The SF Department of Early Childhood selected Sparkler + the National Center for Families Learning to work with local organizations in San Francisco to provide developmental playgroups to families with children 0-3 years old with mild to moderate concerns about child development. The playgroups — which launch in fall 2024 — are free for families and available in English, Spanish, and Chinese. Each playgroup will have nine sessions. Learn more! And join us!
Families: Sign Up to Participate
Interested in participating in one of the playgroups?
Participating families must have children 0-3 years old and have a mild to moderate concern about their child’s development. This could mean they’ve scored at “monitor” on a recent ASQ. This could mean they are curious about their child’s early learning and development and have questions about how they can offer support.
Playgroups are available starting in the 2024-25 school year in San Francisco.
Please see the schedule of Play With Purpose Playgroups in the flier available on this page. More playgroup opportunities from our partner organizations are listed below.
Ready to get started? Follow the steps below to start playing and learning with us…
- Call/email one of the facilitating organizations and request information.
- Fill in the online enrollment form. Please be sure to pick the playgroup location that is most convenient for your family.
- If you want to start by screening your child, sign up for Sparkler using the San Francisco Play With Purpose playgroup code SFPWP, and complete an ASQ-3 and/or ASQ:SE-2. If you’re new to Sparkler, you can download the app from the App Store or Google Play Store; the first step will ask for your Access Code, which is SFPWP. If you’re already using Sparkler in San Francisco, you can add this code in app settings.
- Once you’re done, please send us an email or reach out to FACES, Slippery Fish, Wu Yee, or Recess Collective, and we’ll send you information and get you started!
About Play With Purpose in SF
Play With Purpose is a structured playgroup program for parents/caregivers and their children, designed by Sparkler along with our colleagues at the National Center for Families Learning. Play With Purpose helps families understand their children’s development, set goals, and use purposeful play to promote healthy early learning and development.
Partner organizations facilitating playgroups in San Francisco include: FACES SF; Recess Collective; Slippery Fish Co-Op Preschool; and Wu Yee Children’s Services. Families will complete the Ages & Stages Questionnaires at the start of the program (using Sparkler) to learn about their children’s development. They will work with their facilitators to set goals related to their parenting and their children’s development.
Then, each week, the facilitator and families will focus on a topic and explore a new book and toy, which the families learn to use to promote play and healthy development.
The playgroups meet in person and are fully integrated with the Sparkler mobile app — which families use throughout the playgroup program to access: (1) screening, (2) play activities, (3) tips for parents, and (4) connection and support from their facilitator.
More Developmental Playgroups in SF!
Sparkler Learning is one of five grantees, working with the San Francisco Department of Early Childhood (DEC) to provide developmental playgroups to families with 0-3 year olds starting in 2024. If you’re looking for information about the wonderful playgroups available, you can reach out to:
- Felton Institute (REGISTER)
- Project Commotion (REGISTER)
- Children’s Council (REGISTER)
- Slippery Fish (also partnering with Sparkler and using the Play With Purpose program) (REGISTER)
- Sparkler/Play With Purpose (REGISTER)
If you have general questions about your child’s development and which of these offerings — or others! — might be helpful to your family, please reach out to Support for Families. You can call Support for Families at 415-920-5040 or email referral@supportforfamilies.org.