Learning Parties are interactive, hands-on, parent/child “parties” that promote young children’s development of school readiness skills. Based on the belief that parents are their child’s first teacher, Learning Parties teach parents how to make everyday moments learning moments through playing, singing, talking, reading, and engaging in fun activities. Originally developed by Children’s Resources International and modified by Ready At Five, the Learning Party curriculum is available in four key Domains of Learning: Language & Literacy, Math, Science, and Social & Emotional Development. Each series consists of four 90-minute Learning Parties and contains the following components:
- Parent Skill Development. A Lead Trainer demonstrates a variety of techniques and strategies for improving the skills and abilities of their children. Each session focuses on a specific concept.
- Child Play Session. While parents are learning new skills, children attend a “fun learning room,” where a child care provider engages the children in directed child play, aligned with the specific concepts discussed at the parent portion of the Learning Party.
- Practice and Parent-Child Activities. When the parents and children are reunited, parents practice the activities with their child, while trainers provide positive feedback and constructive suggestions.
- Parent Networking enables parents to meet, talk with, and learn from other parents.
- Home Connection and Learning Library. Parents are given a homework assignment, as well as a variety of books, developmentally appropriate materials, and educational toys to start an early learning library in their home.
Learning Parties have been offered to hundreds of parents in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Charles, Frederick, Howard, Montgomery, and Prince Georges Counties, and in Baltimore City.
Ready At Five offers “train-the-trainer” (TOT) sessions for early educators, librarians, parents, and other interested individuals in how to deliver the Learning Party curriculum. TOT participants receive the complete Learning Party curriculum binder, Core of Knowledge Clock Hours, and all the information needed to implement the Learning Parties on their own for the parents and children in their communities. Ready At Five staff offer technical assistance to anyone implementing the Learning Parties.
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