Playing with Purpose: Helping Your Child Grow

Looking for meaningful ways to engage small children without spending a fortune? Explore intentional, developmentally appropriate play with professional caregivers and other parents in this two hour workshop. During the class, you’ll be shown how to design fun, budget-friendly learning experiences for infants through toddlers that include sensory integration and take into consideration your child’s unique interests and pace of development. This class provides an overview of how sensory processing works in children, and tangible strategies for encouraging learning through play.

What You Will Learn

• What sensory processing is and why it is important
• Tips and tricks to engage children and encourage sensory play
• Suggestions to aversions your child may have
• Creative and time ways to utilize common household items for intentional play
• Fun and functional alternatives to sensory habits

What You Take Home

• Sensory Play Box that you’ll make during class
• Sensory development checklist

What To Bring

• A container of your choosing that your child(ren) can easily access (wood, plastic, etc., approximately 6 quarts is a good size)

Cal-Folk will take care of the rest!

Recommended for parents, grandparents, and professional caretakers.

Head Folkies for the Day

Athena Nava is a trusted childcare provider and former early childhood Intervention Specialist with Santa Barbara county. With over 7 years experience as a caretaker in the Valley for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, cerebral palsy, legal blindness, emotional disturbance, preemies, Athena brings a combination of creativity, expertise and care to each child she encounters.

“I try to be a mentor and friend to the kids I work with," she says. "For me it is about getting down to the child's eye level, being expressive, playful, understanding, empathetic, patient, kind and assisting them in their day jobs - which is to play. I have always been intuitive and aware of children's needs, and it is my lifelong mission to help parents discover those needs and help children meet those needs. It is our jobs, as adults, to provide stimulating, safe and nurturing environments for our upcoming generation.”

Brandi Kulikov-Ramirez is mom of three and child development specialist who is passionate about helping foster children's development via messy sensory play that you can DIY on a budget!. "Incorporating meaningful sensory integration of all five senses is easy to do, and the kids love it,” she says.