What parents say

Several things — but four stand out.

We are the only arts-based Mandarin immersion program in New York City. Language and performance are inseparable at Hello, Mandarin. Every student — from our youngest 籽 Seeds to our 华 Brilliance scholars — learns Mandarin through music, movement, storytelling, and live performance. This is not enrichment. It is acquisition.

We perform at Lincoln Center. Every semester, our students take the stage at Lincoln Center, the Apollo Theater, and Bryant Park. No other Mandarin program in New York City does this. A child who performs Mandarin on stage has not just learned a language — they have inhabited one.

We offer the only full pathway from 18 months to AP Chinese. From first words to college examinations, Hello, Mandarin is the only UES program with a structured, unbroken curriculum — YCT, HSK, and AP Chinese — built into every cohort from the very beginning.

We are trusted by the families of 30 of New York City's most selective schools. Brearley, Spence, Horace Mann, Trinity, Collegiate, Nightingale-Bamford, and 24 more. Our Spring 2026 kindergarten admissions included placements at Brearley, Spence ×2, Buckley, Nightingale-Bamford, and Avenues ×4.

Hello, Mandarin is chosen by families from more than 30 of NYC's most selective schools.

Brearley · Spence · Horace Mann · Trinity · Collegiate · Chapin · Nightingale-Bamford · Convent of the Sacred Heart · Buckley · St. Bernard's · Saint David's · The Town School · Avenues · Trevor Day · Ramaz · Marymount · Hewitt · Hunter College High School · 92NY · Brick Church · Caedmon · The International Preschool · Madison Ave Presbyterian · Manhattan Schoolhouse · Bank Street · Professional Children's School · PS 6 · Saint Thomas More · Saint Ignatius Loyola · The Marymount School

Hello, Mandarin welcomes children as young as 18 months in our 籽 Seeds cohort. Our oldest students are in 12th grade preparing for AP Chinese and IB examinations — we are the only Mandarin program on the Upper East Side with this full age range.

Every child is placed in the right cohort for their level, not just their age. Contact us and we'll find the perfect fit.

Six is the maximum that allows our method to work.

Mandarin is a tonal language — every child needs to hear their own voice, be corrected in real time, and participate in every single moment of class. In a group of six, nothing slips through. Every child is seen, heard, and challenged at their level.

It is also why our results speak for themselves.

Hello, Mandarin is the only UES program where the full examination pathway — YCT, HSK, and AP Chinese — is built into the curriculum from day one, not added as a separate tutoring service. Every cohort, from 籽 Seeds through 华 Brilliance, is designed around this arc. The result is a documented, verified record of Mandarin proficiency that strengthens any independent school or college application.

Yes. We encourage every family to experience a class before committing. Contact us at info@hellomandarin.org and we will arrange a trial session at the right cohort level for your child — no pressure, no obligation.

Most Hello, Mandarin families don't — and our program is intentionally designed for non-Mandarin-speaking households.

Children receive rich, immersive input in every class through songs, stories, movement, and daily routines. We also provide simple at-home supports — short audio demos, Quizlet sets, and Joyreader levels — that any parent can use in two minutes a day, with no Mandarin background required.

Your child can thrive here. We make the learning joyful, structured, and achievable for every family.

Yes. Mandarin proficiency is an increasingly valued asset in New York City independent school admissions, and we are proud that our students have been admitted to The Brearley School, The Spence School, Horace Mann, Buckley, Nightingale-Bamford, Avenues, and more.

We support families by ensuring their child's Mandarin journey is documented and verifiable — from Lincoln Center performances to YCT and HSK examinations — so that proficiency becomes a concrete, demonstrable strength on any application.

We are happy to discuss your child's timeline and goals, and to help build their unique profile for success. Reach out at info@hellomandarin.org.

Many parents remember weekend classes focused on memorizing characters and copying worksheets. Hello, Mandarin! takes a joyful, play-based approach that nonetheless achieves ambitious learning outcomes. Our curriculum is:

• Research-driven and aligned with NYC independent school early childhood practices

• Play- and story-based, using songs, picture books, movement, and hands-on activities

• Highly immersive, with bilingual bridges that ensure understanding without breaking the language environment

• Purposefully small-group, giving every child authentic speaking opportunities every single class

• Developmentally aligned, meeting each child where they are — from 18 months through high school

Instead of rote memorization, children acquire Mandarin naturally — by listening, responding, singing, acting, reading stories, and performing on stage at Lincoln Center.

Hello, Mandarin! offers unlimited make-ups within the same semester. To keep our small-group classes safe, high-quality, and joyful for every child, here is how it works:

• Make-ups must be scheduled before the semester ends

• Make-ups are offered based on space availability

• Please schedule by email at least 24 hours in advance — no drop-ins

• For classes offered once per week, we will do our best to find a suitable alternative time or group at the right age and proficiency level

Just email us at info@hellomandarin.org and we will find the best spot for your child.

Hello, Mandarin! welcomes new families on a rolling basis throughout the year. Our program runs three terms — Fall (September–December), Spring (January–June), and Summer (中文游 Summer Atelier) — and new students may join whenever a spot becomes available.

We work with children from age 18 months through 12th grade, and many of our families have been with us since the very beginning of that journey. Current families and siblings of enrolled students receive priority enrollment each term.

To inquire about current availability, please reach out at info@hellomandarin.org or complete the form on our Admissions page. We respond as soon as possible.

Yes — and our students' records speak to that directly.

Hello, Mandarin! is the program chosen by families of The Brearley School, The Spence School, Horace Mann, Trinity, Collegiate, and 25 more of New York City's most demanding academic environments. These are parents who hold every educational experience their child has to the highest standard. They chose Hello, Mandarin! — and they stay.

Our curriculum is research-driven, aligned with international language acquisition standards, and structured around the YCT and HSK examination pathway — the same examinations used by leading international schools worldwide. Students are challenged at every level, in every class, every single week.

Rigor at Hello, Mandarin! looks different from a worksheet. It looks like a child performing flawless Mandarin on stage at Lincoln Center. It looks like a YCT score. It looks like a 华 Brilliance scholar preparing for AP Chinese with years of genuine fluency behind them — not months of cramming.