🏠The Starting Place

The Character Lab

Where Imagination Builds Character

Welcome to a vibrant, creative space where big feelings and bold ideas come to life! 

Here at The Character Lab, we see imagination as a powerful tool for self-expression and personal growth. Through movement, music, storytelling, and art, children set out on a journey of self-discovery, exploring their identities and emotions in a dynamic environment that encourages creativity, expression & joy. 

Whether expressing emotions through visual art or dancing to channel intense feelings, each activity fosters essential character traits—confidence, empathy, resilience, & kindness—cultivated from within. ✨

What We Offer

Creative experiences that empower kids to boost their confidence, connect with peers, and develop important character traits! Through engaging hands-on activities—such as acting out original scenes, crafting heartfelt stories, creating visual art, and exploring music & movement— children unlock their unique voices and creativity. Each activity nurtures essential social skills and fosters meaningful relationships with others! 

Join us and witness your child’s imagination flourish, one creative adventure at a time!

🎭 Theatre & Dramatic Play

From dress-up and pretend games to scene work and character-building, kids of all ages explore identity, empathy, and expression. Littles act out emotions and stories through play, while older kids dive into roleplay, scripting, and performance.

🎨 Art & Sensory

Creative expression through hands-on materials — from finger painting and textured crafts for younger children to themed projects and storytelling through visual art for older artists. Every age group gets to make meaning with their hands and imaginations.

🎵 Music & Movement

Whether it’s tapping, dancing, or swaying to a beat, kids express big feelings through rhythm and motion. Younger groups explore sound and movement through play; older ones engage in more structured musical games, choreography, and creative movement activities.

📚 Storytime & Storytelling

From cozy stories with puppets and picture books to creating original stories and scripts, kids of all ages build imagination, language skills, and confidence through the power of narrative and play.

About Us

The Character Lab is a fun and creative program that’s all about helping kids grow through social-emotional learning (SEL). We believe that every child has big feelings and bold ideas, and we’re here to help them express those through music, movement, storytelling, and art! Our playful experiences empower kids with confidence, creativity, empathy, and resilience, all in a welcoming and energetic atmosphere.

Founded by Winter Garcia, affectionately known as Miss Winter, we are a dynamic teaching artist team from Brooklyn with a strong commitment to arts-based enrichment, early childhood education, and character development. We firmly believe that the arts do more than spark creativity—they play a crucial role in building strong character.

We provide an exciting variety of options, including camps during school holidays, workshops, seasonal classes, and pop-up sessions, all inspired by our SEL-rooted, arts-based program models. 

Through a diverse range of visual and performing arts, we are committed to nurturing self-confidence, fostering meaningful connections, and developing problem-solving skills among the amazing youth of New York City!

👉 Want to partner or bring The Character Lab to your space?
📧 Email us at hello@characterlabnyc.com

What’s Happening Now

We're excited to announce that The Character Lab is now offering indoor programming in Fort Greene!

Pre-register children aged 5 to 10 for our Winter Wonderland camp starting December 29th—no upfront costs required! Payment is due 48 hours prior to your booking date. Hours: 9 AM - 2 PM Cost: $110 per day

Join us for the Snowy Day Art Workshop on December 26th for just $15 per child. Enjoy winter-themed art projects, meet our instructors, and get a sneak peek at our upcoming camp programs. 

Plus, if you enroll your child in camp during the workshop, you’ll receive a special credit towards registration! We can’t wait to see you there!

What’s Happening... Later?

We're so glad you asked! As we plan our upcoming programs, our top priority is to focus on what families in our community need. We’d love to hear your thoughts! Please fill out our Interest Form and let us know what topics you’re passionate about—your feedback will help us shape future classes in art, music, and so much more.