After School FAQs

Do you really go outside in all kinds of weather?

Yes, we really do! We aim for at least 45 minutes outside every day. This program is play-based and inspired by the Forest schools in Europe as well as Waldorf Schools. You can read more about Forest Schools here.

We prepare families by sending home a guide for how to dress appropriately for different types of weather. We send out a weekly newsletter including a forecast and tips on what to wear/pack. We also have a stash of clothing and gear for those times when you forget to send them to school with gloves or rain boots, etc… We routinely check the children’s hands for warmth on colder days and serve tea or hot cocoa. On rainy days we have a tarp to create a dry space and umbrellas. We tell the children that dressing for the weather is mandatory and they cannot go outside and play otherwise.

We encourage the children to splash in puddles, sit in water buckets when it’s hot and play in the muddy wet dirt when it rains. We ask that you include a plastic bag of clothing in your child’s backpack. If your child is not appropriately dressed and we do not have gear for them in our backup stash, you may be asked to pick your child up early.

For monthly payments, why do I pay the same amount each month when there is a different number of school days each month?

Monthly payments are the Seasonal rate divided over the number of months for that Season. It is a payment plan. If we charged each month according to the number of school days, there would be vastly different numbers from month to month which would be difficult to budget for you and for us!

When is pickup time 5 or 5:15?

We know that public transit and traffic makes arriving on time tricky! We offer a window to pickup your child from 5-5:15pm. We ask that you aim for 5pm, and then if you are late, you do not have to worry about the late fee. At 5:16pm, the late fee kicks in.

Can Honeysuckle come to my school?

If you would like to have Honeysuckle at your school, please send us an email to the thehoneysucklesociety@gmail.com and we will add your school to the waitlist. The school needs to have a garden or access to a natural outdoor space other than a playground, and an indoor room readily available in case of thunderstorms, heat greater than 100 degrees or other exteme weather. We proudly serve the children in the NYC public school system. Thank you so much!

Do you let the children wear swimsuits in the summer?

Yes ,we sure do! We ask that you send them in with swimsuits they can easily put on (i.e. no crisscross straps for girls). If you send your child in with a swimsuit, we will not help them unless they ask us to, and will assume that helping them is ok unless parents notify us otherwise.

Can I swap days this week or have a makeup day, since I’ll be out of town/sick/holiday etc..?

We are not offering swaps or makeup days, and ask that you do a dropin instead, with as much advance notice as possible. Thank you!

When is Pre-K pickup?

Pre-K pickup is at 4:30pm until they are 5 years old. A late fee kicks in at 4:31pm. We find that the little ones are truly spent at the end of a long day with this much outdoor time and do better with an early pickup.

Can you change my child’s diapers if they are not potty trained? Can you wipe their bottoms?

Unfortunately, no. Your child must be fully potty trained and able to wipe their own bottoms.

Are you accepting 3K students?

We are not accepting 3K at this time.

Do you provide snacks?

We ask that you send your child to school with their own snack and appropriate utensils. They only get 20 minutes or so to eat lunch and are often very hungry at the end of the day.

Is it possible for a child to be suspended or dismissed from The Honeysuckle Society?

Yes, it is. We strive to create a safe, respectful, and nurturing environment for every child. Consistent aggressive behavior toward peers, ongoing disruptions to the group, or repeated violations of our safety rules may result in a conversation with parents about a child’s continued participation in the program. In rare cases where a child’s behavior poses a risk to themselves or others, or significantly affects the group experience, termination from the program may be necessary. Please note that in the event of termination or suspension, no refunds will be issued.