The goal in First Steps is to help parents accept and understand their child's disability and become comfortable in a teaching role. We at Club 21 believe that parents are their child's most important teacher and play sessions are the best way to learn. During play time children learn to initiate and maintain eye contact, sit independently, request a turn, and imitate actions and sounds. Parents will receive direct instruction on how to help children learn. Joyful learning is the goal, and smiles and laughter abound.
Parent-Child Play Groups
One of our goals is to help parents become comfortable in a teaching role using play sessions. We work alongside families to promote a level of comfort in this teaching role and to facilitate beginning language, fine motor, and gross motor skills in our youngest children. Our focus is on language and social interaction with peers in a semi-structured environment all the while encouraging fun!
Other essential components of the program are:
- Sign language instruction
- Speech, occupational and physical therapy consults
Parents come and learn together while having fun, enjoying their child, and creating connections with other parents and care givers.
This group meets weekly for 1 1/2 hours and is appropriate for children aged 0-3.
The schedule for Parent-Child Play Groups will be announced soon.
Sign Language
In recent years, research has shown there are many benefits to using sign language with all children and it has been shown to be of great benefit in developing language skills in children with Down syndrome. Due to low muscle tone, it often takes children with Down syndrome longer to be able to use expressive language. Sign Language can be a critical bridge to the spoken word by giving children with speech delays a means to communicate their needs, wants and emotions.
At Club 21, our goal is to help families and educators facilitate beginning language and help children with Down syndrome take the next steps toward the spoken word. Communication is the movement from darkness to light.
BENEFITS OF SIGNING
- Sign language fosters intimacy and bonding between parents and child.
- Sign language helps decrease frustration a level, consequently behavior often improves.
- Sign language builds vocabulary at an early age. Children can label tangible items and concepts much earlier than waiting for the ability to label those concepts through the spoken word.
- Sign language builds self esteem. Children get positive, immediate feedback on their “words” and they gain the confidence to keep communicating.
The goal of these Sign Language classes is to provide adults with the tools for basic communication between child, student, client or friend. These classes are offered in 5 week sessions.
The schedule for the next session will be announced soon.
Where: Club 21 "Blue Room"
539 North Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101
Cost: $100.00
Vendor Number is: PD1134 (under the name "Learn Signs")
To learn more about these programs or find out
how you can be involved, please contact us at
