United Action for Youth revamps Teen Parent Program, adds playgroup

IOWA CITY - Local teen parents can now learn a new skill - play - from United Action for Youth.

The organization created the Teen Parent Play Group to help teach teen parents how to properly play with their children at different ages and to introduce them to resources around town. The new program supplements the weekly Teen Parent Program's support group, which provides child care and support to parents.

'We saw group attendance kind of dwindling and so what we saw, it was an opportunity to kind of revamp the groups that we do and kind of meet an unmet need that we had in our program,” said Ally Hanten, Teen Parent Program coordinator. 'We often see families and parents of all ages just kind of struggle with how to know how to play with their kids.”

Hanten said that, for example, it might be challenging for parents of infants who aren't yet mobile to play or for parents with older kids to teach them how to have a play date.

Additionally, Hanten said the program can show parents activities they can do with their children like Tot Time at Mercer Park or how to use free library programs. The group also has the added benefit of connecting parents with one another.

A meeting for the group, which has usually been held on Friday mornings since its creation in September, is a bit different every time. They do activities like visit the library for events or do crafts at the UAY office.

'We try to keep it exciting so they're not doing the same thing every week,” Hanten said. 'It kind of looks however the moms want it to look.”

UAY also tries to remove barriers that might prevent families from attending the group, such as providing transportation.

The programs are available to Johnson County parents under the age of 21 with kids up to kindergarten age.

'It might be a mom and her toddler. It might be a mom and her newly mobile infant,” Hanten said, adding that it's fun for parents to find out what their children's abilities. 'If they maybe don't have a little scooter at home and they go to Tot Time and there's a little scooter available and their kid rides it, it's kind of like exciting to see them display that kind of development.”

So far the families who have come have really enjoyed the play group, but it may take awhile to 'pick up steam,” Hanten said.

Any teen parent who may be interested in the program should call the UAY office at (319) 338-7518. Miranda Bronicki, a facilitator the group, said UAY will be changing the meeting times this month to better accommodate more families.

'It really gives them an opportunity to connect with one another and do some kind of fun things and get out of the house on maybe some cold days,” Hanten said.

l Comments: (319) 339-3172; maddy.arnold@thegazette.com