Youth

The Banyan Tree is a place of wonder, play, and stories for South Asian youth growing up in the diaspora. We offer afterschool programs from Tuesday to Friday, and a Sunday morning program during the schoolyear. During the summer, Camp Banyan comes alive!

Camp Banyan

Explore our Summer Camps

Fall 2026

This fall, we are offering afterschool classes from Tuesday-Friday, and a Sunday morning program!

Sunday

  • 10AM-12PM: Root to Rise

Tuesday

  • 4-6PM: Root to Rise

Wednesday

  • 4-5PM: Outdoor Foraging & Ayurveda

  • 5-6PM: Kids Yoga

  • Various Times: Tabla

    • 3-4PM: 5-7 year olds

    • 4-5PM: 8-10 year olds

    • 5-6PM: 11-13 year olds

    • 6-8PM: Teens & Adults

Thursday

  • Language (Hindi, Kannada, Gujarati, or Punjabi)

    • 4-5PM: 5-8 year olds

    • 5-6PM: 9-12 year olds

Friday

  • Bollywood & Bhangra

    • 3-4PM: 5-8 year olds

    • 4-5PM: 9-12 year olds

  • Masala & Masti: Cooking + Theater

    • 4-5PM for 5-8 year olds

    • 5-6PM for 9-12 year olds

Register for Fall 2026.

Register for Fall 2026.

Register for Fall 2026

Program Descriptions

Root to Rise

Root to Rise is a weekly club for South Asian youth, designed to give kids a strong group of friends they can grow up with over the years, caring mentors who they can relate to, and confidence in their identity through their formative years.

We bring stories of South Asian history to life in a secular, inclusive environment, through hands-on activities across art, cooking, sports, STEM, and so much more. We also organize optional social gatherings and field trips for the whole family. Each semester, we create a finale showcase & multimedia magazine together so your kids can display their discoveries through the program.

Participants are grouped into cohorts by age, and take on challenges suited to their developmental stage. 5-7 year olds are together, 8-10 year olds are together, and 11-13 year olds are together.'

We strongly recommend all Banyan Tree participants signup for a cohort of Root to Rise, as the friendships and learning kids experience here build the foundation of all our other classes and programs!

When & Where

  • Tuesdays, 4-6PM at 2600 Bancroft Way, Berkeley

  • OR Sundays, 10AM-12PM at Codornices Park, Berkeley

Instructors

Explore our classes!

All classes take place at The Banyan Treehouse (2600 Bancroft Way)

  • This fall, we are introducing Tabla classes at The Banyan Tree! All classes are designed for Beginner students. Students will need to purchase and bring their own tabla sets. Our instructor can support you through tabla shopping. If you are interested in Intermediate/Advanced classes, please email us at info@the-banyan-tree.org.

    When: Wednesdays

    • 3-4PM: 5-7 year olds

    • 4-5PM: 8-10 year olds

    • 5-6PM: 11-13 year olds

    • 6-8PM: Teens & Adults

    Instructor: Prafulla Athalye, disciple of the late Ustad Alla Rakha of Punjab Gharana (the father of Ustad Zakir Husain).

    Note: Because Prafulla ji is an accomplished performer in both India and the US, he may occasionally take classes virtually. Students can choose to either take these virtual classes from our usual location, or from home.

  • Part nature walk, part ancient wisdom, this class invites students outside to forage and identify plants while learning the time-tested properties that make them medicine, food, and ally. Through the lens of Ayurveda, we connect these discoveries to a deeper practice of listening to our bodies and tending to whole-person wellbeing.

    When: Wednesdays, 4-5PM

    Instructor: Sonali Bhandari

  • This kids yoga class focuses on the foundational principles often overlooked in studio settings, including breathwork, body awareness, and the deeper questions that ground a meaningful practice. Through playful exploration, young yogis build the essential skills that support both mental clarity and physical wellbeing for life.

    When: Wednesdays, 5-6PM

    Instructor: Sonali Bhandari, cerified yoga instructor

  • Our language classes meet diasporic youth wherever they are in their heritage language journey—whether they hear this language spoken at home daily, only at family gatherings, or not at all. Through culturally rooted, fun learning games, we help young people build meaningful connections to South Asian languages as living bridges to identity, family, and community.

    When: Thursdays

    • 4-5PM: 5-8 year olds

    • 5-6PM: 9-12 year olds

    Instructors: Varies based on selected language

  • We invite dancers of all backgrounds and levels to move through the vibrant rhythms of Bollywood choreography, alongside the high-energy footwork of Punjabi bhangra. Through music, movement, and joyful community, students build confidence, coordination, and a deeper connection to their bodies.

    When: Fridays

    • 3-4PM: 5-7 year olds

    • 4-5PM: 8-10 year olds

    • 5-6PM: 11-13 year olds

    • 6-8PM: Teens & Adults

    Instructors: Tara Kola (Bollywood, certified Bollywood Cardio instructor) & Renuka Garg (Bhangra, company dancer in Dhuniya Dance & Drum Company)

  • From a dash of garam masala to a spontaneous scene, South Asian cooking and theater are united by the joy of improvisation—creating something alive in the moment from what's right in front of you. Masala & Masti weaves these two traditions together through alternating kitchen and stage activities, helping youth tap into their creativity and develop a love for the riff.

    When: Fridays

    • 4-5PM for 5-8 year olds

    • 5-6PM for 9-12 year olds

    Instructors: Miraj Shah (cooking) & Tara Kola (theater)

The Banyan Tree house

2600 Bancroft Way, Berkeley, CA (inside the YWCA Berkeley/Oakland)

 

Register for Fall 2026.

Register for Fall 2026.

Register for Fall 2026

The Details

Dates

Our program runs from September 9 to December 18, 2026.

We will not have programs on the following days:

  • Sunday, October 11 for Indigenous People’s Day

  • Monday, November 23 to Friday, November 27 for Thanksgiving Week

Dropoff & Pickup

Participants can be dropped off and picked up 10 minutes before/after the start/end time of the program.

We are working on arranging a carpool / pickup program to make it easier for families to bring their kids to our center.

Afterschool Classes begin at 4pm, but we offer Early Dropoff between 3-4PM on Tuesday-Friday. Early Dropoff activities include:

  • Homework support

  • Arts & crafts

  • Reading in our library of South Asian stories

  • South Asian language vocabulary review

  • South Asian games & puzzles

Snacks

We have juice and a snack available to kids during our programs to make sure they are healthy and happy. Snack examples include strawberries, masala popcorn, carrots and hummus, etc. Snacks are always nut-free and vegetarian. We can accommodate other dietary restrictions and allergies.

Pricing

  • Payments can be completed:

    • Monthly

    • Full Fall Program (10% discount)

    • 10% off if you sign up for 3+ days of programs!

  • All classes are priced at $25/hour

  • Tabla classes are $50/hour

  • Early Dropoff (2:30-4PM): $20/day

Cancellation Policy

  • Monthly Payments: You can cancel at any time. If you cancel mid-month, we will cancel your payments starting the following month, but will not be able to provide a prorated refund.

  • Full Payments: We do not provide prorated refunds on payments in full, but we will work with you on a case by case basis if something unexpected emerges!

What about Spring 2027?

Spring class schedules will be announced in October 2026, and will be similar to the fall class schedule - with classes added and removed based on community demand

Register for Fall 2026!

Once you submit your registration form, we will respond to you within 24 hours to confirm your spot, answer any questions, and send you the deposit payment link!