Register for Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) today!
The Voluntary Prekindergarten Program – or VPK – is a free prekindergarten program for 4- and 5-year-olds who reside in Florida and were born on or before September 1 of each program year.
The Voluntary Prekindergarten Program – or VPK – is a free prekindergarten program for 4- and 5-year-olds who reside in Florida and were born on or before September 1 of each program year.
The Holidays are here and it’s the time to have fun and share good memories with your family. Below are some fun holiday games and activities that you can play with your kids. Playing with kids is a great way to bond and create lasting memories as well as help them develop their creativity.
This holiday season, try a new holiday game to play with your family and share the laughter and love.
Your child may be starting childcare at a new provider or starting child care for the first time. You may be preparing your child for their first day of VPK or kindergarten, or even first grade. Starting care can be challenging for you and your child if they have difficulty separating from you. Anything new can be scary for your child, and the fact that you will not be there to help them adjust to their new surroundings may make it scary for you, too.
Home–to-school worries regarding transitions may be caused by your child not understanding that she will be safe and have fun in her new environment. She may worry that she has never been away from you and fears being without you. Separation anxiety is common in young children and parents as well.
Before the first day at a new school or with a new teacher, ask the school staff or program director what they do at the beginning of the year to help make the first day go smoothly. Find out the name of your child’s teacher and other adults who may be supervising your child.
Talk to your child about what she can expect. Let her know that you will always come back for her. Remind her that you love her, have never left her, and you will continue to be there as you always have.
A routine is when you complete specific tasks regularly. Children thrive with routines because it creates structure. A child must have the routine and tasks explained and see it modeled by you to follow the routine regularly.
A few weeks before the first day, tell your child that “We’re going to practice getting ready for school!” Make sure to sound excited and happy about it. Choose two shirts, two pairs of pants, and two pairs of socks and set them out. Ask your child, “Would you like this shirt or that one? These pants or those?” Offering your child a choice gives them a sense of control and will make them more cooperative with the getting dressed process.
Establishing cooperation as part of your morning routine will make your life easier. Remember to praise your child for getting dressed and being so cooperative. Praise reinforces the desired behavior and increases your child’s confidence.
Once everyone is dressed, it’s time to grab your bags and go. Get buckled into the car and drive to the school. Park and explain that this is the part where you would typically walk your child to her class and kiss her goodbye.
Tell her that she will get to do fun activities, make new friends, and play outside, and at the end of the day, you’ll be there to pick her up. She’ll probably want to get out and play on the playground, but let her know she’ll have to wait until the “big day” when school starts. On the drive home, you might assure your child that you were nervous about your first day, but it turned out well for you.
You may not wish to make the “practice run” to school every day before the big day, but it’s best to practice getting dressed each morning. Make sure that you are up with lunches packed and dressed by the time you will typically need to get out the door.
Encourage family members to show their support. Tell them to ask your child if she is excited about school. Have them remind her that she will get to play and make new friends. Bring up the topic at dinner time, when the family is together and can share their experiences.
When the big day arrives, be sure to get up a little earlier to allow extra time to offer reassurance. Follow the routine you have established, offering choices in clothing and getting dressed. Write a love note to tuck in her lunch. Small children may wish to bring a comfort item such as a stuffed animal or blanket on the first day. Just be sure to check with the care provider or teacher about their policy about this.
When it’s time to leave, remind her again that she will get to play and make new friends. Let her know that the teacher or care provider is there to help her if she needs anything. Remind her that you will be back at the end of the day right on time to get her. Keep your voice and energy upbeat and excited for her!
While you may be excited for your child, sending them to care or school for the first time may bring you sadness. This is only natural. Children pick up on how we’re feeling, and if you let your fear and despair come through, it will only add to your child’s nervousness. Remind yourself that your child’s care provider or teacher works with children because she loves them and has been doing this work for years. Make sure to reach out to friends who you can talk to about how you’re feeling. Friends with children will no doubt identify with you.
This is an exciting time for both you and your child. Your child is gaining independence, and you are acquiring a bit of autonomy. Don’t be afraid to talk to your child’s care provider or teacher about your concerns. She is there to support you. Enjoy this new time in your life. One day you will look back on it as one of your fondest memories.
History is often reduced to a handful of memorable moments and events. In Black history, those events often include courageous stories like those of The Underground Railroad and historic moments like the famous “I Have a Dream” speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. But these are only a few of the significant and important events to know and remember.
Read the continued post of Matching Your Children and their Child Care Setting.
Please join us for FREE Summer VPK!
June 8, 2020– August 7, 2020
All Day Class: 8:00AM – 4:30PM
Sign up Now!!
Classes begin June 8, 2020
Also offering FREE Fall VPK – August 2020
August 10, 2020 – May 28, 2021
IMPORTANT:
In accordance with CDC guidelines, Parks Place will not be providing childcare services for the week of September 21st.
Parks Place will reopen for business on Monday, September 28, 2020. Read More
Research shows that all children benefit from the time they spend in positive interactions and activities with a dad or other male role models. The relationship between a father and his child has a deep impact on all areas of the child’s healthy development: language, thinking, physical, and social-emotional. Children with dads who are actively involved in their education have fewer discipline problems and perform better academically. These children grow up to be more responsible adults.
The Florida Department of Education(FLDOE) encourages dads to participate in Dads Take Your Child to School Day on September 25, 2019. Dads can take children of all ages to school. Dads, take a moment to speak to your child’s teacher.
Let your child see that you appreciate the people who work at their school. Your child is proud of you and will want to have teachers and other children see you at the school. In families without a dad present, other significant male role models are invited to participate. Although the event is focused on dads, mothers and other family members are invited to participate also. Check their the school’s websites and parent newsletters, or talk with your child’s teacher about special events planned for Dads Take Your Child to School Day.
Download Newsletter PDF »Academic & Athletic Summer Camp
June 3, 2019 – August 9, 2019
8:00AM – 3:00PM
Extended Care available for an additional fee.
December was an exciting time for our babies! We had a great time learning about the Christmas Season and the many different ways to celebrate the season. The infants enjoyed painting Christmas trees, making our handprints into a wreath and we had loads of fun on the floor playing during tummy time.
UNLIKE OTHER TO-DO LISTS, THIS ONE WILL BE FUN TO GET THROUGH. 1. Grow a flower. Guess the color it will turn out to be. Measure its progress. 2. Watch fireworks. Fire? In the sky? That makes beautiful shapes in pretty colors?! Before you’re old enough to understand the science of the thing, a fireworks display can seem like a miracle. & more…
See the latest information, news and announcements from Parks’ Place from Infants to Threes and VPK!
Join in the fun at the Literacy Pumpkin Contest
Pumpkins are Due by Friday, October 26, 2018
Decorate an artificial pumpkin to match your favorite book. Children will vote to choose their favorite pumpkin in their class. Class winners will display their pumpkins in the Lending Library. Other children will have their pumpkins displayed in the classroom.
Parks Place is proud to have books and literature available for our families to check out and discover the fun of reading. We have a wide array of books to enjoy with your little one. The process is really easy to do. Simply sign in the sign in sheet and check out the book. Parks’ Place uses the honor system for families to bring back the books.
Get information on Park’s Place Uniforms and where you can purchase your child’s uniforms.
See the latest information, news and announcements from Parks’ Place from Infants to VPK and Summer Camp!
Sean Covey’s book, Seven Habits of Happy Kids is a great way to introduce your little one to good life principals while guiding them to make good decisions and lead happy lives.
See the latest information, news and announcements from Parks’ Place from Infants to VPK and Summer Camp!
It contains a lot of very valuable information including:
Download a interactive guide Kindergarten Readiness Packet and have fun teaching and playing with your child to learn the important skills needed to be prepared for kindergarten.
See the latest information, news and announcements from Parks’ Place from Ones and Twos to Threes and VPKs!