Peggy Rick

A parent educator for over 33 years, Peggy has a B.A in Educational Psychology/Special Education and an Early Childhood Parent Educator license. She is the Family Services Coordinator for SLP Creative Play Pre K and an ECFE Parent Educator.

Peggy is a leader in her field, delivering workshops at national conferences on the MN Indicators of Progress as used in the SLP-PreK programs. She is also an Early Childhood Teacher with the City of Plymouth Parks and Recreation Department. For the past 28 years, Peggy has helped adults and children achieve their fitness goals as a Jazzercise franchisee in St. Louis Park and in Eden Prairie’s Especially For Children Center where she is also a speaker on child development, enrichment and fitness for children.

Peggy’s commitment to children and families and her work as a Children First Asset Champion were recently highlighted in the Children First Champions coloring book where Peggy is pictured as a Real Life Super Hero and described as the “go to” person for parents looking for child development tips for their toddlers and preschoolers.

Ask Peggy
Need an opinion you can trust? Ask early childhood expert Peggy Rick your questions and get simple, straightforward advice and tips that make parenting easier.

E-mail Peggy your questions. Twice each month, Peggy will select questions from those sent in and post her replies and other important parenting tips on this page.

Dear Peggy:
My child’s 4th birthday is coming up. We want to have a children’s party this year. What are we to expect?

Congratulations, birthdays are great. We all love a little recognition on our birthday. There are a few things to consider with a 4 year old and a party :
The classic formula of one guest for every year of the child’s age, for example a 4 year old has 4 guests. If that makes you wonder “what about the neighborhood children, what about the preschool class, what about the cousins?” A party can easily get out of control. Discuss with your family to determine when is the family party (grandparents, cousins and parents) and when is the friend’s (neighbors or preschool) party. Remember it is up to you.

Keep the party short- one to two hours at most. Perhaps: 15 minutes for the guests to arrive and have an activity ready (coloring a birthday banner), 15– 30 minutes to eat small snacks (small sandwich, chips, carrots or fruit cups) 15-30 minutes to play outdoors (toss balloons or balls in the air, obstacle course, parachute play (large sheet and some teddy bear or ball to toss in the air) drop the clothes pins in the bottle game, bean bag toss game, whatever games your child likes to play, 15 minutes for a group song and cupcake or cake treat. You can choose to open or not open gifts at the party. Gift opening takes on its own issues if the child does not like the gift, already has the gift, wants to play with the gift right way or a guest wants to play with the gift.

Community Education offers birthday parties at Central Pool and the Gymnastics Gym, and families can bring a cake to serve in the little kitchen or in a small room off the Gymnastics Gym after swim or gym time. For pool parties, call Mary Magle, 952-928-6780. For gymnastics parties call Gretchen Vandeputte, 952-928-6752.

Other ideas for commercial settings are Pump it Up and the Westwood Hills Nature Center (952-924-2544).

Have adequate help at any party, first aid, extra drinks and food in case of spilling, good energy and remember it is all about the birthday child.