Attn Chicago Mothers - ISO 3 yr old playgroup for next year!

amother

Sun, Oct 27 2013, 10:09 pm

Hi,
I am looking for a 3 yr old playgroup in Chicago (preferable close by to WRP area).
What I would love to find is someone very nurturing, warm, capable and patient. My child is bright and sociable... at the same time, this child has never been in a large group of kids before. Definitely more of a softer, sweeter disposition... not that 'rah rah loud 'n pushy type'...
Additionally, this child loves learning new things, subjects and ideas.
Any leads would be greatly appreciated!

busydev

Sun, Oct 27 2013, 10:39 pm

search chicago preschool or playgroup. I think there have been some posts in the past. just fyi most morahs wont talk abt next year till at least dec./jan. not sure of the size but names of ppl who do playgroups for 3 yr olds if im not mistaken.
sara malka broyde
miriam spector
fishbane (I think in wrp)
kirsch/kenzer

and im sure there are many more....

amother

Sun, Oct 27 2013, 10:52 pm

op here.
Thanks for info.
I heard some of the above-mentioned names but don't know much about any.
Does anyone have any personal recommendations? Like based on own experiences? Would love to hear from mothers who have sent to some playgroup around town... and what they think.
ie. which are of the more 'warmer' personalities... who has smaller groups... larger groups... more learning... etc....

amother

Tue, Jan 07 2014, 1:03 pm

queen esther wrote:

Are u still looking for info? I could post some of my experiences if you would like!

Im not the OP but im very interested in hearing details and experience- not just names- of 3 year old playgroups, particularly in WRP if possible.

To the poster above who said playgroups dont start discussing registration till dec jan is incorrect, I spoke to sori hochberg a week ago to see if I could get my child into her playgroup, and she was already full. It was still december.

busydev

Tue, Jan 07 2014, 1:13 pm

amother wrote:

yeah think that was me and I know that now...

seems alot of ppl opened up really early this year- cause they opened registration motzei shabbos chanuka. I just knew of one person that wont speak of it till january basically.

Im not trying for WRP playgroups so dont know more then names, but I tried calling someone MONDAY of chanuka and she was full!!!! b"h I got him into the playgroup that wont listen till january tho Very Happy

amother

Tue, Jan 07 2014, 1:40 pm

OK now im freaking out! Im the amother who brought this thread back to life. Where are earth will I send my daughter next year? It is barely January and most places ive reached out to are full. Anyone have experience with Adina Dimarsky? Ive heard VERY mixed reviews. Ive heard she is amazing and her space is beautiful, but this past year she was not very involved in the playgroup and leaves everything to her assistants.... I personally dont care but I know this bothered some people. They thought they were getting her, but in the end they didnt, and were dissapointed.
I would prefer wrp but if someone in peterson park was great I would shlep out there every day if there is somewhere more local, which in my case is wrp.
The J is very close to me but it is a bit too pricey, and I like the idea of a homey smaller place.

HELPPPPPP

bigsis144

Tue, Jan 07 2014, 1:43 pm

Not a playgroup, but my 4 year old DS is in Shaarei Chinuch (Montessori) and we both love it. There are 2 Morahs for 8-9 kids, and it's got a mixed age group (3-6 years old) as per Montessori philosophy.

DS is very bright and is stimulated and growing intellectually, as well as blossoming socially. As an eldest, he didn't really have playmates his age until he started school and didn't talk much, but now his communication skills have gotten SO much better.

busydev

Tue, Jan 07 2014, 1:48 pm

amother wrote:

Another Amother here!

I'm also interested in info, but not specific to WRP. I'm in Albany Park, so Peterson Park would be better. Does anyone here have any experience with Meisels?

And for the record, Tova Keller is also full.

I was refering to tova. (full monday night after opening)

im sending to shaindy meisels but its more of a young 3.

im also assuming I know you.... prob a neighbor of yours? (no need to tell me who you are tho-unless you want to of course)

kestenbaum in pp is also full and does older 3's. and I dont know of any others in pp anymore.

in south WRP there are a few people. Broyde (sarah malka maybe). People send to Fishbane and I have heard good things about her. Also Kenzer/Kirsch is on our side of Devon I think.

ETA my mother sent to meisels and was really happy there and I think it will be great for DS. She offered to me to come and visit a class to see it in action. DS's current morah said she thinks he will do great there and that she sent kids to her and loved her. she described her as a bubby. she is. very warm and loving. spends lots of time focusing on social skills and things like that. also has a decent sized room and makes sure the kids go out every day to her HUGE backyard weather permitting. She is into letting them be kids and while she teachs aleph bais etc, she doesnt focus on them having to know it by the time they leave as much as learning other things about it and with it (like right and left and sharing etc) they may very well know it when they leave but shes into letting them be kids and not that they need to have it down pat. im sure my DS will know it as hes already recognizing the different letters... but there isnt any pressure to learn it is the word I was looking for.

amother

Tue, Jan 07 2014, 1:56 pm

If you are on facebook, you can post there and a million people will respond.

There have been so many threads about playgroups recently. I know tzippi polstein in Lincolnwood has a playgroup for 2&3 year olds that I know people love. Lincolnwood might be more convenient from Albany Park than WRP. I know also Rose Vadnai has an amazing play group that people love in WRP. Rose alternates years 2/3 so that the kids can stay for 2 years. I don't know what age she is doing this year.

If you wan't a montessory program there is also the Sharrei Chinuch Day School: https://www.facebook.com/Shaar.....chool

I can't speak for the following people, just know they have playgroups:
Freydah Adelman in PP, Merry Berkowitz, Esther Friedman, Shira Ruben, Deb Lichtman, Sori Hochberg, Yael Draiman, Miriam Spector, Chana Shapiro, Alexa Friedman and Lera Etzman, Sara Malka Krinsky, Tziporah Niehaus, Nuchie Kirsch, Sorah Malka Broyde, Aliza Kestenbaum, Zeesy Posner (Skokie), Fishbane, Shaindy Meisels, TAmi Shultz (Skokie), Tova Keller,

There is also the JCC.

amother

Tue, Jan 07 2014, 2:03 pm

amother wrote:

Apparently in the 15 minutes or so it took to write this a lot of the names I mentioned were suggested. Sorry!

asd3

Tue, Jan 07 2014, 2:25 pm

I was lucky to have my older sister warn me when my first kid needed to go to play group. I start calling the morahs right after sukkos to get their info and find out exactly when they're taking names. Fishbane prob still has room she's in wrp. Kirsh is also three olds in wrp. People are happy with meisels though I've never sent to her. Keller broyde and kestenbaum fill up like the first day

amother

Tue, Jan 07 2014, 3:39 pm

amother wrote:

Busydev, I posted as amother because I don't want to give away my user name to people who don't know it, so I'm not going to pm you to out myself. I'm trying to figure out who you are, because I kind of assumed that no one from here is on imamother....

You'd be surprised! I lived in your neighborhood till a year ago and I've been in imammother for five years!

busydev

Tue, Jan 07 2014, 3:40 pm

totally understand that. theres actually a couple of us who have usernames here, tho im the only one whose here alot. but I dont mind giving myself away and if you want in person you can tell me who you are without telling your username. if you want.
my clues: (which are all on here under my name anyways) I have 2 boys and the baby was born tzom gedaliah.