Family resource programs - Supporting the early years

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Narrator: As children move from infancy and toddlerhood into their early years, they’re entering a time filled with excitement and wonder. For them everything is fresh and new.

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Reading a book to children: He likes to splash in the tub. Do you like to splash in the tub? Yeah.

Narrator: Family Resource Programs work to enrich their childhoods, strengthen communities and better the lives of both children and parents during these early crucial years.

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[Title] Supporting The Early Years

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Narrator: Children in these early years have expanded their physical independence. They run, they climb, they ride. They have fluent language skills that help them process experiences and respond to the world around them. As well as a growing cognitive capacity that lets them imagine and begin to reason.

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Narrator: To encourage these developing capabilities most Family Resource programs offer stimulating, age appropriate environments and activities that give children a chance to interact and explore with others their own age. One such program is Mount Pleasant Family Place located in a multi-ethnic community in East Vancouver. Mount Pleasant hosts a daily drop-in where young children come to play and to learn.

Family Resource Program Participant: For my son, he didn’t have any friends when we came new, so especially for kids, they really need someplace where they can come to and have lots of fun here. And also because of the toys and stuff which initially for me I wasn’t able to give him all those toys and stuff. But then to come here and have lots of toys and to be able to talk to children. He wasn’t able to talk in English at the time so for him to come here and it was a start for him here. So it was really useful. 

Narrator: The most natural way for children to learn is through play. The ability to communicate is key to developing social relationships with other children. Learning English through play interactions at a family resource center while maintaining their own language at home provides children with a richer social life as well as better readiness for school. During these years experienced based brain development progresses at a rapid pace and exposure to new and stimulating environments enhances this growth. It is also at this age that friendships are becoming important. Children are discovering how to get along with others while also becoming more independent.

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Narrator: Most family resource programs are designed for children and parents to spend their time together, but here at Mount Pleasant the space is set up so that parents can either stay with their children or take some time for themselves.

Family Resource Program Participant: For me it’s a time for relaxation for me, truly speaking. I just get myself about two hours off because he stays here upstairs and then I get down and talk to people, make friends and just relax. Just have a cup of tea or coffee and just relax.

Family Resource Program Participant: Other places you cannot leave the child. I mean you have to be with the child there. And here also you have to be with the child but then you get a break downstairs.

Narrator: Playing in a group setting away from their parents helps develop independence as well as preparing children for the inevitable separation that will come when they enter the school years.

Family Resource Program Participant: And for the kids it’s really neat that they get to play, read books, singing songs, learning, lots of interaction between the teachers, the staff and the kids. So it’s really a great place. I mean I would recommend anybody to come here. It’s a really great place.

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Narrator: In addition to free play Mount Pleasant also offers ABC, a short adult-led group education program aimed at four and five-year-olds. Twice a week leaders invite a small group of children from the busy playroom into a quiet, more structured setting where the focus is on numeracy and early literacy.

Adult: How old are you?

Child: Five.

Adult: How old is David?

Adult: I am…five. Five years old. And how old is his Ismael? Are you four or five?

Narrator: For children who speak a different language at home a quiet room allows concentration on listening and learning English.

Adult: What is family? Who knows? What is family? And do you think you have family? I do. Who is in your family? Who is in your family? Do you have a brother?

Child: No.

Adult: Do you have a sister? You do. How many sisters do you have? Two! Are they older? Wow, you have two sisters. So how many children is in your family? Dede, one sister, and another. So how many children?

Child: Three.

Adult: Three. In Dede’s family there is three children.

Narrator: But in the end play with all its fun and potential for learning is still the major emphasis in any family resource program.

Family Resource Program Participant: It’s a fun place for the kids to be and the staff are so good here. I think it’s just that my son really likes it here. It’s a great place to be.