5.7.2
Group Socialization Plan
Home-Based Socials: Group Socialization Plan
Socialization events, or Home-based Socials, are held twice per month for home-based programs, with the exception of July and December which each have one social. For all Home-based Socials, Home Visitors will use the Group Socialization Plan to plan and facilitate the social.
Home-based Social activities will be planned using the ELOF, PAT Curriculum, and the DRDP outcomes. These tools are used to ensure planned activities are age appropriate, aligned to school readiness goals, strengthen parent-child relationships, and help to promote parents understanding of child development.
Requirements
Home Visitors will use the Shasta Head Start Group Socialization Plan for all Home-based Socials. The Group Socialization Plan should be completed at least one week in advance of the social and will be filed in the Socialization Binder following the social.
The Home Visitor(s) will use the Group Socialization Plan to plan the elements that will make up the socialization. Complete each box, ensuring the following information is planned and in place prior to the social:
Arrival/Greeting/Sign-in Sheet: Parents and children should be greeted and introduced to anyone they have not previously met. Head Start families need to know that it is an expectation to attend socials, and that their participation is valued.
The Home Visitor will show families where to sign in and introduce the family to the center and other families. Having a planned transition activity will help the family to settle in and feel like they fit in. An activity, such as play dough, that parents can do with their child helps them feel secure and know what to do. A posted schedule of events (or socialization plan set by the sign-in sheet), a posted list of rules, having parents sign up for a role during social, are ways to ensure that the parents know what to expect.
Interest Areas/Free Play/Planned Activity: Socials should have planned activities with specific objectives in mind. Although specific activities are planned, much of the socialization content will emerge according to the families who participate. For instance, a planned activity could be a story about the ocean and large seashells of different sizes, shapes, and textures in a water tray. The objective would be for increasing literacy, sensory/motor, teaching developmental skills/appropriate expectations (e.g., young children explore through mouthing, splashing, and banging the shells together). What may emerge is a discussion by the parents of memories of playing on the beach. Others may have never had the opportunity to see the beach as a child. A discussion may emerge about the importance of building early memories and what kinds of activities can be done locally to achieve positive early memories. The primary goal of socialization is for parents and children to learn social skills and for parents to obtain social support. Networking between parents, peer education, and making friends are examples of positive social support received at socialization.
Handwashing/Transition: Children and families will wash their hands. A transition activity such as a song will ease the transition to mealtime.
Mealtime/Parent Business: Mealtime is an activity that promotes learning. Meals are eaten “family style,” and children are encouraged to participate in the process according to their developmental capability. Social skills, skill-development, and education on health and nutrition are some of the benefits of providing an opportunity to eat as a group. Simple meals and snacks work best at socials. A mealtime routine should be in place to help parents and children know what to expect. A mealtime routine should include:
• Meal or snack
• Transition activities (e.g., mealtime transition song, dinner bell, clean-up toys before mealtime)
• Parents having roles in setting the table(s) and clean-up
• Hand washing occurs prior to eating and after the meal
• Parents, children, and Home Visitors sitting together and eating together
• Nutritious meals or snacks that are developmentally appropriate and represent all the food groups
• A relaxed social atmosphere that promotes family style eating, passing food, using table manners, etc.
• When developmentally appropriate, allowing children to practice pouring, passing food, and helping with clean-up
• Discussion about the food shape, texture, taste, and nutrition content
• Mealtime clean-up activities shared between Home Visitors and parents and, when appropriate, children
Center Committee Meetings – a center committee meeting will be planned during the social/play group four times per program year. This should include Policy Council report, emergency/evacuation procedures, parent training, and some formal planning for socialization.
Emergency/Evacuation Procedures – a short review of emergency and evacuation procedures should be covered at each center committee meeting. This should include the location of exits, fire extinguishers, first aid kits, emergency numbers, choking poster, and other emergency/evacuation procedures
Clean-up/Transition: Use a transitional warning, such as a song to let children and families know it will soon be clean-up time. To initiate clean-up, use a cue, such as turning off the lights or playing a song, and have children and families help with the clean-up process. Have a transitional activity play during the transition from free play to the next activity.
Toothbrushing: All children will brush their teeth after mealtime using a toothbrush labeled with their name.
Group Time/Outside Time/Music and Movement: Young children love to sing songs, listen to rhythm, and practice and watch finger plays. Group time can be a rewarding activity if clear expectations are made that children can move from the circle and choose not to participate. Generally, two or three short songs are the maximum a toddler can attend to, and older toddlers may be able to sit through a short story or puppet show. Home Visitors and parents need to be in-tune to the children to decide how long to continue circle time and when it should end.
Clean-Up: Use a transitional warning, such as a song to let children and families know it will soon be clean-up time. To initiate clean-up, use a cue, such as turning off the lights or playing a song, and have children and families help with the clean-up process. Encourage everyone to join in clean-up as a way to help end the social.
Goodbyes: Turning lights off and on or a clean-up song is a routine that can gear children and parents towards closure. A transition activity such as a goodbye song or a routine such as letting children crawl through a tube towards the door is helpful to let parents and children know that socialization is about to end.
Preparation is key to planning a successful Home-based Group Socialization and the Group Socialization Plan is in place to ensure Home Visitors are successful in their preparation.
For more information and training on the Group Socialization Plan, watch the SHS Group Socialization Plan training.