North Kentucky News

Covington families with children aged 3 to 5 have an opportunity to engage in a free program designed to support early childhood development and kindergarten readiness. The "Play with Purpose" initiative, hosted by the Covington Parks and Recreation Department in collaboration with EC LEARN, will take place from January 18 through March 15 at the Kenton County Public Library.

The program aims to help children build vocabulary and speech skills through playful engagement. Families interested in participating are encouraged to sign up soon via the Play with Purpose playgroup enrollment link, as spaces are limited.

Alicia Chappell, Covington Recreational Program Coordinator, emphasized the importance of early education: “By investing in early education and fostering kindergarten readiness, we empower our children to break the cycle of low literacy and build a foundation of hope and opportunity for generations to come.”

Chappell also highlighted that the playgroup offers caregivers a chance to connect and learn from each other while making new friends. “We will spend some time with the caregivers discussing different ways to interact with their children to promote healthy learning styles,” she said. Each session provides families with a toy and book for use during purposeful play.

The curriculum for Play with Purpose was developed by the National Center for Families Learning (NCFL). Dianna Carlson, NCFL Preschool Training Specialist, explained that it is intended “to support families as they learn to engage with their young children.” Parents can also access additional resources on the Sparkler app.

Karen Sherman from EC Learn underscored play's significance for young children's development: “For young children, play is a powerful way to strengthen relationships, build resilience, develop core life skills, and reduce sources of stress.”

The program is funded by Kentucky's Governor’s Office of Early Childhood through the Kentucky Preschool Development Grant.