WVPT’s Early Childhood Services are part of our station’s goal to support our viewing community in preparing children to enter school ready to learn. This goal is met through highly interactive parent and teacher workshops, public broadcasting, community literacy events, and other projects. We welcome opportunities to partner in community events!

We provide parents, teachers, and caregivers free services simply by contacting Bly Brown ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) at 437-2436 or 800-345-9878 or Kathryn Staton ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) at 540-437-2430.

Workshops

Our workshops explore the research-based formula of “View, Read, Do”, the PBS Learning Triangle. Workshops are highly interactive, fun opportunities for adults to learn strategies for helping children in their early learning stages of development. Workshops utilize stories, video clips, educational packets, and modeled activities (some materials are available in Spanish). Workshops are approximately one hour in length and are tailored to meet participants’ goals.

• Reading Together
• Family Math Workshops
• Family Storytelling: Personal Oral History
• Bedtime Routine
• Talk, Read, Write!
• Curious George Explores STEM
• Feeling Good About School
• The Watchful Eye: Your Child's TV Viewing

Reading Together
Experts agree that reading with children, talking about stories and telling stories are some of the most important ways you can help your child learn and succeed in school. Participants learn how to use the award winning series Between the Lions and its website to not only promote at-home reading but also to teach, reinforce and improve key emergent pre-literacy skills.

Family Math Workshops
To learn to use mathematics in purposeful ways children must be engaged in exploring and problem solving. These workshops based on the popular literacy program, Reading Rainbow, are highly interactive with children taking the lead in the activities and parents providing the support. Children’s literature is incorporated with math experiences that are relevant to the lives of children.

Family Storytelling: A Personal Oral History
Families participate in writing and telling their own stories. Children will learn to appreciate their unique histories when they put pen to paper and share stories important to them and their families. This is a terrific intergenerational opportunity.

Bedtime Routine
Struggles at bedtime are all too common. Ideas and activities are included in this workshop that help create a routine at home to ease that special time of day. What parents say and do can make a big difference in how children feel about bedtime.

Talk, Read, Write!

Sesame Street Beginnings created Talk, Read, Write! to provide the tools to help parents along the path from listening and speaking to reading and writing. Activities, information and tips for making language and literacy development a fun part of everyday life for children and families. This workshop has been reviewed and endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Curious George Explores STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)

Just like George, children are curious about the world and how things work. They are natural engineers, mathematicians and scientists. When they build castles, bridges and towers with blocks, they are learning engineering skills. When they sort their toys by color, they are practicing math concepts. Families are introduced to ideas for hands on engineering, math and science activities in this workshop through the Learning Triangle to encourage children’s curiosity and make discoveries together.

Feeling Good About School

Does your child ever feel worried or upset about school? Using ARTHUR from PBS, parents explore ways of helping children through these tough times. Knowing how to listen, what to say and having resources at your fingertips are all important ways to be there for your child.

The Watchful Eye: Your Child’s TV Viewing

Watching TV needs to be an active, family occasion rather than a passive ‘tube time.’ Learn techniques for making the most out of TV time through exploring tips to tame the tube. Taking charge of TV time includes critical viewing and media literacy skills.

Community Events

WVPT hosts literacy events in the community such as the Kids’ Book Festivals held annually in Harrisonburg and Charlottesville. WVPT participates in family fairs, literacy and library events, and other special happenings in the day or evening in our community. Contact us if you have an event in which we can participate.

 
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