HIPPY helps parents teach kids

Dozens of preschoolers spent the day at Wooster City Park Tuesday running, playing and rifling through new school supplies for the year ahead.

Although these kids will step foot into a school building for the first time this fall, they have been following lesson plans and instruction all year.

Jesse Williams, 4, of Mount Vernon and Cammie Palmer, 4, of Vilonia rock the spring fire truck at the Wooster City Park during the Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters of Faulkner County graduation party on Tuesday. LIBERTY PARKS PHOTO

Tuesday was a fun culmination of the fourth year for Faulkner County's Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters program and, according to coordinator Carie Campbell, the kids deserved it.

"It's the end of the year and we thought this would be a less stressful way to celebrate," Campbell said.

Parents and kids roamed from station to station at the park, visiting everything from a petting zoo and carnival games to the playground and a concession stand.

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For the students in the four-year-old program, this fun day also included a backpack, complete with each of their names and stuffed full of kindergarten school supplies. According to Campbell, HIPPY is a program in which home-based educators instruct parents to help their kids get ready for school.

"Each week we go into the homes and work with the parents of three- and four-year-olds," Campbell said. "It teaches parents how to teach their kids."

According to Campbell, the Faulkner County program is sponsored by the Greenbrier School District, but works with families who live in five local districts. A total of 91 families were enrolled in the 2008-09 school year, she added.

"It's just great for these kids because it not only gives them socialization, I think it teaches them following directions, gross and fine motor skills and self-esteem," Campbell said. "They will need all that plus the academics when they get to school."

Rachel Macomber said she knows her daughter, five-year-old Anna Grace, is ready for that next step of kindergarten.

"The thing I love about HIPPY is that good interaction with your child," Macomber said. "Before, I used to just read stories to her and not ask any questions, but this curriculum gets you to dig deeper."

Renea Brawner, who has a daughter, Reagan, in the three-year-old program, said she really appreciated what a pleasant surprise the program has been for her family.

"We love the program my three-year-old just can't wait every week to do her HIPPY lessons and get new materials," Brawner said. "And this fun day to celebrate the end of the year has just exceeded my expectations."

According to Brawner, she sees the program as an opportunity for her daughter to have family interaction that is actually educational.

"Our instructor will bring the lessons for the week and walk me through them and then I actually do the teaching every day," Brawner said. "You have the advantage of getting the preschool activities and education and getting to stay at home."

As the program is fully funded by a grant, the program and materials come at no cost to the families. Brawner said she how her daughter gets to keep all of the supplies including many books.

Bryce Smith, three-year-old son of Carrie Smith, attended the HIPPY fun day with the Brawner girls. Carrie Smith said Bryce will begin the program in the fall.

"Everyone is always telling us about the weekly lessons they have together and I know he needs the instruction, but I love that this something I can do at home," she said. "It's a fun way to learn and it gives us something else to do together."

For more information on Faulkner County HIPPY program, call 679-1011.

(Staff writer Jessica Bauer can be reached by e-mail at jessica.bauer@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1236. To comment on this and other stories in the Log Cabin, log on to www.thecabin.net. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/submit)