Families Learn, Play, & Grow Together at Pierce Terrace ES
This past Thursday, classrooms at Pierce Terrace Elementary School remained full of energy as kindergarten teachers, parents, and students came together for Family Fun and Fundamentals, an after-school event designed to strengthen the connection between classroom learning and home experiences.
Rather than rotating through multiple stations, families were invited to select one of four focused learning sessions to attend together. Each session was led by kindergarten teachers and offered hands-on, make-and-take activities that parents could easily recreate at home using everyday materials. The approach allowed families to slow down, engage deeply, and experience learning side by side.
“This spring, Pierce Terrace ES is providing make-and-take learning sessions during which parents and their children engage in curriculum together,” said Principal Dr. Sandra Whitaker. “They are an opportunity to connect school and home in meaningful ways that support student learning.”
One session, Why Games Matter in Learning, highlighted how play-based activities can build critical thinking, memory, communication, and confidence. Teachers demonstrated how everyday household items such as paper plates, dice, and cereal can support counting, phonics, and sight-word practice in ways that feel natural and fun for young learners.
Families could also choose Grocery Store Adventures, a session focused on turning routine errands into rich learning opportunities. Teachers showed parents how grocery shopping can reinforce kindergarten math and literacy skills by having children count items, sort foods, read labels, compare prices, and expand vocabulary while encouraging children to take on meaningful helper roles.
Another option, Fun Learning at Home with Magazines, Grocery Ads, and Flyers, emphasized the value of free, accessible print materials. Parents learned how to use ads and magazines for letter hunts, sentence building, basic math, fine motor development, and creative projects, reinforcing that effective learning does not require expensive resources.
The fourth session, Board Games Help Kids Learn, focused on how family board games strengthen social, reasoning, and language skills. Led by kindergarten teacher Ms. Cassandra Carlson, the session highlighted how turn-taking, rule-following, problem-solving, and communication naturally develop through gameplay. Families also learned how to create simple board games at home using household items, encouraging weekly family game nights that build connection while supporting learning.
New kindergarten teacher Jaymee Sigafose said the evening exceeded expectations. She shared that she “was happy to see so many families come to this event,” adding, “We were able to show families how to incorporate learning at home through activities with everyday items.”
Students also expressed excitement about the shared experience. Kindergarten student G. Arrowood summed up the heart of the event, saying his favorite part was, “get[ting] to do stuff with my family.”
“The Kindergarten Fun and Fundamentals session was a fun event during which parents and children engaged in activities that support student learning,” Dr. Whitaker said.
Parents were left with practical tools, ready-to-use materials, and increased confidence in supporting learning at home. “One parent commented to me that the ideas presented were easy to implement at home and much more fun than simply quizzing his child on sight words,” Dr. Whitaker added.
By opening its doors after school hours and inviting families into purposeful learning experiences, Pierce Terrace Elementary continues to reinforce the idea that education thrives most when schools and families work together—one meaningful moment at a time.
