Tree House Playgroup

Playgroups are open to any family in the area with children birth through 4 years of age. The playgroups provide an opportunity for children and parents to play in an environment that is supportive and nurturing. Morning playgroups are offered in the communities of Houghton, and Mohawk.

What is Playgroup all about?

The importance of playgroups is often under rated. “Why can’t the kids stay home and play with their own toys?” one might ask. The Keweenaw Family Resource Center strives to help parents understand the importance of play and socialization to children from birth to three years old.

The ages from birth to three years old encompasses the time in our children’s lives where the fastest and most phenomenal brain growth and development happen. In fact, during this critical time period, much of the stage is set in the child’s brain which determines how he/she will learn and grow emotionally and intellectually for the rest of our lives. The most important way children learn is through play, free exploration, and socialization.

With this in mind, KFRC is committed to providing opportunities for parents and children to interact with each other in a comfortable, non-judgmental and developmentally appropriate environment convenient to their homes or work.

During playgroup, children are busy with:

1. Free Play Time, where children can choose to play with any toys they like.
2. Circle time, where the children are encouraged to sit in a group circle and sing songs and do finger plays.
3. Exploration time, when children learn new things by free creation-finger painting, coloring, drawing.
4. Snack time, when children sit at the table with the other children and have a healthy snack
5. Clean up time, where both the children and their parents are required to participate. The snack is put away, the toys put where they belong, and the exploration area is tidied up.

Playgroups are structured to allow children to explore and play at their own pace. Parents are required to interact with their children at all times, especially during snack time, exploration time and during clean up. Playgroup coordinators are there to facilitate the sessions, model appropriate adult behavior, and interact with children in ways which will assist them in their learning and development of social skills. We strive for a positive experience for everyone. Playgroups are open to all area families