Carly McLeod

Carly grew up babysitting, working as a nanny, aiding at a Charter School & a family daycare. She earned her Associate of Arts in graphic arts from Santa Rosa Jr College where she also studied yoga, pilates & Early Childhood Education. While there, she was awarded the Doyle Scholarship.

She then went on to Solano Community College where she completed 18 ECE units, specializing in ECE Art & ECE Music. She plans to further her education & get her Master Teacher Child Development Permit. Since joining Team JAMaROO in 2010, she has presented at the SCC Early Childhood Education Conference & The Great Baby Romp.

Creative arts have always been integral & important to Carly. Her Gram (maternal grandmother) was one of the people who fostered a passion for art in her, teaching her watercolor painting. With her families support, she went on to all different forms of art in high school & college.

Expression through dance is a way of life for Carly. In childhood she studied ballet & jazz. Later she studied hip hop & salsa. In 2003 her salsa troupe performed at Salsa Congress in New York City. Carly loves dancing because it brings her a happiness that transforms her whole being. That feeling is what she hopes to bring to children! It’s not about how you dance, it’s about how you FEEL when you’re doing it.

Carly’s love of music started at an early age. Her Grammie (paternal grandmother) taught her to play the piano as a child. In the school age years she learned percussion. She found that playing an instrument she could create sound, a note, melody & rhythm. She could express herself & emotions in a whole new way! She loves to find & learn traditional children’s folk songs from around the world & collects vintage children’s song books & records. Her favorite children’s albums are from Ella Jenkins, Putumayo & Raffi.

Carly strives to share the yogi way to the children in her classes. She was trained in Yoga for kids by fellow JAMaROO teachers, who are certified Karma Kids Yoga instructors. It makes her heart happy when children have a chance to be creative, coming up with different animals they see & then doing that animal pose, on Yoga Adventures. One of her favorite poses is Happy Baby! Becoming a mother also inspired her to learn baby yoga & sign language and strengthened her passion to bring the creative arts to young children.

Carly values the importance each individual brings to the world. Coming from a multicultural background and traveling throughout the US, Caribbean & Mexico, she was exposed to many other cultures at a young age. She learned to speak Spanish in school & practiced with her Abuela (step grandmother) when she came to visit.

In addition to working as an enrichment specialist for Team JAMaROO she spends her free time hanging out with her husband, kids and twinkling her toes in the sand at the nearest beach. Her creative endeavors include: creating jewels (rootsrocks.etsy.com), supporting moms with Roots Mamas “Mamahood & FREE stuff: au naturel!” (RootsMamas.blogspot.com), counseling breastfeeding moms, creating art and volunteering for Loma Vista Farm & Solano Green Alliance.