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Note: The long running Parent Participation Program in San Luis Obispo County in Oceano (South County area) has been permanently discontinued. However, the one located in San Luis Obispo Obispo City (North County part) is still running. Scroll down to continue to read about my personal Parent Participation experience.

Parent Participation in Five Cities

After moving to San Luis Obispo county, we were recommended by a local to try Parent Participation. Two of the main ones are city-site run programs for parents with kids between the ages of 0 - 5 years old.

I enrolled my little one for the Oceano location. The Parent Participation programs in Oceano was categorized by South County (Lucia Mar) and offered four different class groups: 0 - 12 months old, 12 - 24 months old, 24 - 36 months old and 3 and 4 year olds. Each age group met once a week for 3 hours. During the 3 hour session, the day would look like this: free play time, clean up, circle time on the rug with songs, snacks (volunteered and snacks donated by parents), auditorium play while parents have an educational discussion about parenting, clean up and then ending with a nice story at circle time. Parents definitely participated in this class as they helped assist the kids with clean up and participating throughout the organized day. These classes are a great way to get kids used to social play with kids within their age group and for parents to talk to other parents who have kids around the same age. I paid $90 for the 6 week period (7 sessions). If your child is not ready for preschool, Parent Participation is really a great transition to preschool since the parent gets to be there with them the whole time.

We attended two different sessions and my child really liked the program and referred to it as 'school'. He would be excited to come play, sing songs, learn letters and be a part of a classroom setting. When we came during our first day, both my little one and I were overwhelmed because we had just moved here. We're the new kids on the block while most of the parents and kids had been a part of it together before. It was a bit intimidating. After the second week, we got more used to it. These classes were mainly for the little ones to thrive so it's all with positive intent. Be brave, I'd tell myself! We're glad we braved it and continued on to the next session before the pandemic inevitably, cut our session short. We had a field trip every session and it was so fun! We went to a local farm to pick a pumpkin and see farm animals for one of the field trips during the fall.

2023 Update for Five Cities Area:

As mentioned at the beginning of the post, the Lucia Mar Parent Participation Classes that my preschooler had participated in Oceano with me canceled during the pandemic but what have uprooted in popularity is a free program planned by the South County Youth Coalition. They offer classes in English and Spanish and parents are required to participate with their little ones. It's like a free parent participation program that's funded by grants and is for kids from 0 months through 5 years old (age groups are broken into pods). See available parent participation type classes on their South County Youth Coalition Eventbrite page. You will need to register online for your child's spot as there are limited spaces.

Parent Participation in North San Luis Obispo County Area

There's a popular Parent Participation program with sessions that are 2 hours long located at San Luis Coastal Adult School (city run) in San Luis Obispo, California that's appropriate for families living closer to the San Luis Obispo City area. Another one that is not run by the city is Playtime Discoveries in Atascadero, California. Although my kids did not attend these two programs, I always hear good things about them.

San Luis Obispo County has so many kid-friendly things to do and parent & me (mommy & me) type programs for the little ones. You can find all of these classes under the Mom Groups & Childcare section. For free events to do with your family or kids, you can go to the SLO County Events & Things To Do page.

Find Suggested Things To Do for Teens in SLO County.