Hopkins Community Education

Meet and connect once a week with other parents and their toddlers to get your questions answered by our licensed parent educator in these ongoing ECFE classes. This is the perfect way to meet other parents, learn from others, and discover what is right for you and your family with the guidance of a parent educator and research-based information. Enjoy playing and learning with your toddler as you sing songs, read books, and get your fingers into art, and more! Non-separating classes: #202, #205. Gradual-separating classes: #201, #204, #206. For an evening options, see classes #110, #207,  in our Evening section.

There is so much fun to be had as your child interacts with the world at ever-increasing levels! Listen to the giggles as you and your toddler enjoy creative activities, sing songs, play with toys, explore new art forms, and more! Each week, the parent educator will lead discussions on topics you are most interested in, such as sharing, routines and rituals, temper tantrums, toilet learning, and child development.

Your child is exploring his growing independence. This class will give your child opportunities to practice social skills, cooperative activities, reading, art, sensory experiences, stories, science, and more that will enhance their other preschool experiences. Your child's classroom will have interesting learning stations that will engage them while they develop school readiness skills.Parents have a unique opportunity to develop strong connections with other Hopkins Public Schools parents and learn strategies to support their child’s readiness for elementary school in this class.  Discussion topics include sibling rivalry, overindulgence, your child's temperament, healthy communication, setting limits, and more.At the beginning of each class, children and parents play in a classroom environment designed to promote children’s exploration, curiosity and discovery. Following time together, parents meet in a separate classroom with a licensed parent educator for discussion on topics related to child development, parenting and school readiness. Your child remains in the classroom during this time with a licensed early childhood teacher and engages in activities that support love of learning and preparation for kindergarten.These classes are separating

Join us for an introduction to Baby Sign Language! It is a great way to communicate with your baby and a strategy for avoiding frustration. The book, Baby Signs: How to Talk With Your Baby Before Your Baby Can Talk, by Linda Acredolo and Susan Goodwyn, will be the basis for the workshop. Discuss the way baby signs can help you understand what your baby needs, learn some signs that will help get you started, and end with songs and finger plays that incorporate baby signs. This class is for parents and babies 4-15 months old. This is a free class, but registration is required.Presenter:  Angela Hart, Med., ECFE Parent Educator

Join Kelly Shay, certified yoga instructor with advanced prenatal and postnatal training for a delightful yoga class designed for both you and your baby. Bond with baby using massage, simple songs, and a gentle yet strengthening yoga sequence designed for postnatal bodies. It is great for moms over six weeks postpartum, as well as any other caregivers (dads, grandparents, nannies…) looking to connect in a new way with baby. Class is designed for babies 6 weeks to 9 months (or just crawling). Please bring a baby blanket and a yoga mat or towel (a limited number of yoga mats will be available for families who don't have one). Limited childcare available. 

Need some new tools on how to connect with your children during challenging times? Come join a group of adults for discussion and discovery on how to have more effective communication within the family. A licensed parent educator will lead discussion around this topic while also sharing the techniques that your children's teachers use in the classroom that you can bring home.

Parent & Child (2-5 Years Old) 12 Week Evening ClassesThe questions don’t stop just because you can’t come to a daytime class. Our evening classes use the same format as our daytime Child & Parents classes.There is so much fun to be had as your child interacts with the world at ever-increasing levels! Listen to the giggles as you and your toddler enjoy creative activities, sing songs, play with toys, explore new are forms, and more! Each week the licensed parent educator will lead discussions on topics you are most interested in such as: sharing, routines, temper tantrums, toilet learning, and child development.Non-separating Class.

1-2 Year Olds & Parent Evening ClassesThe questions don’t stop just because you can’t come to a daytime class. Our evening classes use the same format as our daytime Child & Parents classes.Meet and connect once a week with other parents and their toddlers to get your questions answered by our licensed parent educator in these ongoing ECFE classes. This is the perfect way to meet other parents, learn from others, and discover what is right for you and your family with the guidance of a parent educator and research-based information. Enjoy playing and learning with your toddler as you sing songs, read books, and get your fingers into art, and more! 

How is my baby's brain developing? Is she eating enough? When will he begin to sit up, roll over, crawl, talk? What about transition to solid foods? How can I get him to sleep?The questions don't stop just because you can't come to a daytime class! Join us for these classes created especially for families who prefer evening options.Meet once a week and connect with other parents and their infants to get your questions answered by our licensed parent educators. This is the perfect way to meet other parents, learn form others, engage with your child, and discover what is right for you and your family when it comes to all those big questions.Registration for 1 class session only is available as well for $5 per family.

How is my baby's brain developing? Is she eating enough? When will he begin to sit up, roll over, crawl, talk? What about transition to solid foods? How can I get him to sleep?Meet once a week and connect with other parents and their infants to get your questions answered by our licensed parent educators. This is the perfect way to meet other parents, learn form others, engage with your child, and discover what is right for you and your family when it comes to all those big questions.Perfect for parents on maternity/paternity leave, sections #107 and #108 are short, 7-week sessions - sign up for one or both!

For parents only, with children ages birth to 5 years. In this session we will explore 12 revolutionary strategies to nurture your child’s developing mind as presented in the book The Whole Brain Child by Daniel Siegel. You will find solutions for everyday parenting struggles while also developing and nurturing your own emotional intelligence. Materials and book will be provided.

Do you with you had a group of parents you could talk with to discuss the joys and challenges of raising your preschooler? You are not alone! This group discussion will include light snacks, a non-judgmental, safe environment, with a Licensed Parent Educator to explore ways to dive into parenting topics, such as Work Life Balance, Effective Communication, Temperament Traits, Self-regulation, Positive Discipline, and Child Development. We look forward to seeing you and supporting you in this journey of parenting!

Self-regulation... a work in progress. For preschoolers, this is their year-round homework. So as adults how do we support the development of this skill at home? Come join other adults to discuss strategies around how to best teach the best practices around self-regulation to your children. Facilitated by a licensed parent educator you will leave with some calming techniques and tools to bring home that will help promote the building of these skills at home.

You may be wondering what has changed in Kindergarten since you attended - this parent-only workshop is designed to help parents understand what their kindergarten child will experience in the Hopkins schools as they continue on their educational journey.During this workshop parents will hear from an elementary school principal in addition to a facilitated conversation with a licensed parent educator.  The discussion will include (but will not be limited to) information on the Kindergarten curriculum and examples of activities, the importance of the social side of the classroom, and how to best support your child as they are getting ready for the next school year.  Parent-only class of children age 3 to five years.

Attend any or all of the sessions.  Each 4 or 5-week section has a different exciting theme: Sibling care will NOT be provided for these classes.  Stay and Play Themes:  This class is now on Fridays from 11:00-12:30, Room 44Brown Bear Brown Bear the World of Colors: Eric Carle’s art is rich with colors and textures. This favorite story will be our guide as we explore the world of colors Round and Round Let it Roll: Get an early exposure to STEM with ramps, cars, speed, and distance. Enjoy some “wheely” fun art projects and activities.Ooey Gooey Science in Action: Encourage your child’s natural curiosity about STEM concepts (science, technology, engineering and math) with projects that are messy, active, and sensory based.Two choices are available for registrations; You may sign up for one or all three sessions: 1) Registration for individual classes - must be made the week prior to the date by calling 952-988-5000. Course cost is $5 per class per family. Please bring exact cash or check made out to ISD #270 for each session.2) Register for the entire series, 8 spaces available - Special rate of $15 for each 4-week series (#505-DF and #506-DF) or $20 for the 5-week series (#504-DF)

Come join other adults to discover what temperament traits are and how influential they are to us and our children. Further, by learning about and understanding them ALL of your relationships will benefit. With a licensed parent educator facilitating the discussion, we will dig into why some people prefer a hug when they are upset and others prefer to be alone with their thoughts.

Join Kelly Shay, certified yoga instructor with advanced prenatal training.  What better way to exert that lively toddler energy in a class filled with breathing, singing, and movement! We will use musical instruments for little hands and yoga as our foundation while socializing with other toddlers and caregivers. Appropriate for toddlers crawling to 36 months. Please bring a yoga mat. A limited number of mats will be available for families that do not have one. Limited child care available for children 6 months - Kindergarten, $5/child.