At the Y, we love to welcome neighbors of all ages – from expectant families with babies on the way, to adults celebrating birthdays age 100 and better. At the Y Beginnings Parenting Center, we focus on babies and toddlers. Now, thanks to a new partnership with PJ Library, we’re excited to announce Be Baby: Discovery Zone, designed especially for babies between 6 and 12 months, along with their parents and caregivers.
Be Baby, debuting Friday, November 3, provides a welcoming indoor space for new families to connect and build their own community, as they enjoy song time with live ukulele music, story time with PJ Library books, and open exploration of the play space, perfect for increasingly mobile babies.
Sometimes new moms walk through the doors of the Y with babies who are days or weeks old, eager for the support and guidance of our New Moms Group or Breastfeeding Cafe. Some moms join the groups right before the end of their maternity leave and some families find the Y after they’ve aged out of the groups and before they’re old enough for Toddler Exploration. Be Baby allows us to offer families a class for this important window of 6 to 12 months of age.
The Y’s partnership with PJ Library builds upon a history of working together, from many delicious family cooking and holiday events led by Jewish Cultural Educator Cyndi Rand, and the Songs & Stories events with Tkiya this past summer in Fort Tryon Park.
And, yes, our first Be Baby class happens on Friday mornings, just like our popular Ukulele Shabbat program. As the two programs don’t overlap time-wise, families can attend both, or alternate between the two, as there’s a flexible drop-in option for Be Baby and Ukulele Shabbat. Because who knows what time the baby will nap this week?! Be Baby also provides an environment tailored just for little ones.
Click here to learn more about and register for Be Baby: Discovery Zone. For more about Y Beginnings Parenting Center programs, including New Moms Group, Breastfeeding Cafe, Toddler Exploration, and Ukulele Shabbat, click here.
To receive free Jewish stories and songs each month, sign up at pjlibrary.org/NewYork.
By Mara Bragg, Y Beginnings Parenting Center Coordinator
