Wallaby: Silver Lake’s Newest Hopping Family Resource

Chic, simple grass and floral motifs painted on the walls. A salon wall displaying an asymmetrically arranged collection of hip art. A cluster of modern pendant lights. If it weren’t for the diminutive sized tables and chairs, toys and art supplies, Wallaby’s bright and stylish space could be mistaken for a creative environment designed for people of any age in Silver Lake. Instead, families with very young children in the area — or those who live elsewhere but don’t mind driving that way — have a new place to jump for joy about.

Wallaby opened its doors last fall, offering a mix of classes and activities aimed at little ones aged newborn through three, i.e. the pre-preschool set. “There are several great local preschools,” explains owner/director Ericka Tullis, but “Wallaby is truly alone in its focus on 0-3 year olds; an age group that really requires a unique set of activities, materials and teaching styles that meet them where they’re at developmentally.” So they get their free play with a terrific selection of well-curated toys, circle time, story time, art project and snack, yet with some age-appropriate tweaks.

Tullis structures Wallaby’s series so that the number of meetings in each session is generally greater than most organized playgroups; all the better to maintain continuity and help participating families build stronger relationships. Wallaby is also available for birthday parties, new parent support groups, drop-in visits, and is sensibly flexible, as any place catering to young families should be.

But the slate of enrichment options isn’t limited to kids. Wallaby organizes parenting workshops, guitar lessons, and a 10 a.m. knitting group starting Friday, February 18 for grown-ups to finally do something fun for themselves. And this just in: weekly baby sign language classes start on Thursday, February 17 at noon. “You name it, we’re developing a class for it,” Tullis says. Best of all, kids can come along and enjoy supervised play. Tullis believes parents should have “the opportunity to pursue their own interests without having to part with their babies or spend a fortune on child care.” Amen. Now that’s the kind of multitasking we can all get behind.

Check Wallaby’s website, Twitter feed and Facebook page for class schedules, drop-in times and updates.

Wallaby: 1835 Hyperion Ave., Silver Lake; (323) 662-0128.

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