Small World Early Childhood Center
Contact Information
Address: 211 Ainslie Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211
Phone: (718) 963-0330
3K & UPK at Small World Early Childhood Center
Free, high-quality child care for children born in 2019, 2020, 2021!
Small World Early Childhood Center participates in the NYC Department of Education’s free Universal Pre-Kindergarten program. Please select Small World as your choice for 3K & UPK. We have been providing pre-kindergarten to children for over 40 years, and we’re excited about what the upcoming 2023-2024 school year will hold for our program!
Program overview
We have two Pre-K classrooms that hold a maximum of 18 students each. We have five 3K classrooms hold a maximum of 15 students each. Classrooms have one teacher, one assistant teacher, and one part-time assistant teacher in order to provide your child with the personalized, attentive educational experience they need to thrive.
The focus of our 3K and Universal Pre-K programs is to provide stimulating, educational, hands-on learning explorations across seven key areas:
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Communication, language and literacy
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Approaches to learning
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Arts (music, dance & art)
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Science
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Math
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Social studies
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Community awareness and social-emotional development
All of our activities, explorations and lessons are aligned with the Pre-K Foundations for the Common Core (PKFCC), designed to create and build a strong foundation for success in primary school and the rest of your child’s life.
Our 3K & UPK programs runs from September to June (10 months a year), Monday through Friday, from 8:30 am to 2:50 pm. We offer a fee-based afterschool options for families who need additional child care from 3 to 6 pm.
What makes Small World Early Childhood Center unique
In 1969, the Conselyea Street Block Association founded Small World with local organizer Jan Peterson, a grassroots movement to provide quality child care services for working-class Italian-American families in North Williamsburg. We've been serving young Brooklynites ever since.
When your child attends Small World, your family becomes part of this heritage here in Williamsburg: Many of our staff and parents attended Small World when they were children. This vibrant community history has created a nurturing environment among staff, students and families – a warm community we’re honored to invite you to join.
Our above-average ratings
In 2014, an outside body of educational experts with the DOE evaluated our UPK program with the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale (ECERS), giving us a score of 4.1, surpassing the NYC average of 3.5. In 2016, we were reviewed with the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS). Our UPK program received a 5.23, against the 5.1 NYC average. We’re glad these ratings reflect our team’s dedication to providing a high-quality, affordable child care experience.
How to apply
Our 3K and UPK programs are FREE! Your application and enrollment is processed through the NYC DOE. Enrollment is February 24 through April 19 for UPK and May 28 for 3K. Follow the steps below for your best bet at a spot in Small World’s 2023–2024 3K & UPK classrooms.
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Visit the DOE online application website at nyc.gov/prek and log in, or call (718) 935-2067 for assistance.
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Follow the application instructions. When you’re given space to choose schools, select Small World as your top choice!
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You will receive a placement letter from the NYC DOE. We hope it’s with us!
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Once you receive the placement letter, gather the following and bring to our designated meeting in June:
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Two recent documents that provide/prove the child’s address
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Child’s birth certificate, passport or baptismal record
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Child’s recent medical record and immunization record
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Your child
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The placement letter
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Attend a school-hosted parent orientation meeting (dates TBD)
Please contact our office at (718) 963-0330 if you have questions about our UPK program and/or how to enroll/apply. We would be thrilled to offer you a tour or host you at an upcoming open house.
"Our older son went to Small World for pre-k last year and we loved it!
The teachers are fantastic and class sizes are small, while the classrooms themselves are spacious and sunny. There is a lot of learning through play and outdoor and indoor open play/recess every day, sometimes multiple times per day.
The playground on the roof is *amazing*, too! [...] I feel the pre-k teachers prepare the kids for kindergarten in a really outstanding way.
My older son is in kindergarten now at PS 34 and he's thriving there. Small World is really a gem for the neighborhood and I highly recommend!"
