The atmosphere of a Parent-Child Mother Goose Program is relaxed, with time for visiting and an hour for teaching. Sitting in a circle on the floor, the parents learn rhymes and songs, which lead naturally to holding, touching and bouncing the children.
A typical program consists of:
- Groups, usually divided by children's age: 0 - 2.5 and children aged 2-4
- Two trained teachers lead each program
- Programs run for ten weeks
- Sessions are once a week
Parents are encouraged to:
- Use language with their child from infancy onward
- Make eye contact with their child
- Observe and respond to their child
- Touch and hold their child responsively and appropriately
Children develop:
- Language pre-literacy and cognitive skills
- Self esteem
- Social skills