About Babygarten
Babygarten Guidelines | Story Time home
Babygarten is much more than a playgroup!
- Infants and their caregivers will share nursery rhymes, songs and books, but also get a chance to make fun projects that demonstrate the babies' developmental milestones - usually a homemade toy or a baby book item.
- Many projects and activities will emphasize the importance of reading to babies and parents will learn how to do this most effectively.
- The facilitator will also share insights about infant development and parenting.
- The class concludes with a free play period.
Babygarten's Mission Statement
- Help parents understand the complex and exciting nature of infant development and place special emphasis on language development and how it contributes to pre-literacy.
- Empower parents with information and techniques that will help them read to, interact with and advocate for their child more effectively.
- Provide an environment where parents can experience camaraderie and gain support from other parents and caregivers.
- Provide a weekly experience that is both enjoyable and enriching for babies.
What is Babygarten?
Babygarten is a program that brings caregivers and babies together for an hour of stimulating experiences intended to nurture the bond between caregiver and child and to increase the caregiver’s awareness of their child’s development. Babygarten’s primary focus is the healthy development of infants aged 0-18 months old (or not yet stable independent walkers) with an emphasis on language enrichment and pre-literacy skills.
The program includes:
Nursery Rhymes and Songs – Infants in the womb are soothed by the ever-present beat of a mother’s heartbeat. Babies of all ages still respond to a steady beat no matter what form it takes – rhymes, music, windshield wipers, dishwashers, etc. Rhymes also provide interesting repetition of the sounds we use in everyday language. Using familiar rhymes on a regular basis encourages your child to make sounds and eventually form first words.
Book Sharing – We’ll read books in unison (yes, the same ones over and over!) and the instructor may recommend books that are most popular with babies. For infants, a book represents the closeness of being held and the soft sounds that come from a familiar person. Eventually, they will understand how a book “works” and that the black squiggles somehow correspond with the sounds the reader makes. These are all pre-literacy skills that better prepare your child for a lifetime of learning.
Parenting Information – Questions about infant development and parenting often arise during the Babygarten hour. The facilitator will provide information about many of these issues with quick facts, demonstrations or simply through conversation. We welcome your questions and will do everything we can to help you find answers. Sometimes the best source is the person sitting next to you on the floor!
Handmade Toys and Mementos – The playthings that babies enjoy most are always the least expensive ones. You’ll have the opportunity to construct simple, effective toys from items we all have around the house. Also, to help you remember the fleeting moments of your child’s babyhood, we’ll make some items that are perfect for grandparent gifts or the baby book.
Free Play Period – At the end of each session, we’ll do what we THINK comes naturally to all caregivers. Playing is how babies learn and your involvement can enhance their enjoyment and enlightenment. It’s fun to see how other people play and how babies respond to each other. This is where some of your best discoveries will originate – either through observation or conversation (with babies and adults!)
Updated December 22, 2011