Now is the time to enroll in new infant massage and development classes from the Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) Family Focus parent education and preschool activities program.
VCE Family Focus will be running an eight-week series of classes, one called Infant Massage and one called Beyond the Delivery, starting Feb. 7, and now is the time to register. The classes will be conducted Thursday mornings from Feb. 7 through March 28 at the VCE Family Focus at St. Mark Lutheran Church in Yorktown.
The series begins with parents or grandparents of pre-crawling infants learning how to massage their babies using curriculum from Infant Massage USA, an affiliate chapter of the International Association for Infant Massage.
Infant massage provides many benefits to babies and their parents, according to a press release from the Family Focus program. It supports attachment parenting and can help babies become calmer, sleep more restfully, and grow and learn better. It also improves bodily systems including circulation, respiration, digestion, and also helps adults understand more about how babies communicate.
The Beyond the Delivery classes will offer parents or grandparents fun learning activities they can do with their babies through songs and movements that will enhance infant development.
A staff-supervised playgroup is available for older preschool-aged siblings who need care during these classes.
VCE Family Focus is a welcoming community place for families with young children to meet and gain support from other parents, grandparents and staff while their children benefit through educational activities and programs.
Space is limited, so call Bee or Laurie at 898-2945 to register or for more information.
