5 Steps to Five Began in Port Chester, NY in underserved parents and their infants in groups with trained facilitators, who model ways of interacting with the babies to build cognitive, verbal, emotional and social skills.  The goal: prepare these children for school, using the five steps – Nurture, Talk, Play, Read, Explore.  Parents learn the importance of being the child’s first and most important teachers – beginning at birth.

 

When:  Every Saturday morning, 9:30- 11:00 am, except holidays.

 

Where: Port Chester Head Start classrooms, 17 Spring Street, Port Chester

 

Program Affiliation: Program is a cooperative venture with Westchester Community Opportunity   Program (WestCOP), which runs 21 Head Start programs in Westchester and Putnam Counties.

​

Participants:  Port Chester residents who qualify for Head Start from before birth to infants between 0 and 36 months.

​

Sections:  pre-birth and 0 to 12 months – “Foundation”;     13-36 months – “Exploration”

​

Curriculum:  90-minute sessions including discussion of baby’s brain and the five steps, parents’ role in development, review of previous week at home, reading, singing, dancing, special creative projects that parents can replicate at home, snacks and cleanup.

​

Books:  New, age-appropriate books (mostly bilingual) are bought by the program for free distribution to participating families once a month.  The average cost is less than 50% of retail.

​

Outreach:  Flyers are distributed at Carver Center, WIC offices in Port Chester, and by all participating parents to friends and neighbors.  Open Door has just started distributing flyers, as well.

​

Donations: We are not incorporated; our partnership with WestCOP, with their 501(3)c standing, allows donations to be tax-deductible. Checks must be made out to “WestCOP/5 Steps to Five” and mailed to WestCOP/5 Steps to Five, 2 Westchester Plaza, Elmsford, NY 10523.

 

​