The DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) Cooperative Play Program operates during the public school year, Monday - Friday, 9 am - 12 noon. The Cooperative Play Program dates for 2013 - 2014 are September 9, 2013 to May 23, 2014. To register, children must be within the required age range for a program on September 30th of their enrollment year.

OPEN ENROLLMENT FOR THE 2013-2014 CO-OP PROGRAM YEAR FOR DC RESIDENTS WILL BEGIN ON MONDAY, MARCH 11th, FOLLOWED BY OPEN ENROLLMENT ON MONDAY, MARCH 18th. 

• Register for the 2013-2014 Co-Op Program
  Note: Registration is FULL for all locations except Deanwood Recreation Center.

Cooperative Play Program Overview

Through the Cooperative Play Program (Co-Op), young children ages 18 months through 5 years old, are introduced to a structured play setting with activities that engage the whole child— mentally, socially, physically, and emotionally— in preparation for entering the formal education system. Emphasis is placed on socialization such as learning to take turns; cognitive growth through music, painting, and cutting; and gross motor development by running and jumping. All parents and guardians also serve duty days (usually one day per week, per child) to assist the site Facilitator with the organizing, implementing, and planning of activities. The involvement and leadership of parents is one of the most unique and exciting parts of the DPR Cooperative Play Program. Oftentimes, the parent groups will bring in outside partners like yoga or music instructors for the children and many sites plan field trips to the zoo, the postal museum, or the firehouse, for example, that coincide with the month’s theme.

2012 – 2013 Schedule and Information

CO-OP SCHEDULE
The Cooperative Play Program dates for 2013 - 2014 are September 9, 2013 to May 23, 2014.  The Co-op follows the DC Public School schedule for holidays, vacations, delayed openings, and closings.  Additionally, the DPR Co-ops use an Activity & Theme guide throughout the year so that Co-op Facilitators and Parent Volunteers can collaborate on activities, trips, and ideas.

A typical Co-Op day may follow this schedule:

• 9:00-9:30 - Free Play & Welcome
• 9:30-9:45 - Clean Up Time
• 9:45-10:15 - Circle Time
• 10:15-10:30 - Potty Break
• 10:30-11:00 - Activity
• 11:00-11:30 - Snack
• 11:30-12:00 - Outside/Free Play/Story Time

PROGRAM SITES AND AGES
All programs meet 5-days per week.  Please see the age requirements for each site; the child must be within the required age range by September 30, 2013 to enroll.

*Please note all locations are subject to change.

2013- 2014 Registration Information

OPEN HOUSES
The Co-operative Play program will be hosting open houses for new and prospective families from February 19-21, 2013 for the 2013 – 2014 program year.  Sites will be open for visitors from 9:45 -11:30 am and you are invited to drop-in at one or all of the open houses on the days listed below. Please note the following:

• Open houses are for adult visitors only; please do not bring children.
• Open house drop-in is limited to 20 minutes per person per site.

If you were not able to visit during one of the scheduled open houses, please contact the Cooperative Play Office to set up an individual visitation.

Registration (offered online only)
Enrollment for the 2013 – 2014 Cooperative Play program year will open on Monday, March 18, 2013 at 10:00 am.  All enrollments are completed online and there is no “application” in regard to enrollment.  Space fills on a first-come, first-served basis and enrollment is subject to availability.  Enrollment will hold a space in the program; however, it does not cover the fee for the program.  It is recommended that parents create an online DPR account for all members of their family in our registration system prior to the registration period in order to be best prepared.

Registration is a four-step process:

1. Go to the DPR registration website and login with your username and password.
2. Add the Program you would like to enroll in to your cart.
3. Pay the $30 non-refundable registration fee and the $20 supply fee.
4. Begin preparing the necessary enrollment documents.  A Parent Orientation meeting will be held in late August or early September and enrolled families will receive an email about the date and location.  Please plan to complete all of the required paperwork in advance of that meeting, in order to submit it at the Parent Orientation.

Enrolled families will be sent invoices for the program fee toward the end of the summer.  If the site of your choice is full and you would like to be put on the waiting list, please email cooperative.play@dc.gov with the subject line “Waitlist Request: [site]”.  Include your name, your phone number, your child’s name, your child’s date of birth, and the site you are requesting in the email.  You will be contacted to confirm your space on the waitlist.

Fees

• Registration Fee: $30 per site (non-refundable and non-transferable); due at registration.
• Materials Fee: $20 per site; due at registration
• Program Fees: See below. Payments are made in 9 monthly installments, due on the first of each month beginning in September.

*Please note fees are subject to change.

Forms

Although DPR’s Cooperative Play Program is neither a preschool nor a daycare program, the forms listed in the 'Related Documents' section below must be completed before a child can begin the program. Parents/guardians must provide completed Universal Health Certificates, Oral Health Assessment Forms (if applicable), and a Health Certificate for Staff to the site Facilitator at the first Parent Orientation prior to the beginning of the Cooperative Play Program year. The required forms include:

• District of Columbia Universal Health Certificate - Required for each child.
• District of Columbia Oral Health (Dental Provider) Assessment Form - Required for each child 3 years old and above.
• DC Department of Health - Health Certificate for Staff - Required for each parent/guardian who will be serving duty days.
• DC Criminal Background Check - Required for anyone who will be serving duty days. For those wishing to serve please complete the following: 
  1. Complete the DPR volunteer application form.
  2. Schedule a background check appointment by emailing dpr.hr@dc.gov with your name, phone number, date of birth, and Cooperative Play program site. During the appointment, further instructions, MPD location information and a description of required documents will be given to the candidates. Please note that it is mandatory that candidates communicate via email with the HR office.
  3. Once the candidate has completed the MPD background check, he/she should e-mail cooperative.play@dc.gov with their name, date of birth, address, and date of background check so their results can be recorded.

More Information
DC Department of Parks and Recreation
Cooperative Play Program
Columbia Heights Community Center

1480 Girard Street, NW Suite 420
Washington, DC 20009
E-mail: Cooperative.Play@dc.gov
Phone: (202) 671-0421