“Play is a child’s most powerful way to learn—and every child deserves the chance to thrive in a community of peers.”

Attending childcare or preschool is something that most children between the ages of 3-5 years-old do. It can be exciting but also overwhelming, with lots of expectations and new peers. For children with communication difficulties, it can be especially tricky to join in with peers, follow routines, and feel confident expressing themselves.

That’s why at Word Stars, we’ve created our Preschool Playgroup: a supportive, play-based therapy program facilitated by two of our skilled Speech Pathologists.

What happens in Preschool Playgroup?

Each week for 9 weeks, a small group of preschoolers and their parents come together in a warm, community setting to:

  • Engage with peers in meaningful play and group activities
  • Follow a routine that gently prepares them for preschool or school
  • Develop social, emotional, and physical skills through play and interaction
  • Practice communication skills in a natural environment

It’s not just for the kids! Parents and carers are invited to connect with each other while also learning practical strategies. From the importance of routine, book modelling to alternative communication methods, our therapists run short parent education sessions at the end of each session, so families feel empowered to support their child at home.

How does Playgroup reflect Word Stars’ values?

Our Preschool Playgroup is a living example of the four Word Stars values:

🌟 Wholistic

  • We collaborate with families and children’s early childhood educators to ensure tailored supports within the group
  • We recognise that participation looks different for every child

🌟 Innovative

  • Our therapist team reflects after each session to bring fresh ideas and strategies week to week and term to term, depending on the group’s needs
  • We use technology such as interactive polls and digital communication platforms (such as “Class Dojo” and “Slido”) to gather parent feedback, spark discussion, and share wins each week

🌟 Results Orientated

  • 9 sessions + 2 parent sessions: research shows children and families achieve stronger outcomes when attending at least 6 sessions
  • Weekly outcome measures are used to track each child’s progress toward their individual goals, which are then discussed with parents at the end of the 9 sessions

🌟 Community-minded

  • Sessions are facilitated in a natural, community setting so children learn and connect in real-world environments

Why Playgroup (and not just 1:1 therapy)?

This is a question we hear often from families. The answer is: it’s not either/or.

One-to-one therapy is excellent for targeting specific communication goals. But children also need supported opportunities to apply those skills in a group setting—just like they’ll do in childcare, preschool, or school. Playgroup offers that bridge. For some children, playgroup has provided a valuable environment to explore and use alternative communication applications such as Proloquo and GoTalk in a more functional and meaningful way. The combination of structured and unstructured activities, such as circle time and morning tea, offers natural opportunities to model language on their applications.

We’ll talk with you about your child’s goals and readiness, and decide when Playgroup is the next right step in your child’s therapy journey.

“We’ve seen children blossom in confidence after just a few sessions—joining in, playing alongside new peers, and communicating more frequently.”

Ready to find out more?

If you’d like your child to grow their confidence, friendships, and communication skills in a supportive, play-based setting, we’d love to welcome you to our Preschool Playgroup.

👉 Contact the Word Stars team today to learn more and register your interest.

Written by Ellie Bourke, Taraana Mohamed & Dr Rosemary Hodges
Certified Practicing Speech Pathologists

References

Benevolent Society. (2016). Supported playgroups for children from birth to five years. https://www.parentingrc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Supported-playgroups-for-children-from-birth-to-five-years.pdf

NSW Communities and Justice. (2024). Family and Community Services Insights, Analysis and Research (FACSIAR) Summary: What does the evidence tell us  about supported playgroups? https://dcj.nsw.gov.au/documents/about-us/facsiar/facsiar-publications-and-resources/supported-playgroups-in-early-intervention-facsiar-summary.pdf Queensland Department of Education. (2019). Supported playgroups: A practice guide for facilitators.https://earlychildhood.qld.gov.au/newsResources/Documents/supported-playgroups-practice-guide-facilitators.pdf