Peninsula Family Connections Early Learning Programs

Peninsula Family Connections Early Learning Programs offers early learning classes that include activities such as reading, singing, and infant massage. The program includes Babies in Bloom groups, Nurturing Families classes, and a Co-op Preschool class for young children and their caregivers.

• Ages: Birth–18 years old
• Schedule: Babies in Bloom groups meet once per week for one hour, Nurturing Families offers morning and afternoon classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and Co-op Preschool classes meet on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for four hours.
• Price: Our programs are FREE.

Peninsula Family Connections Early Learning Programs is part of Family Connections, which was founded in 1993 in a one-bedroom apartment in East Palo Alto and has been serving Peninsula families for 30 years. The program is a family learning community focused on education and growth for children and their parents and caregivers, with free high-quality whole-family education paired with in-depth whole-family support. It includes groups for families with children from birth to 12 months, weekly drop-in Babies in Bloom groups, classes for families with children from 12 to 36 months, and Co-op Preschool classes for families with children 3 to 5 years old, with activities that support children’s transition to kindergarten. Families can build community and relationships with other families, and Family Service Coordinators partner with families to assess needs, set collaborative goals, and support families in meeting their desired outcomes, including completing Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQs) with caregivers.

Staff are available to meet with families in their home, on-site, virtually, or in the community. Mental health services include individual therapy for children and adults, couples therapy, family therapy, and support groups, and these services are described as preventative and offered to help reduce the risk of child abuse and child maltreatment. Early Learning Classes are free for families with children from birth through 5 years old. Over time, Family Connections has shifted to a co-op model for the preschool class, introduced the Nurturing Families program for birth to 3 years, and the Young Scholars program for ages 5 to 10 years.

Family Connections is granted 501(c)(3) non-profit status. It has been awarded a government contract from First 5 San Mateo County, a Child Abuse Prevention grant to fund a full-time clinician and a full-time home visitor, and a contract from the San Mateo County Office of Education to expand mental health services to include an Early Intervention Consultant and to become an exclusive provider of the Positive Parenting Program (Triple P) in San Mateo County. Family Connections states that it thrives through partnerships with community organizations that work together to support families and communities.

Last updated March 30, 2026.