So much of a parent and child’s everyday routines help develop and ready them for a successful life, but a lot of that comes without either of them thinking about it. When a parent or caregiver prepares a meal, goes to the park or for a walk, and even listens to music with their children there are important skills being taught. Although learning happens naturally, when parents are aware of how a child develops language, communication and early math skills they can better prepare their children for entering school and provide a strong foundation for learning throughout life.
That’s the idea behind the READy, Set, Go Miami! initiative now going on throughout Miami-Dade County. A coalition of community partners making up the Miami-Dade Grade Level Reading Campaign (MDGLR), as well as hosting partner The Children’s Trust created the initiative as a way to host workshops that will build upon what families are already doing with their children on a daily basis. The workshops will take place at schools, child care center, churches, parent groups and other community-based organizations that engage families around the county.
The workshops themselves will center around themes like food and meals, exploring nature, music and movement, and the community around us and will bring home key messages for parents to take home, while also engaging them in activities and discussing how to use things like books, technology and everyday objects to help parents on their way to early learning success.
Another important part of the initiative is to bring awareness to high-quality programs throughout the county that are already in place and that emphasize early learning from children from birth to 5 years of age. Parents might know of some of them already, including The Children’s Trust Book Club, which provides a free book every month for children delivered by mail and including reading guides to help parents be conscious of how best to share books and connect them with everyday life. To sign up for the Book Club, text “Read” to 786.460.CLUB (2582).
Though you may likely see awareness of READy, Set, Go Miami! already building, the workshops are being scheduled for May to help parents get ready for the summer months, when children often fall into the summer slide.
Anyone interested in learning more about Ready, Set, Go Miami! can visit READySetGoMiami.com for more information on the initiative, to register to host a workshop, and get more information on MDGLR partners.