By DEBORAH E. LANS
VALATIE–A visit to the The Family Resource Centers of Columbia County (FRC) playgroup in Valatie comes with joy and learning. The joy is sparked by watching 20-some infants and toddlers as they run or tricycle around the gym, roll hula hoops or kick balls, as they sit in their upstairs classroom in a circle with their caregivers singing and acting out standards like “The Wheels on the Bus” or as they listen, while on their caregivers’ laps, to a story. The learning flows from hearing those caregivers talk about what the playgroup means not just to the children but also to themselves.
While not often discussed, playgroups are “increasingly recognized as an accessible form of early childhood education and care for children and their adult caregivers,” according to a literature analysis published in the Educational Research Review in 2022. The primary aspects of quality cited by the literature are process (teaching and learning strategies as evident in the nature of play activities and environment) and structure (staff-to-child ratios and staff qualifications).
FRC holds its groups twice weekly in Valatie and twice weekly in Hudson, always for two hours. There is no fee for participating and, while most participants attend on a regular schedule, there is no requirement to sign up in advance.
The structure of the day differs somewhat at the two sites, as Hudson lacks the large open gymnasium (and, in good weather, outdoor playground) that the Valatie site offers in the former Martin H. Glynn Elementary School. In general, the day starts with unstructured play at tables set up for crafts or tactile experiences or with toys scattered around the room. An interactive “circle time” for singing or reading follows, then a snack and free play again.
The day The Columbia Paper visited, there were some 15 children ranging from about six months to four years, each accompanied by a caregiver: some mothers, some fathers, some grandmothers and grandfathers, one “nanny.” Many follow the playgroup from Valatie on Monday to Hudson on Tuesday, then back to Valatie and Hudson again.
Janel Walsh, a Valatie resident and the director at both sites, started with FRC 20 years ago as a parent, bringing her daughter to the group from 11 months on, and graduating on to join the staff and then to the director position. Ms. Walsh is assisted by Katrina Kirkpatrick, herself the mother of a “blended” family of four children ranging in age from 3 to 14, who likewise started as a parent-participant in the program.
FRC’s recently-hired Executive Director Linda McGriff Andrews has a deep background in education. She wants FRC to equip and support parents in their natural roles as their child’s “first teacher.” To her, a playgroup fills a void for those who cannot find full-time child care in the county’s child care desert and for those who prefer their young to stay at home but at the same time look for opportunities for their children to socialize and learn.
Unlike child care, where caregivers drop off their children and then leave, a playgroup where the adults are present offers different opportunities. Staff can model the kind of “serve and return” interactions that are known to be key to child development and can take home (often literally and always in concept) the kinds of crafts, tactile and other activities that stimulate vital curiosity and experimentation.
There is currently no directory of playgroups in the county, and caregivers typically find them through word-of-mouth or social media.
Theresa Wood cares part-time for a four year old and a two and half year old whose family lives in Hudson. She herself worked as an educator at the nature center, Flying Deer, for 10 years and still runs outdoor programs for older children (6-14) in the fall and spring. She has been bringing the two children to FRC ever since she began working for the family. She appreciates the structure of the day, with a known sequence of activities and warm and welcoming staff. The mix of ages also helps the younger children develop “soft skills” like sharing and cooperation which they learn from their “elders” (the three- and four-year-olds).
Jaclyn Albizu owns Wunderbar in Hudson with her husband. Both parents were present the day of our visit. Ms. Albizu brought her now-nine year old son to FRC when she first moved into the area. The group was a “godsend,” as she connected with a cadre of adults who still remain in touch, even as a number have moved out of the area. The center gave her “an instant family; it gives me goosebumps just to think of it.” She holds a masters degree in Social Work, and “understands the importance of what the center gives to parents – a sense of being validated and supported in everyday challenges.”
Lee Ann Alessi has brought her grandson Kion to the center every day since September, when he was 14 months old. She cares for Kion while her daughter, who is a teacher, works. She has seen tremendous growth in his social skills. Initially shy, he now plays with other kids and knows to sit at a table for his snack – a structure she has initiated at home as well. “Kion loves to put things together, like in the bin with sand or a bowl of noodles and beans,” and to help him with his fine motor skills she has replicated the bowl at home, adding in some little ducklings.
The playgroups go on occasional field trips – for example, to the Mud Creek Environmental Center where they hear about bobcats, birds and frogs, play with a stuffed bobcat and hike.
Ms. McGriff Andrews is hoping to expand the playgroups into the summer months and also to expand FRC’s “Free Literacy Voyage Program.” Both efforts are dependent on funding, as all of FRC’s offerings are free to participants.
The Voyages “are aimed at fostering early literacy and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) skills among young children.” FRC works with pre-K to 2nd graders at the Hudson Youth Center every Monday, helping the children to recognize and articulate character traits, feelings and motivation.
On May 14 a session at the Hudson Area Library will use the book “Lola Plants a Garden” by Anna McQuinn to focus on “sequencing” – understanding the order of events in a story or process to help children understand that things happen in a logical way. The children will also plant mini-gardens, to learn about the life cycle of plants while exploring sensory play with soils. Programs are also scheduled for June 11, July 9 and August 13 at the library. These will explore rhyming, predicting, storytelling, letter recognition and vocabulary.
The FRC playgroups are held on Mondays and Wednesdays at the former Martin Glynn Elementary School on Church Street in Valatie from 10 a.m. to noon and on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Christ Episcopal Church, 431 Union Street, in Hudson from 9:30-11:30 a.m.
The center’s website is www.familyresourcecenterscc.org.
To contact reporter Deborah Lans, email deborahlans@icloud.com.
