Playful parenting: PBS Parent Play and Learn app

In a previous post, I reviewed the app Sesame Street Family Play, an app that supports playful parenting by providing hands on, unplugged, play suggestions.  I have found yet another app that supports playful parenting.   PBS Parents Play and Learn app is a free, bilingual app (Spanish and English) that provides parents with simple activities to play with their children designed around familiar locations.  There are 52 activities and 13 games grouped around the following locations: Bath Time, At the Zoo, Playground, At a Party, Play Time, Grocery Store, Library, At the Park, On a Bus or Train, Kitchen, In the Car, In Town, and Restaurant.  In each section, there is 1 interactive game, 1 activity for babies, 1 activity for toddlers and 2 activities for preschoolers. The interactive games target math and literacy skills.  The games have a parent section that includes explanations of how the game promotes development and provides suggestions for extending the learning in the real world.  The activities provide suggestions rooted in evidence based practices, we know promote good outcomes for kids such as talking to children, singing, reading, and pointing out print in the environment.  The interactive game in the Bath Time section involves writing letters on a steamy mirror.  The name of the letter and the letter sound is stated.  The suggested activity for a baby in the Bath Time section is singing a song about washing different simple body parts.  With toddlers, parents are encouraged to explore the math concepts of volume by pouring water into containers, while using concepts such as empty and full.  In the Kitchen section, the preschool activity involves making patterns with fruit to make a nutritious fruit kabob.  The app occasionally provides new activities through a message section.

There is also a free play sticker area.  This sticker section is great for creative free play and it can be used to design more structured activities.  I have used the sticker section for activities such as creating patterns, repeating patterns and following directions. The stickers can be used for sorting activities such as sorting fruits and vegetables. Literacy activities can be extended with the stickers.  Children can search for stickers that have the same beginning sound, or attempt to find rhyming words.  

This app has been added to my parent resource pages.  It gets bonus points for being bilingual, free, and parent friendly.   

Playful parenting: Sesame Street Family Play

In my search for resources that for support playful parenting, I came across the app, Sesame Street Family Play.  The app is $.99 with an additional in app purchase.  According to the description of the app, it is designed to encourage everyday playful moments and includes 150 game ideas. The $.99 version of the app provides game ideas for the home.  The in app purchase is $1.99 and provides additional activities for when away from home and traveling. 

The app prompts the user to choose the area of the house where the play will take place, then asks how many kids will be playing.  Choices for locations are Living Room, Kitchen, Bathroom and Bedroom.  Options for players are from 1-4+.  Different Sesame characters present games using readily available materials in the chosen area of the home. Sock Skee Ball is a game that was generated when the bedroom was chosen as the location.  The app asked if there were several belts and socks available.  To play the game, rolled up socks are thrown into looped belts that are placed on the floor.  Each loop is assigned a different point value.   At the end of the activity, the app describes what type of skills the activity is promoting.  In this case, the app explains that Sock Skee Ball promotes spatial relations, counting, and addition.  There were games for different routines such as clean up, bedtime, and bath time.  An example of a clean up game is, Cup Handed Robots.  The idea of the game is to see how fast you can pick up things with plastic cups on your hands.  A novel way to get reluctant cleaners engaged in the process. 

The home version of this app is a great tool for a parent or caregiver to turn to when a new play idea is needed.  The developers have designed many appropriate activities that promote imaginary and active play.  

ECSE App All Star: Breathe Think Do With Sesame

Not all children who are referred to and evaluated by our team meet the criteria for special education services.   These children were referred because they are struggling with some aspect of development and their parents are often searching for resources and support. I collect parent friendly resources on a variety of child development topics to offer these parents.  Because we evaluate infants, toddlers and preschoolers, self regulation skills are frequently a topic of discussion and concern.  When I found Breathe Think Do With Sesame, in the app store, I knew that I had found a resource to add to my Self Regulation resource list. I plan to share this app with parents, our Occupational Therapy team and Early Childhood Special Educators.  This app is a great addition to our social emotional skills toolbox.  Currently the app is free.    

The app serves two purposes.  It educates parents and caregivers about self regulation skills and it provides opportunities for children to practice the skills in a structured but engaging way.  The Parent section provides tips and strategies for several challenging issues such as separation, persistence and aggression.  This section begins with an explanation of why self regulation skills are important and provides a script of what parents can say to children who are experiencing difficulties in this area.  Finally, a specific strategy in each area is given.  In the aggression section, the strategy provided is tracing a child’s hand and helping him think of 5 gentle things he can do with his hands so he can think of that next time he is upset.  Some of the sections include video clips.  A theme throughout the tips and strategies section is the framework of breathing, planning and doing. In the settings, the app has a personalization option.  Children are prompted to say phrases that will be repeated throughout the activities such as “think of a plan”.  The language can be changed from English to Spanish in the Settings area.  

The child section has 5 activities and features a monster. Each activity starts with animation showing the monster struggling with a challenging issue.  The issues are getting on his shoes, separating from his mother, a tower of blocks that falls, waiting to use the slide on the playground, and being fearful of the dark at bedtime.  After the introduction the screen changes to the monster surrounded by red and looking anxious, upset and/or mad.  The narrator encourages the child to tap the screen to help the monster take 3 breaths through his nose and out his mouth.  The background color changes from red to blue as the narrator talks about the monster getting calmer.  

Next, the narrator prompts the child to pop bubbles to make the monster think of a plan. The monster thinks of 3 options for a plan.  The child gets to choose which plan the monster will use and watch the result.  Self regulation vocabulary, such as calm, frustrated, relaxed, and anxious are used throughout the activities.  

This app is one of many resources Sesame Street offers in the Little Children, Big Challenges toolkit.  I have bookmarked several resources from the toolkit to share with parents.  Do you have any other apps you recommend for teaching and/or practicing self regulation skills? 

Communicating Developmental Concerns to Parents

As part of my initial interview with a parent prior to beginning an evaluation, I ask what concerns prompted a referral.  When parents share that it was a child care provider or early childhood teacher who recommended the referral, I ask follow up questions about the process. In some cases, parents and educators report that the process of determining there was a concern, and making a decision to refer went smoothly and everyone was on the same page.  In other cases, it is clear that the path leading to referral was very rocky and anything but smooth. Based on my conversations with parents and educators, I developed some tips for early childhood educators and child care providers related to sharing developmental concerns with parents.

Why have these conversations?
For early childhood educators this is a very difficult task met with feelings of uncertainty and anxiety.  This is expected, it isn't comfortable to be the initiator of this topic. Monitoring a child's development is one of our roles as an early childhood educator and sharing concerns related to possible delays is a responsibility we have as advocates for young children.  Early educators and child care providers have a foundational knowledge of child development and parents are resources for strategies that may be helpful in addressing concerns. Therefore, communication between parents and educators can lead to interventions that address the needs of the child and should take place as soon as possible after a concern is identified.

What concerns have parents reported about the process?
One concern I have heard from parents is that they feel "blindsided".  Parents report that the provider or educator had not discussed any concerns until conferences even though there had been concerns prior to conference time.  Parents questioned why the educator did not share concerns as soon as the concerns were noticed, rather than wait until a formal conference time.  Another scenario that leads to this feeling of surprise relates to the setting of the conversation.  Parents often report being pulled aside during pick up time and told that their child should be evaluated.  This does not allow for the time needed to discuss the concerns and leaves the parent feeling overwhelmed and caught off guard.  Another concern I have heard is the lack of documentation to support the provider or teacher's suspicion. With these concerns in mind, here are some suggestions.

Tracking Tool
Do: Use a tracking tool such as  a developmental checklist or screening tool with all children in your program. Parents in your program should be informed of the use of and purpose of a tracking tool.  A tracking tool provides a framework for ongoing parent communication which promotes trust.  The tracking tool will provide you with the objective documentation and data needed to identify concerns.  You can use this documentation to guide your discussion and provide a visual for the parent.

Don't:  Adopt the use of the tracking tool only for one child.  Parents can feel defensive if they feel that their child is being "singled out" or treated differently than the other children.

Scheduling the Meeting
Do: Schedule a meeting as soon as possible.  If possible, plan the meeting at a time both parents can be in attendance. Provide a private setting for the meeting.  Inform parents of the topic of the meeting so that they can prepare.

Don't:  Have discussions about concerns during pick up and drop off time.  This compromises the privacy of the family and doesn't allow enough time for discussion.  Don't talk about the concerns in front of the child.  Don't avoid the discussion for a long period of time because you want to wait until conferences to share the information.

Preparing for the meeting
Do:  Prepare, prepare, prepare.  Think about what you want to say and how you want to say it.  Focus on the need to "rule out" possible concerns.  Be honest.  Give parents honest information, but use kind words.  Prepare data, observations and checklists ahead of time.  Prepare options for a plan.  If you feel a referral is the best option, have the referral resources ready.  Knowing a parent might not be ready for a referral, have some strategies prepared.  You can generate a list of strategies ahead of time, adding parent suggestions to this list at the meeting.  Some providers find it helpful to role play the meeting and script some conversation starters.

Don't:  Go to the meeting unprepared.

The Discussion
Do:  Start the discussion with strengths.
Script:  Anna's checklist indicates that she exceeds age appropriate skills in the area of motor skills.  She enjoys art projects and is already demonstrating a mature grasp on the pencil.  She works hard at cutting and is beginning to cut out more complex shapes.

Lead into the discussion of concerns by encouraging parents to share observations, questions, or concerns.  This will provide you with a clear understanding of whether they have concerns and how their concerns compare to yours.
Script:  What types of activities does Anna like to do at home?  What do you notice is more difficult for her?

Use the tracking tool as a visual.  The tracking tool gives parents something to think about without putting a label on it, it gets the conversation started and the information is objective. Keep the focus on the child and how the possible delay is impacting the child.  Be supportive.  Practice active listening techniques.  Be calm but concerned.

Script:  Based on a review of the developmental checklists and classroom observations, I am concerned about Anna's ability to.......
Be specific about the skills.  Examples might include, communicate with peers, follow directions, attend to group activities, interact with peers without conflict, complete classroom routines in a timely manner, complete fine motor tasks without frustration, etc.

Explain how her skills compare to her peers and how the difficulties are impacting her functioning.
Script:  On the checklist, her understanding of language concepts is at a 24 month level.  She is demonstrating a delay in this area compared to other 4 year old children.  These concepts are important for following directions.  Because she doesn't understand the concepts, she needs demonstrations and to have the directions repeated to her, one step at a time.  If the task involves a lot of verbal directions, she will often stop paying attention or leave the task.

Don't:  Use jargon, acronyms and labels.  Your role is not to diagnose or label, this should only be done after a comprehensive evaluation.  Focus on observable behaviors, impact on functioning, not on labels.  Avoid scaring a parent, remember, "calm but concerned".  This can be difficult, but be sure not to dismiss a parent's concerns, even if they are not the same as your concerns.  Don't frame the concerns as how they are impacting you, it will sound like complaining and can make it personal.  Again, focus on the impact on the child, not on you or the program.

Scripts to avoid (I know they are obvious!)
I think Anna is apraxic.
I think Anna is following further and further behind and might not catch up to her peers.
I know you are concerned that she doesn't know her alphabet but I am not worried about that, her speech development is much more concerning.
I can't understand anything Anna is saying, I have to guess what she wants.  I don't call on her at circle time because I am afraid I won't understand her.

The conclusion of the meeting
Do:  Be open to trying the parent's suggestions.
Script: It sounds like at home, you encourage Anna to breathe deeply when she is frustrated, I will encourage her to do the same at school.

Reassure parents that you will support them.  Explain the role and importance of early identification and intervention.
Script:  I think it would be beneficial to have a more formal observation and evaluation completed so that we can rule out any possible delay.  An evaluation can also lead to appropriate strategies that will help Anna feel more successful and decrease her frustration. She is learning in a different way and strategies I use for many children are not meeting her needs.  I want to make sure I am providing the appropriate support she needs and could use further guidance.

Finish the meeting in a positive way and with a plan, which may include referring to other resources or trying some pre- referral interventions. If the plan involves implementing some strategies and monitoring the child's response, establish a timeline and schedule a follow up meeting to discuss progress.
Script for strategies:  We have decided to try the following strategies, .... for 3 weeks and document Anna's response to the strategies.  Let's plan to meet in 3 weeks to evaluate the plan and see if any further action is needed.
Script for referral:  Thank you for your time today.  Talking to Anna's pediatrician about these concerns is a good idea.  Here is a copy of the observations and checklists we discussed to share with the pediatrician.  Let's plan to meet again in 4 weeks to discuss the results of your visit to the doctor.

I hope you found some of these suggestions useful.  As difficult as these conversations can be, you are advocating for the child by taking steps to make sure his or her needs are being met.  I am interested in hearing more about your experience as either a parent or an early educator or child care provider who may have been involved in this type of conversation.  I want to continue to support early childhood educators in this area so that developmental concerns are addressed.

Presentation for parents: Using Video with Young Children

In my previous post, I discussed the responsibility early educators and parent educators have to help prepare parents of young children to navigate the digital world.  I also referred to an assignment I was completing for my technology class.  I finished the assignment and I thought I would share it as an example of the types of materials we could be creating for parents. I completed a lesson plan that is intended for use with parents, but the presentation could easily be adapted for use with early education professionals.  Using a Google presentation as a guide, this lesson leads parents through information about using video with young children.  The presentation includes links to articles, videos and activities.  This lesson could be used with parents in a group situation such as an Early Childhood Family Education parent session or could be used with an individual parent on a homevisit.  Here is a link to the lesson plan template that acts as a facilitator guide.  This lesson could also be used by the parent independently, without a facilitator.

I am not as familiar with Google documents as I would like to be, I am still learning, so this presentation is a little rough around the edges.  It is not professional looking by any means but it provides a solid starting point for content.  I plan to develop more of these and hope to increase my skills with technology so that they look a little more polished.

Skill Set for 21st Century Parents of Young Children

As an early intervention teacher, an important part of my job is supporting parents in their understanding of child development.  Parenting is a undoubtedly a tough job, and these little ones do not come with a manual.  Parents are navigating the world of tantrums, potty training, biting and picky eating.  Parenting in the 21st century brings the additional daunting task of learning to navigate through the world of technology that is permeating our lives and the lives of our children.  In my experience, much like educators, there are parents who embrace technology and those who see it as inherently evil.  Either way, technology can not be ignored and parents need to be media smart.

Working on an assignment for my technology course prompted me to write this blog post.  I am creating a lesson plan that is supported by technology.  I chose parents as my students.  The objective of my lesson is to provide parents of preschoolers and toddlers information about using video with their children.  On the lesson plan template, I was instructed to list learner standards that are addressed through my lesson.  The International Society for Technology in Education, ISTE, provides standards related to technology skills for teachers and students, but I couldn't locate any formal standards for parents.  My findings included many suggestions that I could adapt into a standard like statement, but, a majority of these suggestions were meant for parents of older children and were frequently specific to social media.  In this post, I wanted to create my own list of skills, specific to parents of preschoolers and toddlers.  I was going to call these, "standards", but then realized that sometimes the word "standards" conjures up a negative image and feeling in educators.  Instead, I decided to call this a skill set. Here is my recommended skill set for parents of preschoolers and toddlers related to technology.  I have included a parallel skill set for educators who support parents of young children.

1.  Parents need to have a foundational knowledge of what is developmentally appropriate for their child so that they are using appropriate technology in an appropriate way.  Parents of children with special needs need to have a strong understanding of their children's needs and learning styles so that they can be successful in using technology to support their child's learning.

Implications for parent educators:  Helping parents understand their child's unique strengths and needs is often the primary focus of early interventionists.  This process should be well established so it can be applied to discussions around the use of technology to support learning.  Educators need to know how to apply all that we know about supporting children's development to the use of technology.  Educators need to know how to model developmentally appropriate use of technology and teach parents guiding principles for selecting appropriate digital media and technology.

2.  Parents need to understand the impact technology can have on their child's development and learning.  Basically they need to know the good, the bad and the ugly.  Parents need to understand how the proper application of technology can enhance and support their child's development.  They also need to understand how uninformed decisions can lead to inappropriate use which can have a negative impact on their child's development.

Implications for parent educators:  Educators need to be involved in the ever increasing discussions that are occurring in our field related to technology.  There is a great deal of conflicting, confusing and sometimes controversial research and opinions related to this topic.  Educators need to access current information and discussions so that they can provide parents with  assistance in sorting through all the hype, and developing guidelines for the use of technology that they are comfortable with and can support in their home.  A great starting point for educators is becoming familiar with the recently released joint position statement from the National Association for Education of Young Children and the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning: Technology and Interactive Media as Tools in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8.   

3.  Parents need to know how their children will be using technology. They need to know how to use the technology.  It is very difficult to monitor and guide the use of the technology a child is accessing if you do not know how to use it.

Implications for parent educators:  Educators need to have a basic understanding of a variety of technology so they can guide parents.

4.  Parents need to know how to find reputable sources for information related to technology so that they can make informed decisions.

Implications for parent educators:  Educators need to filter and collect information to share with parents, building a broad base of resources to pull from in order to support the parent.  Educators need to teach parents how to filter and collect information.

5.  Parents need to know how to set limits, monitor use, and provide the safest experience possible for technology use.  

Implications for parent educators:  Educators need to provide training to parents in these strategies and/or lead them to resources so they can learn this on their own.

6.  Parents need to be appropriate role models in their use of technology in order to get their toddler or preschooler started on the journey towards being a good digital citizen.  Parents need to model balance and moderation.  They need to be aware of what they are viewing in their child's presence.  They need to understand the value of and model "unplugged" alternatives to media use such as creative play, reading, outdoor activities, and family time away from technology.

Implications for parent educators:  Educators need to encourage balance and moderation, highlighting the importance of "unplugged" activities in child development.  Educators need to guide parents in finding interactive uses of technology.  Educators should develop examples of ways in which technology might be used to support outdoor play, art, creative play, and other tried and true ingredients to a happy, healthy childhood.

I know this is just the beginning of a list of skills that would be helpful for a 21st century parent of young children to possess.  This same set of basic skills applies to parents of children with special needs, yet there may be some additional considerations for these parents.  Maybe that will be a topic of a future post. What skills would you add to this list?