Parent & Me is a parent-child pre-soccer and movement program specifically designed for toddlers between 12 and 24 months. Our experienced instructors along with our puppet friends, Mimi & Pepe, take you and your little one through a world of exciting physical activity. Individual attention, positive reinforcement, and engaging original music help to develop pre-soccer skills that will have your toddler learning to balance, run, kick and play – all while having a blast!
Children at this age learn best through a secure and comfortable environment with predictable routines. Parent & Me class starts with a welcome song and jumps right into a kicking activity based on a weekly animal theme. Little soccer balls and small goals are used as an age-appropriate tool to help toddlers begin to focus on the lower body. Other activities include an upper body activity, stretching song and cognitive game. The class rounds out with a parent-child massage and good-bye song with clear, fun transitions.
Toddlers are often in a transition phase from being completely dependent on their caregivers as infants to learning the basic concepts of independence within a few short months. Within this transition, toddlers often need the support of their adult helpers to feel comfortable and secure as they learn new skills. In Parent & Me classes, we create an environment through which caregivers participate and interact with their toddlers as much as possible because our toddlers get the most out of the experience when they see their caregivers playing along with them! We ask that one caregiver accompanies each toddler to class.
Toddlers are just learning to balance on their feet and use their lower bodies effectively. While toddlers are able to kick, many use their hands as the primary body part to manipulate objects. Parent & Me classes encourage toddlers to use their lower bodies more effectively in order to improve balance, overall coordination, and kicking abilities so that as they grow, they develop the tools necessary to begin playing soccer.
