On The Way To Cape May/Jamboree in Summer 2 at NEST Center City!

Why do all little children love to dance?  They hear a song, and boom!  They need to hit the floor and move to the beat!  One of our most popular classes, Jamboree™, which combines movement and music, is every little dancers’ happy place!  There are three different Jamboree™ sections offered at NEST, broken up by age, ranging from 6 months to 3 years.

The music in our Jamboree™ classes changes with each session, and the music in Summer Session 2 at NEST is all about the music of the Jersey Shore! From the Doo-Wop of Wildwood to Bon Jovi in Asbury Park, the music of Jamboree™ in Summer 2 will have you longing for the seashore! Even the activities will have a SJ touch: sand and bucket relay races, group drum circles, brand new “beach” themed-sign language in Baby & Junior Jamboree™, beach parachute songs and activities, and beach-themed yoga poses in Junior & Regular Jamboree™.

In fact, here are the Top 6 reasons to attend Jamboree in Summer 2 at NEST Center City from Amy Myers (Nest, Program Development and Lead Instructor – Art & Enrichment!)

Top 6 reasons to attend Jamboree™ in Summer 2 at NEST Center City: (and a sneak peak of some of the summer songs you’ll hear in class!)

       6.) Because no more teachers, no more books!  School’s out (for Summer)

       5.) Because even though we’re in Center City Philadelphia, when Journey comes on, everybody is a small town girl living in a lonely world.

       4.) Because pushing your stroller on the boardwalk in Ocean City makes you start humming: Under The Boardwalk… every time.

       3.) Summer, Summer Summertime!

       2.) Because… The Boss. Who doesn’t love Bruce Springsteen?

       1.) Because no matter how old you are, if you’re from Philly and someone starts             singing “On the Way to Cape May,” you join in!

(Call our front desk at 215.545.6378 to enroll in Jamboree™ (subject to availability) or

click here to view the complete descriptions for Baby Jamboree™ (6 – 12 months),Jr. Jamboree™ (12 – 18 months), and Jamboree™ (18 months – 3 years.)

NEST & Cradles to Crayons

It’s funny how after your baby shower for your first born, you skip (well waddle) around the house, excitedly setting everything up for your little one’s arrival.  “The swing will go here, the bouncer chair here…. should we set up the jumper yet?  Honey, what do you think?  Can you set up the jumper?  Batteries?  It needs batteries? What kind?  D? Do we have any D batteries?!?!”

Fast forward 5 years and baby number three has outgrown the swing.  You trip over that darn bouncer seat (that is now acting as toy/blanket holder) every day.  Pay it forward, moms. NEST Center City is a drop-off location for Cradles To Crayons, and has been for 4+ years.  Cradles to Crayons “is a non-profit that provides children from birth through age 12, living in homeless or low-income situations, with the essential items they need to thrive – at home, at school and at play. We supply these items free of charge by engaging and connecting communities that have with communities that need.”  (www.cradlestocrayons.org/philadelphia) Matthew Gorman, one of the founders of NEST, is especially proud of this partnership.  “Our family loves going to Cradles to Crayons to volunteer. Of course it always feels good to give back, but the staff at Cradles really do a great job of personalizing the experience and explaining the impact on the families they serve. Nest, our families and staff, are proud to be a partner of Cradles to Crayons.”

The NEST Center City staff volunteers at Cradles to Crayons each year around the Holidays. (The photo below is the NEST team at the Giving Factory in 2016.) Collections are accepted year-round and our front desk staff will be happy to help you when you arrive with your donated goods. So as you declutter your house of baby stuff, bring it to NEST and we’ll get it to our friends at Cradles to Crayons and help children in our community!

(Here is the list of items that Cradles to Crayons accepts as donations.)

Summer Class Giveaway!

We hear you, mom. School has been out for only one week and you’ve already sprouted a few more grays. The Play-Doh is already dried up, the kiddos already watching too much TV, and you accidentally let your 3 year old get a little sunburned at the pool.  (Darn you, organic sunscreen!) Time to sign your troops up for a class at NEST.  Or better yet, try to win a free class for you and a mom friend!

We’re kicking off summer classes at NEST with a contest!  Tag a friend in a comment on our Facebook or Instagram posts Monday, June 26th thru Friday, June 30th and we’ll randomly choose 1 winner (and their friend) to win a free class at Nest.  Winners can choose from the list of classes below, all subject to availability:

• Monday at 3:45pm- Reader’s Theatre, ages 4-7 years
• Tuesday at 3:45pm- GymNEST, ages 3-6 years
• Wednesday at 10:30am- Crawling Caterpillars, ages 8-12 months
• Thursday at 3:45pm- Big Kid Indoor Sports, ages 3.5-6 years
• Friday at 10:30am- Baby Jamboree, ages 6-12 months
• Saturday at 9:30am- Jr Summer Jam, ages 6-22 months
• Saturday at 10:30am- Summer Jam, ages 23 months-5 years
• Saturday at 11:30am- GymNEST, ages 3-6 years

(Full class descriptions for the above classes can be found here.)

*Winners may choose their class from a list of classes provided by the NEST team, as classes are subject to availability. The free class must meet the child’s age range(i.e. potty trained for certain classes) and schedule. Free class is not retroactive and current enrollees will not be given refunds. No cash value or exchanges. 

Here’s a little more on classes at Nest!

Nest has tons of opportunities for fun (and learning!) for children, ages 6 weeks to 6 years. Let your child develop a healthy love of discovery with classes designed to engage and intrigue, to be fun and exciting, and offer lots of opportunity for socialization and making new friends. We call it The Power Of Play.

Click here to view our complete class schedule.