What is Mother Goose on the Loose (MGOL)?
Mother Goose on the Loose (MGOL) is an award-winning program, a method, a training, adapted programs, an app, and a philosophy. Learn more about Mother Goose on the Loose. Although the original program, built around nursery rhymes and their illustrations, was designed for babies from birth to age three, it was beneficial for them AND for their parents and caregivers from the very beginning. In addition to being an uplifting social event for the adults, it provides them with knowledge about their children’s development and gives them skill-building activities to share with their children at home. These activities build children’s brains by giving them joyful exposure to and many opportunities to practice vocabulary words, communication skills, self-regulation, listening & paying attention, taking turns, participating as part of a group, showing appreciation to others, receiving positive reinforcement for following directions, moving together as a group, recognizing illustrations and learning what they mean, observing the properties of objects, building self-confidence and having loving play experiences with an important adult in their lives.
Why is it important?
Research shows that experiences that take place in the earliest years are responsible for the formation of the brain’s architecture. Positive experiences are powerful. Families from all circumstances rave about MGOL. Singing together as a supportive community where each person is celebrated adds a bright spot into EVERYONE’s lives. Regular attendance at weekly non-judgmental MGOL programs can help alleviate traumatic stress in adults and the positive results filter down to their children. Click here to find out more.
What is the original MGOL Program?
The original Mother Goose on the Loose program is both a structured and yet very adaptable program that can be presented in a variety of settings.
Picture your library, your classroom, your daycare — any setting where children play and learn—offering this program of songs, rhymes and movement that foster pre-literacy skills. These skills are imparted by the large variety of words the children hear, the musical rhythms, the fine and gross motor skills used with hand and body movements, the pictures they see and recognize on the flannel board, and even the mathematical principles inherent in many nursery rhymes. Everybody learns the engaging songs and activities, which can carry over to the home setting.
This fun program was designed for children from birth to age two, accompanied by parents or caregivers but has been successfully adapted for older children, too. Learn more about the original Mother Goose on the Loose.
Two other MGOL programs have been developed to meet the needs of specific audiences:
- MGOL Hatchlings for expectant parents and parents of newborns, and
- MGOL Goslings for adult family members with babies in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).
- MGOL Hatchlings is a 2-part expansion of the Mother Goose on the Loose program; Ready to Hatch is for expectant parents and In the Nest is for parents of newborns. Hatchlings sessions empower parents by providing informal instruction about child development, giving a repertoire of songs and rhymes to share with babies and modeling age-appropriate play-based early literacy practices. Learn more here.
There are also many MGOL variations designed by others to meet the needs of specific audiences or to be used in different settings. Information about these can be found in Betsy’s book, MGOL Here, There and Everywhere and by clicking here.
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What is the MGOL Method?
The Mother Goose on the Loose Method combines ritual, repetition, books, art, music and movement via a 10 part structure enjoyed in a non-judgmental atmosphere. Learn more….
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Use the description of the MGOL method already written on the page above. Make sure there are links from the LLL Approach(https://mgolredesign.devdigdev.com/about/lll/) and BCB and have them linked the following sub pages.
Who is Dr. Betsy Diamant-Cohen?
Dr. Betsy Diamant-Cohen, creator of Mother Goose on the Loose, believes that it changes lives for the better. Because of this, she writes articles, has published books, offers workshops, webinars, and conference presentations to “spread the word” as widely as possible. Learn more…. (Click on Learn more and link to Betsy..)https://mgolredesign.devdigdev.com/about/mgol-staff/betsy-diamant-cohen/
Where Can I Find Materials About MGOL?
Betsy has written a number of books and articles about Mother Goose on the Loose. They include books about planning and presenting MGOL, adapting MGOL for a wide variety of settings, and presenting MGOL to Spanish speaking audiences. Find out more……
What is the MGOL Philosophy?
Dr. Betsy Diamant-Cohen believes that Mother Goose on the Loose changes lives for the better. MGOL was designed to make the world a better place by empowering parents and children by giving them tools for success while teaching them how to talk, sing, share books, and play together in joyous ways. Learn more…. (leads to Vision, Mission, and Values)
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Hatchlings
MGOL Hatchlings is a 2-part expansion of the Mother Goose on the Loose program; Ready to Hatch is for expectant parents and In the Nest is for parents of newborns. Hatchlings sessions empower parents by providing informal instruction about child development, giving a repertoire of songs and rhymes to share with babies and modeling age-appropriate play-based early literacy practices. Learn more here.
MGOL Goslings
MGOL Goslings is for adult family members with babies in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The parent education provided supports parental bonding and prepares parents with skills for interpreting their baby’s signals and interacting appropriately with their medically fragile babies while fostering their early language and literacy skills. Learn more here ..
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How Else Has MGOL Been Adapted?
Descriptions of MGOL variations that have been designed by others to meet the needs of specific audiences or to be used in different settings can be found in Betsy’s book, MGOL Here, There and Everywhere. These adapted programs include:
How Can I Read What Other People Have Done or Share My Ideas?
In the spirit of sharing, librarians around the country have submitted scripts for their adapted MGOL programs. If you would like to look for one that matches your needs, feel free to browse through the scripts below, or feel free to submit your own script:
Learn more….
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What is the LISTEN, LIKE, LEARN Approach?
The Listen, Like, Learn approach of teaching music to young children, was developed by Barbara Cass-Beggs. Its basic principles are:
—First they must LISTEN, as music is a listening subject.
—Then they must LIKE listening; otherwise they will not learn.
—From listening and liking they will LEARN.
Learn more about the LISTEN, LIK
Music stimulates movement, which is essential for a baby’s physical and mental development. Singing to a baby triggers speech and encourages auditory discrimination. Classes using the Listen, Like, Learn approach involve listening, moving, singing and participating in ways that encourage experimentation with sound, using a variety of percussive and melodic instruments. Although music is the medium, the underlying aim of these classes is to assist the development of the WHOLE child, so that s/he can gain a sense of self-confidence and security. Given by trained teachers, classes help parents get to know the
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Mother Goose on the Loose is a proven method for planning and presenting programs that focuses on the WHOLE CHILD and incorporates research-based theories of learning, music, puppets, picture books, nursery rhymes, art, math, play, and language. It helps young children develop and strengthen early literacy and school readiness skills in a nurturing environment through engaging activities.
Mother Goose on the Loose is easy to learn and easy to present. It is flexible enough to be successfully used in many different settings. Public libraries and children’s museums use MGOL for baby and toddler times. Childcare centers and preschools use it for circle time as well as for classroom enrichment and management. Playgroups use it for activity time. Parents and grandparents enjoy MGOL activities shared with their children at home or virtually. Immigrants learn English by accompanying their children to MGOL programs. Drug rehabilitation centers teach parenting through MGOL.
Mother Goose on the Loose is not a performance; it is an early literacy program facilitated by a presenter that uses nursery rhymes to create positive connections between children and their caregivers. Caregivers learn about their child’s development though informal “developmental tips”; children learn through purposeful play.
Mother Goose on the Loose follows the “Listen, Like, Learn” approach. Its structure gives presenters flexibility to use songs and rhymes that they already know, making it easy to plan and present. Each presenter has the opportunity to share themselves comfortably with their audience, whether it is an audience of one or sixty!
Mother Goose on the Loose helps children develop skills for success in a classroom. The built-in repetition helps children acquire a rich vocabulary and strengthens foundational reading skills. MGOL gives children opportunities to practice turn-taking, direction following, paying attention and showing appreciation to others. Doing fingerplays, hearing and seeing patterns, participating in number talk and spatial talk,
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