Yoga is a great way to regain shape, strength, and energy after giving birth. It’s also a great way to learn about breath and body awareness. This workshop includes exercises for breathing and getting centered. We’ll also learn poses with, and without the baby, songs for bonding with baby, and calming exercises for you and baby. Taught by Alexis Azzam, a certified yoga instructor and doula, the class is designed for mothers and their pre-crawling babies, but babies of all ages are welcome.

Series Dates:
Booties Camp: Baby Massage
Wed, May 2 | 10 am – 12 pm

Booties Camp: Baby Basics
Wed, May 9| 10 am – 12 pm

Booties Camp: Baby Sleep
Wed, May 16 | 10 am – 12 pm

Booties Camp: Baby Yoga
Wed, May 23 | 10 am – 12 pm

Are you the parent of a child who is strong-minded and has intense feelings? Or a child who may have endless energy, gets easily frustrated, or is very shy? Would you like to learn parenting tools that work with your child’s personality and stage of development?

Rebecah Freeling is a former center director who has 20 years of experience in early childhood education. She will share ways to deal with tantrums, aggression, shyness and other challenging behaviors often displayed by “spirited” children.

Note: When you register for any dates in this workshop, you are registered for the entire series.

Series dates:

Wed, May 2, 9, 16, 23, & 30 | 7 pm – 9 pm

Wed, Jun 6 | 7 pm – 9 pm

Are you thinking of opening your own family child care program? If so, this free event is just for you! We’ll discuss what it takes to open a licensed family child care business in your home and talk about how to decide whether this is the right choice for you and your family. Running an in-home child care program involves a background check, a home inspection, an application to Community Care Licensing, and a commitment to providing meaningful, nurturing curriculum to young children. If you are interested in learning about child development, how to set up a safe environment for children, how to market your child care program, and how to build strong relationships with parents, then join us for this informative workshop. BANANAS is here to offer support at every step. We will also discuss the California Child Care Initiative Project (CCIP), which is a state-funded project intended to increase infant/toddler child care slots and improve quality care for children. This is a great chance to meet with an expert who can answer your questions and offer information to get you started.

Note: To get a family child care license, you have to go to a Community Care Licensing (CCL) orientation. Be sure to pre-register and pre-pay the $25 fee to attend by calling CCL at 510-622-2602 or going to www.ccld.ca.gov

If you run a licensed family child care program, you’re invited to our new Playgroups at Melrose Library! Bring your little ones ages 2 to 5 and join us to explore how play can inspire meaningful learning and encourage healthy child development. At different activity centers, children will paint, create, build, imagine, pretend, and invent while caregivers learn how simple household items can be used as tools to promote early learning. Each playgroup will focus on a theme such as Language and Literacy, Social-Emotional Skills, and Math and Science. Facilitator Soyla Madrigal & Mariela Herrera will provide resources and information on ways to incorporate these concepts into everyday life as opportunities for children’s educational growth.

Playgroups are designed to be 4-week series that build upon each other every week. When you RSVP, you will be signed up for the entire series. RSVP at www.bananasbunch.org/playgroups

This is an ongoing support group that meets every other month for any child care provider from the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and/or Queer community. We have a unique role in our communities and with the families we work with. We may be out and proud, or struggling with how to be ourselves with our families, coworkers, and children at the child care program. Please join us for this group to gain personal support and share ideas on how we can create inclusivity within our child care, Head Start, and early childhood programs. This group is facilitated by Shawn Bryant and Rainbow Markell, both from the LGBTQ early childhood community. We will cover topics such as strengthening advocacy skills and gaining support and practical tools for working successfully within early care and education settings.

Are you the parent of a child who is strong-minded and has intense feelings? Or a child who may have endless energy, gets easily frustrated, or is very shy? Would you like to learn parenting tools that work with your child’s personality and stage of development?

Rebecah Freeling is a former center director who has 20 years of experience in early childhood education. She will share ways to deal with tantrums, aggression, shyness and other challenging behaviors often displayed by “spirited” children.

Note: When you register for any dates in this workshop, you are registered for the entire series.

Series dates:

Wed, May 2, 9, 16, 23, & 30 | 7 pm – 9 pm

Wed, Jun 6 | 7 pm – 9 pm