Never mind that chess is a great exercise for the mind that increases math and literacy abilities. Chess is a great game, and kids love it! We offer beginner, intermediate and advanced chess classes, as well as an annual tournament for students in our Manhattan Youth programs.

This creative hands-on class has students working on a new and very cool craft project every week with their favorite after-school staff members!

An introduction to ballet vocabulary and technique. Students develop strength, alignment, musicality, and the grace that is inherent in the form. Dancers in our ballet classes are prominently featured in each semester's dance performance.

Students learn basketball skills, good sportsmanship, and sense of team spirit. Players are divided into groups based on experience and skill level. Each class session includes a lesson filled with drills and a game or scrimmage. 

Students learn basketball skills, good sportsmanship, and sense of team spirit. Players are divided into groups based on experience and skill level. Each class session includes a lesson filled with drills and a game or scrimmage. 

Students will learn the basics of fiber arts design while creating their own original projects, including t-shirts and tote bags.

Students will learn the basics of fiber arts design while creating their own original projects, including t-shirts and tote bags.

Our mini chefs learn essential kitchen skills, from slicing and mixing to chopping and plating. We develop and encourage nutritious food choices while working together to prepare snacks and meals. Every class ends with a delicious treat!

Our mini chefs learn essential kitchen skills, from slicing and mixing to chopping and plating. We develop and encourage nutritious food choices while working together to prepare snacks and meals. Every class ends with a delicious treat!

Students will learn the basics of tennis in a fun, active and supportive team environment!

With an eye on presentation, this class will explore science topics from electricity to ecosystems, from the biology of insects to the wonders of the solar system and beyond. Each semester will culminate in an exciting presentation for parents and peers.

Kids will receive daily challenges of structures to build with Legos. There will also be time for students to explore on their own and in small groups, building creations of their own invention.

Students will sketch fashion figures, design fabrics, and create full lines of clothing, producing their own style books. Students will work toward an end of semester Fashion show featuring the design pieces they've worked on.

Students will sketch fashion figures, design fabrics, and create full lines of clothing, producing their own style books. Students will work toward an end of semester Fashion show featuring the design pieces they've worked on.

Jazz funk is a high-energy, performance-driven dance style that combines the structured groves of classic jazz, and blends it with fun modern, pop, and hip-hop moves. It’s popularity is growing all over so come join the fun!

Jazz funk is a high-energy, performance-driven dance style that combines the structured groves of classic jazz, and blends it with fun modern, pop, and hip-hop moves. It’s popularity is growing all over so come join the fun!

This energetic class builds strength, flexibility and fitness. Students develop acrobatic skills while having fun!!

This class will feature easy, yummy recipes that your child can learn to make at home. It will feature both savory and sweet dishes, with students concentrating on their own single-serving fare. Besides different sauces and dips, students will learn to make veggie pinwheels, cheddar corn dogs, breakfast muffins, parfaits and more!

Wǒmen zǒu ba! (Let's go!) 

Our approach, in several ways, but a good starting point is to focus on Pinyin, tones, basic vocabulary, and sentence structure.  Your child can then move on to learning Chinese characters, engaging with native speakers, and immersing themselves in the language through media!

Introduce your child to the world of ceramics! Develop motor skills and learn creative problem solving through projects aimed at stimulating imagination and creativity. Projects range from animal themed sculptures, making a new favorite cup or bowl, figurative work and more!

We offer an introduction to the piano keyboard in a group lesson setting. All levels are welcome. These classes are an excellent introduction to rhythm, melody and music theory.

Kids will receive daily challenges of structures to build with Legos. There will also be time for students to explore on their own and in small groups, building creations of their own invention.

We are proud to offer Youth Swim Lessons as a choice in our After-School Programs. Children receive the same instruction and swim experience as our Youth swim lessons.  Your child will be picked up directly from their classroom at school dismissal, have a snack, and be transported to the Downtown Community Center for childcare activities provided by our After-school staff.

To find out more on our After-School programs, please click here.

Please note that swim offerings and schedules vary by school. 

If you attend a school that is not in our network, you may sign your student up for drop-off After School at the Downtown Community Center.

This energetic class builds strength, flexibility and fitness. Students develop acrobatic skills such as tumbling, balance, endurance and coordination.

Wǒmen zǒu ba! (Let's go!) 

Our approach, in several ways, but a good starting point is to focus on Pinyin, tones, basic vocabulary, and sentence structure.  The club focuses on refining fluency and accuracy in listening, speaking, reading, and writing, with emphasis on complex grammar and vocabulary. 

In this fun-filled class, kids will learn the basics of rhythm, melody, and musical expression through songs, games, movement, and hands-on activities with instruments. From clapping beats to playing simple percussion, each session encourages creativity, listening skills, and confidence. No experience needed—just bring your curiosity and love for music!

Working with clay has been all the rage. This class will explore all the different ways of creating with clay.  Handbuilding and working on the pottery wheel helps develop motor skills, problem-solving abilities and creativity through a variety of stimulating projects. From animal-themed sculptures to crafting their own favorite cup or bowl, there are endless possibilities for imaginative, figurative, and function work.

We are proud to offer Youth Swim Lessons as a choice in our After-School Programs. Children receive the same instruction and swim experience as our Youth swim lessons.  Your child will be picked up directly from their classroom at school dismissal, have a snack, and be transported to the Downtown Community Center for childcare activities provided by our After-school staff.

To find out more on our After-School programs, please click here.

Please note that swim offerings and schedules vary by school. 

If you attend a school that is not in our network, you may sign your student up for drop-off After School at the Downtown Community Center.

Children study their cherished bedtime stories, from Hans Christian Andersen to the Brothers Grimm, learning the foundations of storytelling and magical imagery, to invent their own enchanting tales.

Work on journals, magazines, afterschool yearbook, writing, etc.

We are proud to offer Youth Swim Lessons as a choice in our After-School Programs. Children receive the same instruction and swim experience as our Youth swim lessons.  Your child will be picked up directly from their classroom at school dismissal, have a snack, and be transported to the Downtown Community Center for childcare activities provided by our After-school staff.

To find out more on our After-School programs, please click here.

Please note that swim offerings and schedules vary by school. 

If you attend a school that is not in our network, you may sign your student up for drop-off After School at the Downtown Community Center.

Diamond art is a craft that teaches how to create picture painting through the use of sparkling colored resin diamonds placed on a grid. Explore and create works of art that you will be proud of. 

Discover the power of ART in a safe, encouraging and fun environment. Through their brush strokes, your child will healthily express their emotions and communicate their thoughts. Each session will allow your child to build their self awareness while simultaneously nurturing their creativity. Unlike a traditional art class, brush strokes allows your child to use what they're feeling as the starting point for their masterpieces. Let your child experience art in a new and exciting way!   

Diamond art is a craft that teaches how to create picture painting through the use of sparkling colored resin diamonds placed on a grid. Explore and create works of art that you will be proud of. 

Discover the power of ART in a safe, encouraging and fun environment. Through their brush strokes, your child will healthily express their emotions and communicate their thoughts. Each session will allow your child to build their self awareness while simultaneously nurturing their creativity. Unlike a traditional art class, brush strokes allows your child to use what they're feeling as the starting point for their masterpieces. Let your child experience art in a new and exciting way!   

A co-ed school spirit squad that performs step routines and builds audience involvement at basketball games and other school events. Students in cheer squad will learn and practice a variety of cheers that build strength, coordination, and teamwork.

A co-ed school spirit squad that performs step routines and builds audience involvement at basketball games and other school events. Students in cheer squad will learn and practice a variety of cheers that build strength, coordination, and teamwork.

Our blend of intramural sports and non-competitive sports skills and drills is sure to meet your young athlete's needs! Students will engage in a variety of seasonal sports responding to the physical fitness and socioemotional need for students eager to have a fun environment, where they can reconnect with their peers, and their favorite after-school coaches and group leaders.  

A high-energy, intense class for dancers of all experience levels. The dance studio will be hopping to today's pop stars as students learn individual and teamwork skills that evolve into polished dance numbers. All students participate in a Manhattan Youth dance performance at the end of each semester

Get ready for a tasty adventure around the world! In this hands-on cooking class, kids will explore global cuisines as they learn to prepare fun, simple dishes from countries like Italy, Mexico, Japan, India, France, and more.

Each week features a new country and its flavors, along with a little cultural fun—learning about traditional ingredients, kitchen customs, and food-related stories. Young chefs will build confidence in the kitchen while practicing basic cooking skills like mixing, measuring, chopping (with kid-safe tools), and following recipes.

Every kid knows that you don't really learn anything unless you make a mess and get your hands dirty. This class lets the creativity thrive by allowing  everything oozy, grimy, slippery and slimy to work with while making beautiful art projects. 

Introduce your child to the world of ceramics! Develop motor skills and learn creative problem solving through projects aimed at stimulating imagination and creativity. Projects range from animal themed sculptures, making a new favorite cup or bowl, figurative work and more!

Once thought of as a magic solution of the future, 3D printing is now a booming industry that yields serious benefits for the world. This course introduces students to basic engineering theories and principles by using 3D printing. It introduces design and fabrication processes to build hands on artifacts that demonstrate complex engineering topics in everyday life.

A high-energy, intense class for dancers of all experience levels. The dance studio will be hopping to today's pop stars as students learn individual and teamwork skills that evolve into polished dance numbers. All students participate in a Manhattan Youth dance performance at the end of each semester

Working with clay has been all the rage. This class will explore all the different ways of creating with clay.  Handbuilding and working on the pottery wheel helps develop motor skills, problem-solving abilities and creativity through a variety of stimulating projects. From animal-themed sculptures to crafting their own favorite cup or bowl, there are endless possibilities for imaginative, figurative, and function work.

Get ready for a tasty adventure around the world! In this hands-on cooking class, kids will explore global cuisines as they learn to prepare fun, simple dishes from countries like Italy, Mexico, Japan, India, France, and more.

Each week features a new country and its flavors, along with a little cultural fun—learning about traditional ingredients, kitchen customs, and food-related stories. Young chefs will build confidence in the kitchen while practicing basic cooking skills like mixing, measuring, chopping (with kid-safe tools), and following recipes.

We are proud to offer Youth Swim Lessons as a choice in our After-School Programs. Children receive the same instruction and swim experience as our Youth swim lessons.  Your child will be picked up directly from their classroom at school dismissal, have a snack, and be transported to the Downtown Community Center for childcare activities provided by our After-school staff.

To find out more on our After-School programs, please click here.

Please note that swim offerings and schedules vary by school. 

If you attend a school that is not in our network, you may sign your student up for drop-off After School at the Downtown Community Center.

Our mini chefs learn essential kitchen skills, from slicing and mixing to chopping and plating. We develop and encourage nutritious food choices while working together to prepare snacks and meals. Every class ends with a delicious treat!

Our mini chefs learn essential kitchen skills, from slicing and mixing to chopping and plating. We develop and encourage nutritious food choices while working together to prepare snacks and meals. Every class ends with a delicious treat!

From Salsa and Samba to Hip-Hop to Tango, immerse your child in a multicultural dance class which builds knowledge and understanding of dance styles from all over the globe.

From Salsa and Samba to Hip-Hop to Tango, immerse your child in a multicultural dance class which builds knowledge and understanding of dance styles from all over the globe.

Students will learn to knit and crochet while creating their own original designs.

Students will learn to knit and crochet while creating their own original designs.