Early Childhood Education

East Side House’s Early Childhood programs provide a safe, supportive, vibrant educational environment for children 2–5 years of age and their parents. The comprehensive program addresses all areas of a child’s development: physical, mental, social, and emotional. Children and families receive a broad range of educational, nutritional, preventive health, and social services.

Essential to East Side House’s model is our unique inter-generational approach to learning. We engage caregivers and children to address educational needs in a way that promotes long-term family sustainability. Our goal is to foster a lifelong love for learning for each of the children we serve.

231 students served last year at 4 sites.

96% of ESH students exceed NYS Language Acquisition Standards

97% of ESH students meet NYS Standards upon program completion.

The philosophy of the Head Start/Day Care program is that each child is entitled to have a “head start” regardless of race, creed, religion or need. Serving 209 children daily from four locations, our comprehensive program provides a nurturing and enriched foundation for learning, growth and discovery. The Head Start/Day Care program incorporates the Board of Education’s Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program, providing preschool services to children four years of age, including children with special needs.

East Side House also offers its unique after hours extended learning program, STEAMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math, Movement, Music) Academy during which students engage in a wide variety of enrichment activities, allowing for increased learning hours and providing working parents with a safe place for their children. 

Our Head Start programs meet at the following locations, year round, from 8:00am-4:00pm Monday through Friday:

• Mill Brook Community Center, 201 St. Ann’s Avenue, Bronx, NY

• Mott Haven Community Center, 375 East 143rd Street, Bronx, NY

• Children’s Pride 414/Patterson Community Center, 414 Morris Avenue, Bronx, NY

Day Care meets at the following location from 8:00am-6:00pm, Monday through Friday:

• Winifred Wheeler Nursery, 200 Alexander Avenue, Bronx, NY

Head Start eligibility is based on family income, housing status, foster status, public assistance, and special needs. Eligibility for day care is based on the family income of working families, student status (full- or part-time) and public assistance through  New York City's Human Resources Administration.

Apply online today! Find the English application here or the Spanish application here.

With questions or to apply by phone, please call the Deputy Director of Early Childhood and Department Director of Family Engagement at (718) 292-5335.

As a trusted community resource, East Side House offers a continuum of programs to residents of the Bronx and Northern Manhattan, ranging from early childhood programs to programs for senior citizens. Below is an overview of East Side House’s program areas: