A new children’s mindfulness program will be introduced in Valley Stream this spring, offering young residents structured tools to support focus, confidence and emotional well-being.
The Mindful Munchkins program will run from March 7 through April 11, meeting on Saturdays for one-hour sessions in the Lake Room at the Valley Stream Community Center.
The program, designed for children ages 4 to 8, is being offered in the village for the first time. Jimmy Fitanzo, the village’s director of recreation, said the Recreation Department viewed Mindful Munchkins as an important addition to its existing lineup of children’s programming. While the Community Center already offers a variety of programs for children ages 7 to 12, the department identified an opportunity to expand offerings for younger children and provide programming tailored specifically to early childhood development.
Mindful Munchkins is led by Katie Haas, a licensed master social worker with more than 10 years of experience working with children. Haas previously worked in pediatric hospital settings and facilitated children’s support groups. She is a mother of two and has been offering the Mindful Munchkins program for the past year at the Children’s Social Club in Rockville Centre.
The program introduces mindfulness concepts in an accessible, engaging way for young children. Activities include breathwork, movement, storytelling, crafts and creative play.
“For me, ultimately, I hope that they’re able just to understand the power of their breath, because truly that just holds so much power within their body to calm themselves down,” Haas said. “If they’re in a situation where either they’re getting flustered, or their anxiety is increasing, I want them to be able to remember to return to their breath, and that they have the power to calm their mind, and their bodies down and bring themselves back to center.”
SallyAnn Esposito, manager of the Community Center, explained that the program also focuses on teaching calming techniques that help children build confidence and improve focus, while encouraging creativity and interaction through stories and hands-on activities.
The overall goal of the six-week program is to help children develop skills they can apply in both class and their daily lives, while emphasizing those that support emotional regulation, social interaction and personal growth.
“The hope is to see the children be more confident, comfortable with interacting with others, and feel proud of themselves for their accomplishments,” Esposito said.
Haas has a personal connection to Valley Stream, having been born and raised in the village and now raising her family there. Her familiarity with the community and the Community Center influenced her decision to bring the program to her hometown. She has participated in Community Center events in the past and viewed the center as a fitting location to offer a program focused on children’s emotional wellness.
“The Community Center is a facility where we offer programs and events year-round,” Esposito said. “The location can accommodate all the scheduled classes within a warm and welcoming atmosphere.”
Fitanzo emphasized that Mindful Munchkins complements the village’s other recreational and educational programs. He noted that the village takes pride in offering a range of programs encouraging creativity, confidence, emotional growth and strong peer relationships — skills that can benefit children throughout their lives.
The registration fee for the program is $55 per child, with an additional $20 materials fee due on the first day of class. Esposito said families can feel confident knowing the village prioritizes maintaining a safe, clean environment where children can learn and enjoy themselves.
If the program is successful, Fitanzo said there is interest in expanding mindfulness programming at the Community Center in the future, including the possibility of additional sessions and new program ideas for the Valley Stream community.
“If this series takes off, I hope to continue doing different series at the community center, and the sky’s the limit, so we’ll see where it takes us,” Haas said.
Registration for Mindful Munchkins is currently open. Parents and guardians may register their children either in person at the Community Center or online at bit.ly/vsvny.
