Singing and Rhyming, Bonding and Learning:
Results of the Parent-Child Mother Goose Program Province-Wide Survey
(British Columbia) 2007-2008
“The Parent Child Mother Goose program has definitely had lasting effects. It
was the first time I truly connected with other mothers. Other programs don't
last long enough to bond. After 10 weeks I suggested to the other mothers that
we start a rotating group at each others homes because we all got along so
well … This was the foundation for life-long friendships for myself and my son.”
– parent
Since 1997, groups of parents and young children have been coming together, all across BC, to share rhymes, songs and stories at Parent-Child Mother Goose Programs. This simple, free program which brings parent and child together to create and enjoy songs and rhymes has been repeatedly demonstrated to have profound, enduring effects on the families and the children that participate. The joyful use of rhyming, storytelling and song that forms the core of the Parent-Child Mother Goose Program fosters parent-child attachment and builds a strong foundation for children's language acquisition, early learning and literacy.
The evidence is clear: participants benefit through strengthened parent-child relationships, through enhanced parenting-skills repertoires, through stronger relational networks that allow children to grow and thrive in the early years. What has been missing are the voices of the participating families and teachers. So to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Parent-Child Mother Goose program in BC, we asked parents, teachers, and others who have been involved in the Parent-Child Mother Goose program to tell us their stories. What, in their experiences, were the strengths and benefits of the program? Did they see lasting effects in their own families, or in their work or personal lives, as a result of having participated in the program?