Parents and Play: Building Early Learning Through Family Engagement

Cornell University faculty, in partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension educators, created the Growing and Learning Together through Play curriculum to support families with children ages 2–5. This eight-week workshop series, delivered both in person and online, translated early childhood developmental research into accessible, hands-on activities that caregivers could use at home. Workshop sessions introduced play-based learning strategies, offered guidance on healthy screen-time practices, and incorporated interactive snack-making to strengthen family bonds and encourage shared routines.

The program was intentionally designed to serve multilingual and multicultural families living in New York City. Participants included Head Start families, immigrant parents, and foster grandparents who engaged through virtual programming during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sessions were adapted to be culturally sensitive, linguistically accessible, and responsive to the needs of caregivers navigating complex family and economic stressors.

Results

Families, caregivers, and foster grandparents reported notable improvements in their understanding of child development and the role of play in supporting cognitive and social-emotional growth. Parents described increased confidence in engaging their children through simple, developmentally aligned activities and reported using these strategies more consistently at home. Many families experienced reduced feelings of isolation, particularly during the pandemic, and found that the workshops strengthened parent-child relationships and improved daily interactions.

Foster grandparents—many of whom served as vital caregiving figures during remote learning periods—built support networks that continued beyond the program. Their shared experiences amplified the curriculum’s reach by spreading knowledge, reinforcing community ties, and promoting nurturing environments for young children across multiple households.

Public Value Statement

Cornell’s Parents and Play project empowers families with tools to nurture children’s early language, cognitive, and social-emotional development through meaningful play. By supporting diverse, multilingual, and multicultural caregivers, the program strengthens family relationships, enhances early learning environments, and helps reduce educational disparities that begin in early childhood.