Circle Time helps parents provide early literacy skills

Circle Time helps parents provide early literacy skills

 

Our guest blog was submitted by Amy Ryan and Larissa Doyle, with the Healthy Families Program in Fort Smith.

Every week we bring together parents and preschoolers for Circle Time at Tapwe House in Fort Smith.

Circle Time adapts the NWT Literacy Council parent-child program – 1 -2-3 Rhyme With Me.  Circle Time includes singing, rhymes, storytelling, puppet shows, crafts and free time for children to play and for parents to network and socialize with other parents and professionals.  

Our aim is to teach parents a variety of songs, rhymes and oral stories that they can use throughout the week to support the communication and early literacy skills of their infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.  

Recently we included local Cree, Chipewyan and Métis storytelling and teachings through special guests and story books.  In addition, we work with local elders and other community members to develop workshops and on-going Indigenous content for our Circle Time program.  

Circle Time gives parents both structured and unstructured opportunities to talk about their experiences as parents and to draw on the parenting and child development knowledge of other parents, as well as the Healthy Families staff.

The Healthy Families program is an initiative of the Fort Smith Health and Social Services Authority. 

-- Amy Ryan and Larissa Doyle

 

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