Primeros Pasitos, an educational play group program, is designed to provide low-income, Spanish-speaking parents, and their 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 year old children, an engaging, structured learning environment that promotes positive parent-child interactions with the goal of future school success. The over-arching goal of the program addresses the opportunity gap for English Learners by helping prepare children to enter kindergarten ready to succeed, read at a proficient level by third grade, and to provide parents with tools that will maximize their impact as their child’s first and most important teachers. Parents are encouraged to form a social support network and to understand the importance of their ongoing role as primary advocate throughout their child’s education.
The groups meet weekly during the school year at school sites. Group leaders provide children and their parents with fun opportunities to learn and play together while practicing developmentally appropriate fine, gross motor, and social skills. Parents receive weekly book bags (to encourage daily reading), tools and information (child development, health, and parenting) that will support them in their role as most important teacher and advocate. Parents can also access community resources as needed.
Accepted to the Portfolio: January 2018