine and air. Melissa is a warm and very wise soul, and I trust her completely.“ - Maria

“We sent our daughter to Melissa’s Playschool on a recommendation from a friend.  This was our daughter’s first time in a school setting so we wanted a very nurturing and joyous environment for her.  We’ve found that and much more at Melissa’s.  Our daughter comes home happy every day with stories of what she did and of all her friends.  Besides a lovely daily routine (art, music, outdoor time, library, yoga 1x week, etc), we’ve also met a great group of parents.   We have been very pleased with her experience.  It’s nice to find such a sweet and down to earth introduction to school in competitive Park Slope!  Highly recommended.” - Michelle

“Melissa’s Play School is an exceptionally warm, nurturing program that’s the perfect stepping stone from home to pre-K. Both of my children loved their time at Melissa’s and I saw them grow in wonderful ways. From my very shy daughter who learned to come out of her shell, to my out-going son who loves to be silly and learned that he can have fun while following along. Melissa and her staff gently nurture each child, guiding them through the very first steps toward school.” - Heather

“Melissa’s Playschool allows children to learn through play. The atmosphere promotes self-confidence, cooperation, language development & communication. Both of our sons have attended Melissa’s and I feel that the nurturing environment and well-rounded activities are unrivaled in Park Slope.” - Libby

“I loved that the day was spent mostly in play- my son learned important social skills while his imagination exploded. I know that his years there were essential to him becoming the happy, well-adjusted, creative young man that he is today. Melissa’s truly is a special place.” - Stephanie

Philosophy

At the heart of our program is the idea that children learn through play. We’ve all heard that phrase, but to put it into practice means having children generate their own play. The teachers provide the scaffolding, but the play comes from the children. They might imagine ‘Seaweed Island where trains and kitty cats live’ or ‘living inside of a chocolate cake’. This can be hard work for them and occasionally they get stuck; we do help them, but most times we let them figure out how to do it for themselves—that’s the real learning.

Developing the necessary social skills for kindergarten and life beyond means learning to assert their needs appropriately, yet understanding that other people have their own ideas. We work on empowering the children with the tools to communicate with peers, rather than intervening for them. We address practical skills as well, such as putting on their own shoes, etc., which gives a child confidence and a sense of efficacy.

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Location

Melissa’s Playschool is located in a warm, inviting single family home in the Park Slope neighborhood.

We’ve designed our care environment with play and learning areas that allow children to explore various developmentally-appropriate activities based on their interests. Some of our favorite areas include sensory area (for spatial awareness and learning through the five senses), block area (for gross motor skills and problem solving), and music and movement area (for physical activity and cultural learning).

Children will have some outdoor time everyday at mix of both my private yard and local parks and playgrounds. Children need space to run, jump, and move!

At Melissa’s Playschool, I want to provide an enriching environment where children feel free to explore and play.

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About our program

We are committed to mixed-age grouping as it benefits both the older and younger child. Ideally a child stays with us two or more years. The first year they model the older children and the second year they integrate it all and practice leadership.

We do a variety of art projects, story telling activities, theater play, cooking, science experiments and group games. We focus on the process, not the product. Your child will not be coming home with ‘cookie cutter’ projects but rather with things they have created themselves. The emphasis isn’t on a physical product to bring home, but rather an exploration of all kinds of materials and experiencing the joy of making art.

Because our group is small, we are able to guide our program to student’s interests. Therefore, we do not have ‘themes’ in our school, rather we plan curriculum to each particular group. Some years we’ve done lots of creating our own stories and acting them out, others years lots of art, other years lots of work with words, letters or maps, other years, dinosaurs or experiments—it all depends upon the group. But always we encourage each child to challenge themselves with new activities.

We individualize to students’ needs. When we had a student who was reluctant to talk, we taught the whole class sign language and played many games that didn’t involve spoken language so he could participate in a way that felt safe for him, and from there we built upon that confidence until he was a full participant. When we had a student who isolated herself on a backyard swings, we made a game of having the kids push one another on the swings, thus helping that child become more involved.

Building community is key to everything we do. It’s why we eat the same lunch at one big table. We strive to maintain equity within the group; the quiet children get as much attention as the outgoing ones. We value family involvement; it’s part of how the child learns to define themselves as an individual, a family member, and integrate into a larger community.

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Admissions

Join the Melissa’s Playschool community in four easy steps:

1. Explore our website

We’ve provided information about our philosophies and offerings to help you decide if our program may be right for your family.

2. Tour our program

Come see what makes Melissa’s Playschool unique. Please schedule a tour or attend an Open House event.

3. Submit an Enrollment Application

If you would like to enroll, please submit an application. Please note that we require tours for all prospective families. Please do not submit an application if you have not visited the program.

4. Enroll

After reviewing your application, we’ll send an enrollment invitation. Upon accepting your invitation you’ll pay your enrollment fee, fill out enrollment documents and review our Parent Handbook.