Immerse Yourself in NYC History: A 37-Field Trip Adventure

This course promises:

Social Enrichment: Build friendships and develop essential social skills through collaborative learning, games, and team-building activities.

Hands-on Learning: Step outside the classroom and engage with history firsthand.

Underexplored Narratives: Center the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities throughout NYC's story.

Exciting Field Trips: Experience the thrill of discovery at 37 unique locations.

In-depth Exploration: Delve into key historical periods and movements from a variety of perspectives.

Bragging Rights: Be prepared to know more NYC history than your parents by the end of the year

Get ready to:

Unearth the city's natural wonders, with The Billion Oyster Project and the glacial history of Inwood Hill Park.

Meet the indigenous stewards of this land at the Museum of the Native American and the American Indian Community House.

Witness the fight for independence in pivotal battles and historic sites.

Explore the impact of Tammany Hall and the Robber Barons at locations like Grand Central, The Explorers Club, and the Cooper Hewitt Museum.

Understand the struggles of workers and immigrants at the Tenement Museum and the Irish Hunger Memorial, while recognizing the experiences of marginalized groups throughout history.

Celebrate the city's vibrant cultural fabric with visits to Spanish Harlem, Koreatown, and a delicious Dim Sum Feast!

Explore the city's evolution through architectural marvels like the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center, as well as modern marvels like the Museum of Holography, the High Line and Little Island.

Curious, hands-on children who love to invent and build. Kids who enjoy cooking, crafting, game-making, or inventing robots thrive here. Children who like to build, cook, invent, and collaborate with others feel right at home.

Children who dislike travel, crowded spaces, or overwhelming sensory environments may find the outings challenging. Kids who need very quiet, predictable routines might feel overstimulated. Families should ensure their child can handle subway and walking trips.

Brooklyn Apple Academy is located at 545 5th Avenue (2nd Floor) in South Slope.

Most locations we visit on trips have accessibility for wheelchairs. We will inform you in advance if this is not the case.

Brooklyn Apple uses a child-centered approach to education. We believe that kids should have autonomy over their education. The guide is there to lead the group, but we focus on meeting children where they are and giving them agency over their own education.

Students with ADHD are well-served by BAA’s movement-rich, hands-on program. Rather than sitting at desks, these children focus energy through active learning: movement-rich activities, hands-on projects, and outdoor learning allow children with ADHD to focus their energy productively in an active and stimulating setting. Morning and afternoon sessions include woodshop building, cooking, hike-and-explore trips, and games, which let high-energy learners stay engaged. Some staff notes caution that very open-ended activities may require gentle guidance or check-ins to help any student – ADHD or not – with transitions.

Children on the autism spectrum find a supportive environment at BAA. Small group sizes (usually 6–12 students) and a flexible, structured-yet-open setting mean that autistic learners can participate at their comfort level. BAA’s structured yet flexible environment and small group settings provide predictability and opportunities for social and creative engagement tailored to individual strengths. At the same time, staff recognize that the freeform group dynamics and city-wide excursions can be overwhelming for some; parents are encouraged to arrange extra support if needed (for example, bringing a 1:1 aide on trips) so that each child feels secure.

For dyslexic learners, BAA’s experiential curriculum minimizes the pressure of text-heavy work. Students often learn through telling stories, listening to audiobooks, and doing projects that develop literacy in context. As one overview notes, audiobooks, oral storytelling, and experiential learning minimize reliance on text-heavy materials, making learning accessible and enjoyable for children with dyslexia. In practice, kids might write via art posters or songs, and math by running a mock lemonade stand, so that reading difficulties are not a barrier.

Students with sensory processing differences also find a range of accommodations. The learning spaces include quiet corners, art rooms, and outdoor nature activities. BAA intentionally offers quiet spaces, nature-based activities, and tactile projects to suit sensory-sensitive children. Meanwhile, sensory-seeking kids can thrive in the busy makerspaces, kitchens, and park trips. Staff note that the smells, sounds, and activity level of a large group can be challenging for some; such children may benefit from noise-cancelling headphones, scheduled breaks, or a parent on-hand.

Other special needs are embraced in BAA’s inclusive community. For example, anxious children often do well because BAA has a supportive, inclusive atmosphere and small, close-knit community that fosters confidence. Families with children requiring extra support report that teachers and peers step in helpfully – one review observes that BAA’s nurturing model is able to ensure that child-led learning is supported by adult knowledge and skills – both the teacher’s and those of parents who are welcomed into the classroom at all times. In short, BAA’s motto children are free to show up as they are, take or leave whatever suits them means a respect for each child’s needs and pace.

Brooklyn Apple Academy’s child-led, experiential approach is designed to serve a wide range of learners. Gifted and twice-exceptional students flourish because they can pursue deep interests at their own pace. As one parent of a newly arrived Finnish family observed, finding a gifted educator was difficult – at BAA Noah Mayers has the experience…he puts Finnish educational values to work every day. The program explicitly notes that its child-led approach allows gifted and twice-exceptional learners to thrive, with individualized attention to their strengths.

Group of 5-10 students

This is drop-off! parents are not allowed to accompany kids unless agreed to previously. We recommend engaging your child in conversation about upcoming trips.

To get the most out of trips, we recommend researching the location ahead of time with your child or even incorporate into a project together.

BAA is founded on a philosopy of unschooling. We allow children a great deal of autonomy and have seen them thrive. Not everyone might be used to this approach.