ABC Play and Learn Developmental PlaygroupsProgram
The ABC Play and Learn Developmental Playgroup Program, an evidence-based model, has been developed to address the needs of low – income families whose pre-school age children are at risk of developmental delay. Its mission is to strengthen the families’ capacity to provide stimulating, nurturing, and healthy environments for their children to have the foundation to success in school and decrease the isolation of caregivers by giving them the opportunity to relate with other adults.
The program is structured in weekly sessions covering a period of eight weeks. In each session, children and their caregivers are guided through a series of carefully designed activities aimed at developing social and personal skills. At the culmination of each eight week session children are presented with a certificate of completion.
The program offers a wide range of benefits aimed at strengthening the children’s personal and social skills. These benefits include:
- Increase of appropriate social interactions and enhance pre-academic reading skills levels for children.
- Improvement of child’s sensory stimulation, receptive/expressive vocabulary, cognitive, fine/gross motor, and play skills.
- Identification of any developmental delays.
- Referral of high-risk children to intervention services.
- Bilingual oral and written information on child development issues and positive parenting methods.
- Advice to parents on how to extend playgroup activities at home.
- Individualized support to parents to address specific areas of concern and other service needs.