FARMINGTON — A new early childhood development program for babies and toddlers called Jumpin’ Jamz will be opening it’s doors at The Foundry BJJ at 218 Fairbanks Road in Farmington. The first class is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 4, at 10 a.m. with a second class scheduled for the following day on Thursday, Oct. 5, at the same time.

Registration for the classes is now open. To register, simply visit Jumpin’ Jamz Facebook page to find the event that fits scheduling. From there, a link to the website to reserve a spot is available.

Alternatively, participants may also reach out to Founder Gina Cataldo through the Facebook page to reserve a spot and pay in person.

In an interview with The Franklin Journal, Cataldo said her inspiration for creating Jumpin’ Jamz was her finding ways to be physically active with her 14 month old daughter while also building a community of parents that wanted to do the same.

“My daughter and I spend a lot of time playing with instruments and singing, dancing,” Cataldo said. “We have a lot of fun, and I’m saying to myself, ‘Why am I not doing this with other people?'”

Working in the medical billing industry since 2010, Cataldo found herself out of work right before the birth her daughter. She took that as an opportunity to utilize her background as a singer and form Jumpin’ Jamz.

“I’ve been trying to search for some kind of business opportunity for my family and myself, and Jumpin Jamz came to fruition,” she said. Jumpin’ Jamz will hold classes that will last from 45 minutes to an hour, and these classes will create an environment where kids, or “beans” as Cataldo refers to them in the program, can interact with percussion instruments, sing and stimulate movement.

Cataldo has been taking lessons on singing since she was five, and even performed in Carnegie Hall when she was living in Long Island, New York.

“I have always been involved in choirs,” she said. “In public school, you have your general choir, and then you have this special choir that you have to try out for. I was in that select choir, and we basically won a competition and the gift was to be able to have a concert at Carnegie Hall.”

“It’s in my blood,” she added. “I come from a musical family. My grandmother, way back when they used to do radio shows, used to have a radio show in Brooklyn, and she would sing the wakeup song every single morning on her radio show. She and her brothers had their own little quartet, and they would sing on the radio. She passed on that passion.”

The age groups range from less than a year old to five years old. Classes will be announced weekly on Jumpin’s Jamz Facebook page with a link for registration for the classes. Prices vary based on the number of children involved, with one or two children priced at $20, three children priced at $23, and four children priced at $26.

Cataldo has stated that her price points, along with her schedule, are subject to change after she opens up to the public. Originally, she looked into working with an established franchise, but ultimately decided to create her own business and have greater control over the prices she offered.

“I did some research, and there’s some programs where I could have franchised, but I decided to do this on my own, so that I could keep costs as friendly as possible for this community, because I know what it’s like to be a stay at home or single parent, so I’m trying to do my best to be inclusive.”

Cataldo will be sharing space with The Foundry BJJ, an academy dedicated to teaching Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Owner Seth Harris told The Franklin Journal that Cataldo reached out to him several months ago with the idea for Jumpin’ Jamz, and he liked the idea of the program and what it could offer youth in Farmington.

“I think it’s a great opportunity, and it gives kids in Farmington something to do that’s not just sports,” Harris said.

Currently, Calatdo is only offering her Baby Bean class [less than one year to three years old] and her Jumpin’ Beans class [three years old to five year old]. She is currently working on a curriculum for homeschooled children and hopes to expand to kids six years and older down the line when space becomes more available.

“Long term, I would love to have a brick and mortar [store],” she said. “I would love to create a place for our homeschool kids to come and get a one of a kind music experience to help them with their credits. I would love to do what I call a ‘Big Beans class’, and get a big enough space to hold the class for older kids and be able to use different types of weird percussion.”

“This isn’t something where you’re going to go and get a piano or voice lesson,” she added. “I want this to be totally interactive.”

For more information about Jumpin’ Jamz and class scheduling, visit the Facebook page.

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