THE BUTTERFLY WINGS CHILD PARENT PROGRAM EXPERIENCE
What a new parent will experience attending the Butterfly Wings Program for the first time.
As you arrive at the program you will be welcomed by one or sometimes two facilitators or a parent. There will be groups of parents, some holding their babies and other children exploring their environment. The venue has been child proofed and safety checked and may look fairly sparse.
You will be asked to complete the Butterfly Wings Registration and Media Release forms and to sign in.
The Butterfly Wings facilitator will sing the “Welcome” song. All parents and children form themselves into a Sharing Circle sitting on the floor or on personal favourite blankets and rugs.
The facilitator/s will introduce themselves and provide you with up-to-date Butterfly Wings news and notices. Each parent will then be invited to share their name, their child’s name and some family news. Some children remain with parents during this ‘adult’ interaction – some choose to continue to explore their environment or meet with other children.
The Butterfly Wings Facilitator/s then use an opening ritual to begin the program. You will notice all parents interacting with their own (and sometimes other children) trying to make eye contact. There are laughs and giggles as parents tickle noses and toes. Children are now fully involved as they know it is a very special playtime with their parent. The rhyme is repeated three times culminating in a whole group hug – everyone then says “Hello” to all the other parents and children. The Butterfly Wings Child Parent Program has started!
The Butterfly Wings Facilitator/s will then introduce a selection of songs and rhymes and provide specific information to the parents related to Early Years Brain Development, Early Literacy, and Emotional Intelligence etc. The parents then chant or sing the rhymes holding, touching, bouncing, laughing and playing with their child. The sessions are oral and interactive and there are no resources other than the human voice!
Rhymes and songs are repeated two or three times helping parents to develop a personal repertoire – the same rhymes and songs are repeated each week over the eight week program. New rhymes are introduced during the term but favourites remain. Parents and children are encouraged to dance, walk, and skip in a circle for some action rhymes.
At Touching Time parents, children and facilitator/s sometimes huddle in a smaller circle and practice the specially chosen massage rhymes on each other’s backs. Lots of laughter and giggles reflect this favourite and fun part of the Butterfly Wing Program.
A favourite rocking rhyme is then chanted which is the signal to everyone for a short break. Parents will welcome you to their groups and share their Butterfly Wings experiences with you as you have a drink and a snack. This is a special time when parents share parenting tips, books, websites or just day to day gossip.
The Butterfly Wings Facilitator/s then sing a “Back to the Sharing Circle” rhyme and parents wander back for the Storytelling Session. Short and simple stories are told over a number of weeks – one or two new stories may be introduced over the term. Oral storytelling encourages parents and children to become good listeners and to use their imagination – children start to actively participate in this session.
Quiet and rhythmic lullabies are then sung by the group as part of the Butterfly Wings closing rituals. The session finishes with a group “goodbye” and individual children are farewelled in a special song.
Parents then pack up their belongings and slowly leave the room/venue chatting to new and old friends and other children amongst goodbye hugs from the facilitator/s. The Butterfly Wings Facilitator/s are always available for a chat or to discuss problems after the session.
SINGING, LAUGHING AND LEARNING FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY!!