See below for information about the kinds of developmental movement sessions we offer for babies and caregivers and how you can schedule a session or consultation.
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- ONLINE SESSIONS
- Babies! Group Sessions
- Private Sessions
- IN-PERSON SESSIONS
- Babies! Open Group Sessions
- Self-organized Baby Pods
- Private Sessions
- BOOKING
What We Offer and How We Work
Are you curious about your baby’s movement development?
Do you have concerns about your baby’s developmental progress?
Do you have questions about how to support your baby as they learn something new?
Do you want to know what your baby might do next?
Do you want to learn ways to pick up, set down and hold your baby?
Are you looking for ideas about how to play with your baby?
Do you want to practice handling skills before your baby arrives?
We are Infant Developmental Movement Educators (IDMEs). All of our developmental movement sessions are opportunities for you to learn to observe, appreciate and facilitate your baby’s movement and perceptual development. We value a child’s process more highly than the timing of their milestones. This means holding space for each child’s process and timing as they find their own way.
All of our sessions are based on the belief that babies and toddlers learn best when they’re led by their curiosity and supported by their sense of safety and comfort. We don’t believe that babies and toddlers need to be taught, entertained or motivated in order to learn. As caregivers, we don’t need to try to get them to do something as a way of furthering their progress. Instead, little ones need our presence, availability and support. In this sense, our sessions are infant-oriented and baby-led.
Based on this perspective, there is no set format or agenda in our sessions with babies and toddlers, whether we are working with one or a group of families. Our intention is to meet each baby and family where they are.
We IDMEs may talk about principles such as “baby ball,” balancing extension with flexion, the value of “small falls”, and prioritizing the process of learning rather than achieving a particular position.
We will share handling suggestions with you. How a baby is handled affects all aspects of their development: their patterns of perception, their problem-solving abilities, their emotional well-being, their cognitive functioning, and their sense of agency in the world. Even small changes in a caregiver’s habits and choices in handling their baby can add up to a significant difference in how a baby’s development is supported (or impeded).
For more about our approach and what you can expect in these sessions, please read about our values and principles, our perspective on developmental movement, and our focus on touch and handling skills.
In-Person Babies Project Sessions
Infant Developmental Movement
Weekly sessions at Kids at Work, NYC
Thursdays, 12:30-1:30pm
register through Kids at Work
Our weekly sessions at Kids at Work are modeled after our Babies! open group session. They are intentionally structured as open exploring time, where one or more Infant Developmental Movement Educators (IDMEs) are available to support the little ones in their process, to talk to parents and caregivers about their baby’s movement development, to explain our philosophy and perspective, and to respond to any questions that might come up.
In its classic format, Babies! is open to families with babies from newborn to early walking, and multiple caregivers are welcome. We have found that this all-ages, one-room schoolhouse format fosters community and a generative learning environment.
- Sessions are 60 minutes. You can arrive anytime in the first 15 minutes and leave as needed. First-timers are encouraged to arrive as close to the beginning of class as possible.
Self-organized Baby Pods
We’re offering sessions to self-organized groups of 2 to 5 families. We can meet at Balance Arts Center, or at a space you have access to (e.g., a community playroom, or your living room). Babies (and toddlers) do not have to be in the same developmental age range; it’s up to the group.
These hour-long sessions are opportunities to receive semi-private, individualized attention to ask questions, work on specific skills, address your concerns, and spend an hour being with your babies and learning together.
The smaller the group, the more individual attention each family can receive. The larger the group, the more questions we can gather but there may be less individual time. We welcome multiple caregivers to participate and multiples (twins, etc.) are no extra charge.
- We ask that one parent/family serve as the point person for communicating with us about scheduling and paying for the session or series.
- Single sessions are $150 for the group. A series of 4 or more weekly or bi-weekly sessions is available for the discounted price of $125/session.
- Feel free to try a single session, and if you register for a series, the discounted price will be retroactively applied.
- If price is an issue, please email us and we will work with you.
- We encourage you to register for multiple sessions so you and your little ones have a chance to orient to our approach and become familiar with the space and other participants.
- Email us to inquire about scheduling a session or series of sessions.
PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT MOVEMENT SESSIONS
In these 60-minute private sessions, you can meet with Sarah (in NYC) or Amy (in Freeport/Portland, ME) and be introduced to our principles (if it’s your first visit). We’ll spend time answering your questions, explaining our ideas, and making suggestions for you and your little one.
- Sarah is offering private sessions at Balance Arts Center at 151 W 30th St, 3rd floor, in Manhattan. Email us and we will work with you to find a time and place for us to meet. Home visits are also available.
- Sessions are $150 for 60 minutes. For home visits, travel time may be added to the fee depending on location.
- Sliding scale prices: use promotion code SLIDE_50 for 50% off, SLIDE_25 for 25% off, SLIDE_10 for 10% off. (Please note: if you are able to pay the full price, you will help us offer these sessions to people who need the discount.)
- If you are unable to pay the discounted price, please email us and we will work with you.
- We don’t charge extra for twins (or other “multiples”), and multiple caregivers are welcome in our sessions.
Online Babies Project Sessions
NEW TIME!
Babies! Online 2:00-3:00pm ET MONdays
These virtual gatherings are intended as opportunities for you and your little ones to check in, say hello, ask us questions, and share community.
- These online sessions are by-donation. You can donate via our website or Venmo.
- These sessions are for parents and other caregivers who have previously attended an in-person Babies Project session, or who have been oriented to our approach through a Private Developmental Movement Session (in-person or online).
- We limit the number of participants per session, and pre-registration is required. Registration closes an hour before the session.
- We allow a limited number of people who aren’t with a baby and are interested in our approach to participate as observers. Pre-registration is required and participants are asked to follow our guidelines for observers. Observers will introduce themselves at the beginning of the session and then turn their video off.
- These sessions are by-donation. You can donate online via our website or Venmo (#0418). Our suggested donation is $20-$40 per session, and we appreciate your support at whatever level you can – thank you!
- We’ll send out a Zoom link at least a half hour before each session.
PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT MOVEMENT ONLINE SESSIONS
In these 30- or 60-minute private sessions, you can meet Sarah or Amy and be introduced to our principles. We’ll spend time answering your questions, explaining our ideas and making suggestions for you and your little one.
- First time? If this is your first time having a session with us, we recommend that you start with a 60-minute session so we have enough time to meet you and your little one and orient you to our approach.
- Please email us to book a session. We will work with you to meet your scheduling needs.
- Sessions are $100 for 60 minutes and $50 for 30 minutes.
- Sliding scale prices: use promotion code SLIDE_50 for 50% off, SLIDE_25 for 25% off, SLIDE_10 for 10% off. (Please note: if you are able to pay the full price, you will help us offer these sessions to people who need the discount.)
- If you are unable to pay the discounted price, please email us and we will work with you.
- We don’t charge extra for twins (or other “multiples”), and multiple caregivers are welcome in our sessions.
- We’ll send out a Zoom link before each session.
If you’re not sure what you’d like to do or whether you’d like to work with us, please email us at babies@babiesproject.org – we’d be happy to help you figure it out!