DECEMBER PLAYBOOK
Theme: A Year of Connections
This winter season is a time to reflect on what matters most. Connecting with our family members and community is an important part of our journey as parents and caregivers. This year more than ever, we appreciate those special moments of connection.
Children are making new friends, hugging their grandparents and enjoying the community. As parents, we need those connections as well.
In the early years, family members and holiday traditions provide their first experiences with the community. They enjoy the decorative lights of their neighborhood, exploring religious and cultural traditions, and singing to holiday music with loved ones.
Let’s celebrate the magic of the holiday season by gifting special time and attention to our loved ones and our community. Our children learn from all the people in their lives.
Key Messages for Parents:
This season of reflection is a perfect time to celebrate your connections with family and friends through the traditions of your community. Talk, sing, read and make special time to create memories with loved ones near and far.
Making music with your children creates special time that supports their early development as well as their understanding of culture and community. Holiday music is a great way to support early math skills, such as noticing patterns and counting the beats.
The Holiday break provides an opportunity to support their school goals, at the home! Explore the world this winter by asking your child questions about what they notice happens in nature this winter. Wonder about what’s happening and research together.
- Use your routines and gatherings as practice for your children. Help them connect with other people by engaging them in activities that encourage movement, turn-taking, seeing things from multiple perspectives, and collaboration with other people. Start with teamwork in household chores!
Encourage safe and healthy connections in your children. Brainstorm with your children ways that the problems impacting your community can be solved. Collaborate and exchange resources. As a parent, you benefit from connecting, too.
- Family members and holiday traditions help your child understand how they fit into a community. They also wonder about how they are the same and different from other families. What does your family like to do together?
How do you create Special Time with your children?
STEP 1: SHARE THIS STORY
“Special Time With Your Children” – Momentos de Conexión Video (Moments of Connection), 1 minute
Paying attention to our children supports their development. In this video we see how Celina and Martín reserve their “Special Time”; when this mother gives her full attention to playing, enjoying, and having a good time with her son. She tells us how she does it!
How do you create special time with your children?
Suggested Post:
- Making music with your children creates a special time that supports their early development as well as their understanding of culture and community. See how this mom and her son enjoy their Special Time. How will you create special time with your children during the holidays? #FuerzaFamLatina #LaFuerzadeFamiliasLatinas
- Crear música con tu hijo crea un momento especial que apoya su desarollo temprano como tambien el entendimiento de su cultura y la comunidad. Mira como esta mamá y su hijo disfrutan de su Momento Especial. ¿Cómo tu crearás momentos especiales con tus hijos en estas navidades? #FuerzaFamLatina #LaFuerzadeFamiliasLatinas
STEP 2: SHARE THESE CONSEJOS
Share these tip cards with parents to get them thinking about how to create loving moments of connection with their children. What advice can they provide?
EL INVIERNO
WINTER. Researching together can be the start of scientific exploration in your children. What is a snowflake? Look out the window, what should we wear today? What blooms in winter?
What winter stories can you tell?
Suggested Post for Holiday Season:
This month we celebrate Harvest Season. Cooking, measuring and exploring ingredients with your children supports their early learning, especially math and science. The tastes, smells and textures add color to the storytelling about how food got from farms to our tables. What stories are your family recipes telling? #FuerzaFamLatina #LaFuerzadeFamiliasLatinas
- El invierno es un tiempo mágico cuando la naturaleza provee tantas cosas maravillosas por descubrir. Utiliza esta carta para inspirar maneras de investigar el mundo juntos estas vacaciones navideñas. ¿Qué historias de invierno puedes contar en esta temporada? #FuerzaFamLatina #LaFuerzadeFamiliasLatinas
LAS TAREAS DEL HOGAR
HOME CHORES. When they help you put their toys away you support their early learning and create good habits. Where do the toys with wheels go? What is our clean-up song? What comes next? Do you know how much I appreciate you?
What stories are you telling about teamwork?
Suggested post to celebrate Community Actions:
- Clean-up doesn’t have to be a negative experience for our children. Reinforcing teamwork and good habits support their early development. These routine moments help your child feel pride in taking care of the home community. What stories are you telling about teamwork? #FuerzaFamLatina #LaFuerzadeFamiliasLatinas
- Las tareas del hogar no tienen que ser una experiencia negativa para nuestros hijos. Re-enforzando el trabajo en equipo apoya su desarrollo temprano. Estos momentos de rutina ayuda a tus hijos a sentir orgullo en cuidar la comunidad del hogar. ¿Cómo cuentas una historia de trabajo en equipo? #FuerzaFamLatina #LaFuerzadeFamiliasLatinas
STEP 3: MOTIVATE TO ACTIVATE THIS READ-ALOUD
Share this storybook read aloud in Spanish. Invite parents to try a new reading strategy with their child. How might they activate these stories?
El Libro de la Familia
Author: Todd Parr
This amazing Bilingual book by the author Todd Parr celebrates family diversity throughout the world. Share this book with your children and reflect on how they are the same or different from the colorful families featured. Enjoy the diversity within your family members and your community.
Suggested Post:
- Celebrate the diversity of your community with this colorful bilingual book by Todd Parr called El Libro de la Familia (The Family Book). Share this book with your children and reflect on how they are the same or different from the colorful families featured. How do you celebrate your diverse community? #FuerzaFamLatina #LaFuerzadeFamiliasLatinas
- Celebra la diversidad de las familias esta temporada navideña con este cuentacuentos del libro colorido de Todd Parr llamado El Libro de la Familia. Comparte este libro con tus hijos y reflexionen en como ellos son iguales o diferentes de las familias presentadas. ¿Cómo celebras la diversidad de tu familia en casa y en la comunidad? #FuerzaFamLatina #LaFuerzadeFamiliasLatinas
STEP 4: WATCH OUR TALK SHOW
Celebrity host Gaby Rivero is joined by our parent leader, Lourdes de la Cruz, to discuss the importance of music in both our culture and to support math thinking in young children. We see a mother responding to her child’s interests, as he explores instruments and sound patterns.
MUSICA
Juntas en Casa with Gaby Rivero (Together at Home), 5 minutes
Suggested Post:
- Celebrity host Gaby Rivero continues the conversation with parents like you about learning together at home. Watch the video about how to make math fun for them through music and culture! Can you find the math in your holiday music? Subscribe to @fuerzafamlatina YouTube channel for more videos like this, link in their bio! #FuerzaFamLatina #LaFuerzadeFamiliasLatinas
- La anfitriona Gaby Rivero continua la conversacion con padres como tu sobre aprender juntos en casa. Mira este video sobre como hacer las matematicas divertidos para ellos a traves de música y cultura. ¿Puedes encontrar matemáticas en tu música navideña? Suscríbete a @fuerzafamlatina y su cana de Youtube para más videos como este. #FuerzaFamLatina #LaFuerzadeFamiliasLatinas
STEP 5: SUBSCRIBE TO TEXT MESSAGES
Invite caregivers to subscribe to Text Messages promoting early learning at home.
Messages are informed by scholarly research, are crafted in plain language and disseminated by Univisión and Too Small to Fail.
Suggested Post:
Recibe consejos en español para apoyar el desarrollo de tu hijo enviando la palabra CONSEJOS al 26262.
STEP 6: SIGN UP AND SHARE WORKSHOPS
Sign Up for a Parent Workshop
Share our free online workshop invitation to Spanish-speaking caregivers in your community of young children. Registered participants receive free books and create digital stories with their children. To find information about future workshops click and share here.
Suggested Post:
- ¡Aprende cómo tu amor puede brindar soporte al cerebro de tu hijo! Si eres padre de niños de 0 a 7 años y hablas español inscríbete en el taller de @fuerzafamlatina GRATIS. Más información en @fuerzafamlatina. #LaFuerzadeFamiliasLatinas #FuerzaFamLatina
Sign Up for a Professional Development Workshop
Share this invitation about online orientation for agencies serving Latinx families of children 0-7 years old. Organizations will learn about La Fuerza de Familias Latinas initiative and how to host a workshop for caregivers in their community. To find information about training events click here.
Suggested Post:
- Become a facilitator for La Fuerza! This 4-day program is designed for Spanish-speaking staff members of parent-serving agencies. Certified facilitators are able to implement La Fuerza’s family engagement curriculum for Spanish-speaking families of young children. Learn more at @fuerzafamlatina’s website. #LaFuerzadeFamiliasLatinas #FuerzaFamLatina
STEP 7: LEARN MORE
Explore to find more resources in Spanish, from our Partners Too Small to Fail and Univision Materials embed positive parenting messages and research-based tips. Share the telenovela, La Fuerza de Creer 2, access activities, watch videos, and more.
Contact:
Clementine Morel
clementinem@literacypartners.org
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