Strengthening Families Newsletter
Highlights from the Early Childhood Alliance of Framingham
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All Classes Resume This Week!
This Week's Happenings
Please note the following:
We return on Monday, Week 3 of the "Me, You, We Playgroup". This week we will explore "More Than Me - Learning About Others." Hmm, I ponder this topic as the age of the children from a developmental standpoint is all about me, me, me! But together we will see... is it really? Let's test together with fun, playful activities that focus on identifying feelings of others and how we learn to take turns. Registration is FULL on Mondays at 11:00 for this group with Jane. All participants are registered and confirmed. This group is a 6 week obligation.
Reminder: the Tuesday group at 10:00 with Gracie Registration is required! We plan to expand the space with the adjoining room when available and as needed to accomodate registered families as we hate to turn anyone away.
Bilingual Spanish Play, Learn and Grow Together group every Thursday at 11:00 located at the beautiful Pelham LifeLong Learning Center at 103 Second St. Lunch available after group. All our welcome! Sign up appreciated!
Getting closer to Kindergarten. Join Jeanette on Fridays at 12:00 for "Let's Go to Kindergarten" where you will explore more science activities and the letter "I"!
Please let us know if your plans have changed so we can make a space for a new family. As always we appreciate families signing up for groups to control the number of adults and children in the space at the library and we must respect the library limit in the rooms as well.
We want everyone to be safe and feel comfortable. Our groups are always welcoming for all families, however, registration is essential for planning purposes for our group facilitators. Here is the Registration Form for March. We will create a waitlist of needed.
Thank you!
Jane, Gracie, Lucia, and Jeanette
ECAF Meeting Reminders
Action Team Tuesday, February 28 at 12:30
Steering Committee Friday, March 3 at 12:00
Leadership Council Wednesday, March 22 at 9:00
Kindergarten Registration
CURIOUS TO LEARN ABOUT YOUR CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT?
AGES & STAGES 3rd Edition: The Building Blocks of Child Development "Fine Motor"
With Fine Motor Development, the muscles of the hand and fingers, as well as the coordination between the eye and the hand are developed. In infancy, offering toys for your child to reach for and play with is a great way to encourage these skills. As they grow, they will gain more control over their movements such as using their whole hand to pick up objects and learning to use their fingers to manipulate them. They may bring objects to their mouth, move them between their hands, and throw them. Board books to look at and practice turning pages can provide a lot of entertainment as children approach their first birthday.
Toddlers may begin to pick up small objects with their finger and thumb (pincer grasp) and mealtime is a convenient time to work on this with cereal or small pieces of food. Children will enjoy getting messy practicing eye hand coordination by trying to feed themselves with their hands, a spoon, and fork. Stacking blocks, practicing coloring, stringing large beads, playdough, peeling stickers and putting them on paper, water and sandbox play, are all fun activities and help them strengthen their little hand and finger muscles.
Young Preschoolers practice lots of writing skills. Offering different things to use such as crayons, markers, and pencils and showing them how to draw simple shapes and lines can help keep this interesting. Painting using brushes, hands, or foam sponges is great too! Color Wonder markers, Wonder Wow books, and doodle boards are mess free and easy to take with you on car rides or a restaurant.
Good activities for Older Preschoolers are gluing, using stickers, cutting (with an adult), puzzles, magnets, velcro, and letting them help dress and undress themselves. As your child approaches 5 and begins to get ready for Kindergarten, they may learn how to hold a pencil correctly (with their fingers and thumb), draw shapes, letters, and their name. Practicing cutting out shapes and stringing small beads can be fun too!
The Ages and Stages for these skills, as well as all developmental areas, vary with each child. Every child develops skills on their own timeline. However, the goal is to provide a variety of activities and objects for them to explore and give them opportunities to continue to learn and grow their fine motor skills in many different ways!
To learn more about your child's development, scroll down for more information about the Ages and Stages or click here.
"PLGT" GROUP DESCRIPTIONS
Come sample a class if you have not tried one of the "Play. Learn, and Grow Together" groups in the Early Learning Zone located at the Framingham Public Library's Children's Department, 49 Lexington Street and at other community based locations. We welcome all families with young children to experience the love of learning right from the start where you will discover new ideas and come away inspired as well as meet new friends! All programs are FREE! See the brief program descriptions below. Sign up by completing the Registration Form . In addition to the ECAF schedule there are more activities offered to children and families at the library. See the children's calendar by clicking this link.
Play, Learn, and Grow Together: This multi-age group is play-based learning that has something for every young learner and their parent/caretaker. We will imagine, create, sing, and read as we explore the different brain building zones. After all, learning is not only fun, but is the gift that keeps on giving!
Let’s Go to Kindergarten: This group is a geared toward the family with a 3-5 year old who wants to learn school readiness skills in a play-based way. After all, learning is fun!
Bilingual (Spanish) Play, Learn, and Grow Together: This multi-age group is play-based learning that has something for every young learner and their parent/caretaker. We will imagine, create, sing, and read as we explore the different brain building zones. After all, learning is not only fun, but is the gift that keeps on giving! Location: Pelham Life Long Learn Center 103 Second Street
Yoga+: Enjoy some mindfulness for you and your child. You will experience some simple yoga poses and movement exercises, free dance, chants, and calming stories. A nice way to refresh your mind and relax your body! Framingham Public Library Library and Pelham Lifelong Learning Center 103 Second Street. These sessions are noted on the monthly calendar.
PJ Family Storytime (evening program): This parent and child group is all about bedtime routines and learning to end our day in a fun and relaxing age appropriate manner. Wear your pajamas, bring a toothbrush, washcloth, favorite stuffed animal, and reading blanket. Location: On Zoom Currently not running.
Baby Talk: Part of our "Play, Learn, and Grow Together" series for parents of infants birth to 8 months. This group is a time to learn more about your infant's development. Join in discussions about common topics along your parenting journey. We will also sing songs and introduce you to simple sensory activities. We will take time to complete the Ages & Stages: A Parent Questionairre all about your baby's development and provide more play ideas for you to enjoy together. Currently not running.
Ages & Stages: Learn more about your child's development by complete the questionnaire online or by appointment. Afterwards a team member will discuss with you what you discovered and provide additional resources to enhance your child's growth as well as a free children's book. If completed online, please notify us with finished.
ParentChild+: This home-based literacy program that provides families with weekly home visits by a trained home visitor who brings educational books and toys as gifts to the family. ParentChild+ is open to eligible families with children 18-36 months. Interested in learning more about this program, contact us @ 508-782-06932 or jcohen@framingham.k12.ma.us.
A GLIMPSE AT THE PARENTCHILD+ HOME VISITING PROGRAM: GETTING SCHOOL READY
INTERESTED IN THE PARENTCHILD+ PROGRAM? CONTACT US TODAY FOR MORE INFORMATION!
OPENINGS AVAILABLE!
Did you know Early Childhood Alliance of Framingham (ECAF) is the home for your local ParentChild+ program? Our program offers home visits for families with young children age 16 months to 36 months right here in Framingham for two years! The ParentChild+ Program will help your family in your role as your child's first and most important teacher. Our Early Learning Specialists share fun ways to help your child learn at home with free books and toys! We envision a world where every child enters school ready to succeed because every parent has the knowledge, skills, and resources to build school readiness where it starts: the home!
Throughout the 23 week school year, an Early Learning Specialist brings each week a gift of a high quality educational toy and book for your child to keep. Visits are 30 minutes long twice a week and can be scheduled at your convenience, day or early evening. You'll learn creative ways to read and play with your child and become actively involved in your child's education. We work together to ensure language isn't a barrier. There is NO COST!
So if you are a family who lives in Framingham with a child 16-36 months or know someone who you think may be interested, contact us at 508-782-6932 or email jdehaven@framingham.k12.ma.us for more information.
NEW! We now offer the ParentChild+ Family Child Care Educator Model for caregivers who take care of children in their home. Click here to complete the Family Child Care Interest Form. To learn more about the ParentChild+ Family Child Care Model, click here.
To learn more about the internationally recognized home visitation program, CLICK HERE!
Resource Guide For Early Childhood 2023 Edition
AND THERE IS MORE....
THE ECAF PARENTING JOURNEY SERIES: A PRERECORDED FAMILY EDUCATION PROGRAM
We will try to offer a road map stopping and exploring common grounds, celebrating developmental milestones, sharing inevitable pitfalls, and refueling with the energy that keeps us moving. These sources or tools advance our knowledge and provide us with more information allowing us to anticipate what may be ahead and plan our travels into Parenthood and Early Education accordingly. Let’s call it a guidebook that leads us through the parenting journey , not alone, but together as the journey can sometimes be lonely and it is always more fun when we have others join us, and, it’s easier to reach our destination safely. No matter how many stops or bumps along the way, we aim to ensure future opportunities for successful excursions.
CLICK HERE FOR YOUR 1ST STOP ON OUR ROADTRIP: DIALOGIC READING
BILINGUAL STORY TIME AND ACTIVITIES
Raising Emerging Bilinguals Thank you Mae, Maya, and Mateo for sharing stories and important conversations with the ECAF family!
- Storytime Bilingüe featuring “Baby Teeth/Dientes de bebe”
- Storytime Bilingüe featuring “This Bug Needs a Boat/Esta oruga necesita un barco”
- Storytime Bilingüe featuring “Los bebes aman/ Babies Love”
Storytime with Vera
- STORY TIME IN PORTUGUESE - "Vamos à caça de um Urso" (We're Going On a Bear Hunt)
- STORY TIME IN PORTUGUESE - "O Sapo Vai ao Médico"
FRAMINGHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY PROGRAMS & MORE
WGBH FAMILY FUN ACTIVITIES & MORE
WGBH Family Fun Activities and More
FEDERATION FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS (FCSN)
Framingham Family Resource Center
OUTDOOR RX
Virtual Program 1: Bark Rubbing
Virtual Program 2: Nature Bracelets
RESOURCES AT YOUR FINGERTIPS INCLUDING FOOD SECURITY AND OTHER EMERGENCY RESOURCES
- A more inclusive list of community resources at your fingertips
- City of Framingham Resources - click the link to access the City of Framingham website. There is helpful information and resources for residents as well as the latest updates on the CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)
WHAT FAMILIES NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CHILD CARE REOPENING Guidelines from the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC)
Spanish - Portuguese - ChineseAn important creative and family friendly educational message about wearing masks
- Massachusetts Home Visiting Initiative Comprehensive list of resources
- MASS 211 need help call the multilingual hotline 24/7 to access resources at: 1-877-211-6277
- Social Story What Nathan and His Friends Can Do English Spanish Portuguese
- Hello I Am A Virus! A kid-friendly booklet about COVID-19. Author: Manuela Molina Cruz
English - Spanish - Portuguese - Arabic - Free From Audible Books - Children's Stories
Who Makes the Magic? Meet Our Team
Contact Us
Email: jcohen@framingham.k12.ma.us
Website: https://www.framingham.k12.ma.us/domain/72
Location: 19 Flagg Drive or 49 Lexington St Framingham
Phone: (508)782-6932
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/earlychildhoodallianceofframingham/
Twitter: @strongstart16