Early Childhood Programs

Enjoy this relaxing, informative class for children who are less than one year old.  This class is designed to be your time to slow down, enjoy your little one and develop a supportive network with other parents. Parents and children enjoy songs, puppets, musical instruments and other fun activities in our bright and baby-safe classroom. A knowledgeable parent educator will lead interactive discussions on feeding, sleeping, safety, brain development, balancing your life as a new parent and more.

Contact:
Holly Chester (Holly_Chester@edenpr.org, 952-975-7289)

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Welcome babies! Give your baby a strong start. These classes are for newborn through 12 month babies and their significant caregivers; mom, dad, grandparents, etc. Meet new friends and enjoy bonding time with your baby!

• Tummy Time Essentials
• Welcome Baby Dinner/Breakfast

These baby classes are offered FREE of charge, but pre-registration is requested. 

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Give your baby a strong start. This class is for newborn through 6 months babies and their significant caregivers: mom, dad, grandparents, etc. Meet new friends and enjoy bonding time with your baby! Class starts with a weekly baby weigh-in and getting your questions answered about eating and sleeping. The curriculum will rotate covering specific infant topics. Classes are offered free of charge, no registration is required, co-facilitated with public health and guest speakers that are experts on their topics. There will also be time to connect with others that are going through this stage.

Note: Starting in Fall 2025

Toddlers grow, change and try new things at a rapid pace.  Join this class where eager students turn a whirl of activity into learning that inspires confidence. You will learn songs, games, stories and activities to extend your child’s learning at home. There will be parent discussion time to explore what is behind your toddler’s endless energy and enthusiasm. Child-Led Separation.

The curriculum covered will have some repetition from prior short-term sessions and will focus on each child/family's needs.

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Two year old's use experimentation to help interpret their world. Join this class and watch your child explore every learning opportunity with curiosity and passion. Children will practice social skills such as taking turns, listening to the teacher and following in line while experiencing a fun and loving classroom environment. Parents will meet and discuss topics like healthy eating habits, toilet training and how to set limits with love. Enjoy parent/child time, including songs, activities and games that will help your child thrive in every way. Relax and enjoy the parent support and discussion time while building a network of friends for your child and family. Separating.

*Please note that short-term sessions may not separate. Separation is not our first priority due to the variety of experiences and age range of the children.  The curriculum covered will have some repetition from prior short-term sessions and will focus on each child/family's needs.

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Mover and Shakers Supply List

Three- and four-year-olds are excited to explore the world and meet new friends! The preschool years are full of discovery but can also be a parenting challenge. Your child will build positive self-esteem, confidence, and independence while in the classroom with the early childhood teacher. Parents will spend time with a licensed parent educator and other parents to support one another and learn more strategies for successful and effective parenting.

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Our Family School program offers free English classes for adults, Little Eagles preschool for 3 and 4-year-olds, and an infant and toddler classroom for younger children or children 5 and under who are not enrolled in preschool.

Adult English classes are provided by Metro South Adult Basic Education, and children's classes are staffed by early childhood educators. If you see a note that this class is full, please enroll anyway. Everyone who enrolls in the class will be on the waitlist until we receive a test score from Metro South ABE and place you in a specific class section. 

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Family School is a collaboration between Eden Prairie Schools Community Education and our partner Metro South Adult Basic Education. Metro South is partially funded with a grant from the Minnesota Department of Education using state and/or federal funding, Minnesota Statute Section 124D.522 and/or CFDA 84.002, Adult Basic Education-Grants to States.

Early Childhood Family Education is a wonderful resource for Eden Prairie families. Finances or transportation should not be a barrier for families interested in learning more about how to best support their child's growth and development. In an effort to make ECFE classes available to all families, we host outreach classes taught throughout the community, which include time to connect with Early Childhood staff and parent educators.

Please note: We only have space for each family to enroll in ONE section of Outreach. You must be a resident of the complex to enroll in a class.

A daily outreach schedule typically looks like this:

• Parent-child interaction time
• Instructor-led group activity (such as a song, story, etc.)
• Storytime with a small snack provided
• Parent sessions are led by a licensed parent educator, while the children are guided through an activity by a licensed early childhood instructor 
   

Current Locations:

• Briarhill Apartments (Residents Only)
  7025 Woodland Drive
  Eden Prairie, MN 55346
• Prairie Meadows 
• The Preserve Barn (Priority to Residents)
  11221 Anderson Lakes Pkwy.
  Eden Prairie, MN 55344
• Classes are held throughout the school year. A detailed schedule is available at class. Pre-registration is requested. Additional outreach locations may be added throughout the year. Check our website to learn more!

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Fall 2025: Attend class with all of your children or just one. There will be activities for all ages. Parent time will be sure to cover family relationships and topics that are important to all ages. Caregivers will separate from children.

This class provides time for interactions between dad and child or children. Boost your parent bond through planned activities, circle time, music, gym time and more. Relax and enjoy the parent discussion time while building a network of friends for your child and family.

Register only one child for this class and the remaining children ages 1 to 5 are free! 

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This class is for parents with multiple young children who would like to come together to connect with other families. Your child(ren) will participate in engaging activities and an educational group time filled with stories, songs, and enrichment. A licensed parent educator will provide resources and parent discussions on a variety of parenting topics.

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Outdoor experiences naturally provide children with opportunities to develop their whole selves while also learning hands-on about the world around them. Children’s free time outside dropped by 38% between 1979 and 1999. “Unstructured” outdoor play today amounts to only about 30 minutes per week for each of our children. That’s barely 4 minutes per day.

Research shows that when children have outdoor experience in nature, they are happier, healthier and do better in school. It also improves learners’ attention, levels of stress, self-discipline, interest and enjoyment in learning and physical activity and fitness. (Jeffers Foundation)

ECFE Outdoor Learning/Nature-based play, will include but not limited to the following: digging holes, exploring, building stick forts, daydreaming in your secret spot or just “mucking around” in the woods. Class will happen all Fridays ECFE is in session, no matter the weather. Please dress for the weather and the bugs! Free class, no registration required! 

There are two sessions to choose from! Classes will be held Mondays 3:30–4:30 p.m. and Fridays 12-1 p.m. at Cedar Ridge Outdoor Learning area. The address is 8905 Braxton Drive, Eden Prairie, MN 55347.
*Park in the general parking lot and walk to the left side of the building to the sign for Outdoor Learning and the path into the woods.

Call 952-975-7200 with questions.

Introduce your child to the joy of music through interactive songs, rhythms, and movement. Foster a love for music and creativity in a fun, nurturing environment.

Join a virtual or in-person class with other parents to learn and discuss topics of interest. There is a wide variety to choose from, including:

• Emotion coaching for parents
• Mindful parenting
• Positive solutions for families
• Parents of preschoolers
• And more...

Register for Virtual Register for In-Person Learn More about Parenting Classes