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When Captain Shelby Qualls moved to Ketchikan, Alaska, to lead the Gateway Corps with her husband, Lt. Brian Qualls, in June 2021, she didn’t have a childcare option for her young daughter. She said she felt called to lead a program like a “mommy and me” class.
At the time, adding another program wasn’t possible at the corps, but eventually things changed, and in September 2023, she launched “Music, Movement and More.” The weekly gathering for parents of children under 5 features music, dancing, singing and time for crafts—filling a need Qualls felt firsthand in the community of about 8,000, according to 2020 U.S. Census data.
“We have some opportunities to get together on the island…but they don’t really foster conversation between the moms,” she said. “Our program is definitely geared to the kid…but also it provides a more intimate and more safe place for the parents to talk as well.”
While Qualls’ daughter now goes to daycare so she doesn’t attend, Qualls said she can relate to the participants’ experiences.
“I find myself in those moments where we’re waiting for more families to show up, just listening to the moms and talking with them and relating to the struggles they have with their toddlers because I’m going through it myself,” she said. “It’s been a beautiful thing.”
Evidence suggests there are benefits to these kinds of gatherings—supported playgroups—for both parents and children. Parents receive greater social support, enhancing their ability to care for their children, and children gain new opportunities to learn and socialize.
In Alaska, some Salvation Army units, like the Gateway Corps, are hosting parent and child playgroups to meet the needs of young families.
When Qualls first started preparing for “Music, Movement and More,” she reached out to Wrangell (Alaska) Corps Officer Captain Belle Green who began facilitating a similar program after moving to the location in June. Green said each week, the group has about 10-15 participants.
“Parents are looking for things to do,” Green said, noting it’s been a consistent group from the start.
“We live in a rainforest, so it’s hard to get out of the house,” she said. “It’s my favorite time of the week. It’s been such a blessing to offer this.”
In Wrangell, Green said the morning typically begins with a craft participants can easily replicate at home before moving into the music section that incorporates small instruments. Sometime during the morning, a dance party will occur, she said, since the activity is a fan favorite among toddlers. The group concludes with open play time.
Throughout the gathering, parents can talk and be with other adults—something she said has been well received.
“Raising toddlers is a different ballpark,” she said, adding that when meltdowns inevitably occur, there’s no judgment among parents—they’ve been there. “It’s good to have that camaraderie.”
Qualls took what Green gave and tailored the program to fit her community, drawing from her degree in music education and experience in early childhood education. She put a flier on Facebook and said about six families quickly signed up, with two coming regularly that each have multiple children under age 5. She said some are Coast Guard families, so they’re new to the area, and face circumstances like deployments.
One of the moms, Nichole Avery, said she found out about the program when she was new to Ketchikan and wanted to make friends. Her kids’ experiences keep them coming back.
“My kiddos absolutely love being able to play the different instruments, do arts and crafts and dance around,” she said. “We’re very thankful to have this program available and love that they are learning more about God while having fun, too.”
There’s something for everyone who attends “Music, Movement and More”—the snacks are out and there’s coffee for moms.
“We just have fun singing songs,” Qualls said, adding that her daughter’s preschool learned about the program and asked if she could lead some music activities there as well.
Qualls said the program has its own welcome and goodbye songs that they sing each time they meet. One day, she said she forgot to do the goodbye song. One of the kids, a five-year-old, Lincoln, noticed.
“So we stopped and we sang it,” she said. “I was like, ‘Oh, that’s awesome.’”
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