The Spark Growth Program is a free mobile program whose staff visit sites bringing with them books and art-related materials and supplies for a planned activity. Well planned and developmentally appropriate activities have been designed for children which offer various opportunities for participation such as storytelling, shared book reading, flannel board storytelling, creative art, dramatic re-enactment of the book or story, physical movement, music, puppetry, math, science or technology activities associated with or prompted by the book or literacy item, and/or dictating or writing stories.
During enrichment activities, program staff consistently utilize strategies such as modeling and explanation of the activity’s procedures, encouraging statements on efforts, scaffolding, paraphrasing questions or statements, open-ended questioning, storytelling and hands-on activities to promote exploration. As such, young children have opportunities to become active participants in the group or class enrichment activities — applying problem-solving, decision-making, and critical thinking strategies to a myriad of enrichment activities and experiences.
Overall, the goals of Spark Growth Program are to provide opportunities that will help children communicate their ideas and feelings and to interpret communication they receive. In particular, goals are categorized as such: listening and viewing; speaking; writing; and reading and creativity.
An important element of this enrichment program is that of family involvement. Parents/caregivers and family members are key partners — children’s ‘first teachers’ — in supporting children’s literacy and creative growth. Program staff plan and provide supplemental take-home activities for families to use in the home in support of children’s literacy and creative growth.
With these activities, and nurturing, knowledgeable, supportive program staff, children have opportunities to become engaged, to form meaningful, positive, trusting relationships with adults and peers, to collaborate with others, to have fun, to experience creativity, to express themselves, to feel valued and to experience a sense of connection with others