Citibabes

I have no idea idea what ppl like about this place. I went for open play, the area is tiny literally with nothing so exciting regarding play spaces for kids. They charge close to 50 bucks for play from what I remember and I will Def not be going back. I’ve been to a ton of play spaces in NYC and this was the most disappointing one of them all

Citibabes is wonderful place for kids starting as early as 6 months. They have a variety of classes, not just music classes like a lot of other places. Though their music classes are great! In the winter their indoor gym/​play area is clutch. We have always found the staff to be friendly and helpful. The space is well laid out and there is a designated area for stroller parking. We hosted my son’s first birthday party at Citibabes as well. They made the party memorable. If I had to think of a downside, I would say — sometimes they cancel the classes if there aren’t enough students who show up. I’m not a fan of this policy. They need to alert you 24 hours in advance if this is going to be the case.

For busy moms who need to take care of themselves and still watch over their children, this is a solid place.
Haircut station — I think two chairs?
Also a gym — I’ve seen moms who have grown children still come here to workout, because they have befriended other mothers who attend with their children. So I can tell it’s a little community. A shower area that’s well maintained and clean.
Average sized play area, kid friendly music always playing.
Friendly and helpful reception girls, and even nicer teachers. One teacher made gingerbread cookies and they were delicious! Haha.
Large and cozy eating area, with an assortment of booths/​tables. I love booths — makes you want to really relax. One large bench like table for groups.
Bathrooms are cute. I think one of them (or two, is for kids), but the bathrooms in general are very clean. No frills, but clean. Definitely well maintained.
Have a store where you can shop for toys and gifts. It’s a different business, but they rent the space from Citibabes.
Fun and energetic environment.

We joined this wonderful family club two years ago, when our daughter was about a year old. Since then we feel like we have really become part of the Citibabes family! We started out going almost daily to play, hang out, and take parent and me classes. When she turned 2 we enrolled our daughter in CitiSchool, the club’s preschool program, and subsequently in summer camp, and the 3s preschool class next year.
I especially love the people who work here (as another reviewer mentioned, all the staff members, from teachers to administrators, to the people who clean and take care of the club are so nice, and even know each child by name), as well as the size of the space (it’s a soho loft, so high ceilings, big rooms, a café that serves delicious, organic food). There’s an indoor playground, the music room, yoga/​dance room, tumbling room (with a mini climbing wall), and even a small library. They are also expanding the rooms dedicated to the school since it is becoming more popular. I’ve always found it very clean and comfortable.
We visited other preschools in Manhattan, and I haven’t found any other program that seems as well-​suited to us as CitiSchool. My daughter had a wonderful experience in the 2s class with head teachers Lisa and Cassie, and assistants Addie, Carlie, and John. The school year was organized around different themes (seasonal themes, community helpers, transportation, world cultures and holidays, NYC), and children learned through stories, music, art, and even field trips and guest speakers). For example, in the fall, students studied apples: they went on an apple picking field trip, and back at school the kids did a taste test with the varieties of apples (and the teacher graphed the results!).
The CitiSchool student-​teacher ratio is amazing, the program blends different learning styles and is very student-​centered and attentive to individual student strengths and challenges. The teachers have been very supportive of my daughter’s love of reading and art (and my friends always comment on the amazing creative projects she brings home). I feel like the kids get more physical activity here than other places. They have also stayed in contact about my daughter’s schedule outside of school, like when we were having bedtime problems, and they were really supportive with potty training.
Price-​wise, I feel that the preschool, classes, and play space are comparable to other places (if you calculate it on an hourly basis), and in many cases more affordable considering the individual attention and the space.
Overall, we couldn’t be happier with our experiences at Citibabes. Our daughter runs to her classroom every morning and rarely wants to leave when we go to pick her up!

We joined CitiBabes initially to have a place to take our daughter to play and interact with other children. From day one, she loved the playground and gym room and overall environment and CitiBabes quickly became the only place she wanted to be and was always hard to pry away from.
Having initially seen and observed the teachers around and about and having had her participate in some of the classes they offer, we decided to enroll her in the CitiSchool 2’s. This was two years ago and she will be entering the 4’s program in the fall. Thus, needless to say (since actions do speak louder than words or reviews), the place has been a tremendous asset for us as parents and an amazing opportunity for our daughter; the enthusiasm with which she was and continues to be ‘greeted’ and engaged with and the motivation that has been sustained on part of the teachers to provide the most nurturing, communal, and yet individualized attention clearly convinced us to stay at CitiBabes for as long as possible. Our daughter has been very lucky to be exposed to the comprehensive range of experiences the school program provides — from art, to yoga, to ballet, soccer, music, playtime, circle time, to going on excellent and exciting field trips, and on top of all that also learning solid pre-​academic skills.
Our daughter loves each one of her teachers from last year; the child to teacher ratio is phenomenal; the effort, thought, and consideration that is put into how subjects are taught has been amazing to witness; the openness and receptivity of the teachers and director of children’s programming to discuss anything that might be on a parent’s mind has also been nothing short of wonderful.
My husband and I both work and we have felt incredibly lucky to have the luxury of being able to feel absolutely confident that our child is not only being taken care of, but is in an environment (for many hours at a time) with people who are all intent on her thriving, who nurture her growth, encourage her imagination and foster her development in every way possible.
Frankly, the couple of negative reviews lingering on this site are entirely implausible to me — the place is immaculate and is cleaned continuously throughout the day by staff who are exceedingly nice and interact with the children in wonderful ways. The notion of the staff not having enough education in early childhood education and development seems entirely off and, frankly, ludicrous — and I am in a profession that actually allows me to judge this pretty well. I would encourage anyone thinking about CitiBabes to go there and take a look around (especially this fall as they are making exciting changes to the space), and talk with Michele, who is the Director of Children’s Programming. You will not regret it.

I have been a member since my daughter was 7 weeks old. Being a stay at home mom I needed a place where I could find other people that understood what I was feeling. Citibabes was the place for me. I started with the ciitibity class (mommy and me); Teacher Michele was the most caring and loving teacher. Now my daughter is almost 2 and we still go everyday.
The winters are brutal in NYC with a little one and Citibabes has an indoor playground that if perfect for the winter and even for very hot summer days. At times the club can be a little overwhelming but I know that is the case with every place that caters to children.
My favorite thing about the club is the attention they give each family and each child. We are looking at our long term schools and Citibabes has been so helpful with the process. From calling schools for us to help us with the timeline to meeting us whenever we have a question.

Words cannot describe what a blessing Citibabes program and team, teachers have been to our family.
First of all, Citibabes/​citischool gives our children a clean, safe and loving environment to play, learn and thrive.
Our three children started there, our daughter started in the PreK-​3 program and our twins boys started in the Prek-​2 program. Citischool does not only taught the necessary pre-​academic skills for elementary school, but also how to connect, share, respect and communicate with other children and adults with performing a lot of different and great activities as hands on arts, yoga, «show and tell», circle time, field trips,…
Our daughter (5yrs old) is heading to kindergarten in September and I can very easily says that Citibabes has given her the most positive foundation we could ever ask for! When she first started there she was a very shy little girl, hiding, who was not speaking a word of English (we are French), and their teachers, all their staff has supported her all along and given her the necessary skills, confidence and mindset to be successful in school and in life.
Our twins boys (3.5yrs old) are as lucky as their sister, they get everything you could expect from a preschool and playground, even more. One of them has some hearing/​speaking issues and needs more support than other kids, Citischool is there for him. It’s amazing to feel safe and confident. Both of us (parents) work, so it was more than important to find the right place, a place we can trust 100%, to start his academic education, Citibabes is a success for him, and also for his twins brother, you can completely count on them.
Our three children even want to go there during the weekend and vacations just to play!
We cannot be more pleased with our time at Citibabes/​Citischool, and I know as many other «citibabes’ families», our children will always hold a special place in their hearts, so do we.

I’ve been exploring different programs throughout the summer for my two year old. I haven’t found one better than Citibabes Citisongs with Matt. His friendly demeanor made us feel welcome from the start.
The class had a variety of age groups (scooters to runners) and Matt was able to keep them all engaged throughout the entire class. Each activity provided just the right combination of structure and free play for my active two year old. (drums, cymbals, parachute, bubbles, scarves etc).
Matt used music vocabulary, colors, and opposites (high/​low, up/​down, quiet/​loud) to make the class not just fun, but educational. I’ve never seen Aidan so willingly to clean up as he was during Matts’s clean up song.
At the end of class Aidan clapped and told Matt thank you. When he pointed at Matts guitar, Matt opened the closet and pulled out a mini one for Aidan to play, even though class had ended.
After the class we played in their indoor playground, (for kids under six). There is a separate play space for children 2 and under. The area was immaculate, which is unusually for play areas for small children. During our play Aidan heard Matt’s next class and he clapped and said «yay!» We almost went back in! Definitely something to check out with your toddler!

I’m so glad I didn’t read these reviews before I scheduled a play date there or I would have avoided it completely. We actually really enjoyed it and I’m so glad we checked it out!
They were running a special deal for winter play dates, which included a private room for 75 minutes, an age-​appropriate activity (run by the parents), pizza for the kids, and a couple of hours in their play spaces. The staff was really friendly and accommodating, all areas were clean (no urine smell, as another reviewer had complained), and all of the kids had a great time. There was even a birthday party going on at the same time and it looked absolutely amazing.
I’m not currently a member because the schedules don’t work for me, so I can’t speak to the classes, etc. But I know they throw special events regularly (for the various holidays, or, for example, a «Frozen» viewing party). And based on the terrific job they did with that birthday party, I would definitely consider going to a future event as long as it’s age-​appropriate (I have a one-​year-​old, but some of the events look like they’re better for slightly older toddlers and kids). And perhaps that’s the way to go if you want to see this place for yourself before committing.
From what I saw, there are three play spaces: a play gym, a baby room, and a tumble room (with a climbing wall). There was also a room with a bouncy castle, but I’m not sure if that’s always there or just for the party. We went on a weekend, and it wasn’t crowded at all. I’m guessing it’s usually busier on weekdays.

Would I pay to go to this place, no. Do I want to go back for free, probably not.
Oh how I wish businesses would provide a feedback form so they know where they are going wrong. First of all, the place is small. Kids below 5yrs should be some hard and fast rule coz its all under one roof for the crawlers to the 10yr old kids on a sugar high. The play area specifies that its for kids below 5 but I saw a staffer say it was ok to a parent of 2 older kids aged 9 and 10 to go in the play area. Almost as soon as I entered, I smelt urine. I guessed there must be a toilet somewhere but I was aghast when I was in the play area and could still get the stench. Ofcourse with the space being so small, it was right across the play space. And then you have the café, not too far away from all this. While at the over priced café, you get a bell. And you must be patient, I guess being a parent, thats a given. The only person working at the restaurant was «out» and we were told to try again later. To sum it up, we were tired of this place in a day, cant imagine getting sucked into a membership. I felt my daughter was too old for it anyway and she is 3.

I brought my daughter here on a free pass we got from the Pop-​Up Park on Mulberry Street. The one of the two front desk staff was a little snooty at first, the other was more professional. I take it if you’re not a member and simply looking around you don’t get the same treatment.
The playground area was smaller than i anticipated, well-​kept and entertaining with slides of three sizes, a designated baby/​toddler area that was regularly invaded by bigger kids. i can say it was a decent use of a smaller facility.
I walked around the facility after we played for about two hours and looked in on the classrooms, they looked nice enough. the adult gym space had new, but basic equipment. we had lunch in their cozy café — the food was actually quite good, we had a grilled cheese (whole wheat and american cheese with apple slices) and chicken fingers (breast meat with homemade breading and served with apple slices). all of these things just weren’t enough to overcome the overwhelming anxiety and slightly aggressive atmosphere of the place.
The biggest drawback were the crappy nannies that either emotionally abused or neglected their wards — I know this is no comment on the facilities itself, but it greatly effected the atmosphere of the place and our experience there. I hate having to parent other people kids, but i do it when i see something really wrong happening and there is no parental/​care-​giver intervention. I had to tell one boy to stop piling blocks and mats on a little girl who was screaming and crying and then i had to dig her out. eventually the nanny came over when she saw an adult intervening and talking to the kids. then I had to distract my daughter from getting upset by a nanny shouting at another child. and during lunch, in their very nice café, i eventually after five minutes of ceaseless crying had to calm a child of a year and half by simply talking to him. he stopped crying and his nanny looked at me like i had three heads. it really doesn’t take a lot to get a toddler to stop crying, if you actually try. i wonder if these parents have any inkling of what goes on with their kids when they leave them with these women.
I felt like this is an over-​priced playground for the emotionally neglected children of well-​heeled new yorkers. kind of a bummer in an otherwise nice enough in-​door playground. I recommend the Pop-​Up Park (but it’s closing on the 15 of Feb) or the Downtown Community Center in Tribeca — more space and better atmosphere (nicer nannies too)

We just had our daughter’s birthday party here (she turned 2!) The party was a hit! Everything was great! From the moment we got off the elevator the staff was very welcoming and cheerful. It really set the tone for the rest of the day.
Brooke was our birthday event coordinator and I really can’t stress enough what a fantastic job she did. She really helped us along the entire process. She made sure the birthday room was perfect for our party (she even added extra decorations which the kids loved!!)
We had some really last minute changes and she took care of everything.
Brooke had an assistant named Juan who was also very very helpful.
The kids had a blast in the indoor play area, they didn’t want to leave! Everything was very clean which was very important because we had some young babies in our party (including my son), they have kid safe organic hand sanitizers everywhere.
The smile on my daughters face at the end of the party was priceless. Citibabes really made it a fantastic experience.

This is a very special place for everyone, babies, toddlers, Moms, Dads, caretakers, visiting Auntie & Uncles, the whole family. With playrooms divided by the childrens age, parents can enjoy an immaculate indoor playland that also includes an adult only gym with classes like Yoga, Kickboxing and Pilates as well as weights, stationary bikes, treadmills and more. They also have a clothing boutique, and a café with kid friendly and yummy adult food too. This is not a drop your kid off and go place unless you make that clear to the staff. Child minding is available for $ 10 an hour which is quite a deal in Soho. The staff is accomdating and helpful and you really do feel like you are in the equviallent of a childrens «Five Star» resort. They have thought of your every need and are more than willing to accomodate you & your child with whatever you can dream up, seriously. Family memberships are pricey but that isn’t an issue if you live in this hood.

Great spot to bring your kids. We went while visiting friends in NY. What a blast. I wish we had something similar in Boston.
Awesome play area, café bar, and little store. It seriously has it all. From the looks of it they run a lot of great programs and events for members. They also have an insane gym attached for people wanting to let their kids have fun while they work out!
Very clean, and engaging for kids. My 16 month year old did NOT want to leave.