In the icy cool wilderness of Alaska, also known as AK, where the snowflakes dance and prance, and the Northern Lights shimmer and quiver, live some of the most adventurous kids you'd ever meet. They are the Alaskan Reading Rangers, a merry band of book-loving explorers. They don't just sip hot chocolate in igloos; they journey through the stunning landscapes of books, riding on the backs of words and splashing in the streams of imagination. Our leader is Captain Cool Moose, an amusingly enormous moose with a pair of reading glasses perched on his nose and an enormous book always tucked under his arm. When he isn't busy sliding down glaciers or participating in epic snowball fights, he guides the Alaskan Reading Rangers through storybook adventures. Every member of this bookish brigade has an insatiable hunger for stories. They dive into books like a fish slips into water, furiously flapping pages instead of fins. The Alaskan chill never bothers them, for they are warmed by the fires of riveting tales, thrilling adventures, and funny anecdotes. Whether they are huddled together under the dancing aurora borealis or nestled in a cozy corner of their ice-kissed homes, these kids are always ready to flip open their books and step into magical worlds. And no matter how cold it gets, their laughter, echoing across the snowy expanse, could melt the iciest glacier. So, if you think AK is all about dog sleds and ice fishing, you haven't met the Alaskan Reading Rangers and their quirky leader, Captain Cool Moose!
Read morebest reading programs in Anchorage, AK


What began in a humble New York City apartment with just a single student, Spark, has since blossomed into an enriching program impacting thousands of children. Our unique educational approach combines the elements of art, yoga, meditation, and nature to create a holistic learning environment. This distinctive blend is what sets Spark apart, allowing us to reach and inspire a multitude of children in truly meaningful ways. With an array of offerings to accommodate various schedules and needs, Spark has something for everyone. Our services extend beyond the standard after school and weekend classes to include holiday and summer camps, birthday parties, portfolio preparation, private classes, and custom pods. We also welcome homeschool groups and are thrilled to announce the recent addition of a forest school program to our repertoire. You can find Spark on-site in various schools and at our main studio located in the Upper West Side. But we're not stopping there - we're also planning to expand to the Upper East Side and Brooklyn. For our families in Pennsylvania, we run the program from our family studio there. And if you're not in close proximity to any of our locations, don't worry. We offer in-home instruction and virtual options to ensure that Spark can reach you, no matter where you are. We invite you to explore all the ways you can experience Spark and look forward to helping bring our program to you.

Our 5 acre private property provides plenty of opportunities for outdoor exploration, from hiking trails to playgrounds. No matter the season or weather, the Joy Greisen JEC provides an outdoor learning experience to all of our students. The Joy Greisen JEC is a non-profit early education center that offers a unique blend of secular and Judaic learning. Our 5 acre private property is complete with trees, hiking trails, and playgrounds, making it a perfect location for outdoor learning experiences. Through our curriculum, we focus on teaching Jewish values and social emotional learning alongside academics. We invite families of all faiths to explore our center and appreciate the values we put into practice. No matter the season or weather, the Joy Greisen JEC provides an outdoor learning experience to all of our students.


At PNA, we believe in the value of social-emotional learning, which is why we use Responsive Classroom as our curriculum. An especially important part of this program is having students discuss their hopes and dreams, and then collaborate in creating the classroom rules. This encourages students to take ownership of their environment and understand the expectations of their behavior. It creates a strong classroom community, and we have seen this process work in classrooms from Kindergarten to 8th grade. The process of creating classroom rules starts with a discussion of why rules are important. Then students have the opportunity to brainstorm their individual ideas about what makes for an ideal classroom environment. After sharing these ideas, the class works together to compose a list of rules. By being directly involved in this process, students gain a sense of pride and belonging, and they are better prepared to follow the rules that they have created.