The Ipswich Historical Society just started pre-school programs this fall
and the first one was a success.

We felt that our youth programs were struggling to compete with sports,
music lessons and other extracurriculars when parents and children were
forced to choose due to limited time and resources.

Our goal was to try to "grow" our audience by attracting parents and kids
before they were over-programmed so that by the time they reached
elementary school, the Society might be considered a viable
extracurricular option. I don't know if long-term this will be successful,
but in the short-term it appears that our new toddler program is
fulfilling a community need.

The pilot program was on shoes, which we held in our cobbler shop.  We had
40 toddlers (including the YMCA preschool field trip)and parents/teachers
between two sessions.  We read a book, examined and compared old shoes to
the shoes on the tots' feet and "made" shoes in a craft project. We
received many favorable comments from parents who were excited to have
another outing besides the library reading program.  A week later at our
annual children's Halloween party we experienced record visitation and
noticed many repeat customers with their older siblings and parents.

In creating the first program, I drew upon my experiences as a
kindergarten aide and nanny and also looked at the lesson plans of
preschool and early childhood teachers. Toddlers want to explore the world
around them, to touch, to feel, to try, to taste.  I don't think I managed
to impart any important historical concepts or ideas in the tots, but that
wasn't my goal.  I wanted to encourage them to examine their world and as
one previous poster said to "plant the seed." It's never to early to
foster a love of learning that hopefully in time will engender a love of
history.

Katherine Chaison
Curator
Ipswich Historical Society
54 South Main Street
Ipswich, MA 01938
978-356-2811
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