Special to the Transcript
For Kids Only Afterschool (FKO) will utilize their newly constructed Winthrop facility by running an infant and toddler Community Playgroup during school day mornings. After a highly successful six-week pilot in the spring of 2023, this innovative program is set to resume on October 2, and will provide a welcoming space for parents and caregivers to connect and for children to play.
The primary intention of this offering is to maximize the use of FKO’s child-friendly program space during the hours when school-age children are in school, and the facility is unused. This initiative is driven by FKO’s commitment to support families in the Winthrop community by offering a safe and nurturing environment for children to live, learn and grow.
“As a nonprofit, our organization needs to think creatively with how to best fulfill our mission in the most cost-effective way,” said Deborah Kneeland Keegan, Executive Director at FKO. “We understand the challenges parents and caregivers are facing in finding early childhood experiences for their little ones, as well as a changing workforce dynamic, and we thought this program could address the needs of children and families in the community.”
Classrooms will be transformed from their afterschool arrangement into playgroup spaces, equipped with engaging learning materials tailored to the unique needs and interests of infants and toddlers. The environment will be designed to promote exploration, creativity, and cognitive development in a fun and supportive setting, while providing a much-needed opportunity for socialization among children and their caregivers.
Through an ongoing partnership with Project Play Winthrop, a parent-led initiative to provide social and creative programming to young children and their caregivers, the Community Playgroup will also offer weekly activities led by specialists such as singalongs, music and movement classes, sensory workshops and STEM activities. These activities will be organized by Project Play and included as part of the weekly Playgroup schedule at no additional cost to families.
Beginning October 2, the playgroup will be open to all children ages 1-5 for a drop-in fee.
FKO is a nonprofit organization providing out of school time care to communities in and around the Metro Boston area.