Families with young children are always on the lookout for family-friendly and engaging activities over the summer break. Throughout June and July, Pre-K 4 SA hosted a series of “Come Play at Pre-K 4 SA” events at each education center, providing opportunities for incoming and alumni children to get outside, play together, and participate in themed activities that the whole family can enjoy. Families were even encouraged to invite extended family members and friends to join them.
Pre-K 4 SA extends a special thank-you to community partners who joined the Come Play series to help make each event special, and connected families to resources: Aetna, SAWS, CPS Casa Verde, and Denta Quest.
Themes included:
- Family Fun Friday at South Education Center: Children and families danced to music, built with blue blocks, played with the Connect 4 and waterflow activity stations, and enjoyed bubbles.
- Water Wednesday at North Education Center: Children, families, and staff enjoyed water activities such as sponge toss, spray-bottle tag, watercolor fence painting, and more.
- Tasty Tuesday at East Education Center: Children and families enjoyed paletas and popcorn while playing with foam blocks, dancing to music, blowing bubbles, making chalk art, hula-hooping, and playing with playdough.
- Tumbling Thursday at West Education Center: Children enjoyed playing with a parachute, building with foam blocks, and sledding downhill.
- Teach Me Tuesday at North Education Center: Children, families, and staff danced with musical instruments, played with blue blocks, and used their artistic minds to create little masterpieces.
- Chalk It Up at Gardendale Early Learning Program: Children were encouraged to get creative and express themselves through chalk art.
One parent who attended Tasty Tuesday shared that her son has been looking forward to going back to school, so he enjoyed the opportunity to see and play with his friends ahead of the new school year. Another parent said the event gave her daughter, who is starting her first year at Pre-K 4 SA in the fall, a chance to meet some of her future classmates.
In addition to the events hosted by Pre-K 4 SA, children and families attended events at the San Antonio Botanical Garden which encouraged children to explore nature and learn about the world around them through hands-on activities. The events included:
- Celebrate Soil and Mud!
- Celebrate Water!
- Celebrate Birds, Bees and Butterflies! (taking place Saturday, August 10, 2024)
Come Play events offer many benefits for young children and their families, providing opportunities for children to socialize, learn through play, and engage in activities that promote physical wellness. They encourage families to keep children active and continue learning throughout the summer break — which can help prevent summer learning loss.
Come Play events help build community among current and incoming Pre-K 4 SA families by providing opportunities to connect with staff, access enrollment services, and meet representatives from community partners who connected families with resources available to them.
In addition to all the benefits they provide for children and families, these events also bring visibility to Pre-K 4 SA and the Gardendale Early Learning Program, raising awareness of their mission to provide and improve access to high-quality early education throughout San Antonio.
For more ideas on how to keep children engaged throughout the summer, view some other family-friendly summer activities around the city.
