Baby Group
A parent participation RIE and Montessori-inspired play group thoughtfully designed to ignite your child’s potential while providing you with the knowledge and support you need on your parenting journey.
Observation-based.
Gently child-led.
Play2Grow is a small, co-hort based play group for the youngest children. We serve families with children 3-18 months old,
a period of rapid development for your baby.
You will learn:
- your pre-verbal baby’s cues and preferences
- to support age appropriate development
- to meet the stimulation needs for your baby
- Parenting tips & practices to navigate challenges typical for 0-2 year olds
In just 8 weeks, you will confidently be able to answer the question “Am I stimulating my baby enough?” or “Am I doing enough to help them grow?“.
Our Mission
Spark joy, strengthen bonds, and make unforgettable memories.
Play2Grow empowers parents to connect with their children through play.
Our mission is to
take away your stress and anxiety and
replace it with ease and confidence that
you are doing enough for your baby, and
you are exactly what your baby needs.
Our Recipe
Watch the video above to see what goes into making the magic happen each week at Play2Grow. Everything we do is intentional – from the play objects, to setting up the environment, to holding small co-hort classes. We do it for you, we do it for your baby – with love and respect.
How Play2Grow Helps
Sparks Learning
Changes in play objects and environments inspire your baby to explore, discover, inquire, and learn in new ways.
Boosts Development
Builds baby’s confidence and resilience, as well as enhances their physical, spatial, and cognitive awareness.
Confident Parent
Clarity and boost in confidence for parents as they learn to be keen observers and facilitators of baby’s play.
Boosts Attachment
Guided focused-time for parent + child that enhances attachment and emotional connection built during the early years.
What You’ll Learn
Research-backed. Confidence-boosting.
Each week at Play2Grow is guided to give you the knowledge and clarity on all things play. We also have a good portion of the class set aside to answer your questions (oh, aren’t there so many??) to help in the early months as a parent!
Typical topics include, but not limited to,…
Yes Spaces & a Prepared Environment, Toys & Play Objects that spark curiosity,
Fostering Natural Motor Development, Age-appropriate Stimulation
Understanding Baby’s Pre-verbal Cues, Fostering Early Literacy
How to Support Sharing & Other Pro-Social Behaviour
Navigating Common Baby Challenges – Sleep, Feed, Parent Preference
Help with Separation Anxiety & Stranger Danger situations
Location
Our classes at This World’s Ours Centre at 10th & Main
(191 E 10th Ave) in the center of Vancouver.
Check back for future class locations!
Current Classes
Register now for Spring 2024 Classes.
Dates: April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 May 7, 21, 28
Total 8 sessions per term
Mount Pleasant Classes: (191 E 10th Avenue, Vancouver)
– Pre-Crawlers (~3-7 months): Tuesdays, 11am
– Crawlers (~6-12months): Tuesdays, 12pm
–Walkers (~12-18 months): Tuesdays, 10am Sold Out
*all classes are 45 minutes per session
Maximum 8 families per class. Our classes are intentionally small. If the class is not full, ongoing enrollment are available at pro-rated rates and prices will be adjusted on the payment site.
You can drop in for a one-off class. Drop-in fee is $28/session.
Please email us first before you drop in to determine if there will be space: info@imperfectparent.ca.
FAQ
How is Play2Grow different?
We are…
- observation-based,
- gently-led,
- small group,
- cohort-based,
- expert-facilitated
…baby play group for the youngest children (3-18 months).
Our cohorts form tight-bonds and find joy in learning about each other’s babies and watching each other grow as families.
What is RIE and Montessori?
RIE is a respectful approach to parenting or caregiving that deeply values and promotes trust, autonomy, and natural development through attentive and mindful interactions.
Montessori is an educational approach that fosters independence, self-directed learning, and respect for a child’s natural development and individuality.
Play2Grow takes practices from both to create a respectful space for babies and help parents learn how to foster young creative, curious minds through the work of childhood – play.
What is a session like?
Our group sessions are gentle on babies and gentle on parents. There’s not a lot of waving rattles over babies. There’s a whole lot of practical and evidence-based tips on nurturing your baby’s development. In our 45 minutes together, we …
- Check In: Play objects and setup change week to week. Babies enjoy free-play and exploration. Parents settle in and catch up with familiar faces.
- Observation Time: After your baby and yourself settle in, we begin our quiet observation time. This intentional time is spent observing your baby’s capabilities and learning interest. Parents and babies find this period most relaxing and enjoyable.
- Share & Learn: We spend the rest of class in discussion. With small class sizes, our facilitator is able to offer their observations week to week, and share their insight about your child’s development. There is a guided discussion topic each week, and often a parent’s questions will lead us to expand beyond play to help address parenting challenges.
Why are babies grouped by mobility and not by age?
Our groups are intentionally separated by mobility instead of by age to respect each child’s unique developmental path. We practice natural development for each physical milestone. There are big changes in your baby’s play needs as milestones are unfolded so we set up our classes according to what best meets the needs of children at that stage of development.
Can I come in for a drop-in?
Drop-ins are limited but possible if there is space in the class. Please contact us at info@imperfectparent.ca before dropping-in to check for availability.
We run 8 sessions per term, one session per week. This offers a cohort environment so the families and babies can bond with each other and foster attachment to the space and program. Drop-ins can be accommodated, but to get the max benefit for you and your baby, we encourage you to come for the 8 sessions!
What's your sick policy?
We want babies to be fully able to engage in class, and if they are unwell, what they need more than play are cuddles. If baby or yourself are sick, please do not attend class. Runny noses, coughing, or sneezing are signs of sickness and you or your baby will not be able to attend class. Babies will also need to be free of fever, vomitting, or diarrhea for 24 hours before attending class. Missed classes due to illness will not be made up. However, if the class facilitator is ill, notice will be sent to parents as soon as possible to notify them that the class is cancelled. We will then provide a make up class for all registrants.
What Our Families are Saying
