As a center for Childcare in Keller, Texas, we understand your interests in providing a fun, healthy, and safe environment for your children. For this reason, we incorporate these same elements in our center.
However, is there any learning venture for those in their pre-toddler years? Thankfully, there is. We call it the playgroup, although some parents and childcare professionals may have their own label for it. If you have a child that is not yet two years old, they will surely appreciate being in a playgroup. Even if you don’t have a regular venue for this, you can still conduct this in your own home.
Here are important guidelines to help you out:
- Put on the organizer hat
If you’re the parent who first thought of this activity then you can assign yourself as the organizer. As the organizer, you have to tap other parents who have kids with approximately the same age as your own. Connect with them. Stir the idea of starting up a playgroup and encourage them to spread the word. By this time, you must be ready for inquiries about the venue, activities, and other concerns that other parents can regarding thier tots. Be ready for these questions. What’s important is that you’ll be easily accessible and you can keep in touch with them when necessary. - Decide on the number of members
After all, a play “group” wouldn’t be possible if your child is playing by themselves, right? You have to set an ideal number of members of the group. But for starters, you can proceed with three. In the meantime, group members with more than ten can also be too much to handle, so be ready for this as well. If ever your group exceeds ten members, think of splitting up according to age or location so that the children can still enjoy the smaller company. - Plot the programs and activities
Playgroups will not be possible without the main menu, which are the programs of activities. Here’s a quick flow of what to expect:
- Gather the children in a circle and start a welcome song for everybody.
- Read a story using big books so that all the children can listen and see.
- After the storytelling, encourage the little ones to play as they choose to.
- When the time is over, clean up and sing a goodbye song.
- Decide for the meeting place
A regular venue for the playgroups will be ideal when the members are already regularly attending. Even if you don’t have a regular place to meet, you can set as other options some educational locations such as the library, community centers, or with some planning, our Montessori School in Texas. This can also be a form of immersion experience for the little ones.
To help you out in nurturing the potential of your child along with other children their age, enroll them at Caminito Spanish Immersion Private Preschool & Montessori.