Often I get emails that remind me of how special it is to be a part of the Brooklyn parenting community. We are in an urban environment and yet, it feels like a village with how people here invest in our community. Yesterday, I got an email from an acquaintance, whom someday I hope to call a good friend. I see her at birthday parties, at the store, and have always been drawn to her down-to-earth countenance, easy laughter, and grace. So, when she wrote me about her new endeavor, I wasn’t surprised but once again, proud to be in the Brooklyn parenting community where so many parents reach out to one another- to extend themselves, share their knowledge and raise our village up to be stronger and better.
The woman I write of, Eliza Factor, has started a new organization called Extreme Kids & Crew. It’s goal is to “alleviate some of the stress that families with disabled children face by creating a beautiful haven where children with every sort of ability and disability can play, learn and grow, and where parents can meet and help each other and have fun alongside their kids.”
Their mission is to establish a gym and arts center in downtown Brooklyn in Fall 2011. They are now offering classes that are just the beginnings of what will be a full roster of dance, art, music, movement & drama classes for children of all abilities. Eventually they will add a sensory gym stocked with therapeutic equipment that members can use free of charge, and a lounge area for parents. At later stages, they will offer swimming pools, outdoor space, garden and gardening classes, and services such as physical, occupational and speech therapy, acupuncture and massage.
Their goal is to make these classes of high quality, but also affordable. To that end, they will offer sliding scale membership and class fees so that all families can have access to the center. To make this possible they will do special fundraising events, collaborate with teaching colleges, ask for parent involvement, and the generosity of individual donors & foundations.
Their timeline is: in the fall of 2011, they want to launch their pilot program, a 3,000 sq. foot play space in or near downtown Brooklyn. The play space will offer an array of therapeutic swings, ball pits, trampolines, and toys to enhance fine motor skills. A therapist will be on site several hours a day, giving tips to parents on fun and beneficial ways to use the equipment with their children. After school and weekend classes will be offered for school age children. Morning classes will be offered for pre-schoolers. They hope that the pilot project will be able to support itself by the fall of 2014. If it does, they will begin Phase II: planning and fundraising for their primary project, a large scale facility with multiple classrooms, a swimming area, indoor as well as outdoor play spaces, a theater, and office space to rent to therapists to augment income.
If you are interested in their project email them at info@extremekidsandcrew.org.
Winter Classes: Saturday, January 22- Sunday, March 27
Classes will be held at their temporary space at Trilok Fusion Center for Arts and Education in Fort Greene, Brooklyn: 143 Waverly Avenue between Myrtle and Park.
Art
An eight week course that starts with self portraiture and expands to the universe! Pastels. Paints. Collage. Mask Making, Magic Wand Making, Musical Instrument Making & More.
Saturdays: 11:00-12:30
Clay
Clay is an enthralling and tactile medium for both children and adults. Come explore, pinch, pound, squeeze, coil, dye. Make pots, mugs, squirmy little worms. Go where your imagination takes you.
Sundays: 11-12:30
Yoga-Movement
Have fun with your kid trying out ways to move your bodies that maybe you’ve never even imaged before. Experiment. Play together. See what happens.
Saturdays: 1-2:30
To register for a class, visit their registration page.