Playgroup

SFLC Spring Playgroups & Support Groups (April 5, 2021 - June 18, 2021)

View Spring Playgroup & Support Group Flyer: English, Spanish, Portuguese

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In- Person Outdoor Playgroup at the Somerville Community Growing Center  (22 Vinal Ave.)

(For Somerville Residents) 

Please see flyer above for the schedule and registration information!

All outdoor groups are weather permitting. Street parking only.

By registering for playgroup, you are agreeing to the following COVID-19 safety precautions:

• All participants 2 years and above must wear a mask at all times.
• Remain 6 feet apart at all times from those not in your household.
• Sanitize your hands upon entering the Growing Center.
• Stay home when sick or recently in contact with someone who has COVID-19 symptoms.
• Upon arriving at playgroup, the facilitator will ask you whether you are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms or have been in contact with anyone who is.
• To ensure social distancing, please be mindful that there is a maximum of 10 people in the upper zone and 10 people in the lower zone of the garden at any given time.

What to expect:

After sanitizing your hands upon arrival, you are free to play and explore the garden! We will gather for a circle time with music and movement, all while maintaining social distance.

Please note: There will be a port-a-potty available for participants’ use. It will be cleaned and sanitized before each playgroup. Adults must accompany their children in the port-a-potty at all times.

Staying warm:

Be sure to hydrate and eat a filling breakfast or snack at home before spending time in the cold!

Questions? Email sfn@k12.somerville.ma.us  or call 617-625-6600 x6990

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mental Health Supports

Mental Health Supports: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NEW Social Story!  "When Things Feel Terrible: A Social Story to Help during Hard Times."

English: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1k0afb607GXtoWAAsZedkrhB1087oXcIC/view?usp=sharing

Spanish: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CbSnShlVwisFf6ti8D6VtWQmweLo_Zb6/view?usp=sharing

Portuguese: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1doZMA0NBuKlb9mW0UulREPK2t0PrrbFa/view?usp=sharing

Haitian Creole: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1x5gIKbAocZYBukPf9zbzRpZRGIuFx3pE/view?usp=sharing

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Apple Podcast: What To Tell Kids When The News Is Scary

Life Kit

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-to-tell-kids-when-the-news-is-scary/id1461493560?i=1000504583898

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ASQ Developmental Screening

Learn more about your child's development with the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ)!
If your child is between 2 months and 5 years old, you can complete the ASQ-3 (general screening) and/or the ASQ:SE-2 (social-emotional screening).
Once completed, you will hear back from an SFLC staff member with the results, along with activities you can do to continue supporting your child's development.
Click below to complete the screening(s):

English: https://www.asqonline.com/family/4da2f1
Español: https://www.asqonline.com/family/4ba1af

If you have any questions, please feel free to email sfn@k12.somerville.ma.us or call us at (617) 684-5316.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Year-Round Support Groups

New Parent Support Group! Fridays 1:00-2:30pm via Zoom

Connecting with other parents is important whenever people become parents. Talking with others who are going through similar experiences, and hearing specific ideas to solve problems can feel wonderful. 
As one participant said " This group lets us enjoy parenting the way we always dreamed about!"

Join us for our New Parents Support Group every Friday 1:00-2:30pm via Zoom!
Open to all expectant parents and parents with babies from Birth - 15 months old.
Facilitated by Amy Bamforth, MS (ED.), LICSW, Early Childhood Specialist at the SFLC.

Please email sfn@k12.somerville.ma.us for the link to join us!

In This Together: A free on-line support group for parents of young children 

Who: People who have young children and would like to connect with other parents, share ideas, frustrations, and resources! 
What: A 90 minute ZOOM group meeting with facilitation by Amy Bamforth (from the Somerville Family Learning Collaborative)
When: Weekly on Thursdays from 4:00-5:30 p.m. 
Where: Online. Please email sfn@k12.somerville.ma.us for the link to join us!

Additional Resources

Anti-Bias / Anti-Racism  
Early Learning is Crucial

Local musician Alastair Moock (https://moockmusic.com/schools/) is one of a few musicians who recently turned down their Grammy nominations for Best Children’s Album – because all of the nominees were white. After speaking with him, Fayerweather Street School 8th graders created a “Family Music Playlist” of songs by diverse artists. Listen here: https://www.fayerweather.org/unit-music-project?fbclid=IwAR3UhkaN3G3XEVPWaL5gqyFVru2Ex-gVeY1AqNsijmbW8jV8GqPAmIUYEHo 

 

Boston-based @Kidogo Productions creates animated musical content that features and honors Black culture for preschool-age children. Check out their version of Wheels on the Bus, a Soulful Rendition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SF8PGk8LBQs 

https://www.facebook.com/kidogoproductions/posts/3985067291524456 

 

Looking for children’s books with dynamic Black characters? Boston University’s Center on the Ecology of Early Development developed a list of Racially Affirming Books for Black Children -- “books featuring the full humanity of children of color, as main characters who show a wide range of emotions, ideas, and identities, who are learning about how their stories connect with others’, who are active agents in the fight toward justice.” See the list here:

https://www.bu-ceed.org/uploads/1/3/3/0/133043669/tps_booklist.pdf

 

 

  • Thoughts on Very Young Children and Race by:Amy Bamforth and Janet Lane    English
  • Thoughts on Very Young Children and Race by: Amy Bamforth and Janet Lane   Spanish
  • Thoughts on Very Young Children and Race by:Amy Bamforth and Janet Lane    Portuguese
  • Thoughts on Very Young Children and Race by:Amy Bamforth and Janet Lane    Haitian Creole

 

Books about difference can be a great way to start the conversation about race and inequality with your child. Follow your child’s lead and respond to the questions and thoughts they bring up. Depending on their age, here are some questions you might consider asking your child during or after the video:

  • What makes you different from or the same as other people?
  • What makes our family different from or the same as other families?
  • Sometimes people are treated differently/badly because of their skin color/family structure/etc. [Discuss recent events as you deem appropriate.] Do you think that’s fair?
  • What do you think we can do to help create a world that is fair?

In the context of your own family, share your own answers to these questions with your child (ex. “It makes me sad/angry/upset when people are treated differently/badly because of their skin color.”)
Emphasize what your family can do to help create a more fair world. (ex. “When we see people treating others unfairly, we can speak up” or “We will go to protests to use our voices and speak out for our/others’ rights.”)
Expect and encourage these conversations to continue beyond this one reading of the book.
Extended Activity:​ Provide materials for your child to create a self-portrait. Use “people colored” crayons or provide different colors of paint for your child to mix to create their skin color. Use yarn, colored tape, or other household items for the hair and face!

~~

At Home Activities

Learning, Playing, and Helping at Home: A message to families 

Infants (Birth - 15 months)
Toddlers (15 months - 3 years)
Preschoolers (3 - 5 years)
 

Infantes (Recién nacidos - 15 meses)
Niños Pequeños (15 meses - 3 años)
Preescolares (3-5 años)

Bebês (Do Nascimento aos 15 meses) 
Crianças de (15 meses a 3 anos de idade)
Crianças em idade (pré-escolar de 3 a 5 anos)
 
Tibebe (Nesans - 15 mwa)   
Timoun piti (15 mwa. - 3 zan)
Preskolè (3-5 an.)
 
शिशुहरू (जन्म - १५ महिना)   
बच्चाहरु (१५ महिना- ३ वर्ष) 
प्रिस्कूलर्स ( ३ वर्ष- ५ वर्ष)
 

~~

Social Stories 

~~

We are Wearing Masks Written by Meredith Polsky    

~~

~~

~~

Noah Henry by Deana Sobel Lederman 

~~

Corona Virus Story 

~~

Social/Emotional Spotlight 

~~

~~

~~

~~

~~

Early Childhood Mental Health: Facts and Resources

~~

~~

GUIDANCE FOR SUPPORTING YOUNG CHILDREN THROUGH COVID-19   

~~

~~

 

More resources to come! Please continue to check in!

 

 

 

 

 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Past information

How to Register
You can register in one of the following ways:

  • Download registration form to your computer, fill out on the computer, save it and email as an attachment to sfn@k12.somerville.ma.us        or
  • Call 617-625-6600 x6990
  • Drop-In Playgroups require no registration.

We look forward to registering you and your family for the Fall Playgroups!

Playgroups Locations

SFLC Center at the Cummings School ~ 42 Prescott Street, Somerville MA 02143  (Enter through the double doors in the parking lot on 93 School Street)

Capuano Early Childhood Center ~ 150 Glen Street, Somerville MA 02145 (Enter through the front entrance by ringing the bell and then please sign in at the front office on the left)

 

About our Playgroups & Support Groups

Playgroups are a place to meet other parents and caregivers with infants, toddlers and preschool children in a language-rich environment. Each week, participants experience literacy support through play, conversation, singing and sharing books.

  • Playgroups are open to all Somerville families with children birth to 5 years.
  • Families may register for one playgroup plus attend Drop-In Groups.
  • Two sessions per year are offered in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Nepalese.

Groups at the SFLC Center at the Cummings School -- 42 Prescott Street, Somerville MA 02143

Discover & Learn Playgroups offer distinct areas of the room engaging babies to 5 year olds. There are a variety of experiences that support the development of children's literacy, math, science, music, art and social-emotional skills! The space also provides an area of the room where children can develop their large motor skills! (Double Doors in parking lot on 93 School Street).

Language-Specific Groups offer families all the components of a Discover & Learn playgroup run in their native language! (Double Doors in parking lot on 93 School Street).

Wondering Together 1 Support Group includes playtime for children 1 year old and adults together, plus a facilitated adult discussion time to explore toddlers' learning and development.Toddlers play in a supervised learning environment and practice separating from their caregviers. Adult group time is held in the same room. Conversation topics will be generated both by particpants and facilitators. (Double Doors in parking lot on 93 School Street).

New Parents Drop-In Support Group (Prenatal - 12 months) Fridays, 1:00 - 2:30 p.m The Somerville New Parents Group is open to all expecting parents and parents with babies from birth - 12 months old. It is a drop-in support group where families can make connections with each other, find resources and share ideas and supports. (Double Doors in parking lot on 93 School Street).

SomerBaby Welcome Bag
SomerBaby is a FREE and voluntary community program to welcome new babies to Somerville!. Each SomerBaby family receives a home visit, support, resources & a Welcome Baby Bag filled with information, a book and blanket for baby and much much more! For more information or to make an appointment for a visit email Flor Apolaya or call her at 617-625-6600 x6702.

Groups at the Capuano Early Childhood Center -- 150 Glen Street, Somerville MA 02145

Preschool Playgroups

Create & Learn Playgroups