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June 2026
Fun activities, aligned with the Pennsylvania Early Learning Standards, to help prepare children for school success!
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| | We're Learning in the Neighborhood! | | |
Babies
Encourage your baby to explore different textures by providing them with items to feel, like bare feet in the grass or hands touching trees. Talk about what they are feeling and use words to describe the item (soft, rough, hard, smooth, etc.). Tell what they are feeling as it relates to their neighborhood. "These trees are in our backyard and give us shade from the sun." If you cannot take your baby outside, bring the outside in. Put grass in a plastic container. Allow them to play with their fingers or toes. Pick up a blade of grass and tickle hands, arms, legs, feet, or face. Smell the grass and talk about the color. Read more!
Toddlers
Encourage your toddler to stop (just for a second or two!) and listen to the noises around them. What do they hear? Help identify the noises they are hearing. Listen for birds singing, dogs barking, or church bells ringing. Try a verbal and/or visual cue to stop and listen. You may need to guide the listening, "What is that? I hear a bird. Do you hear it? Where is it?" Listen to those sounds you may not hear at home or in the community. (Traffic, church bells, horns, etc.) Read more!
Preschoolers
Compare large and small as your preschooler moves throughout their neighborhood. Help them decide if items are larger than they are (like a tree) or smaller (like a dandelion) by having them stand next to the item. Now it's your turn. Have them help you decide if items are larger or smaller than you. Read more!
Kindergartners
Go for a walk with your kindergartner and help them identify different items beginning with each letter. Can those more difficult letters (like Y or Z) name items they'd like to see that start with those letters? (Wouldn't they want to play with a yo-yo?) Take along homemade flashcards or a list of the letters of the alphabet so they have a reference to the letter and the object that starts with the letter. Have them match the card with the correct letter to the object. Read more!
| | 9 Books About the Neighborhood |
My Neighborhood by Johnny Bregar
Keat's Neighborhood by Ezra Jack Keats
Curious George Neighborhood Friends by H. A. Rey
Welcome to My Neighborhood by Quiara Alegria Hudes and Shino Arihara
What Do You See in Your Neighborhood? by Bracha Goetz
Only One by Marc Harshman
Jobs Around My Neighborhood by Gladys Rosa-Mendoza
Night on Neighborhood Street by Eloise Greenfield
In Lucia's Neighborhood by Pat Shewchuk
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Hit the Road for Summer Learning—Virtually!
Join Pennsylvania’s 2026 Virtual Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip, a free, family-friendly adventure for young learners! This year, explore native PA trees and rocks, from leafy oaks to fascinating stones found across the state.
Enjoy simple early learning activities, helpful tips for supporting young children, and recommended books to read together. Discover, play, and grow, all from home or right in your neighborhood!
Download the Nature Journal in English or Spanish to record pictures of your favorite moments. Let’s hit the road and make learning fun all summer long!
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Scholarship Opportunity for Families
Scholarships are available for FREE registration and lodging to attend the Building Knowledge to Know How Conference!
Don't miss this exciting event focused on autism, sensory disabilities, secondary transition, and students with complex instructional needs. Hurry, as scholarships are limited!
🗓️ Application Deadline: Monday, June 15
📌 Visit https://tinyurl.com/BK2KHFamily to apply
✅ Child Caregiver Reimbursement available
✉️ Questions? Contact: k2khscholarships@pattankop.net
Families with a child receiving Early Intervention or Special Education in PA services are eligible to apply!
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Apply Now to Serve on The Pennsylvania State Advisory Council
The Pennsylvania State Advisory Council (SAC) is now accepting applications for family and professional leaders interested in serving on one of the Council’s five supporting subcommittees.
Participation on a SAC subcommittee is an opportunity to help shape discussions, provide feedback, and support initiatives that impact Pennsylvania’s early childhood education system, children, and families. The subcommittees serve as focused workgroups that provide specialized expertise, develop recommendations, and support the implementation of initiatives aligned with the Council’s broader goals and priorities.
As outlined in the Governor’s Executive Order, the SAC advises the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) on planning for the expansion and coordination of effective early learning and development services for young children and their families across the Commonwealth.
Family members, early childhood professionals, advocates, community partners, and system leaders are encouraged to apply. Complete the application here.
To learn more about the State Advisory Council, visit the State Advisory Council page.
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Supporting Your Child's Early Literacy with the PA One Book Program
Families, child care providers, libraries, and community organizations all play a vital role in nurturing a love of reading in young children. The PA One Book program offers a variety of free, engaging resources to help support early literacy and encourage meaningful reading experiences.
Each year, the program features a carefully selected book for young children and a collection of easy-to-use tools to bring the story to life. Available resources include:
- Printable Activity Guides with fun, age-appropriate learning activities
- Hosting a PA One Book Reading event in your community
These resources are designed for use at home, in classrooms, during library storytimes, and at community events. Together, we can inspire a lifelong love of books and learning in Pennsylvania’s youngest readers.
To explore this year’s book and download free materials, visit the PA One Book website.
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Tune In! A Book-Based Music Adventure
Imagine making music with your body, inventing simple instruments with recycled materials, playing conductor, building community through call-and-response singing and group dances, creating a music time capsule, drawing to music, designing an album cover, exploring voices and songs of social change, and writing original jingles, parodies, and raps.
Tune In gives kids a chance to learn more about music and music genres, to hear about great performers and composers, and to write lyrics and compose songs. It features music from around the world — from classical to salsa to hip hop.
Tune In combines hands-on activities with great fiction, poetry, and picture book biographies — books such as Charlie Parker Played Be Bop and Celia Cruz: Queen of Salsa — inspiring kids to read about musicians and composers from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
Kids will have a chance to record original music and take the stage through a welcoming Open Mic. Kids and adults are also invited to create a collage-style Music Mural together that documents all the explorations, discoveries, and joy of the 5-day camp.
Tune In is designed for educators, summer program leaders, and families — and it's free! Join in to explore, create, read, write, and learn — all about music. Learn more!
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iNaturalist App
Get ready to explore nature by downloading the free iNaturalist app on your smartphone! Be sure to allow the app to use your phone’s GPS so it can automatically record where you find plants and animals in parks.
When you spot something interesting, simply take a photo using the app. Not sure what it is? No problem! Tap “What did you see?” and the app will help identify it for you in seconds.
The app also saves the time, date, and location for each observation, so there’s no extra work needed—everything is automatically recorded and shared with the park.
iNaturalist is available for both Apple and Android devices, making it easy for everyone to join the fun of exploring nature!
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Plan Now for July 4 Pennsylvania State Parks Fish-For-Free Day
A Fish-for-Free Day is a great way for families to catch the fun of fishing! The July 4, 2026, Fish-for-Free Day allows anyone (Pennsylvania resident or non-resident) to legally fish on Pennsylvania waterways with no fishing license required. All other fishing regulations still apply.
Don't have the equipment for fishing? Check out the Fishing Tackle Loaner Program. The public can visit the identified locations to borrow rods, reels, and a tackle box full of hooks and other terminal tackle. This equipment is borrowed in much the same way books are borrowed from a library. Those wanting to borrow gear complete a form, and the loan is made. At the end of the loan period, the equipment is returned to the site.
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Two-Bite Club
Getting kids to try a variety of foods may feel daunting to some. If you deal with picky eaters, try introducing them to MyPlate's Two-Bite Club, developed by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The resource has a printable book encouraging kids to try new foods and provides fun certificates to celebrate new tasting milestones. Available in English and Spanish.
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Pennsylvania's KinConnector
Pennsylvania's KinConnector provides guidance, advice, and support for kinship care families throughout Pennsylvania in numerous ways, including:
- Connecting caregivers to health, financial, and legal services.
- Connecting Caregivers to training and parenting support, identifying local physical or behavioral health services.
- Identifying support groups and guiding caregivers on how to apply for federal, state, and local benefits such as CHIP and Social Security, and other services designed to support caregivers; and
- Providing access to a compassionate KinConnector who will listen and provide supportive guidance.
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Tree Trekkers: A Book-Based STEAM Adventure!
What “wood” we do without trees? Tree Trekkers gives kids a chance to learn all about trees — their role in the ecosystem and climate change, their characteristics and life cycles, their many benefits to humans and other species, the stories they tell us about our history, and how trees, forests, and parks have inspired art, music, and literature. Download the free toolkit.
Interested in trees? Check out the tree resources at the 2026 PA Learning and Literacy Road Trip!
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June's Health Trends in Early Childhood: Summertime Play – Staying Safe and Cool
Stay informed. Stay prepared. Make a difference.
Each month, Health Trends in Early Childhood delivers timely, easy-to-understand insights on health issues that matter most for young children. We break down the facts, explain why they matter, and show how they affect children, families, caregivers, and communities—and most importantly, what you can do to help keep children safe and thriving.
In the June issue:
🔹 Why are young children spending less time outdoors?
🔹 How does this affect their growth, health, and development?
🔹 Tips for safe and meaningful outdoor play
🔹 Trusted resources to help you learn more
Print it. Share it. Use it. This one-page guide is perfect for parents, educators, and caregivers. Plus, you can explore the helpful links for deeper learning. Together, we can build healthier futures—one child at a time.
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Benefits of Barefoot Outdoor Play
Kids seem to naturally be drawn to bare feet. Like most things kids do, spending time barefoot has many benefits, especially outside. Celebrate today's National Go Barefoot Day on June 1, 2026, with five great reasons to consider barefoot play outdoors this summer.
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Keep Your Child Healthy and Protected!
Staying on track with your child’s regular checkups and recommended vaccines is important. If your little one is behind on any shots—or even if they haven’t had any yet—don’t worry! You can still catch up, and it’s easier than you might think. The good news is: there’s no need to start over. Talk to your child’s doctor and take the first step today. Learn more at PA's Promise for Children.
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Summer Safety
A few serious sunburns can increase your child’s risk of skin cancer later in life. Protect your child's skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays anytime outdoors with sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, and shade. Get sun safety tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Pennsylvania's Promise for Children also has ways to keep your preschooler safe while having fun this summer season with these six tips.
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Preventing Food Waste
With food costs rising, families are looking for ways to stretch their budgets. The Food Facts resource from the FDA outlines strategies to minimize food waste, along with a food storage chart to help keep your food fresher longer.
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Juice and Your Child
How much juice should your child drink? The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children less than one year of age should not have fruit juice. Fruit juice offers no nutritional benefit to children less than one year of age. The evidence is clear that excessive juice consumption can lead to weight gain and tooth decay. Visit the HealthChildren.org website to see if and how much juice your child should drink.
| | Calendar of Activities for Early Learning Professionals | |
As the weather warms up, outdoor water play becomes a favorite in many early learning and summer programs. Before the fun begins, be sure your program is ready and safe by reviewing 55 Pa. Code § 3280.115. Water activity to stay in compliance.
While you’re at it, don’t miss the July Calendar of Activities, packed with fun ideas and helpful tips to support early learning professionals as they help children and families get ready for a successful school year!
Still need some ideas for June? The June Calendar of Activities for Early Learning Professionals is still available!
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Do you have a preschooler? | |
The PA Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) provides families access to
high quality services to prepare children for school and life success.
Find more information about Quality Early Learning in Pennsylvania
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