Natural Movement Classes for Infants and Parents are based upon RIE and the work of its founder, Magda Gerber. Our main facilitator, Simone Demarzi, is a RIE Associate with decades of experience in early childhood education. Nicole Gay, owner and director of Open Air Village (Nature Preschool) is an early childhood educator with a passion for using RIE with children both at work and at home.
From RIE.org
RIE’s  Educaring® Approach encourages adult caregivers to see young children as competent and capable humans from birth. The Approach seeks to help parents and professionals build stable, secure, healthy relationships with infants and toddlers, supporting children’s natural abilities from the very start. The Educaring Approach fosters an authentic sense of self and lays a foundation for connection and collaboration, enduring curiosity, and lasting self-confidence to support infants to be:
Secure
Competent
Confident
Curious
Cheerful
Attentive
Exploring
Cooperative
Peaceful
Focused
Self-initiating
Resourceful
Involved
Inner-directed
Aware
Interested
What are Parent-Infant Classes?  
Parent-Infant Guidance classes were established as demonstration classes where the organizations’ founder, Magda Gerber demonstrated respectful interactions with infants and toddlers and supported parents on their journey of discovery of their child and themselves.  Classes follow a similar demonstration and relaxed format as originally crafted by Magda.  
What is the basic structure of the class?  
Warm-in as families arrive
Quiet observation period
Discussion of observations
Clean-up
Departure

The environment is set up with developmentally appropriate materials for children to explore at their own pace. Parents are invited to sit back and observe their child’s curiosity, discovery and learning. Facilitators model both allowing children to follow their inner drive and interests and intervening when necessary in peer interactions or acknowledging emotional expressions.