This winter and spring, join Edlavitch DCJCC for in-person fun for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers (with their grownups)!
The EDCJCC Parenting Center’s Child and Caregiver Classes are designed to meet the developmental and social needs of infants and toddlers — newborns through age 4 — and to provide meaningful and fun bonding experiences for parents and other caregivers. Class options include preschool playgroup, music, yoga, art, ballet, gymnastics, Getting Ready for Preschool, and many more.
Couples and single parents, LGBTQ and straight, Jewish and non-Jewish, people of any color or ability… all families are warmly welcomed.
Registration for Winter and Spring 2023 sessions is now open! The Winter 2023 session runs from January through early March and the Spring 2023 session runs from mid-March through late May. You can register for one or both sessions at the same time, but be aware that the spring classes often fill up early, since many people register for both sessions at the same time.
This post is sponsored by The Edlavitch DCJCC, however, I only promote programs, places, and events that I genuinely believe in and think will appeal to KFDC readers.
Are you looking for preschool options for your child? The Edlavitch DCJCC Preschool, located in downtown DC, is currently enrolling ages 2-5 for the 2022-23 school year and accepting applications for the 2023-2024 school year!
The Edlavitch DCJCC Preschool fosters a nurturing environment of open-ended exploration and growth that deepens connections to Judaism, the community, and the world around us. The program provides a day full of learning and fun for children ages 2–5, year-round. They welcome all families, regardless of religion, race, family type, or cultural background.
The preschool is proud of their commitment to a child-centered, emergent curriculum that promotes a collaborative learning environment. Documentation shows the process of the children’s work and highlights the discoveries that have grown from their explorations. They incorporate Shabbat, Jewish holidays, and Jewish values into the curriculum, while also respecting the diversity of their families. Music, art, and yoga are also included regularly in learning.
Rooms at the preschool are warm and welcoming and provide carefully designed areas that encourage active exploration and creativity as well as spaces that encourage reflection and concentration. They encourage children and teachers to use all available materials in their discovery process. In addition to the newly renovated and light-filled classrooms, the facility includes child-size bathrooms, an art room, gross-motor play areas with soft equipment, a dance studio, and a swimming pool. As an added bonus, preschool tuition includes a Family Fitness membership to the EDCJCC, with full access to the gym, classes, facilities, and programming!
Here’s what some former parents have to say about the school:
“We choose the JCC over other schools because of the facilities, high quality staff, the community, and the Jewish educational component. I loved being a part of the JCC community when our kids were at the preschool and as parents, we took advantage of the gym and other aspects of the Center. The JCC really felt like “home” for the early childhood years both for our kids and for me as a parent and that was probably the determining factor of why we stayed for both kids until graduation. It was a really magical place not only for the kids, but for me personally to feel like I had a support system and a community as a new parent. The kids still shout out “there’s the JCC!” every time we drive by it!”
“We are not a Jewish family and yet we felt welcomed and included at the EDCJCC. We needed the location and hours that the school offered and we loved the consistency of September – August (our children grew so much during the final school months). But the best things were the warm teachers, communicative administrators, and community.”
The Edlavitch DCJCC invites you to visit their school to see the children learning through play. Visit the Admissions page for more information about tours. Check out the FAQ page for more details about their program. And read more about their approach to Child Centered Learning.
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This post is sponsored by The Edlavitch DCJCC, however, I only promote programs, places, and events that I genuinely believe in and think will appeal to KFDC readers.
[Note: This post was written by KFDC Contributor Emily Moise, a local writer and mom of two young children. She always has excellent recommendations for kids’ items as well as local explorations with little ones. See more of them here, here, here, here, here, and last year’s stocking stuffer ideas here.]
If anything is a reminder that less is more for kids this holiday season, it’s the 25 plastic spider rings my family acquired during spooky season. Enter this gift guide — created for anyone who adores kid gift-giving but also gets overwhelmed by the excessive kid “stuff” in their home. These picks, recommended for preschool to early elementary ages, will be used over and over, will minimize clutter, and will delight kids and even the most minimalist parents. Don’t forget to share with Grandma and Grandpa!
Never-Ending Stories
The “no such thing as too many books” attitude is great until you hit at-home library status. I’ve reduced our collection to favorites and ones that my kids will keep going back to — and maybe learn something new each time they read them. (Paired with a good public library!) Here are a few good reads that make the cut.
Game Time
If you’ve put together Don’t Break the Ice for the 100th time, or have experienced the unnecessary complication of Mouse Trap and its 25 adjoining pieces, these game picks are for you. Easy set-up, simple concept, not a million little pieces, discreetly educational, and FUN.
Artistic Pursuits
Fostering a love of art knows no bounds. Some may not want “artwork” consuming their fridge, but parents will always enable the process. Here are reusable, long-lasting, well-contained, and lovable items for all pursuits, scribbling included.
Play Set Extensions
Is there one play set that rises to the top in your home? In our house, a Paw Patrol tower has decorated our living room for almost a year now while everything else went out of style. Magnetic tiles also have a permanent seat by the coffee table. Extend what works!
Practical Magic
These are those items that will just make everyone’s day better. Practical and pleasing — which equals magical. These gifts will get your kids to beg for bath time, brush their own teeth, and willingly put on a jacket — no negotiation tactics needed.
Organizational Fun
Getting a kid something organizational may seem like the most boring gift ever, but think outside the box for a moment. These ideas will provide surprising joy in your home. One of them was my daughter’s #1 gift request last year.
At Bright Horizons®, your child will be safe, well cared for, and supported by professional trained teachers who love what they do. Bright Horizons’ curriculum is age appropriate and custom designed to encourage curious, happy, and confident children at every age and stage.
Through Bright Horizons Smithsonian Discoveries, children will have the opportunity to participate in a series of project challenges: Collections, Music and Sound, Buildings and Construction, Self-Identity, and Patterns. Each project challenge begins with children engaging with artifact images from the Smithsonian®, offering additional learning opportunities as teachers observe and reflect on children’s interests and ideas.
Children see patterns all around them — in their homes, schools, and more — and they start recognizing and associating them with thoughts, feelings, and memories at a very young age. Hands-on exploration gives children the opportunity to design and create their own patterns; it helps them make sense of what they see in their communities and the world around them; and it helps them understand why patterns are important.
Giveaway: For a chance to win a classic set of Magna-Tiles (value $50) — the original 3D magnetic building sets for ages 3+ that engage young minds by fusing together math, science, and creativity — simply leave a comment below naming your child’s favorite toy or game. This giveaway will run through Friday, October 21, 2022, then a winner will be drawn at random and notified shortly thereafter. Good luck!
This post and giveaway are sponsored by Bright Horizons, however, I only promote places, programs, and services that I genuinely believe in and think will appeal to KFDC readers.
Imagination Stage has been a beloved and trusted theatre for 43 years! Their fall classes provide an ideal setting for nurturing creativity, exploring the arts, and making new friends and great memories. Registration is now open for 6- and 10-week classes as well as one-day workshops in acting, musical theatre, performance, dance, and filmmaking for ages 1-18. They are conveniently located in Bethesda, just minutes from the Metro.
The skilled and fun-loving teaching artists are dedicated to the Imagination Stage mission of empowering all young people to discover their voice and identity through the performing arts. Financial aid is available.
Early Childhood Classes
Check out some of the classes and workshops for children ages 1-5, which focus on providing fun and developmentally-appropriate experiences!
Teen Classes
Middle and high school aged students have a chance to hone their skills and have some fun in Dance, Acting and Musical Theatre, Training and Performance, Filmmaking, or Access classes!
*Imagination Stage provides equitable access to all programming, from added inclusion supports to peer-group access classes in order to provide the most successful experience for each student.
This post is sponsored by Imagination Stage, however, I only promote programs, places, and events that I genuinely believe in and think will appeal to KFDC readers.
