Drum Workshop with Craig Miller. This workshop is an introduction to rhythm and the percussive instruments of the world. Children will be prompted to participate in body percussion and playing drums.
Fostering creativity helps children develop mentally, socially, and emotionally. Research indicates that creating art may boost young children's ability to analyze and problem-solve in myriad ways.
As kids manipulate a paintbrush, their fine motor skills improve. By counting pieces and colors, they learn the basics of math. When children experiment with materials, they dabble in science. Most important perhaps, when kids feel good while they are creating, art helps boost self-confidence. And children who feel able to experiment and to make mistakes feel free to invent new ways of thinking, which extends well beyond the craft room.
While we know that toddlerhood provides a valuable window of opportunity for kids to learn and develop the skills they need to succeed in life, sometimes it's easier said than done at home.
Recess' Mini Messy Art is a great introduction to sensory play in a teacher led environment. Parents or caregivers along with 9-18mo olds join us for a sweet creative class designed to stimulate the senses and introduce new experiences. Sign up below!
Our very popular Sensory Lab (child led stations) is open for drop-in play several times a week, too. These open format stations are great for checking out new activities and revisiting old ones. Stations rotate from play dough, painting on plexiglass, digging with rainbow sand to experimenting with light. Open to members and anyone with a day-pass.
Early art experiences also teach kids to think openly, create new meaning, be more tolerant of others’ differences, and gives them the courage to take risks.
We hope you'll join us to encourage art appreciation in your young child, and make the most out of those crucial learning years.
In the meantime, check out our favorite resources for art with toddlers:
In the first few years of life, more than 1 million new neural connections are formed every second. Our goal at Recess is to provide a space rich with opportunities for exploration to support that rapid brain development.
In addition to our two playspaces, we have a full schedule of activities you are invited to take part in. Our Playspace Activities are designed for kids to engage directly if they like, or benefit from being within an earshot even if they're not interested in sitting and participating directly.
When music activities are happening in the playspace, for example, we often see two types of kids. There is the child excitedly sitting at the edge of the parachute, shaker in hand who is eager to follow along. There is also the child over at the train table, interested in music, but not interested in being a direct participant (at least, not in that particular moment). Both children benefit from hearing the music, learning about rhythm, exposure to language and sequencing.
Throughout the week, our activities range from music to sensory lab to storytime. All of these are totally flexible -- they are included in your visit, do not require sign up and if you dip in for a few minutes and then your child is ready to flit to another activity, that's absolutely fine! Check out the schedule here.
Play is an opportunity for children to learn who they are, what they can do, and how to relate to the world around them.
Support your child's development and your journey as a parent.
This Spring, Mega is coming to Recess to share her musical talents (nestled into a background of Early Childhood Ed) with our community.
Come play on Friday Mornings at 10am to meet her and enjoy this beautiful, interactive activity.
We all benefit from music in our lives. If we are exposed to music and given the opportunity to explore than no note will be out of reach. Just as a child needs to be exposed to books for literacy, children need to be exposed to live music to play it, enjoy it and try it.
Music education is similar to other early childhood classroom curriculum, it must be joyful and playful. Children play to make sense of their environment, the world they are socialized into and through play children begin to understand how they influence it.
Children need to be able to move their bodies -- and the Recess playspace is a great place to do so. It is important to allow children to feel the rhythm of each song or chant and feel the beats in their bodies. All of the activities she leads include fine and gross motor activities that are both suggested and guided.
Musical classes assist in the development of all of the developmental domains as well as overall health and wellness. Music is calming, relaxing and soothing to any soul no matter the age. During music class children utilize cognitive and language skills whenever they listen to song lyrics and repeat them back. If given a shaker and asked to repeat back a rhythm children must listen and count the beats to copy the rhythm.
When in class with others, children have an opportunity to practice using social/ emotional skills to wait for their turn to dance in the middle of the circle, or to add a silly word to a song or to bring a movement idea to the group, as well as when the classroom group sings together to create a beautiful melody.
Children use physical skills to do gross motor activities like hopping, jumping, stomping, twisting, etc as well as using fine motor muscles to hold a shaker, to hold hands, or to copy small body movements. Children will be active participants!
Mega Bloom began working with young children as a Naturalist ten years ago. Over the past decade, Mega has held many positions in various teaching environments from outside the classroom, teaching in gardens and the forest teaching environmental science to most recently teaching in early childhood education classrooms. Mega has taught toddlers and preschool aged children for the past three years in Oakland, California. When interacting with young children, Mega takes notice of each child's individuality and emphasizes their creative strengths. Mega loves to facilitate music and movement activities with young children!
Free for Anytime members - Included in Day Passes
