Parent Connection: Music and your Child Sing. Sing. Sing. Don’t feel shy about singing with your child. Your voice will please him or her because you are the most important person in his or her life. Singing songs and repeating rhymes face to face with your child builds brain connections more effectively than playing music on a CD or video. Keep these things in mind: • Singing is a key component in the development of your child’s language and literacy skills. It encourages verbal confidence and vocal imitation. It teaches grammar, vocabulary, patterning, storytelling, and builds concentration and memory. • Songs can be used in challenging times to help children transition from one activity to another. • Music can be used to change a child’s mood. Slow music can calm a toddler that is excited or upset and it can soothe a fussy baby. Fast music encourages movement that can entertain a restless toddler. • Your child may remember things more easily when they are set to music. Just think: we all know the ABC song! You can use songs to teach about counting, colors, and letters. • Music offers repetition which helps your child’s brain become better organized to hear and speak language. • Rhymes help babies hear similar sounds. This helps your baby to learn how to talk now and learn to read when he is older. • Singing together is a form of shared attention that helps build secure attachments. Children learn to associate favorite songs with good memories that help create family bonds. Come visit us at playgroup this month for more information about enjoying music with your child. To help us celebrate the importance of music, we will have a special visit from the South Bend Symphony at the Northside Child Development Center.

The playgroups are a chance for parents with young children (infants - age 5) to get together with other parents and young children and have some fun! Each month Berrien RESA’s highly qualified staff choose a children’s book as the theme for the playgroup activities. At the beginning of the group, the story is read during circle time. Then parents can play together with their children through a variety of activities. At the end of the group, every family gets a copy of the book to take home and enjoy over and over again. Each month, information is also provided on a popular parenting or child development topic. For more information about playgroups or other early education services, please visit www.berrienresa.org!

In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, it is the policy of the Berrien Regional Education Service Agency to prohibit discrimination on the basis of handicap against qualified handicapped persons, in admission or access to, participation in, or treatment of employment in, its programs and activities. Inquiries regarding this policy should be directed to Human Resources, Berrien RESA, 711 St. Joseph Avenue, Berrien Springs, MI 49103; telephone (269) 471- 7725; fax (269) 471-2941.

Berrien RESA’s

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Playgroups -FEBRUARY 2016-

You and your young child are invited to join in the fun! www.berrienresa.org

Here’s a sneak peek! Check out this month’s featured book, Bedtime Lullaby by Priddy Books! Every family who attends a Playgroup will receive their very own copy!

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Berrien RESA’s Playgroups

Recipe for Fun!

Soothing Lavender Sensory Tub Use this sensory experience to promote calm play or make transitions from busy play to more relaxed periods of time. Instructions: Place uncooked rice in a plastic zip bag. In a bowl, mix blue and pink food coloring to make a lovely lavender shade. Pour the food coloring into the bag of rice and shake to distribute the color. Lay the rice out in a thin layer to dry overnight. Place rice in play area and mix in flower heads from lavender stalks to create a soothing scent.

Children’s Activity: Winter Animal Match Game! Cut out the winter animal cards. Mix up the cards and turn them face down on the floor or a table. Taking turns, turn over one card at a time until you make a match!

February Playgroups: BENTON HARBOR Boys and Girls Club 600 Nate Wells Sr. Dr. 1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. Thurs, Feb. 18 BERRIEN SPRINGS Mars Elementary (A.M. playgroups) One Sylvester Avenue 9:30-10:30 a.m. Weds, Feb. 10 Mars Elementary (P.M. playgroups) One Sylvester Avenue 6:00-7:00 p.m. Tues, Feb. 23 BRIDGMAN Bridgman Elementary 3891 Lake Street 9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. Thurs, Feb. 18 BUCHANAN Ottawa Elementary 109 Ottawa St. 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Weds, Feb. 17

*EAU CLAIRE Eau Claire District Library 6528 E. Main St. 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Tues, Feb. 9 (This playgroup will be lead in Spanish.)

NILES Ballard Elementary (P.M. playgroups) 1601 Chicago Road 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Weds, Feb. 17 Merritt Elementary (Brandywine District) 1620 LaSalle Avenue 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Thurs, Feb. 25 Northside Child Development Center 2020 N. Fifth Street 10:00-11:00 a.m. Fri, Feb. 12

ST. JOSEPH E.P. Clarke Elementary 515 E. Glenlord 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Tues, Feb. 16 Lincoln Elementary (P.M. Playgroups) 1102 Orchard Avenue 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Tues, Feb. 9 STEVENSVILLE Christ Luthern School 4333 Cleveland Ave. 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Weds, Feb. 24 THREE OAKS Three Oaks Elementary 100 Oak Street 9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. Fri, Feb. 19 WATERVLIET South Elementary 433 Lucinda Lane 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Thurs, Feb. 11

COLOMA Coloma Elementary 262 S. West St. 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Tues, Feb. 23

*Hispanohablantes son bienvenidos en todos los grupos de juegos, pero el Español será el idioma principal que se hablará cada mes en el grupo de juego en Eau Claire - por favor, acompáñenos!!!