"Bees are one of the only species in the animal world who
care for offspring that are not their own"
Our Story
Honeydew started in a brownstone home in Park Slope, Brooklyn in 1999. We are a family of teachers and caregivers who, like “the beehive, care for offspring who are not their own”. We were one of the first programs to offer a flexible schedule that served the families’ needs first and to offer enrichment classes to the children such as yoga, languages, and movement. Now we have three locations in Brooklyn and we serve 90-100 families every school year. We have 3 tuition-free classrooms sponsored by the NYC Department of Education: two 3K and one UPK classrooms.
Our approach
Honeydew Drop’s approach has a comprehensive foundation in early childhood development. We learn with the children through building themes based on their interests and explorations.
Our socioemotional methods and support are embedded in our daily care and communication with the children. We create individual plans for each child’s development, style of learning, and emotional needs.
We invite our families to extend the learning at home and to use our resources for emotionally responsive language and strategies. We believe that engaged families create a vibrant learning community that the children can flourish and grow in. Honeydew is an open and receptive school to persons of all races, gender, identity, and more.
More about our Founder
Fabiola Santos-Gaerlan was a television producer and director before opening Honeydew. After being in the television industry for 15 years, she realized that the highlight of her career was when she traveled all over the country for a kids’ TV show. With two small children, Gabriel and Casielle, she opened Honeydew as a means to spend more time with them while making a living.
The name Honeydew came about not only because little children are able to say it easily, but because the poetry of a beehive, of its community and sweetness, lends to the nature of Honeydew and its priority of quality care. Fabiola transformed the first floor of her Brownstone in Park Slope, Brooklyn into the imaginative, whimsical haven she envisioned for young children. She offered flexible schedules for parents and had yoga and music enrichment teachers before any other neighborhood provider.