CASY Family Newsletter
February 2024
The CASY office will be closed
Monday, February 19th ~ in observance of President's Day
❤️ 25 Best Activities and Things to Do for Valentine’s Day With Kids ❤️
It’s that time of the year and love is in the air! Kids love celebrating Valentine’s Day and showing their love through song, arts, and crafts. Here are over 25 of the best activities and things to do for Valentine’s Day with kids. Many of these can be done at home with everyday supplies! Spread some joy and spend quality time celebrating Valentine’s Day at home with your littlest loves.
How to Explain the True Meaning of Valentine’s Day to Kids
The sweet aroma of fresh baked cookies and roses is all around––yes, it’s true, love is in the air. Which is why many kids are simply head over heels about Valentine’s Day. And why shouldn’t they be? Every year, the holiday is embodied by an abundance of goodies at your local grocery stores, from heart-shaped candies to boxes upon boxes of chocolate, ginormous stuffed animals and glitter-filled Valentine’s cards––it’s like a second Christmas.
As we know, the holiday symbolizes much more than mouthwatering confections and “Roses are red, Violets are blue” poems. It’s a day to express love and gratitude towards our loved ones. But despite that giddy sense of joy that comes with the spirit of the holiday, many kids might also experience feelings of fear and rejection on this day.
“Valentine’s Day has an opportunity to be a neat and interactive holiday experience, but it also can be laden with emotionally tricky situations because it typically involves a reciprocal give and take in social relationships and can foster some self-doubt,” says Dr. Stevie Puckett-Perez, pediatric psychologist at Children’s Health and UT Southwestern.
To combat these feelings of self-doubt that might arise in your children, it’s important to reiterate the true meaning of the holiday to your kids: being kind to one another and celebrating each individual for who they are, despite our differences. This will not only ensure they have a happy holiday but also continue to inspire in their own self confidence and self-love, which is vital to kids’ personal growth. Read more here.
20 Favorite President’s Day Books for Kids
For the President’s Day holiday, it’s fun to read children’s books about the presidents to see what humanizes them and what they were like as leaders. Click here to find 20 suggested books.
How To Care For A Baby Who Rarely Sleeps At Night
Do you have the espresso machine firing at all hours? Are the bags under your eyes carrying luxury bags of their own? Does your baby seem to have a knack for crying right as you enter REM sleep?
Parents are often told that having a baby means sacrificing sleep. But hearing advanced warnings and actually dealing with a baby who rarely sleeps at night are two different things. In this article, we’ll dive into what’s considered “normal” sleep for babies, address some common sleep problems and offer advice on how to help your little one sleep better so you can finally catch more z’s yourself.
Mini Milestone: Crawling
Babies begin their lives without much coordination and with little muscle management skills. But it doesn’t take long until they get moving — and you have to chase them. One of their big leaps from a sedentary lifestyle to little movers is crawling.
Most babies begin working on crawling between six and ten months. And, just like their personalities, they all have their own style. Little ones may rock back and forth on all fours for a while or they may take off like tiny racers. Some start in reverse and some use a crab walk. No matter their crawl style, there are several things you can do to help them reach this mini milestone. Find those here.
Prepare for Your Child's First Visit to the Dentist With Daniel Tiger
Just as with any new experience, it’s helpful to prepare children for what to expect when they visit the dentist.
Here are some simple steps to take when taking your child to the dentist.
Recommended Drinks for Children Age 5 & Younger
What you offer your child to drink in the first 5 years of life can shape taste preferences for a lifetime. But from plant-based and toddler milks to 100% juice, stevia-sweetened fruit drinks and flavored milk, the options and the marketing can be overwhelming. Read more here.
What Are the Earliest Signs of Autism?
Signs of autism in infants and toddlers can be easy to miss — unless you know what you’re looking for
What Should an Evaluation for Autism Look Like?
From finding the right clinician to diagnostic tools and parent interviews, there are many steps
What Is Applied Behavior Analysis?
The most common therapy for children with autism now includes a range of different approaches. Here's how they work and how they're different.
Resource Roundup: Reading Tips for Parents
In partnership with Washington Educational Telecommunications Association, National Education Association is excited to provide tips to understand early literacy needs, teach phonics, navigate IEPs, establish reading routines – and most of all, share a love of stories with your children. Click here to learn more.
Sensical Selections for Kids
These 15 awesome video playlists are sure to include your kid's new favorites … and they won't even know they're age appropriate! These days, it's a challenge to find kid-friendly content that delivers on both entertainment value and safety. That's where the Sensical Select(™) Badge program comes in: These shows, chosen by our partners at Sensical from Common Sense Networks, have been vetted for age appropriateness—every video on Sensical has been watched by a real, live person!—as well as their ability to spark curiosity and inspire both learning and fun. Whether your kid is exploring a new topic or deep-diving further into a tried-and-true interest, these picks are Sensical's cream of the crop. And what's here is only some of what they have to offer—discover many more kid-safe videos from awesome creators now playing on Sensical.
Ten Outdoor Winter Activities
Enjoying the outdoors is not limited to the summer months. Winter offers a host of thrilling activities and adventures for children. Wearing appropriate clothing is key to being able to enjoy the winter weather so make sure the kids are bundled up to keep warm and dry.
Here are 10 activities to get children inspired and moving when the world is cold and white:
Upcoming Events
Vigo County
Statewide Resources
❄️❄️❄️Stay warm, stay safe. Call 2-1-1 to find warming centers open in your community. Indiana 211 community navigators are available 24/7 and can provide you with updated locations and hours of warmings centers in your area. Call 2-1-1 or click here. ❄️❄️❄️
Supporting the whole family
Families, teachers and children are better together. That’s why the Child Care Resource and Referral Network is proud to serve as a navigator for families, expertly assisting them in finding high-quality child care and connecting them with additional opportunities to meet their needs.
Is your family struggling to make ends meet? Could you or someone you know use assistance with paying for utilities, accessing a food pantry, or connecting to job training or employment services? Call 800-886-3952, ext 2. to learn more!
For personalized support in finding a child care program that best meets your family's needs,
contact CASY, Child Care Resource and Referral, Family Engagement Specialists
at 800-886-3952 and choose option 2.
You can also complete the referral request form by clicking here.
Our Family Engagement Specialists will follow up with you by the next business day when you submit the online form.
Click below to find your county's CCDF Eligibility Office
Email: ccrr@casyonline.org
Website: http://casyonline.org/
Location: 1101 South 13th Street, Terre Haute, IN, 47802
Phone: 800-886-3952 ext. 2