It’s not too far-fetched to believe you might have the next Mozart, Michelangelo, Michael Jordan or Martha Stewart on your hands, with Chicago’s deep pool of talent. Music, art, sports, cooking, what’s their passion? Pearachute makes it easier for kiddos to dabble in all of the above (and more!) until those scholarships come rolling in. Read on to hear how Pearachute is making it simple for your little multi-taskers to try a range of different activities and summer camps at some of the top kids’ classes in Chicago.
Created by a parent for parents.
It’s no surprise that such a helpful service was created by a mom who knows firsthand the challenges of raising children. Desiree Vargas Wrigley, a mom to two young boys and a tween step-daughter, created Pearachute to maximize the time she spends with her children and to make it easier for parents and children to explore new activities.
Simple sign-up.
Head over to pearachutekids.com where getting started is as simple as entering your email address, billing information and the names and ages of your children. In less than five minutes you can be on your way to a pool or dance party! You can choose to filter classes by age or activity type if you have a specific destination in mind. With kids running around, this simple process is super helpful. Once you’re registered, you can enroll in activities with only a few clicks from any web browser, including on your smartphone.
A little bit of everything.
Italian? Check. Yoga? Check. Jiu Jitsu? Check. All of these activities are available for drop-in via Pearachute. But one of the best options is the open play that is available at several of Chicago’s top play spaces including Little Beans, Sod Room and Happy Play Café. Traditional activities like story time, music classes and swim classes are also offered. Even moms can get in the action by signing up for a fitness class. Chances are you’ll learn about a new activity just by browsing through Pearachute’s schedule of classes.
Summer camps? Check!
This service is still a young babe, but it’s already growing by leaps and bounds! Thanks to them joining forces with ClassCrasher, they now offer the most comprehensive kids activity platform in Chicago. Just in time for for summer, they’re launching CAMPS by Pearachute, a new offering families can use to find and book day and weeklong camps for kids ages 4-14.
Super flexible.
School, holidays and runny noses can make consistent attendance at classes challenging, but with Pearachute you sign-up for individual classes, so there’s no stress if you’ve got something else to do. Maybe your little one would rather paint than sing one week or maybe a last minute open play on a rainy day is just what you need to avoid going stir crazy. As long as you cancel an hour before class starts, there’s no penalty. If you really enjoy an activity, you can attend up to three times during a 30 day period and register up to two weeks in advance. Looking to do something special? Many of Pearachute’s partners offer admission to special holiday events for members.
Be part of a community.
One of the benefits of a consistent class with children is the connections made by parents and kids. Pearachute has fostered this community through social media. In addition to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts, a private Facebook group for members allows parents to connect and meet-up at Pearachute activities. Pearachute also has events like movie screenings or sports classes that are exclusively for members.
What are you waiting for? Check out pearachutekids.com and connect with your children today!
— Maria Chambers & Lisa Snart
