Playgroups and Parent Support Groups

Enrollment Link: English, Spanish, Portuguese

Session 2: January 30, 2023 - June 16, 2023.

(The links above will lead to forms that become available for registration)

If you need language support to enroll or have questions, please call 617-625-6600 x6990 or email sfn@k12.somerville.ma.us

Session 2 Playgroups and Parent Support Calendar

We welcome all Somerville families with children birth to five years old to register for one playgroup per week. SLFC Playgroups are a place to meet other parents and caregivers with infants, toddlers and preschoolers. Children have an opportunity to play together in an educationally-rich environment. All groups focus on a variety of experiences that support children's development in literacy, math, science, music, art, large motor, fine motor, and social-emotional skills. SFLC is the family engagement department of the Somerville Public Schools.

Session 2 playgroups run from January 30, 2023 - June 16, 2023. Flyer for Session 2 playgroups in English, Spanish, Portuguese.

Indoor playgroups: Registration Required

Location: Edgerly Building, 8 Bonair Street, Somerville, MA 02145

Mondays

A. Discover and Learn. 2 years. 9:00-10:30a.m.

F. Discover & Learn. Birth to 18 months. 11:00a.m.-12:30p.m.

Tuesdays

B. Preschool Science Group. 2.6 years to 5 years . 9:00-11:00a.m.

G. Discover and Learn. Birth to 5 years. 3:00-4:30p.m.

Wednesdays

C. Discover and Learn. Birth to 5 years. 9:00-10:30a.m.

H. Playgroup in Mandarin. Birth to 5 years. 11:00a.m.-12:30p.m. *New Group!*

K. Playgroup in Nepali. Birth to 8 years. 3:00-4:30p.m.

Thursdays

D. Discover and Learn. Birth to 5 years. 8:30-10:00a.m.

I. Playgroup in Spanish. Birth to 5 years. 11:00a.m.-12:30p.m.

L. Playgroup in Portuguese. Birth to 5 years. 3:00-4:30p.m.

Fridays

E. Discover and Learn. Birth to 5 years. 9:00-10:30a.m.

J. Discover and Learn. Birth to 5 years. 11:00a.m.-12:30p.m.

Outdoor Playgroups: Drop in / Registration is not Required

Location: Somerville Community Growing Center, 22 Vinal Avenue, Somerville, MA 02143

Thursdays

Discover and Learn. Birth to 5 years. 11:00a.m.-12:30p.m.

Virtual Playgroups and Resources / Registration is not Required

Please visit facebook.com/SFLCplaygroups for information about multilingual playgroups, story times, and resources.

Parent Support Groups (Virtual or in-person): Registration Required. These groups are on-going and people can register at any time. Please use the enrollment links above or call 617-625-6600 x6990.

Mondays dates: 1/30, 2/13, 2/27, 3/13, 3/27, 4/10, 4/24, 5/8, 5/22, 6/6/2023.

Vamos a Crecer Juntos (In Spanish). Birth to 15 months. 1:00-2:00p.m.

Location: Edgerly Building, 8 Bonair Street, Somerville, MA 02145.

In person.

Thursdays

New Parents Group (in English). For parents of pre-natal to 15 months. 1:00-2:30p.m.

Location: Edgerly Building, 8 Bonair Street, Somerville, MA 02145.

In person.

Thursdays

In This Together (in English). For parents of children birth to 10 years. 4:00-5:30p.m.

Location: Virtual via Zoom.

SFLC Playgroups, Parent Support Groups, Parent Education, and ASQ Developmental Screening are funded by the MA Department of Early Education and Care's CFCE Grant. Information on the CFCE ParentChild+ Program can be found here. SFLC Programs are available to Somerville residents only unless otherwise specified.

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

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) 625-6600 x6990.

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

Choosing Child Care

Are you looking for child care for your birth-5 year old? Visit the SPS Early Education & Care webpage for information and resources.

2023 CHOOSING CHILD CARE WORKSHOP

Looking for child care? Join us to learn about child care options in Somerville. Discuss how to choose child care for your birth to 5 year old. To RSVP, email ldangelo@k12.somerville.ma.us or call 617-625-6600 x6990.

Location: Via Zoom (link will be sent via email and posted in this page and in the SPS calendar on February 27th)

Date: Wednesday, March 1, 2023 - 6:00pm to 7:00pm

Event type: Community

¿Está buscando lugares de cuidado de niños? Entérese de las opciones que ofrece Somerville para el cuidado de sus niños. Vamos a tener conversaciones sobre cómo elegir el cuidado para niños desde que nacen hasta los 5 años. Para enviarnos su respuesta, mande un correo electrónico a lversari@somervillema.gov o llame al 617-625-6600 x2346.

Lugar: Via Zoom. Enviaremos el enlace de zoom por email y estará en esta página y en el calendario de SPS el 27 de Febrero

Fecha: Miércoles, Marzo 1, 2023 ‘ 6:00 – 7:00 pm

Tipo de evento: Comunidad

Procurando creche? Saiba mais sobre as opções de creches em Somerville. Conversa sobre como escolher creches para seu/sua filho(a) de 0-5 anos. Para RSVP, envie um e-mail para esilva@k12.somerville.ma.us ou ligue para 617-625-6600 x2344.

Local: Via Zoom. Enviaremos o link do zoom por e-mail e estará nesta página e no calendário SPS no dia 27 de fevereiro

Data: quarta-feira, 1º de março de 2023, das 18h às 19h

Tipo de evento: comunidade

Location:
Online
Date:
Wednesday, March 1, 2023 - 12:00am to 11:55pm
Event type:
Community

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

Toilet Training

Are you wondering if your child is ready to start toilet training? These readiness checklists may help: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Nepali

For more tips & information, check out these videos: English, Spanish

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

Resource Sheets for Somerville Families

Including Somerville Public Schools, City of Somerville, and community supports.

English, Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole

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

Mental Health Supports

English, Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole

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

Additional Resources

Anti-Bias / Anti-Racism
Early Learning is Crucial

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

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
Looking for anti-bias books for your child/ren? Explore the extensive Children’s Peace Education & Anti-Bias Library and find books based on age, topic, and representation. http://www.childpeacebooks.org/cpb/Protect/search.php
Help your child become more thoughtful, informed, and brave about race: www.embracerace.org/resources/16-ways-to-help-children-become-thoughtful-informed-and-brave-about-race
Finding the words to talk about race with your child isn’t always easy. Here are 100 examples of explicit, proactive language around identity and difference, organized by topic: http://www.raceconscious.org/2016/06/100-race-conscious-things-to-say-to-your-child-to-advance-racial-justice/
They're not too young to talk about race- infographic
Talking Race with Young Children. NPR Podcast
"We Are All Alike... We Are All Different" by the Cheltenham Elementary School Kindergarteners. Starting the Conversation: Recorded Storytime and Follow-Up Questions/Activity
Why resistance must be part of any discussion of oppression. Lift Up the Freedom Fighters
WHCIS Students: We Shall Overcome
Black Lives Matter: Instructional Library
Beverly Daniel Tatum video (“Is My Skin Brown Because I Drank Chocolate Milk?”) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_TFaS3KW6s&
How To Talk About Race And Protests With Your Kids, Explained By A Child Psychologist | Here & Now 7/14
Panel Discussion on Structural Racism with Rep. Ayanna Pressley, DA Rachael Rollins, Mayor Joe Curtatone and other community leaders: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMlcU6IY1wM