Wander into Fern Ridge Community Library on a certain Tuesday morning and you are likely to see an announcement on the whiteboard by the book bike touting Daisy Chain and a Sing and Sign program. You might even be curious enough to take a peek into the Konnie Room in which the program is held. If you do so, you will see that the tables have been pushed aside and the center of the floor is covered by a pair of bright mats festooned with letters, numbers, shapes, and animals in English as well as Spanish as you might expect in a preschool.
Positioned around those mats are indeed preschool aged children and younger along with at least one parent and sometimes both as well as a younger sibling. The anticipation is high as the children and their parents get ready for the morning’s Sing and Sign class put on by Daisy Chain, a local non-profit that strives to provide postpartum services not necessarily available elsewhere. Daisy Chain was founded in 2012 when after many discussions around a kitchen table, research was begun into the services and resources that were available in Lane County and it was discovered that there was a need for their skills in postpartum care. Working together, the founders combined their professional, educational, and personal experiences to bring about the programs and services Daisy Chain offers. These days, Daisy Chain is considered at the forefront of providing doula, lactation, pregnancy, birthing and parenting resources with a purpose of providing individuals and families with research and evidence-based support services in their reproductive years. Daisy Chain’s programs are free of charge to all families and are brought forth in both private homes and locations throughout the community by staff and volunteers who are highly skilled and professionally trained. Fern Ridge Library is one such locale after a partnership with Daisy Chain was entered into April 2023 and it’s Sing and Sign is as much for the parents as it is for the children as they learn how to relieve stress though singing. Led by Kelani Larson with assistance from Tori Yoder, Sing and Sign, which as the name suggests, incorporates sign language into the songs, begins with an acknowledgement of those children in attendance as each of their names is used in a song that doubles as a greeting to welcome them to “the show.” Then other songs such as Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star are sung while Larson also does sign language and the children pretend to do such things as climb into a rocket and blast off to the moon. Finger plays are also engaged in as a way of teaching the children how to count and packets that are assembled for the children beforehand allow them to participate in a song while using felt characters to count backwards and be silly with things such as scarves while dancing. A total of 12 songs and dances such as The Hokey Pokey are performed, and the program then ends with singing a goodbye song. At this point, the children are welcome to get toys such as Legos and a plastic VW van stuffed with tiny people and animals out to play while their parents are welcomed into the Nursing Nook to receive whatever they might need at any stage of nursing such as night weaning, getting a baby started on solids, and weaning to a cup. Parents, who have become acquainted over the weeks, chat with one another as their children make themselves comfortable on the rugs and enjoy a little unstructured time before they must leave. In another two weeks, they will gather again, and the Konnie Room will once again become alive with singing, laughter, and the stomps of little feet dancing about. All the while, the children are learning and preparing for the day they will walk into a Kindergarten classroom. Right alongside them, their parents are learning, too. The next Sing and Sing will be held on February 13th. If you have a child or children aged five or under, feel free to join in. Caption – A exuberant youngster dances while Kelani Larson leads her young audience in yet another song.
1 Comment
Sharon sim
1/26/2024 12:34:57 pm
I have brought my grandson there but missed the Jan ones. Being it so raining and cold. I did not want to expose him to kids that might be sick. I will have to ask my daughter if it is okay to start bringing him back to the sing and sign . He did enjoy it . Thank you
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