A Peek into Our Precess Program

A Peek Into Precess

The fundamental goal of our small pre-preschool program is to provide a foundation for a love of learning and enrich your child's social and emotional skills.  If you are looking for a pre-preschool program, or a program to supplement a part time program, look no further!  Fall Session Begins September 11.

We do so many fun activities each week...many of which you could re-create at home.  Here's one of our favorites, tie-dying bandanas!

Tie dying bandanas is an exciting art activity that also helps with fine motor skills and color awareness. The best part is that no matter how you choose to color the fabric, it always looks brilliant when it's finished! 

White bandanas cost about $1 each and tie dye kits with 3 colors including 3 pairs of gloves and rubber bands cost $2.99-3.99 at Michaels or Flax. 

To begin, kids take their bandana and scrunch it into a tight ball. Then they need a little help placing the first rubber band around it. Kids should be able to then put 2 or 3 more rubber bands into their ball without help (or more even!). Then kids put on the plastic gloves; don't worry about fitting fingers in, they will be big and that's okay.

Kids can take turns with each bottle squirting dye onto their bandana and also watch their friends. Afterward put them in the washer and rinse them before drying them in a dryer. The next day children can see what their bandannas ended up looking like! They can wear them on their heads, neck, legs, or use them as a blankie for a baby doll. This is definitely one of our favorite activities in Precess. 

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About The Program

Precess is a small drop-off program, for children 2.5-4 years old, to explore and discover through hands-on, sensory rich, play-based experiences. Each day, we start out with free play in Recess' expansive indoor playspace. Then we move on to share a snack and a story together. Learning and fun continue as we explore science experiments, create artwork, and play movement games. Through these varied activities, children learn following directions, working together, routine, and other key skills for learning success.

In Precess, we strive to create a warm and welcoming space for individualized learning through play, stories, songs, and art. Paired with the diverse playspace, Precess Kids is all about creating a unique learning environment that supports the development of young children.  

LEARN MORE and visit: www.recess-sf.com/precess

Fall Fitness: Overview - 9 classes weekly (many with childcare!)

As we all know, parenting is hard work.  Strength, clarity and endurance are all required on a daily basis to raise infants, toddlers and preschoolers.  In addition to helping to support your child's development, Recess is here to support your health too.  

We have a variety of fantastic classes on the schedule this fall.  Most start early September, but Mommy Baby Yoga and Prenatal Yoga begin 8/29!  We hope you'll join us.  

Here's the Fall Schedule at a glance (and scroll down to see more detail):

MONDAYS - Pilates 10am (childcare available)

TUESDAYS - Prenatal Yoga 8am

THURSDAYS - 4-wk Dia Method Series starts 9/14 at 12:30pm (childcare available), Evening Pilates 7:15pm

FRIDAYS - Prenatal Yoga 8am, Baby & Me Yoga 9:15am (childcare available)

SATURDAYS - Pilates 9am (childcare available), Prenatal Pilates 10am (childcare available)

SUNDAYS - Yoga 9:30am (childcare available)

Childcare is available by appointment during class for children 3 months to 4 years.  $8 members/ $12 non members. 

More info about classes and childcare on our fitness page. 

Oh Baby! Yoga for Two

We're absolutely thrilled to be adding prenatal & Mommy Baby Yoga to our fall schedule.

Prenatal and Postpartum periods are temporary, life-changing periods of our lives.  Take the time to connect with your growing babe by joining Dina's classes.  You are invited to create a spacious pregnancy as well as a special space to bond after baby joins us on the outside.  

If you're looking to create room to connect with baby #2 or 3, Recess offers childcare during fitness classes for toddlers and preschoolers too!  

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Blog post by Dina Herring

I love holding space for pregnant mamas.  It is such a sweet and special time in a woman's life.  A time that demands self-nurturing and embracing uncomfortable self-change.  It has a glorious finish line, but the journey is long and hard.  Luckily, yoga helps alot. 

During my pregnancies, I remember prenatal yoga to be very fulfilling.  I found comfort in meeting other women on the same uncomfortable journey.  I learned new shapes and movements to accommodate my changing body.  Breathing practices taught me to find my inner strength.  Mantras and calming visualizations empowered me to birth my babies with ease.

Looking back, prenatal yoga helped me develop a fierce confidence during pregnancy that served me well on the days I finally met my babies.  It was a deepening of my yoga practice in ways I never imagined.  I will forever cherish the tools I learned in prenatal yoga that continue to serve me on my journey into motherhood... and into life.

Dina's Classes This Fall

PRENATAL: Tuesdays & Fridays from 8-9

strength, focus, flexibility, gentle

Expect a combination of active, flowing poses as well as restorative poses to relax and re-energize. Simple breathing and meditation techniques will be introduced. This is the perfect time to foster mindfulness and deepen your awareness of your body. Designed to instill confidence in the innate wisdom of the female anatomy, and to increase peace and ease as you journey through this magical time. All levels welcome.

BABY AND ME:  Fridays 10-11

all levels, bonding, fun, soothing

Tailored for mothers who have recently given birth. Babies who are not yet crawling are welcome in the room with you. This is a time to come together with other mothers, bond with your baby, and sneak in a little yoga too. We invite you to feed, soothe, and change your baby as needed during class. All levels welcome.

 

About Dina.  

Fun Fact:  Dina was also one of Recess' first members when we opened back in 2008!  

Dina's passion for yoga began with her journey into motherhood over 10 years ago. It was with the tools of her pre-natal yoga and hypobirthing practices that she found so much joy in the empowering experience of homebirth (twice).

Since then, Dina has maintained a serious passion for childbirth. She's frequently offering her doula services to friends, family, and co-workers, and sharing her hypnosis techniques.

When Dina completed her 200-RYT at Giggling Lotus she realized the journey into motherhood, was much like this journey into yoga. It offers such a profound and empowering time in a woman's life. Such a beautiful softening and opening is made possible.

Deep relaxation and meditation continue to be pillars in Dina's personal practice, and this shows in her teaching style. She enjoys sharing the practice of yoga with everyone, from children to adults, in an honest and playful way, and she loves being a constant student of yoga.

In her pre- and post-natal class offerings, Dina hopes to create a space where moms can feel honored and empowered for the magical work they are doing.

Toddlers in the Kitchen - Sign up now

Can Toddlers Really Cook?!  

What do you actually do in Toddler Chefs? 

We really do cook!

Here's how each class is structured.  We begin each day with a "taste test." Every child smells, feels, tastes, and learns about each ingredient in the day's recipe.

Our chefs then take turns chopping, pouring, mixing, blending, rolling, mashing... all the steps needed to prepare the food for the stove or oven. Teacher Carissa usually handles the "cooking" portion of the class, while our little chefs take a break with blocks and puzzles.

When are food is ready, it's time for the best part - eating our creations!  

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Benefits of early exposure to cooking 

• In class, we chop, mix, blend, stir, crack, pour, and shake our ingredients together.  All of these activities develop hand/eye coordination and fine motor skills.  These are skills that are important for tying shoes, hand writing and typing.

• Exposure to new tastes, textures and smells.

• Especially with food, it's incredible to watch a toddler's openness to trying new things when they see other children trying new things too!  

• Children who play a key part of the cooking process have a boosted confidence and pride when enjoying the final product.   

• You'll gain strategies for involving your child in the cooking process at home (they really can do SO much!).

• You'll learn fun, simple, quick recipes to can recreate at home. 

• Lay the foundation for preschool and beyond through the classroom format of this class.  Your child will begin to practice listening to a teacher, sitting for extended periods of time, taking turns, practicing patience, interacting with peers... and more!

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Some of our favorite creations so far: 

• Pesto sauce with noodles
• Banana oat bars
• Funny face pizzas
• Fruity smoothies
• Hummus and crackers
• Quesadillas with guacamole
• Fried rice
• Veggie tostadas
• Lettuce wraps

AUGUST CLASSES BEGIN 8/7.  

Tiny Toddler Chefs, 18-30mo, Mondays at 9:30am,
and Toddler Chefs, 2.5-4yrs, Mondays at 4pm. 

Cost:  $100 for the 4 week series (includes play before/after each class)
Members SAVE up to 25%!