These play groups provide caregivers an opportunity to refine their observation skills as they witness their child’s motor and social development, explore the role of attunement and tenderness during caregiving tasks, and avoid parental burn-out by embracing a less-is-more mindset. To better help you learn and enjoy your time in the group, I (Shannon) will model how I approach the babies’ interactions and movement challenges in a way that exemplifies trust in your child’s competence while intervening when necessary. Keeping an open mind to new ways of seeing and interacting with babies will help you get the most out of your time in the play group. ☻

Each session will start with an optional check-in, followed by a discussion topic, then a quiet observation of the children’s activities with minimal interruption. The environment will have age-appropriate, open-ended materials for the babies to interact with throughout the class as well as some select items that encourage varied gross motor exploration.

For babies in the older group, a simple, organic fruit or steamed veg snack will be offered when all children have achieved stable sitting on their own. Babies are always welcome to nurse + bottle feed as needed throughout the class. Otherwise, please leave outside food for before or after class time.

We’ll wrap up class by discussing any questions that arise, what we’ve observed, and relevant topics, like baby sleep, movement, play, emotions, etc. We’ll engage in a bit of group tidying of the materials, then finish off with a group goodbye song.

CLICK HERE to see a video from the official RIE® Youtube channel that explains the general class flow and shows the types of materials the babies engage with in class.

Pikler + RIE®:

You may have heard of RIE®’s Educaring approach, developed by Magda Gerber. Magda’s work with infants is based on the research and observations of Dr. Emmi Pikler, a Hungarian pediatrician. Dr. Pikler observed that when babies were allowed to develop their gross motor movements at their own pace, their posture, quality of movement, risk assessment, and trust in their bodies improved. One important way this translates to what we do in class is that we leave babies to discover their bodies and movement abilities on their own. For young infants, this means placing them on their backs to learn and play, as back-lying provides them a large visual field, the ability to comfortably pivot their head around, as well as opportunities to coordinate their arm and leg movements to meet or cross their midline. For older infants, this means we avoid propping them up to sitting/standing or helping them walk before they can achieve these skills on their own.

Another important feature of the work of Pikler and Gerber is the importance of collaborative, slow-paced, and present caregiving when engaging in activities like diapering + toileting, feeding, bathing, and dressing your child.

Montessori:

The Montessori approach to infancy also values freedom of movement as well as attentive caregiving. A key principle of Montessori is the prepared environment, which includes the emotional preparation of the adult as well as the preparation of the physical space. As children move into toddlerhood, Montessori emphasizes preparing these environments to maximize the child’s ability to contribute to family life, which bolsters their self-esteem and supports their growing desire for autonomy.

Because I’ve learned from a range of child development and respectful caregiving models, I’ll sometimes bring these into discussions when relevant.

All of this information will be further explored throughout the 8-week session. ☻

When considering group placement, it’s key to account for your child’s stage of mobility rather than their age. While there are general age ranges listed above to provide some guidance, I honor each child’s unique motor development timeline and you should not feel bound to one group by the listed age range. If you are unsure about which group would best suit your child, let’s connect and talk about it!

There is a wide range of “typical” development, and your child’s placement in either group is not a measure of how “advanced” or “behind” they are. Every child’s developmental timeline is worth trusting. ☻

At this time, play groups are held at the Berkeley Yoga Center, which is in the building between Bonar Street and Strawberry Creek Park’s grassy field area. The studio is not wheelchair accessible. The studio is up a flight of stairs, so strollers should be left at home/in cars and your child can be carried up in your arms or in a carrier. If this is a concern for you, please reach out!

Free parking is available on various neighboring streets. Expect to park a few blocks away on weekends, as the park can get busy. Metered parking on University Ave is also available.

One or two primary caregivers (parents/legal guardians) may join for each class.

Once we are a few weeks into the session, additional observers are also welcome to come. If you have a partner, nanny, grandparent, or family friend who you’d like to invite, please reach out to let me know a few days beforehand, and give them a quick briefing on what to expect from class.

Please limit attendance to 1 or 2 primary caregivers + 1 or 2 adult guests for any given class.

Babies should be dressed for optimal mobility, so consider well-fitting (but not restrictive) tops and bottoms. Keep feet and hands bare for class time by removing socks, booties, and mittens. Avoid overly baggy clothing or skirts/dresses that can easily get tangled or bunched up.

Adults can dress as they’d like, while keeping in mind that they will be asked to remove their shoes and will be seated on the floor throughout the class. Please also refrain from wearing strong fragrances.

This play group is a time to be deeply present. Phones should be on Silent, Do Not Disturb, or Airplane mode. You are welcome to take a few quick photos of your child as long as there are no other children in the background. Generally, phones should stay stowed away for the duration of class so you can fully engage in sensitive observation.

Frequency of attendance is up to you, but I hope you’ll come for each date listed in your session! Sessions have 8 meet-ups so that children and families get to know each other, which helps everyone settle into more easeful play.

Late arrivals: it can be tricky to get out the door with young children. Arrive as soon as you can, and enter the space calmly. We’ll be happy to see you!

Make-up dates are only scheduled if class is canceled by the facilitator due to unforeseen circumstances. You will be notified of cancelations via email as soon as they come up.

If you need to use the restroom, there is a bathroom in the studio. Unless you’ll be tending to your child’s toileting needs as well, let your child know you’ll be right back, then feel free to leave them with the group and take a precious moment for yourself to use the restroom. If your child is upset, many loving witnesses will be there to support them until you return.

If your child needs a diaper change or to use the potty, we’ll have a few toileting accessories on site to help get the job done: a changing pad on the floor as well as some changing pad liners or a small potty will be there so you can attend to your child’s hygiene however best suits you. At this time, we do not provide extra wipes and diapers, so please bring what you need.

Because we are guests in the space, we have a carry-in/carry-out policy for all used baby hygiene items. Please bring a container of your choice (e.g., wet bag) to take your child’s used diapers + wipes with you and dispose of them elsewhere.

A baby crying is a natural response to frustration, tiredness, distress, and hurt, and all feelings are welcome in this class. If your baby begins to cry for any reason, you’re invited to calmly and a warmly support them as needed. We expect that babies will experience a range of emotions in class, and there is no need to make them abruptly stop their natural emotional expression. If the crying is prolonged or intense and you feel as though you would be more relaxed tending to their feelings with a bit more privacy, you’re welcome to step outside until you and your child are ready to return to class.

In a space where materials will be shared among infants who often explore things with their mouths, it’s important to keep your child home when they’re unwell. Please stay home if either you or your child is experiencing any of the following symptoms:

• Temperature at or exceeding 100 °F (37.5 °C)

• Diarrhea or vomiting in the last 48 hours

• Discharge from eyes

• Excessive, runny mucus from nose

• Productive, persistent, rumbling cough

• Unidentified rash, bumps, or sores

• Unusual lethargy

We trust that you will use your sound judgment when deciding if your child is in good enough shape to attend the play group. We are counting on caregivers to make sure the community stays healthy and well.

If you are unclear about whether or not your child should attend, a good question to ask yourself is, “How would I feel if another child showed up like this to class?”

Thank you in advance for taking the appropriate precautions in keeping the community well.