Pajama Drama: A Pre-K Virtual Delight
Several Key Promise Heights staff laugh as several Pre-K kids explain artwork inspired by a group reading
DeSean is enthusiastic and joyful—a completely engaged and curious student who just turned five on Thanksgiving. He has attended all six of the Judy Center at Eutaw Marshburn Elementary School Pajama Party Book Club evenings that happen in the virtual world, and recently shared that “Hands Are Not for Hitting” by Martine Agassi is his favorite book. In fact, DeSean became so hooked on these gleeful social gatherings that even enticed his older sister to join the book club and help him with the activities.
What’s better than a pajama party? Receiving special weekly supplies—that’s what!
It’s becoming easier to imagine that this new form of virtual socialization will become part of a normal childhood, yet unlike most pajama parties of our past, this didn’t end up with a bunch of kids giggling together in someone’s home until everyone finally fell asleep.
Each child joined—many with siblings—from the safety and comfort of their own living rooms and kitchens. They used markers and materials provided by our team to make imaginative drawings to illustrate their favorite parts of the story that Ms. Clare had just read to them, and then one by one, each explained a bit about their artwork.
It was a lively evening: yet another example of the creative forms of social/emotional learning initiated by our Promise Heights team since the pandemic transformed our lives last spring. And as things were winding down for the evening and everyone prepared to say goodnight, DeSean expressed something that many seemed to be feeling: “But I don’t want to leave!”
Although daily screen time and social isolation may eventually affect children’s life experiences and childhood innocence, if you were a fly on the wall during this early December party, we think you’d be as enchanted as we were by this funny and intimate virtual gathering!
Perhaps someday, many of these book club members will tell their grandchildren about what life was like during COVID-19 social distancing. Hopefully, through the lens of their experiences with Promise Heights, those memories will be incredibly sweet and joyful and nostalgic.