Testimonials

I’m writing to recommend Crayon Power Playschool in Windsor Terrace. After a brief COVID break, they opened up again in September of 2020. After clear and collaborative (zoom) meetings with parents about how they would safely open we were confident that Oliver would be safe and that Crayon Power would be the best place for all of us to navigate the craziness. They were able to utilize their fantastic outdoor space and with their previous experience with forest school, were comfortable running a full and rewarding program mostly outdoors all year and reorganized their wonderful indoor space to accommodate the friends safely inside as well when necessary. Their ‘curriculum’ is tailored to be specific to the interests and needs of the cohort and is flexible and adaptable. They had a strong focus on the individual child but with a close eye to the dynamics of the whole group. Our son flourished beyond anything I could have imagined and the personal care and communication we experienced was amazing. Even after our son started school, Kristin kept in touch and made it clear she was always there if we needed anything and wanted to know how our son was getting on in his transition. Teacher Kristin and the other caregivers at Crayon Power made it clear that this is not their job but their life and passion helping to develop confident, strong, curious and emotionally competent communicators. Now that our son has transitioned to elementary school, we are thrilled that our 2.5 year old daughter has joined the community also. She couldn’t be happier and neither could we!
-Louise Lassen, Mom in Prospect Park South

Our son, Jack, has been working with Kristen for the past 7 months. After years of struggling in public school and feeling misunderstood, he came home one day and said, “It’s like Kristen knows exactly what I’m feeling.” Jack has learned how to understand his feelings, describe them to others and minimize his reactions to situations. He can rebound more quickly. He knows he is safe with Kristen and is able to learn organically and emotionally. She has also worked with us at home – we just love her and the program.
—Sara Shatzel Fitzpatrick, Mom in Brooklyn, NY

My child has no interest in gender identification. It’s something we’ve noticed since they began playing with toys and around other kiddos… As parents it became important to us to find a nurturing community of open minded parents, kids and people to be part of our social circle. I personally wanted to search out other kids who were creative, friendly and playing with a range of stimulating, natural, gender-neutral materials. Once my kiddo was really talking (A LOT) they were calling themselves “Super Kitty” and proved to be a highly imaginative, loving and creative person. My main goal was to find a space that was going to love, accept and nurture the curiosity (and quirks) of Super Kitty. My fear was that they were going to be shamed, or “guided” to behave in a way that didn’t feel natural for them. Crayon Power’s small playgroups allowed SK to thrive and become a social butterfly with many play dates and tons of stories to come home with! They would return covered in mud with a huge smile on their face. As a family, we were also provided with emotionally intelligent language to use with each other and with our extended family. It made it so much easier to show patience with each other and SK. I couldn’t have found a better place for my little one to start out in life. 
—Lenore, Brooklyn mom 

Crayon Power is the best thing to have happened to Archie and to all the family! Archie joined Crayon Power just a few weeks before his brother was born, and the gentle support Miss Kristen and Crayon Power’s staff provided him was wonderful. The structure of play and outdoor adventure, together with eating and creating with Friends was brilliant. He has learned so much—from Road Safety, flora and fauna… to not putting anything down plug holes! The range of ages provides an interesting mix—and I witnessed Archie learn from the older kids when he joined, to now seeing him be the responsible one knowing the rules. Well. Sometimes!!  We are thrilled every day to have found such a loving and fun community to start his education. His brother will certainly be joining when he is old enough.  
—Anne-Marie, Mom in Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn, NY

Kristen has worked with our family in the past and is extremely kind, caring, passionate and professional. She genuinely loves children and the kids pick up on her sincerity and “realness” right away. She brings a great deal of knowledge and experience, but she is always open to feedback and curious to keep learning and growing. Any family looking for an educator for their children with or without special needs will be very lucky to have Kristen be part of their team!
—Denise Dorn, mom of K, Manhattan, NY

We were working on separation anxiety in my son. We wanted my son to be able to separate easily with minimal tears and protest. Brice was able to separate extremely well without crying or complaining. With Brice able to separate, I felt less stressed about leaving him with other caregivers and felt more freedom and less anxiety. This ultimately benefits everyone in our home since I was not feeling as constrained and trapped.
—Mom in Princeton, NJ  

Kristen has worked with our family in the past and is extremely kind, caring, passionate and professional. She genuinely loves children and the kids pick up on her sincerity and “realness” right away. She brings a great deal of knowledge and experience, but she is always open to feedback and curious to keep learning and growing. Any family looking for an educator for their children with or without special needs will be very lucky to have Kristen be part of their team!
—Denise Dorn, mom of K, Manhattan, NY

We’ve been very happy with our Crayon Power experiences! The entire community has been such a blessing for our family. My now 4 year old son has attended for 3 years. His language has increased and he wakes up in the morning happy and excited to “go to work in nature with his friends.” The amount of cardboard creations that have come home this year are mind boggling! Ms. Kristen and the assisting teachers have been so supportive of me as a mother and always provide a mindful assessment of where my kid is at developmentally. He’s reached so many milestones. I can’t wait to see what is in his future! 
—Mom of A in Windsor Terrace

Recently my daughter has made much progress with her social awareness & adaptation and ability to control her anxiety. I owe much credit and praise to Kristen and her team at Crayon Power. At first we were nervous about the price but got a chance to meet Kristen before starting. She knew a lot about what Sara needed just by spending a few minutes with her. Now Kristen and the other staff are all instrumental in not only Sara’s life but mine as well. They genuinely care about her and my well-being. They have taught me a lot about how to interact with my daughter on a deep level. Since starting the class, Sara has improved in behavior and temperament. She is learning how to use her words for what she’s feeling and not have fits. I’ve learned how to approach her high anxiety with warmth even when the going gets tough. This place is a staple in our family and everyone close to us can see the difference in Sara. We commuted all the way from Harlem to Brooklyn so our family could be part of the playschool and not just take advantage of the private coaching. I was so inspired by the program the now the director, Ms. Kristen is helping me to start my own CP inspired program in my own neighborhood! 
—Michelle, Director of Uptown Birdies, Harlem mom