Crab Apples

Our goal is to nurture the spirit of inquiry and play that children naturally bring to everything they do. We provide the space, the tools, and the opportunity for children to use their hands to develop their minds.

Our students learn to read, write, and create in the context of our projects, play, and travels. We learn at our own pace and at the insistence of our curiosity. We encourage the development of self-motivation and self-discipline, and watch our students grow with every game they invent and nail they hammer.

We learn to write while making posters, composing songs, and drafting the invitations to our performances. We learn to count, add, and subtract while selling lemonade and cookies at a stand at the farmers market. We learn to divide so we can see if there are enough snacks for everyone to have seconds (or thirds!) We learn to read in order to decipher important subway signs on our field trips.

Tuesday: Girls Day, Thursday: BIPOC Day

Young explorers in pre-K and kindergarten who can focus for short periods and enjoy crafts, stories, and simple projects. Children who like collaborating with older kids find it inspiring.

Children older than 6 or younger than 4 may not be developmentally suited. Kids who require constant one-on-one attention might need a smaller home program before joining Crab Apples.

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

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.

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.