Families Build Learning Skills Together at Pierce Terrace ES Game Night

Families at Pierce Terrace Elementary School strengthened ties between classroom and home during an after-school “Family Fun and Fundamentals” event Thursday.

Instead of rotating through stations, families selected one of four focused sessions led by kindergarten teachers. Each offered hands-on “make-and-take” activities that parents could easily recreate at home with common household materials.

“This spring, Pierce Terrace ES is providing make-and-take learning sessions during which parents and their children engage in curriculum together,” Principal Dr. Sandra Whitaker said. “They are an opportunity to connect school and home in meaningful ways that support student learning.”

One session, “Why Games Matter in Learning,” showed how everyday items such as paper plates, dice and cereal boxes can build critical thinking, memory, communication and confidence through counting, phonics and sight-word practice.

Another, “Grocery Store Adventures,” demonstrated how routine errands can reinforce math and literacy by having children count items, sort foods, read labels and compare prices while taking on helpful roles.

A third session, “Fun Learning at Home with Magazines, Grocery Ads and Flyers,” taught families to use free print materials for letter hunts, sentence building, basic math, fine-motor skills and creative projects.

The fourth, “Board Games Help Kids Learn,” led by kindergarten teacher Cassandra Carlson, highlighted how turn-taking, rule-following, problem-solving and communication develop naturally during family game play. Families also learned to make simple board games from household items to encourage weekly game nights.

New kindergarten teacher Jaymee Sigafose said attendance exceeded expectations. “We were able to show families how to incorporate learning at home through activities with everyday items,” she said.

Kindergartner G. Arrowood captured the evening’s spirit: “Getting to do stuff with my family.”

Parents left with practical tools and greater confidence. One told Whitaker the ideas were “easy to implement at home and much more fun than simply quizzing his child on sight words.”

By inviting families into purposeful, after-school learning experiences, Pierce Terrace Elementary continues to demonstrate that education is strongest when schools and families partner together.