November 2020
Fun activities, aligned with the Pennsylvania Early Learning Standards, to help prepare children for school success!
We're learning while in the bathroom!
Babies
Using a song, describe the different body parts as you wash your baby. For example, sing that you are washing ten toes, first the big toes, all the way to the little toes. Then move to the left foot and left leg, and so on. Or create a routine singing head, shoulders, knees and toes or saying, "This Little Piggy." Read more.

Toddlers
Using hand soap while washing your toddler's hands, have your toddler discover how many bubbles they can make. Are there a lot of bubbles, or a little bit of bubbles? Are they big bubbles or little bubbles? What happens if they rub together their hands fast? What happens if they put their hands under the water? Where do the bubbles go? Read more.

Preschoolers
Help your preschooler find different shapes in the bathroom. Can they find something that is round, square or rectangle? What shape is the bar of soap, or the top of the shampoo bottle? Allow your preschooler to feel and manipulate each object. Use new words to describe the shapes. Ask questions like, "Are the lines straight or curved?" Talk to your preschooler about the purpose of each item in the bathroom. Describe and introduce the sign for each shape. Read more.

Kindergartners
Use a toy boat or plastic container (one that can float) as a boat and have your kindergartner slowly add other items, like toy cars, LEGOs, or other water-friendly toys, until the boat begins to sink. How many can they add until it begins to sink? What happens to the boat if they take items out of it? Ask them to tell you a story about where the boat is going, or why the objects are on the boat. Read more.
9 Bath Time Books
Tub Toys  by Terry Miller Shannon
Do Pirates Take Baths?  by Kathy Tucker
Bad Kitty Gets a Bath  by Nick Bruel
Puppy Takes a Bath  by Christine Ricci
King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub  by Audrey Wood
Estelle Takes a Bath  by Jill Esbaum
Barnyard Bath!  by Sandra Boynton
Five Little Monkeys Jump in the Bath  by Eileen Christelow
Five Minutes’ Peace  by Jill Murphy
 

Featured Article: The Benefits of Family Mealtimes
Starting a simple habit with your young child, like regularly eating meals together, can have a lifelong impact.

A day beginning with breakfast and ending with dinner as a family is more than a benefit of sharing plates of food. It’s an opportunity to bond as a family, teach children table manners, share stories and experiences, and sample and learn about traditions, cultures and foods. But there are even greater benefits of family mealtimes. Read more!

Health Coverage with Pennie
The way individuals and families access health coverage is changing in Pennsylvania. Shop and purchase quality health insurance plans at pennie.com now through Open Enrollment which runs from November 1, 2020 through January 15, 2021. Current HealthCare.gov customers are being transitioned to Pennie for their 2021 coverage.

Pennie is available to all Pennsylvanians and aims to improve the accessibility and affordability of individual market health coverage. 

Pennie is the ONLY place that can connect Pennsylvanians to financial assistance to lower monthly payments and/or out-of-pocket expenses. Nearly 9 out of 10 Pennie customers currently qualify for financial assistance.

Pennie provides free customer assistance and is there to help every step of the way. For more information on Pennie’s coverage options for 2021, please visit pennie.com
You & Your Child in the Kitchen: More than Just Cooking
Free Meals Finder
Families who could use help in feeding their children can enter their address to find free, healthy meals being served by organizations in their community on the No Kid Hungry website. The website does not use information for any other purpose than to locate food assistance.

Families can also find these resources by texting the word FOOD to 877-877. Information is available in English and Spanish. 
Child Care Seat Safety
At the www.pakidstravelsafe.org website, sponsored by the PA Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, find all types of travel safety information to keep your child safe. Search for car seat recalls, locate a car seat loan program, find a car seat fitting station locations, and access a child car seat technician to ensure the correct installation of a car seat in a vehicle.
Start a Smile Early
Did you know that even before your baby's teeth appear, what you do--or don't do--can impact future teeth? Taking care of your child's smile begins at birth. 

Tips for Potty Training
Potty or toilet training can be a stressful time for families and children, even though it doesn’t have to be! Get potty training tips. 
Helping Your Family Prepare for Emergencies with Ready Wrigley
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has created Ready Wrigley to provide parents, guardians, teachers, and young children with tips, activities, and a story to help the whole family prepare for emergencies. Together with your child, join Wrigley as she helps her family prepare for emergencies by staying informed, packing emergency kits, and making a family communication plan. 

The activity book is designed to provide an interactive tool to further your child's education and promote disaster preparedness and safe clean-up in your community. You can share this book with your schools and early learning programs, communities, and families to help children learn the importance of being prepared. It is available in English and Spanish.
Is your child in Kindergarten? You need this!
Is your child now in kindergarten? If so, you should sign up for the FREE monthly Kindergarten, Here I Am eNews! Each month get activities, tips and resources you can use to help your kindergartner have a great school year. 
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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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