HIPPY - Home Interaction Programme For Parents and Youngsters

THE PROGRAMME:
HIPPY is a home based programme that supports parents in becoming actively involved in their children's learning. Children begin HIPPY between 3½ and 4½ years of age. Parents and children work together for 15 minutes a day, for 30 weeks of the year for 2 years.

Parents and children work together in their own home with the HIPPY materials. The programme compliments what children can gain from attending other preschool programmes, and assists with their transition to school.

THE HIPPY MATERIALS AND ACTIVITIES:
- The HIPPY programme is made up of 60 weekly workbooks, 18 storybooks, and supporting materials that are readily available in the home.
- The workbooks are set out like lesson plans for the parent, and ensure a successful learning experience for parent and child.
- Parents work with their child to develop skills that prepare them for school.
- All activities can be linked to the learning outcomes in the New Zealand primary curriculum.

THE HIPPY STAFF AND DELIVERY METHOD:
- HIPPY tutors are parents who have worked on the programme with their own child.
- The HIPPY tutors are parents who have worked on the programme with their own child.
- The HIPPY tutors coach other parents on how to use the HIPPY materials.
- Tutors deliver the HIPPY workbools to families through home visits and group meetings.

THE RESULTS:
- Hippy children arrive at school ready to learn, and settle into the learning environment.
-HIPPY children score better on measures of literacy, numeracy and understanding appropriate school behaviour than their non-HIPPY peers.
- HIPPY children retain their competency in reading and numeracy skills.

FEES:
$1.00 per week for sixty weeks