Great Start News
May 2022
Our Children, Our Community, Our Future
2022-2023 Preschool Sign up!
Enrollment for the 2022-2023 school year is open! If your child will be 4 on or before December 1st, 2022 he/she may be eligible.
To begin the process of applying, please complete the interest form or call (517) 768-5130 to apply over the phone. After completing the interest form, you will begin receiving robocalls and text messages on how to complete your application.
TALKING TIPS
DID YOU KNOW???
Benefits of PLAY
Cognitive Benefits
Play promotes healthy development and critical thinking skills. It reinforces memory, helps children understand cause and effect. Play also inspires children to pretend, create, and imagine. Creative, open-ended play helps children conceptualize, brainstorm, and exercise critical thinking skills.
Physical Benefits
Physically, play benefits children in a few ways, namely in the development of their fine and gross motor skills. Examples of physical play include running, jumping, swimming, block building, dancing, riding bikes, and climbing trees.
Social Benefits
Play is so also important for social development because it helps children learn how to interact with others. Through play, children develop an understanding of social expectations and rules, and play provides opportunities to share thoughts and ideas, to listen, and to compromise.
Emotional Benefits
Additionally, play helps children understand and process their emotions. When a child loses a game, for example, they learn to process sadness, anger, and grief. Playing also helps build confidence and encourages the development of their identity and self-esteem.
Bright by Text
We have teamed up with Bright by Text, a national parent texting program, to put expert tips, games, and child development information directly into the hands of parents and caregivers. Bright by Text provides research-based content on child development and learning from trusted experts like PBS, Vroom, Sesame Street, and the CDC, beginning in the second trimester of pregnancy up to age 8. 2-4 simple texts are sent out per week that include links leading to additional information, such as a video or website. In addition, texts will include resources and family-friendly activities being offered right here in Jackson County. Bright by Text messages are offered in both English and Spanish and are specific to the age of your child.
It is easy to sign up for Bright by Text - simply text GREATSTART to 274448 or follow this link to get started!!
Sing and Play!
GET CRAFTY!
🌺Spring Play-dough
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup salt
2 Tbs cream of tartar
1-1.5 cups water mixed with a food coloring of choice
2 Tbs coconut oil
5 drops flower essential oil (rose, lavender, or geranium work well)
2 tablespoons dried flower petals (roses, lavender, or dandelions work well)
Stir dry ingredients together in a large bowl (excluding flowers). In a small sauce pan, stir together all wet ingredients including essential oils and oil. Bring to boil, and slowly pour over dry ingredients, mixing well as you go. Knead for a few minutes until the texture feels like play dough (more flour or water is sometimes needed). Once it’s cool, children might enjoy kneading in the flower petals. 🌸🌷🌹
Bubble Painting with Bubble Blowers
You will need:
- Bubble mixture – we used a commercial mix from a bubble blowing set
- Food coloring
- Bubble wands
- Cups and/or trays to dip your wands into
- Large sheets of painting paper
To make:
Simply tip a little bubble mixture into each tray or cup – one for each color, and then add a little food coloring to each tray and stir gently – you don’t want to make too many bubbles in your cup because the bubbles don’t work so well when the mixture is all bubbly. Then it’s time to blow bubbles all over your paper!
OUTDOOR SPRING FUN!
LOCAL EVENTS AND PROGRAMS
Jackson District Library
Contact Us
Bridget Griffith: Great Start/Early Childhood Coordinator bridget.griffith@jcisd.org
Resha Willis: Great Start Playgroups Coordinator jacksonplaygroups@gmail.com