Lakewood, OH
Cuyahoga County Universal Pre-Kindergarten – Starting Points
Courtney Nerad, Executive Director
Moving Together: Family Fun Night
After months of COVID-19 restrictions on face-to-face meetings, it was time to get moving—literally—to have some healthy fun. The St. Peter’s Action Team for Partnerships (ATP) and others designed Moving Together—a new form for a Family Fun Night. The team publicized the activity at school, by e-mail, on Facebook, and through word of mouth. Teachers brought previews of Moving Together into their classroom lessons to encourage children and families to attend the activity.
St. Peter’s leaders used existing equipment and materials and purchased a few new items. Plans for an outdoor activity changed due to inclement weather, but the group took CDC rules for social distancing indoors and placed activities in different areas of the school.
Parent volunteers created a Fruit and Vegetable Sensory Table, guided by an ATP member who is a licensed dietician. She shared information and gave parents handouts on ways to introduce healthy new foods to their children. Other activities included an interactive Bear Hunt, Bowling, Partner Ball Bounce, Bean Toss, Yoga, Basketball Toss, Balance Beam, Squish Ball Toss, and Golf. It was a veritable Early Childhood Olympics!
As they signed in, families received a raffle ticket, map of locations of activities, and the exercise and physical education skills at each station. They were assigned to start at different activities to maintain safe social distancing. At each station, a time frame for fun kept families moving from activity to activity. Students and parents were able to try all different ways of moving and exercising together. This produced a mix of physical education, laughter, and chatter. Parents met other parents, and students met students that they had not seen before in person. Children received Bubble Wands to take home to keep moving with bubbles—something everyone enjoys.
The ATP assessed the event at its next meeting. The school exceeded its goal 35% participation, with 56% of families attending. Parents delighted in experiencing games with their children that promoted both fine and large motor skills, all of which could easily be played at home.
Read more about Moving Together: Family Fun Night in Promising Partnership Practices 2021.
