At Fantasy Island Schools for Kids, children ages 2 to 6 from Chicago’s Northwest Side and nearby suburbs sing, move, and stretch their focus every week, with music and Brain Gym included in tuition.
Most parents have never heard the term Brain Gym. What they know is the problem: a child who cannot sit still, drifts off during a story, or struggles to stay with one activity.
Brain Gym answers that with movement instead of more sitting. Twice a week, founder Beata Bielic, a certified Brain Gym instructor, leads short, playful sessions: crossing the midline, balance work, stretching, breathing, and tasks that mix movement with looking or listening. The goal is to help children build focus, coordination, and body awareness, so moving becomes a natural part of the learning day rather than one more lesson to sit through.
Plenty of programs put songs on in the background and call it music. At Fantasy Island, music class happens every week with a qualified music teacher, and it is included in tuition rather than sold as an add-on.
Parents notice the difference at home. One parent wrote that her daughter learned so many new words and songs since she started, and another said simply that her son loves music and art classes. Singing together, keeping a beat, and hearing new words in a tune are also a fun way to practice English, which is our language of instruction.
Watching your child stand up and sing with their class is a moment you remember. Music class gives children something to work toward, and the school shares it with families through plays and concerts.
Parents describe those performances as well coordinated and beautifully designed. For a shy 3-year-old, being one voice in a group song is a gentle first step in confidence. For a 5-year-old heading to kindergarten, remembering lines and cues is practice in listening, waiting a turn, and following a sequence, skills that matter long after the last song ends.
School readiness is not only letters and numbers. A child also needs to hold a pencil, sit with good posture, keep their balance, and follow a teacher’s directions.
Brain Gym is designed to build that groundwork through hand-eye coordination games, bilateral movements, balance, and fine and gross motor practice, and music adds rhythm and careful listening. Both run alongside our gifted curriculum, and they are part of why so much of the day here involves moving and doing. All of it is age-appropriate, short, and positive, so a 2-year-old and a 6-year-old each join in at their own level.
Leave your phone number and your child’s age. We will call you to pick a time to visit our classrooms at 6100 N Milwaukee Ave. Prefer to talk now? Call 773-206-4627.
Brain Gym is a set of simple, purposeful movements children do in the classroom: crossing the midline, bilateral movements, balance exercises, stretching, controlled movement, breathing, and activities that combine movement with seeing or listening. At Fantasy Island the sessions are short and playful, held twice a week, and led by founder Beata Bielic, a certified Brain Gym instructor.
No. Brain Gym at Fantasy Island is an enrichment activity for every child, not a therapy or treatment, and it does not diagnose or address medical or developmental conditions. If you have concerns about your child’s attention, behavior, or development, talk with your pediatrician or a specialist.
Music class is held every week and is taught by a qualified music teacher. Children sing, keep rhythm, learn new songs, and prepare for the school’s plays and concerts. Because English is the language of instruction, songs are also a fun way for children to pick up new English words.
No. Weekly music classes and twice-weekly Brain Gym sessions are included in tuition, together with three meals cooked on-site and the Gifted Enrichment Program. There is no separate sign-up and no add-on fee, so every enrolled child takes part.
Yes. Sessions are kept age-appropriate, short, positive, and playful. A 2-year-old might copy a big stretch or clap along to a song, while a 5-year-old takes on balance and coordination challenges that ask for more control. Each child joins in at their own level.
See all childcare options on our Childcare page, compare costs on Tuition & CCAP, or read parent FAQs.
