Our Why
Nurturing developmental growth through the power of child-driven exploration.
At Union Square Play, we believe that children learn best when they are the architects of their own discovery. Our space is built on the philosophy that expert developmental guidance should move in harmony with a child’s innate curiosity.
By creating a community hub in NYC that balances child-driven play with robust parental support, and caregiver development, we nurture a lifelong foundation of confidence and communal belonging. Here, we don't just facilitate play sessions; we cultivate the environments where your family’s growth takes root.
Play:
Where play becomes their foundation.
We transform "playtime" into a purposeful developmental journey, using RIE-inspired, child-led exploration to build the cognitive resilience, creativity, and confidence your child will use for the rest of their life. Developed by Jennie Monness, USP Co-founder and parent and child educator.
Our Classes
Movement:
Wiring the brain through the joy of movement.
Our movement classes utilize the scientifically-backed BrainDance methodology to reorganize your child’s nervous system, building the essential neural pathways required for balance, focus, and future academic success. Led by world-class educator Dionne Kamara
Preschool Prep:
Cultivating a lifelong love for the classroom.
Utilizing a "gentle separation" model rooted in attachment science, Wise Owl Preschool Prep transforms the transition to school into a confident, low-stress journey that builds the executive function, social intelligence, and early literacy your child needs to thrive.
Mom Group:
Navigating from "doing it all" to "doing it together."
Led by early childhood expert Jennie Monness, our Mom Groups provide a fluff-free, research-backed community where you can quiet the parenting noise, find your local "crew," and build the confidence to trust your own intuition through every stage of your baby’s first year.
Voices from the community
"Union Square Play has truly become our place. The child-driven approach has helped my daughter blossom, while the expert-led sessions provided me with the parental support I didn’t know I needed."
Sarah J., Mom of two
"Watching my child grow through self-driven play in such a nurturing atmosphere has been transformative. It's rare to find an early childhood center that feels so premium yet deeply artisanal and professional."
Marcus T., Dad to Leo
Join the Community
Stay connected with NYC's premium early childhood play space. Receive expert tips on child-driven play and updates on our parental support community hub.
