Edina Community Ed

Twos develop at high speed and thrive with guidance and limits as they set out to try everything in sight. Our classrooms are set up to allow children to engage all of their senses as they sing, dance, create, build, problem solve, communicate and socialize. Children gain confidence, trust, and independence as their parents separate for a facilitator led parenting time which focuses on parent generated topics including eating, toilet learning, separation anxiety, and language development as well as other relevant topics. Each class provides many opportunities for your child to develop social and problem solving skills while the two of you enjoy some uninterrupted high quality play and learning together time. You will also leave with new ideas and activities that reinforce the weekly classroom activities. Sibling care is available for this class on parenting days. One-time $50 registration fee.

Join other caregivers and their children in an atmosphere created just for babies and toddlers. No registration is required. You can pay as you go ($7 at the door) or purchase a pass online. Sibling care is not offered for this class. For ages 6-18 months.

Come to class and learn new parenting skills as your child grows from Elementary through High School years. Beyond ECFE Classes are taught by Licensed Parent Educators, meeting once per month. Group discussion allows parents to share their challenges, experience and wisdom. Topics are determined based on the interests of the class. Classes offered are: Parenting Elementary Students, Parenting Middle School Students, and Parenting High School Students. Parenting Elementary Students: Topics may include working in partnership with teachers, identity, sleep, friendships, discipline, emotion coaching, sibling relationships, over-scheduling, home-school communication, beginning puberty, teaching personal and media safety, moral development, chores and allowance and other concerns common to this age and stage. Topics are flexible and will reflect the interests of the group. For the month of January, class will be the 3rd Thursday, January 18th 2024.

Learn how to introduce culturally component skills into your parenting and family life. Students will examine their culture and influences through life as well as develop an awareness and appreciation for other cultures in our community.

Do you have a child entering Kindergarten in the fall of 2024? Join us for a fun series that will be a combination of activities both with your child and separate. Each week will have a different focus: practicing riding a bus around the neighborhood, a Q&A with Edina Kindergarten teachers, and a discussion with a Licensed Parent Educator on how to manage the emotions involved with a big transition.

Focusing on threes, fours and fives who may be new to preschool, this class covers a variety of parenting topics to offer you and your child a wonderful time together. Children’s activities are designed to encourage personal, social, and physical development, pre-reading, pre-writing skills and language development. Parents stay in the classroom with their child for the first hour. The second hour, parents separate from their child to have time to connect with and learn from other parents while facilitated by a licensed Parent Educator. Child care for siblings is available. One-time $50 registration fee.

Enjoy an ECFE class with dad! Parents and children will spend quality playtime together for the first half. The second half of the class, the dads (or any caregiver) will attend parent education in a separate classroom space with a Parent Educator.

What can we do to raise healthy boys? How is parenting boys different from parenting girls? As societal views of gender are changing, how can you teach your son about masculinity, identity, appropriate behavior and expectations? This class will explore questions like these so that you can formulate a plan for helping your son grow into an adult you will like and admire. Potential discussion topics include teaching kindness & empathy, building resilience, positive discipline, anger and conflict, bullying, chores/responsibility, self-regulation/emotion management, social norms & expectations, friendships, time management, how the pandemic has impacted boys, changing bodies and navigating the bridge between little boys and big boys. The format of the class might include podcasts, reading and discussing articles on current topics related to parenting boys, and small group discussions based on the age of the boys of participants. Topics and format are flexible and will reflect the interest of the group. For the months of January, February and March, class will be the 4th Tuesday (January 23rd, February 27th and March 26th 2024).

Twenty-first century family life requires twenty-first century tools. If you are a parent with an interest in kids, grown-ups, and the world around us, you have to hear these podcasts. Whether you are new to podcasts, or have your earbuds permanently plugged in, you will hear something interesting in this brand-new class. Each class meeting will include time to check in with one another, as well as additional content and discussion of the week's theme. Our podcasts will include a variety of programs and episodes, of which you will listen to at least one prior to each session. This class will be a hybrid-model, participants can attend in person or virtually.

Raising resilient kids can be challenging. Learn how to teach your child resilience and how to cope through difficult times.

A licensed Parent Educator facilitates parents of children 3-5 years who will gather to support and discuss topics key to child development. This class will look at developmental growth through play and the joys and challenges that this age can exhibit. Topics may include: Meals and Manners, Friendship Skills, Discipline, Power Struggles. Under the guidance of the Parent Educator, participants can help select future discussions. This class will meet on the third Tuesday of the month. For an additional cost (half the amount of class fee), childcare is available for children as young as 6 weeks and as old as 5 years. Children up to 4 months are welcome to attend with their parent.

This class is for experienced parents that have already been through traditional ECFE. Class content will be based on the interests of the group, honoring their knowledge and experiences.

Enjoy special time as a family. Learn and play in one of our preschool classrooms. Teachers will lead the group in songs and stories.

Join other grandparents and their grandchildren in an atmosphere created just for toddlers. No registration is required. You can pay as you go ($7 at the door) or purchase a pass online. Sibling care is not offered for this class. For ages 12-36 months