You’re not alone—most Hello, Mandarin! families do not speak Mandarin at home. Our program is intentionally designed for non-Mandarin-speaking households.

• Children receive rich, high-immersion input in class through songs, stories, movement, and routines.

• We provide simple at-home supports—short audio demos, Quizlet sets, and Joyreader levels—that parents can use without knowing any Mandarin.

• Every activity is built so a parent can support in two minutes a day, even with no language background.

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

Many parents remember weekend classes focused on memorizing characters and copying worksheets. Hello, Mandarin! takes a play-based, joyful 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.

• Developmentally aligned, meeting children where they are from nursery through K and early elementary.

Instead of rote memorization, children learn Mandarin naturally—by listening, responding, singing, acting, reading stories, and having fun.

At Hello, Mandarin!, we offer unlimited make-ups within the same semester. To keep our small-group classes safe, high-quality, and joyful for all students, here’s how make-ups work:

• Make-ups must be used before the semester ends

• Make-ups are offered when a class has space available

• Please schedule by email at least 24 hours in advance (no drop-ins please)

• For classes offered only once per week, we’ll do our best to find a suitable alternative class if needed (time or group). We make every effort to ensure the make-up class is appropriate for your child’s age and proficiency level.

We’re always happy to help you find the best make-up spot for your child—just email us anytime. Thank you so much for your understanding and support in keeping our classroom experience warm, safe, and personalized for every learner!

Hello, Mandarin! follows the Academic Year calendar, offering two joyful, learning-packed semesters each year:

• Fall Semester: September – December

• Spring Semester: January – June

Families may enroll for one semester at a time, and returning students receive priority registration before spots open to the waitlist. New families are welcome to join any time if space allows.