French Playgroups

Playgroups can help integrate French in the life of your little ones. To ensure that bilingualism is acquired at an early age, it is important to integrate the French language in the daily lives of the children, and as soon as possible. In fact, choosing activities in French contributes to the construction of a francophone identity for children. It also allows children to enrich their vocabulary, better express themselves and include French in their routines.

It is generally not easy for francophone parents to find institutions where their young children can attend since they live in an overwhelmingly English-speaking environment.

Our French playgroups offer a variety of French programs that are geared towards infants, toddlers, and their parents. The sessions are a lot of fun and very engaging from start to finish. For example, it includes a series of songs at circle time. ​This helps teach the children French, but it is also about helping parents learn how to introduce French at home with songs, games and activities. To keep the children’s attention, the activities changes frequently.

Why Playgroups Are Important for Preschoolers?

Article from : VeryWell Family.

If you are looking for a way to help your preschooler make new friends while learning important social skills, a playgroup might be something to look into.

A playgroup is a gathering of similarly aged children and their parents or caregivers. The group meets on a regular basis either in someone’s home or a common space like a park, library, or community center.

Playgroups can be formal groups, such as MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), or an informal gathering of local moms. The common thread is that they give both children and grown-ups a chance to connect and socialize.

Practicing Social Skills

In a playgroup, children get the opportunity to practice their social skills in a safe, familiar setting. Adults can get both friendship and support from people who understand exactly what they are going through.

Activities can be organized for kids (such as song time or crafts) or they can simply come together to play. It’s important to figure out ahead of time what each participant is looking for from the playgroup. Some may want a more formal structure, while others prefer an informal meeting.

For the most part, many playgroups try to keep the children who participate within the same age range, but that isn’t a requirement. There are different reasons people come together to create or participate in a playgroup.

Some playgroups are simply made up of common friends from the same school or daycare. Sometimes they are brought together because people answered an ad or saw a flier or Facebook post. Other times children are diagnosed with a similar issue such as ADHD and the playgroup environment is a good one in which everyone can feel relaxed and accepted.

Set up Rules and Goals

Before you start or join a playgroup, it is important that you become familiar with the goals and rules of the playgroup (and in some cases, there may be none or very little).

Depending on the size of the playgroup, parents may establish other social rules. For example:

• If a birthday party is held, do all the children need to be invited?
• If one of the participants has a friend or relative visiting at the time of playgroup, is the other child permitted to come?
• Are drop-offs allowed at playgroup or are parents or caregivers required to stay?
• How are disagreements within the playgroup handled?
• Is there ever a circumstance where a child or a parent is asked to leave the playgroup?

These issues may also work themselves out on their own if they even come up. It really depends on the makeup of the group and how formal they are about setting rules.

Is there a French playgroup close to me?

To find a French playgroup in Alberta, please contact a Francophone Family Resources Network.

Address:
Bureau 130, 4800 Richard Road S.W.
Calgary, AB T3E 6L1
Website: centredappuifamilial.ca
Phone: 403 249-0525
E-mail: direction@cdafsa.ca