CASY Family Newsletter
March 2024
The CASY office will be closed
on Good Friday
March 29th
7 Activities to Get Kids Excited for the Solar Eclipse
The total solar eclipse of 2024 will happen on Monday, April 8. Whether you’re planning to travel into the path of totality to watch day turn into night, or just head outside to check it out, it will be a great opportunity to make some memories. Here are some ideas to help you and the kids get ready for the big day.
Why Kids Need to Spend Time in Nature
They may prefer to stick to their screens, but here's why getting outdoors matters
These days, kids spend much more time inside, mostly thanks to technology. Spending time outdoors isn’t just enjoyable — it’s also necessary. Many researchers agree that kids who play outside are happier, better at paying attention and less anxious than kids who spend more time indoors.
Spending time in nature can build their confidence. There’s a lot less structure than most types of indoor play and they can choose how they interact with the nature around them. This gives them practice managing their own actions and encourages creativity and imagination.
Being outdoors can also teach them responsibility. For example, if they are in charge of watering a plant, they can learn that they must take care of living things to keep them alive.
Being outside gets kids moving, too. Regardless of what they’re doing, there’s usually more exercise involved than if they were sitting on the couch. Not only is exercise good for kids’ bodies, but it seems to make them more focused. This is especially helpful for kids with ADHD. Being outside also helps kids feel less stressed.
Birth to Five: Watch Me Thrive
Every family looks forward to seeing a child’s first smile, first step, and first words. Regular screenings help raise awareness of a child’s development, making it easier to celebrate milestones and identify potential development concerns as early as possible. With early and regular screenings, you can make sure that your children get the support they need to succeed in school and thrive alongside their peers.
To advance this mission, Indiana has joined with many other states across the nation in the Birth to Five: Watch Me Thrive initiative. Learn more on their website.
AAP Highlights Keys to Healthy Active Living
High quality nutrition, physical activity, and adequate sleep. These are a few of the ingredients necessary to promote children's best health, along with a positive approach to screen use and social-emotional wellness.
But for many families, the environment throws up obstacles—whether it's a challenge to find nutritious foods, a lack of green space or sidewalks, or the constant lure of social media. Read more here.
20 Early Math Activities for PreK and Kindergarten Families
Teaching early math skills like counting, recognizing shapes, and using measurements such as time or length are perfect for building a strong learning foundation. Math is a combination of versatile skills that your child will use in many ways throughout their life. That’s why practicing beginning math skills in preschool and early elementary is both a fun part of learning and a necessary step to becoming comfortable and confident with math.
Use these 20 downloadable activities and picture books from Waterford.org to practice a variety of early math skills with young learners. All activities are available in English and Spanish.
Books about Warm Weather Fun
Looking for a way to talk with your child about warm weather? Heat up your day with these stories and warm weather activities! They focus on playing outdoors, cooling off in the water, and visiting relatives. Vivid illustrations show children playing in city and country settings. No matter where they live or travel to, children can relate to these stories. Click here for more information.
(Note: Many of these books are available in Spanish.)
Candy-Coated Confetti Popcorn
This activity adds some tasty and colorful fun to plain popcorn. It’s fast, fun and flavorful! Read through the ingredients list and directions with your child. Ask your child questions while you make the recipe such as, "What other ingredients could we add? Which ingredients do you like the best — salty or sweet?"
Squeezable Paint
How many times have you caught yourself saying “stop that’s enough glue” when the Elmer’s glue bottles are fair play, and a project is in full swing?
Here’s an art activity that will let your young artists squeeze uninhibited. Put the brushes aside and apply this 3-ingredient paint through a tiny hole in a sandwich bag.
Protecting Your Baby From a Measles Outbreak: FAQs
Measles is wildly contagious. Nearly 1 out of every 3 children under the age of 5 who catches measles ends up in the hospital.
Are some young children at a greater risk from the measles virus during an outbreak? What, if anything, can parents do to protect their little ones?
Here are some answers from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
6 Ways to Talk to Your Child About Illness
As families in the “PBS KIDS Talk About” video series discuss, sometimes we or the people we love get sick or hurt — and that can feel scary. Talking about what scares us can help us manage it better. Even though it can be uncomfortable or we feel like we don't want our kids to know if we're sick, it's important to talk about this because our kids can usually sense when something's wrong or worrying us and talking about what scares us can help us manage it better. Jose Nolivos and Persha Gregg, parents from the series, share how they talk to their kids about illness, and how as a family they identify emotions and manage feelings around being sick in their home. Click here for more.
Talking to Children About Emergencies
Start a conversation about what happens when the unexpected happens.
It’s hard to know what to say when talking to children about emergencies. You don’t want to worry them, but it’s important for the whole family to know they can work together to be prepared.
These tips will help you talk to children about emergencies, while calming their worries.
Why Co-Viewing is Important: Tips to Share Screen Time with Your Kids
Making a family media plan is one way you can help kids and teens embrace healthy digital habits. One of these habits can also be one of the most fun: co-viewing media with your child. Co-viewing can open a window into your child's online experiences in a context of sharing and trust. It can open difficult conversations, build parent-child bonds and give you the chance to help your child navigate the digital landscape in a positive way. Learn more here.
How Will Artificial Intelligence (AI) Affect Children?
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing the way we work, play and communicate. While AI has potential to help solve complex problems, you've likely also heard serious concerns about it—and especially, the ways AI might change the lives of children and teens.
With so many viewpoints out there, how can you make sense of AI and its possible impact on your family? Let's start by looking at how AI works and what issues that parents and families may need to consider as the technology evolves. Click here for more.
Upcoming Events
Delaware, Randolph, Blackford & Jay Counties
Randolph 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.
Our Family Engagement Specialists will follow up with you by the next business day when you submit the online form.
Do you prefer a language other than English? ¿Habla español? Ou pale kreyòl ayisyen? ဗမာစကား ပြောတတ်လား။ Our family specialists can support you in any language, whether via emails or texts, communication over the phone or a conversation in person. We can provide information in any language you need on finding quality child care, paying for care and connecting to resources your child needs to grow, learn and develop. For free, personalized information on child care and other resources, complete our online referral request form or connect with your local child care resource and referral agency for assistance.
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