recess collective

On the verge?

Pandemic parenting is no joke. But let’s be honest…parenting anytime can be trying.

Are your kids constantly pushing your buttons? Looking for answers before you completely lose your mind?

We are thrilled to bring you this workshop led by a Neuroscientist and an infant mental health expert, from Fly Little Dragon. Here, you can learn concrete tools & simple steps to take in everyday life that will make parenting easier.

Do you want to:
Stop yelling?
Create clear limits AND follow through with them?
Stop feeling frustrated by your children?

Are your children:
Not listening to you?
Not helping out?
Acting out?
Pushing your buttons?

Join us if you could use some practical tools for easier parenting, based on neuroscience…

& use code RECESS to save 20%.  

https://flylittledragon.com/video-positive-parenting-and-neuroscience/  
***USE CODE RECESS to SAVE 20%***

March and Beyond

Lucky us! 🍀

We have a really nice variety of events coming up in the next couple of months that we're excited to share.  From fitness, to mindfulness, to sign language & lots of opportunities for music.  Check out the schedule below or click this link to get more detailed information.

MARCH:

SNEAK PEEK into APRIL:

* = free for members

IMG_4852.jpeg

Live Cello is just one of our Playspace Activities.  
When you're a member of Recess, all of the following activities are included in your plan!

Mondays: Coming Soon - Infant Sensory Play 

Tuesdays: Music with Mega 1130 (playspace) 1215 (classroom)

Thursdays: Stories and Songs w/Regina 11am

Fridays: Sensory Play 4pm 

Select Saturdays:  Live Cello 10am & Sensory Play 11-12, New and Expecting Parent Circles

IMG_7317.jpeg

THIS COULD ALL BE YOURS!
When you book a party at Recess, the entire playspace is yours.  Invite up to 45 of your closest friends, bring whatever food/drink/decor you'd like, and get ready to enjoy a stress free celebration.  

Hop over to the calendar and secure a date.

Adjustments.jpeg

BUILDING COMMUNITY.  New and Expecting Parent Groups - First Saturdays
Creating a network of support is important at every stage of life...but it's particularly crucial for new parents.  We invite you to build community through Parent Circles at Recess. You’ll organically meet like-minded parents and begin building your new family’s community, while gaining resources to help support your little one's growth.  More info here.

Copy of Intro to mindfulness  for parents.png

INTRO TO MINDFULNESS FOR PARENTS. You may know Charity Kahn the children's musician and educator.  She's also an incredible parent educator and community builder.  Recess is teaming up with Charity to bring a five week class, Mindfulness for Parents, to the space on Monday evenings 4/13-5/11.  We hope you'll join us in this opportunity for self care, stress reduction and insanely useful skills to ground yourself so that you are able to support your children.  More info here


It's just a space without you.  What would your family like to see at Recess?  Many of you have completed our survey to help shape the future of Recess.  If you have not yet, and would like to share your thoughts/desires for our organization, please hop over to the survey

Would you like to help bring play to families who cannot afford it.  

$1, $5 or $10 a month can make a difference in the lives of local children.  Click here to donate.

Gratitude. Recess Collective turns ONE - and Recess as an organization turns 12!

MiniAnna_RecessFundraiser2019_DSC_3684srgb.JPG

We have tremendous gratitude for everyone who has made the space we've created a true community. Sending love to all of our Potrero Hill members. Those who have come with us to the Sunset. And all of our new Sunset Recess Collective members too!

Recess started in December of 2007 with a soft open... and here we are, 13 years later, still operating as a place for families to come together, share firsts, make long lasting connections, and navigate the sometimes messy journey of parenthood.

We had to pivot to stay alive. After 11 years in Potrero Hill, Recess moved to the Sunset and converted to a nonprofit. And Recess Collective, our new organization, turns one today ☝️.

It's been a busy year...I had a baby a couple weeks after the new location opened, and we had to get through various challenges with the city. But the process of establishing another Recess has solidified my vision that every neighborhood can and should have a space like this. That's our goal. We need funding to make it a reality and hope that our nonprofit status, collaborations with the city and philanthropic giving will help us get there in the next year or two. Please share this with anyone who may be interested in playing a key role in creating neighborhood hubs for families with young children. Together, we have an opportunity to truly change lives by creating community and supporting child development.

IMG-3115.JPG

We could not have gotten through it without our incredible staff, volunteers, partners, and families. Thank you for making Recess what it is ❤️

And if you've been meaning to come by, but haven't made it in yet, please join us for our open house on December 3.  Tuesday 12/3 is GivingTuesday and we're hosting an open house from 5:30-6:30.  Please come in to say hello, make a donation, or take part in some "after hours" play.  

With Thanks,
Lisa
and the Recess team

Wrapping up 2018 - Updates, End of Year Giving & Looking forward...

Thank you all for supporting Recess Collective, being a part of our community, and sharing our new space with us.  

What a whirlwind of a year! In 2018:

  • We closed Recess in Potrero Hill, after 10 and a half years of operation

  • We established Recess Collective, a non-profit entity to continue offering play and parent support to local families

  • We built out and opened a new space to house Recess Collective, at 2226 Taraval. It has all the same elements as “the old” Recess, but is in a more sustainable space that incorporates the values of a collective. Working together - our staff, our volunteers and our partners - are able to leverage connections to serve the community in a broader way.

  • Our founder, Lisa’s family, welcomed a new baby boy!

Looking Forward! 2019’s goals:

  • Provide space to play for our new community and continue to build the awesome web of families we get to work with.

  • We will seek volunteers to assist with fundraising, grant writing and special events so that we can extend the offerings of Recess to any family who would like to utilize them.

  • Expand the Collective. It’s incredible to think about the amount of talent right here in San Francisco and the surrounding bay area. We are fortunate to have such a wealth of resources for folks from all walks of life. The primary intention of Recess Collective is to harness that talent to serve all people. So in the new year, we will continue to work toward that mission. This includes:

    • Organizing special events & programing for families of for children with disabilities, and their siblings

    • Training in conjunction with Our Family Coalition for LGBTQ families

    • Continue partnering with Nurse-Family Partnership and build our scholarship fund to include at risk mothers & families who could not otherwise access a safe space for play,

    • Functioning as a space to bring together generations. By working with SF Village, we will develop programming for intergenerational play with local seniors.

    • Working with other organizations to deliver creative solutions for families to make life with young children more collaborative. There are real life solutions to easing the load we each carry and Recess is designed to create the back drop for those to come to life. Look forward to childcare co-ops, toy swaps, craft nights and recipe swaps. It’s exciting stuff!

    If you would like to support this mission and have the means to contribute toward it’s fulfillment, we’d love to invite you to get involved. There are options for end of year giving that include $5 / month contribution, or a one time donation of any amount.

 

Every dollar raised will ultimately go toward growing this incredible community hub, creating space for healthy child development, welcoming in families from all walks of life, and making the journey for parents and caregivers a joyful one.

$5 a month goes a long way to helping us build up our programming to reach more families.
$10 a month will allow us to provide a parent with weekly playgroup and play access.
$20 a month could be your way of giving a group of at risk mothers monthly playdates to connect with one another and have a safe space for play.
$50 +/mo gives us an opportunity to gift families full memberships and birthday parties.

Anyone who makes a donation of $25/mo or more will receive recognition on our founders wall with a 3x3 tile and an invitation to our Spring Festival! All donations are tax deductible.

 

Donate to Recess Collective
via our fiscal sponsor
Birth2Work

The amount you enter will be paid to this organization each month from your PayPal account. Don’t have PayPal? Sign up easily while entering your payment information.