Playworks Early Childhood Center

Playworks was one the playschools that first caught our attention during the Mommy Mundo Preschool Fair in BGC. Baby Charley was instantly smitten with Playworks' colorful displays, engaging activities, and really friendly teachers. These are why we're convinced we're considering Playworks for Charley's playschool.

Baby Charley during the PReschool Fair 

Approach

Plaworks is a play-based progressive program that is focused on responding to the children's interests to create meaningful learning experiences. Their activities are developmentally-appropriate that target different learning areas like physical development, social and emotional development, language and literacy, mathematics, discovery of the world, and art. 

All of their graduates enter the big schools of their choice like Assumption San Lo, Poveda, Xavier, Ateneo, La Salle, and other international schools.

My 16-month old baby's artwork

Sensory Play with balls and jell-o! May I say, the apron looks really cute!! 

Playworks has Young Toddler Classes (Babies and Toddlers) and Nursery Classes (Preschool). The students are grouped by age; hence the class schedules, activities, curriculum, and materials are all appropriate for the kids' age. Each class has a very low student-teacher ratio, and Mommies can be sure that their kids are well-attended. 

Young Toddlers Class

There are also summer classes, after-school activities like Galileo English and Math Enrichment Program, Twinkle Stars Ballet, Language Classes (Filipino and Foreign Languages), Arts & Crafts, Acrylic Painting, Sports, and IT Programmes.

What We Love About Playworks

* Developmentally-appropriate Activities

Because the kids are grouped according to their age, the activities, materials, schedules are tailor-fit for them. For example, in Charley's class (Young Toddler at the Purple Room), the kids have whole group activities like Circle Time and Story Time. These activities teach appropriate social skills like being part of a group or even learning how to share. 

Story time/Dancing Time with Teacher Gabby

Charley loves how these bells sound when she walks and stomps her foot

There are also small group activities and hands-on experiences where the children learn through play. I think because there are various small centers in the classroom, children can learn pre-reading, pre-math, and pre-science with the help of the teachers.

Charley building pipes while her classmate picks from the Science center 

Finally, there is also Free Play where the teachers work with the kids one-on-one or in small groups. 

Music Time

One of the many sensory activities 

* Low student:teacher ratio with well-trained teachers and staff 

Each class has very low student:teacher ratio. In fact, there are 2 teachers and 1 teacher-aide in each class. This way, Mommies can be confident to leave their kids in the classroom. 

Lessons are in English, but teachers also consider the vocabulary each child uses at home. There are different types of nationalities in each class, but the kids adjust well and non-native speakers even learn English from their teachers. 

Art time

Moreover, teachers receive a yearly training or workshop from Red Cross. Also, each room is cleaned and sanitized after each class, and toys are washed every week. However, mouthed toys are removed from the classroom right away to be disinfected. I find this very helpful especially during the flu season. 

A teacher-aide on the look out while the kids are playing 

* Safe, conducive environment

Each classroom is huge for the class, so our babies can crawl, walk, run, and jump more freely and more confidently. Learning materials are also strategically placed in the classroom, so the kids learn something wherever they look.

Snack Time

The play area is HUGE with toys of all kinds. There are cars and trucks (Charley's favourites), dolls, and soft baby gyms for everyone. 

There's also a diaper-changing station, a waiting area for the fetchers, and a bigger area with tables and chairs. 

Finally, the whole school is aircondtioned and has a security lock by the entrance. 

Fees, Schedule 

What we love more about Playworks is that it offers different types of class schedules. There are early morning classes, late morning classes, and afternoon classes, so Mommies can just choose which will fit their babies. Some students attend classes everyday, others 3x a week, while some 2x a week. Fees vary depending on the schedule and age of the child.

The following are the fees for the summer activities as of SY 2016 - 2017.  You may simply call, email, or visit Playworks for SY 2016 - 2017 tuition fees. Fees of children who will not be attending the whole school year (for example, students may attend 6 months of schooling only) will be pro-rated.

Location and Contacts 
Aguirre Campus
2/F Aguirre Building
108 HV Dela Costa St.
Salcedo Village, Makati City
02.816.3273
infor@playworksph.com

Three Salcedo Campus
2/F Three Salcedo Place
123 Tordesillas St.
Salcedo Village, Makati
(Just across Jaime Velasquez Park; Look for UCPB; Near Coffee Bean)
02.555.0497
playworks.salcedo@gmail.com

Right across Jaime Velasquez Park

Overall
Baby Charley enjoyed all her activities at Playworks. She loves her teachers who are very friendly and accommodating, and she looks forward to her classes everyday. Mommies, Daddies (yes, Daddies!), and yayas whom I met there also have just good words for the playschool.

We also notice that Charley learns new words from the teachers and even applies at home what she has learnt in class. For example, she packs away her toys and sits down on the chair during meal time once you sing the songs she hears in class.

Indeed, Playworks Early Childhood Center is highly recommended as a playschool.