Parentplay

Published by Authentic Media

By Rachel Murrill and Rachel Bright

Course Resources/Make-Up

Course Manual - How to set up and get the most out of running your Parentplay course, including fun messy play ideas.

Parentplay session plans - easy-to-use format that guides you through each 2-hour session, with interactive activities and discussion points.

Parentplay CD-ROM - includes all necessary printable resources, such as publicity, certificates and weekly handouts.

Staffing the Course

The course is informal play-centered and fun and can be run by two people – one to facilitate the discussion time with the parents only and one person to run the crèche.  The basic requirement is that you can empathise and get on well with parents. The key is to be a ‘facilitator’ of the parents sharing in the discussion rather than a ‘teacher’ with all the answers. Other helpers during the messy-play time would be an advantage.

Course Participants

The course is designed for parents with young children under 5, however the principles of each session are relevant to most age groups. Parentplay is designed to be used in a wide variety of groups with varying levels of ability and need.  A group of 8 – 12 adults is a good sized group.

Aims of the Course

To strengthen family bonds and promote positive family relationships

To help parents and children feel valued and respected

For parents to learn new skills by sharing ideas and experiences

For parents and children to have fun together, developing a deeper bond, through a range of stimulating messy-play activities

To facilitate new friendships and support between parents

Overview of the Content

Each session is clearly laid out with the elements of the session broken down into 13 sections and the number of minutes to spend on each. The sections are refreshments, welcome, ice-breaker, recap on last week, session aim and introduction, the session topic (broken down into explanation, discussion and practical activities), the weekly handout, conclusion, messy-play with the children and the Goodbye Song.

Topics

Session 1
Recharging your Batteries – Helping parents to recognize the importance of taking care of their own needs, as well as those of their children

Session 2
What’s Love Got to Do with It? – Exploring practical ways of showing and telling children that they are loved

Session 3
I’m All Ears! – Developing effective listening skills

Session 4
It’s More Than Words – Exploring the effects of labeling, shouting and saying sorry

Session 5
Why Play? – Inspiring parents to enjoy sharing play with their children and discover new ways of joining in

Session 6
Balancing with Boundaries – Considering the reasons behind challenging behaviour, and strategies to set boundaries to deal with it appropriately

Session 7
Remember, Remember! – Discussing the importance of building positive memories and valuing times together

Format of a Typical Session

The parents arrive and settle their children into the crèche

Parents are given refreshments

Informal small group discussions take place over the next 1 ½ hours

The children are collected from the crèche

Parents and children enjoy messy-play time together

The Good-bye Song is sung

Costs

 

The books can be ordered from the Parentplay website www.parentplay.co.uk

Why use this Course?

This course has an emphasis on practical play which is something that is not usually found in parenting courses

This course is easy to run and would fit in well to a Mothers group, PIN group or other play group.

Although the authors are Christians, the main focus of the course is to encourage and build up parents, while giving them some new play ideas with their children and strengthening the parent-child bond.

The course could fit into any existing group or could be the start of a new group in your community

It is an ideal non-threatening course for churches to offer to their community