Support the Center for Children and Families

What is Play with Me?

Play with Me (Juega Conmigo), is a 10-12 week playful-learning program for children ages 0-3 and their parents. This free program is designed to foster strong parent-child relationships and promote healthy development through semi-structured play sessions. In this informal environment, facilitators and developmental specialists share information and facilitate play and learning activities in English and Spanish. They use toys, music and movement to promote stimulating parent-child interactions and provide important support for children’s school readiness. 

Family Testimonies:

Ely, a parent in the current Play with Me program in Dallas says, “This helps the development of children. Play with Me provides important tools and also provides a great environment for parents. I wish this kind of program would be available in different states and around the world. Mothers need this kind of program and hopefully, all mothers can have access to this program.”

Aracely and Luis, parents attending the Play with Me program in the Plano location thanked the program for their experience with their son, Luisito. “Luisito is our first kid and we are older parents. It's been a huge change. We didn’t have previous experience interacting with babies, and all the topics that the program has provided have been really helpful, especially because at the beginning we felt lost about our child's development. I want to say to the donors first that thank you. In our particular case, we have some economic difficulties, but the fact that is free we consider it to be a blessing.”

Why is it important?

Benefits of the Play with Me Program include:

• Free, therefore all families are able to participate
• Support from bilingual developmental specialists
• Free comprehensive developmental screenings provided to ensure kids are developing on track
• Parents gain a support system of other parents and interact with developmental specialists to share their experiences, ask questions, and gain parenting strategies 
• Children get a chance to engage in play with peers and other adults 

What are our goals?

Our $2,500 goal will provide:

• Developmentally appropriate toys to cater to children with special needs including ASD, Down Syndrome, Achondroplasia (dwarfism), holoprosencephaly, etc.
• Gifts to parents as a token of appreciation for their dedication to improve their relationship with their children, such as parenting books or an experience for the parents and children to do together.
• Gifts of toys to program children to support optimal child development 

With $5,000

• We will expand the Play with Me program to new locations in the DFW area!

How can YOU make an impact?

Your gift supports:

• $5 - Supplies used for program activities 
• $25 - Early literacy materials
• $50 - Two sets of developmentally-appropriate toys
• $100 - Two imaginative play sets
• $200 - Foam play mats for new programs
• $500 - Sponsorship for seasonal events, such as fall festival and Play Day in the spring to celebrate with the families that we serve.
• $1,000 – Sponsorship of the annual Play with Me family celebration held in June