Strategy

Play and Learning Strategies (PALS)

What is it?

Play and Learning Strategies (PALS) is an intervention program designed to strengthen parent-child relationships and stimulate early language, cognitive, and social development. PALS uses pre-recorded examples of parents and children demonstrating parenting strategies. A trained PALS coach then leads a discussion on the strategies and gives parents an opportunity to critique the video example before practicing with their own children. Next, the parent records themselves practicing the new PALS strategy with their children. The PALS coach and parent watch the practice video together and the coach provides feedback to the parents. 

What is the evidence base?

Parents in PALS increase their parenting knowledge and language-supportive parenting behaviors. PALS also strengthens early parenting behaviors that promote infant communication and child language development. Children demonstrate increases in self regulation and social and language skills. 

• Feil et al_2018_Randomized Control Trial of an Internet-Based Parenting Intervention for Mothers of Infants
• Landry et al_2017_Improving School Readiness of High-Risk Preschoolers