Get ready to head back to school! The August Parent Pages is full of information to help!

The Howard County Family Support Center (FSC) offers community-based programs for parents and caregivers of children age birth to five. Located at 9790 Patuxent Woods Drive in Columbia, FSC programs highlight child development, parent education and health information. Click on the date to register for these upcoming free events:

Silly science

August 5, 10 to 11 a.m.

Budding scientists can join the Science Guys to make bubbling potions with dry ice, experiment with chemical reactions, explosions and more! Ages 2-5 with an adult. Register

Drop-In play group

August 7, 10 to 11 a.m.

August 21, 10 to 11 a.m.

Children ages two to four and their families are invited to explore and play at the FSC! Rain or shine.

Adventure through forces August 19, 10 to 11 a.m.

Learn about Newton's laws of motion and the Bernoulli effect! Marvel at our ping pong pulverizer, learn how airplanes fly, launch canister rockets - and potatoes! Ages 2-5 w/adult.

View the full schedule of August Parent Workshops

Upset young boy with steam coming out of his ears

Parent’s guide to challenging behaviors

August 7, 7 to 8 p.m. / Virtual / Register

Learn how to decrease your child's negative behaviors and what to do when they occur. For parents of children age two to eight.

Selecting high quality child care

August 13, 7:00 p.m. / Virtual / Register

Every parent wants to find quality child care that meets their needs, is affordable, safe and convenient. Learn how to choose a child care program that works for your family.

Hatchlings: New baby and me

August 15, 22, 29, 10:15 to 11 a.m. / Register

In-person / Family Support Center

9790 Patuxent Woods Drive, Columbia

This three-week early literacy class is for parents/caregivers of newborns, birth to six months. Learn how to support your baby's development through songs and activities.

Survival guide for the elementary years

August 21, 7 to 8 p.m. / Virtual / Register

As children ages 4 to 10 fluctuate between independence and dependence, it's frustrating for parents. Learn how to handle oppositional behaviors and improve homework habits.

Managing family schedules and stress

Tuesday August 20, 12:30 p.m. / Register

Get tips to handle your busy fall schedule, with strategies and resources to prioritize and organize your family’s routine to start this season in control.

Exploring the "real world"

Preschoolers love ‘real world’ jobs. They feel confident when they get to practice things that grown-ups do. When they practice new jobs, take the opportunity to talk with them and introduce new words. Find a safe way for your child to help in the kitchen and use real "recipe words." Say, "Combine the tomatoes and cucumbers in that bowl" or 'Use this spatula to stir the rice" and watch their vocabulary grow! Want more Basics Insights? Sign up for weekly text messages with suggestions based on your child’s developmental stage, from birth to age five.

Summer Fun for Howard County Families

Don't miss the Howard County Fair

August 3 - 10 / Howard County Fairgrounds 2210 Fairgrounds Road, West Friendship 21794

Enjoy a summer classic - take the whole family to the 2024 Howard County Fair. Enjoy livestock and horse shows, baby animals, a midway with rides and food booths, live entertainment, home arts and commercial exhibits, horse and tractor pulls, a talent show, and much more. View the full schedule of events.

OCF's Summer Pop-Up in the Park

August 13, 10 a.m. to noon / Laura’s Place, Blandair Park North, 5750 Oakland Mills Road, Columbia

Get to know the Office of Children and Families (OCF) at our booth while enjoying fun giveaways and cold treats. We will be at various parks throughout the summer. Don't miss out on the summer fun!

Recreation & Parks 2024 Fall Activity Guide

Online registration begins August 7 for Howard County Recreation & Parks fall activities (in-person registration opens August 8 at 8 a.m.). The Fall Activity Guide has something for everyone, including programs to keep the kids entertained when school’s out, after school sports opportunities, including youth and adult soccer, fall festivals and special events, and much more.

Are your kids ready to head back to school?

Family Guides: What your child will learn this year

To get a head start on the school year, parents/guardians are encouraged to review what Howard County children will learn this year in grades pre-k to 5. Visit the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) website, click on your child’s grade level, then use the yellow “course navigation” box in the top right corner to navigate standards and access free games and activities for each subject area.

Encourage good sleep habits for a healthy start

It’s important for children to sleep well at night; restful sleep helps kids learn, concentrate and manage their behavior and emotions. To get the new school year off to a good start, practice sleep routines before new schedules kick in to be ready for day one. Get ideas to support good sleep habits from Child Mind Institute, in English and Spanish.

What to do when your child doesn’t want to say goodbye

The excitement of attending a new school or child care can be scary for young children. There are several things parents can do to help their child prepare for time apart and make goodbyes go more smoothly:

Visit the new program/school ahead of time to ease your child's anxiety. Reach out to your child’s school (HCPSS school) or program to see if they have welcome events or open houses.
The Child Mind Institute offers lots of ideas to help you prepare your child by creating a goodbye ritual to practice separating; available in English and Spanish.

Free backpack distribution photo of kids with backpacks

Chromebook distribution

August 20, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. / Department of Community Resources & Services / 9830 Patuxent Woods Drive, Columbia 21046

Income-eligible Howard County residents 18 years or older may participate in the free Chromebook distribution. One device is allowed per household.

To pick up your Chromebook, you must register in advance and and provide:

Photo ID (driver’s license, state ID, work or government ID, passport)
Proof of Howard County residency
Proof of eligibility. View the flier for details.

For more information or assistance, contact Amber Eash at 410-313-0036 or email aeash@howardcountymd.gov.

Build a healthy lunchbox

Parents, are you looking for easy school lunches your kids will love? Visit these kid-approved lunchbox ideas from the Food Network with your child to start planning now. The list features colorful wraps, pasta dishes, homemade pizza rolls, and many more fun and nutrituous options sure to make your kids smile.

Need help? Explore Howard County's CAREAPP

Find the services you need for food, health, housing, transportation, education, employment assistance, and more. Download CAREAPP Howard County to your Apple or Android device to create a free account and start searching for resources today. For more information or assistance, email Shannon Harris at sharris@howardcountymd.gov.

Kindergarten, here we come!

Registration for the 2024-2025 school year is open! Parents/guardians of children who will be five on or before September 1, 2024, must enroll their children in kindergarten for the 2024-2025 school year. Begin the enrollment process online or visit the HCPSS website for more information. Learn more in the Kindergarten Readiness Newsletter.

Children entering Kindergarten in the fall and a parent will have fun with stories and activities in this 45 to 60 minute program, co-sponsored by HCPSS and the Friends & Foundation of Howard County Library System (HCLS). Incoming Kindergartners get to board a real school bus! View the flier for details and register for an upcoming session.

HCLS also sponsors the On the Road to Kindergarten Library Van, coming to neighborhoods throughout Howard County. Borrow books, toys and other items; learn about community resources; and use free wi-fi. Here's the schedule:

August 7, 11 a.m. to noon | Kahler Hall - Village of Harper’s Choice, 5544 Old Tucker Row. Columbia
August 7, 2 to 3:30 p.m. | Howard Crossing Apartment Homes, 8732 Town and County Boulevard, Ellicott City
August 14, 3:30 to 5 p.m. | Deep Run Mobile Park, 6551 Old Waterloo Road, Elkridge
August 21, 3:30 - 5 p.m. | Oakmont Village Apartments, 11090 Resort Road, Ellicott City

Not ready for kindergarten? Check out Howard County's pre-kindergarten (pre-k) programs

A variety of full-day pre-k programs are available in Howard County, some offered at no cost to eligible families. Other options are open to all families; cost and eligibility varies. For most, children must be three or four by September 1 for consideration. For more information and full details, visit the HCPSS website.

Share the Parent Pages with others, or encourage them to subscribe and sign up today!