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Young Families

Young Families

About

How many times does this happen to you? You are in a store, or a Sunday school room, or at your child’s school and you have about 30 seconds of fragmented conversation with another parent as you race off to the next thing. It doesn’t take a research team to figure out that kids love to play, and parents need more than 30 seconds to develop friendships (or a little more than a 30 second break).  With Play Day as a time together with your family, Parents Date Night as time together as a couple, or Play N Learn as time together to play, we aim to help connect parents of young children together.

Parents Date Night 

PDN is a ministry to parents with children from birth-5th grade. It gives them an afternoon away from their parental duties to enjoy a “Date Night” dinner, movie, or quiet afternoon at home.  Our hope is that it will also give parents the opportunity to go on a double-date to build relationships with other couples for encouragement or evangelism by inviting friends, neighbors, or coworkers with kids to take advantage of childcare. Children will enjoy playtime, Bible stories, movies, and dinner.

Young Family Play Day

is a ministry to provide families with young children a fun, safe, and weather-proof environment where kids can play while parents develop friendships. Young Family Play Day is for families with at least one child who is seven years old or younger. The ministry recognizes that families come in all shapes and sizes; single parents, grandparents, and extended family are all welcome. Friends and co-workers are welcome as well!  Find out what other parents say about this ministry here.

Play N Learn

is an interactive time of play with with your child aimed at providing developmentally appropriate toys and activities for young children (ages 0-5) and their parents that enhances learning and parent/child interaction.  Play N Learn emphasizes parenting with purpose, creativity, and support from others.  It is a place to learn with and about your child(ren) in an environment of fun and encouragement.

At Play N Learn, children play at the different activity stations with their parent.  Learning for the little ones happens through play.  Learning for the parent happens through the interaction with their child(ren) and a "parent encourager" who is able to assist in the following ways:

  1. Demonstrate several different ways to play with a toy or do an acitivity that encourages learning and fun.
  2. Suggest and model Discipline Techniques that are appropriate and successful.
  3. Provide parents with ideas and information about Child Development, Dicipline, and Age Appropriate play and learning for the young child.
  4. Provide ideas for toys and creative activities that parents can use at home to enrich their time together.  All of the toys at Play N Learn are quiet and do not light up - several are even home made!

Play N Learn Guidelines

  1. Toys and activities are age appropriate for children 0-5 years old.
  2. You must be with your child(ren) at all times.  Several Acitivity Stations are available.  If your child likes to move from one station to another, be sure to keep up with him/her.  If your child has a strong interest in a particular station and is happy being there for a longer period of time - you get to stay there too!
  3. Sign in every time you come to Play n Learn.  (After the first visit, it is just checking off your name.)
  4. Nametags are provided for both parents and children every session.
  5. Snack is provided.  Due to "sticky spills", water is the drink of choice.  (Bring a tippy cup if you like.)
  6. Every session has a theme.  Be sure to pick up a copy of this year's themes so you can get your child(ren) excited about what is next at Play N Learn.  You and your children can even wear something related to the theme!
  7. Please do not bring toys from home.  They can get broken or left behind.
  8. Have fun and enjoy this time with you child(ren)!
Check out Play N Learn on Facebook: Play and Learn
Biblical Parenting 1.0 is a 9-week course on Sundays evenings on learning to raise children ages 2-8 with the Bible as our guide.
Topics that will be discussed are:
Learn a biblical model for marriage and the family
Understand what God's moral standards are and how to raise your children according to those standards
Learn how to build lifelong trusting relationships with your children
Understand how to get to the heart of your child
Know what God requires of parents in the areas of obedience and discipline
This course will meet Sunday evenings from 5:00pm-6:15pm starting January 29th in room 224.  Free childcare will be provided in rooms 108 and 109.
Please attend the informational meeting on Sunday January 22nd at 5:30pm in room 224 if interested in participating. 
The class is taught by Randy and Melanie Langenderfer.  For more information or questions, contact Rachel Peteya at rpeteya@parksidechurch.com or 440-708-2131.  


Biblical Parenting 1.0

is a 9-week course on Sundays evenings on learning to raise children ages 2-8 with the Bible as our guide.

Topics that will be discussed are:

  • Learn a biblical model for marriage and the family
  • Understand what God's moral standards are and how to raise your children according to those standards
  • Learn how to build lifelong trusting relationships with your children
  • Understand how to get to the heart of your child
  • Know what God requires of parents in the areas of obedience and discipline