ALIMkids Playgroup…a refresher

Assalamualaikum…SALAM TAHUN BARU 2012!

How’s the new year so far? And what’s your resolution for this year? We at ALIMkids Wangsa Maju aims to be more productive in providing quality early childhood programmes for your children. Besides that, we wish for the place to be one-stop centre for preschoolers, as well as primary & secondary children, to have academic & religious guidance through the activities carried out. So, let’s make du’a for this to happen (while we are working extra hard here) & do check this blog more often for the latest updates, Insya Allah…J

I would like to start this year’s entry with a refresher of ALIMkids Playgroup. Above all the promotions in the last entries, some of you, who might be new to the ‘playgroup’ concept or even ALIMkids in general, may wonder what is it all about. Let’s get the simplest definition of ‘playgroup’ - as a group of toddlers age 18-36 months old playing together. These children are usually accompanied by their mothers where the mothers would also get the chance to socialise and also exchange stories & experience in bringing up their kids. Initially it was popular amongst the expat’s wives who found it as a means to connect with others & the surroundings. The content of the playgroup is usually not structured, which more often than not is just letting the children playing together. This would last for 1 to 2 hours, once a week or once a fortnight.

Based on this, ALIMkids took it further by incorporating Islamic values through the Khalifah method. Now what is Khalifah method? The Khalifah Method was founded by Prof. Dr. Muhammad al'Mahdi. He designed it to provide parents and teachers with a simple method to help them raise children of excellent character who can succeed academically, socially, and professionally in today’s world without losing their traditional Islamic beliefs and practices.

In ALIMkids Playgroup, we try to incorporate the Khalifah method through the 6 modules that are supposed to be completed in a year.

Specifically in ALIMkids Playgroup Wangsa Maju where I am the teacher, I structured the one-hour session into 5 segments: THE WARM UP SONG, READING CIRCLE (RELATED TO THE TOPIC), ARTS & CRAFTS, ACTIVE PLAY & PHONIC INTRODUCTION. I do it this way due to the short attention span that the toddlers have and also to avoid them from feeling bored doing an activity for too long (to them). Above all, it’s about ISLAM that I want to introduce & instill in them. May they grow up to be better, stronger & wholesome Muslims of tomorrow…insya allah..:-)

So, now that it’s clearer about ALIMkids Playgroup, how about you? Are you clearer of which early childhood programme you would like to give your child? May be this would help you to decide…J

Come & visit us some time…see for yourself what we have to offer. Hope to see you soon…J

Note: Teacher Fiza is a TESL graduate from University of Exeter, UK. She had the experience of teaching English & MUET in secondary schools, tuition centres & also a private online IPTS. She also had the experience of developing and designing printed & online learning materials for another private online IPTS. After 10 years of working 'formally', she decided to work with young kids, to nurture & prepare them for the bigger worlds of school & higher learning institutions. Her vision is to bring the children & youngsters of today back to the basis of knowing Allah & Islam before anything else. She can be contacted at ALIMkids Bookshop Wangsa Maju.