ECFE offers classes, programs and services for families with young children from birth to kindergarten age. Our early childhood teacher partners with you to offer meaningful and fun learning opportunities for your child. At our classes, parents and children participate together in group time and activities, followed by a parent discussion facilitated by a licensed parent educator, who brings research-based parenting information into the conversation.
Below is a sampling of the classes available to families. For a list of current offerings, see the ECFE catalogue.
Register for a class online.
Formats: Classes are offered as semesters, half-semesters and four-week sessions; classes last for one-and-a-half to two hours weekly, during days, evenings and Saturdays.
Locations: Classes are offered at 13 different sites across the city.
Fees: Fees are based on income through a sliding fee scale; no one is turned away for inability to pay.
NOTE: When selecting classes, your child should be the age listed by the date that the class begins.
Infant (0-11 Months) All of our infant classes are taught by licensed Parent Educators and explore the joys and challenges of adding a new member to your family. Music, play and reading activities are a part of every class. Parent discussion includes topics on infant and parent development, sleep, calming, adjustment to parenting and all things important for parenting an infant.
Toddlers, Twos & Threes; Non-separating Classes Children and parents enjoy time together singing, playing and learning. During parent discussion time, the early childhood staff engage the children in planned activities while parents gather nearby, in the same room. Parent topics include child development, guiding behavior, sleep and nutrition in addition to parent joys and concerns. These classes are for you if you and your child are not ready to separate or simply prefer to stay together.
Gradual Separation Classes If you and your young child are ready to practice spending time apart in addition to meeting new friends and participating together in fun learning activities, then these are the classes for you. Our staff will support both of you as you learn to separate. Parents will discuss child development, temperament, routines, guiding behavior in addition to separation and parent joys and concerns.
Mindful Parenting: (11-18 months); Gradual Separation Together families learn how to be more present in daily moments and interactions; view questions through a mindfulness lens; and learn elements of yoga and calming strategies during interaction time.
Toddlers with Gymtime (12-24 months); Non-Separating Explore activities in both the early childhood classroom and gym. There will also be opportunities to discuss parenting questions and concerns.
The Feeling-Behavior Connection (18-24 months); Gradual Separation Together families learn how toddlers display their feelings through behavior; how to respond using strategies that promote empathy and self-esteem.
Threes and Fours; One-day and two-day opportunities Early childhood time focuses on developing school readiness skills through play and learning activities. Parent education focuses on topics relevant to a preschooler and preparing children for kindergarten. Classes are attended by both parents and children; children must be 3 years old by September 1.
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Classroom activities encourage problem solving and exploring how things work.
Registration is now open for 2022-23 Alphabet Soup classes! Sign up here.
Sliding fee scale
Classes include parent and child interaction time as an opportunity to spend uninterrupted quality time with your child. Activities are created by an Early Childhood teacher based on a theme and focused on all areas of your child’s development. Parent discussions occur in a separate space.
Adventures in Parenting Parent education will focus on child development, school readiness, temperament, guiding behavior and sibling relationships.
Dads; Separating and Non-Separating Parent discussion will examine topics through the lens of fatherhood. Explore the joys and challenges of being a dad.
Musical Brain Development In collaboration with MacPhail Center for Music, learn how to use music to strengthen your child’s brain development; learn how music supports social/emotional development, executive function, language and literacy skills.
Multi-Cultural Adventures in Parenting Spend time playing with your child along with parents and children of a variety of cultural backgrounds. During parent discussion, parents will share parenting practices and critically examine research-based information using a cultural lens.
Parenting Trends If you are looking to explore new trends around parenting, join us in this class. Parent education will focus on articles and topics addressing the latest parenting information.
Talking with Children about Race Join a licensed parent educator in courageous conversations about how to talk with young children about race and understand how children form racial identities. The Early Childhood portion of the class will focus on building positive identities through embracing and acknowledging differences.
Adoptive, Foster and Kinship Families Families come in many different sizes, colors and makeups. We invite adoptive, foster and kinship families to join us in an ECFE class that explores parent and child development through an adoptive/foster family lens.
Special Friends We welcome families whose children have an IFSP or IEP and their siblings to join us in playing and learning together. Parents will discuss various topics as decided by the group.
Parents of Tradition In collaboration with MPS Indian Education, Native American families:
ECFE 2023-24 Fall-Winter Catalogue
Spanish Language and Latino Cultural Specific Classes
Oromo, Amharic, and Somali Language and Cultural Specific Classes