Stay in the know with our calendar of events! This calendar will tell you about all the activities we have going on in the month of October, along with closings and important dates to remember. We offer free weekly playgroups, Make It, Take It events, story times at local libraries, and more. Check it out! | | A Special Guest at Kaleidoscope Play & Learn | We had a very special guest at playgroup! Representative Todd Carver, NC House of Representatives, came to our Mooresville Infant/Toddler Kaleidoscope Play & Learn playgroup to play and read to the children. Thank you, Mr. Carver, for sharing your time and making our playgroup extra special! Click the button below to learn more about Kaleidoscope Play & Learn playgroups. | | Thank You, Lakeshore Middle School! | A big thank you to the Lakeshore Middle School Junior Beta Club for their generous donation to our Mooresville Pampered Pantry! We’re so grateful to Ms. Ashley Dover and her students for helping support local families in our community. Thank you for making a difference and helping us lift children to better beginnings! Interested in hosting a diaper drive or donating to our Pampered Pantry? Click the button below to learn how you can help support children and families in Iredell County. | | |
Halloween is right around the corner, and there are plenty of ways for young children to join in on the fun! Whether your family loves decorating pumpkins, making crafts, dressing up, or simply enjoying a few Halloween-themed games together, PBS KIDS has ideas to help make the season fun for the whole family.
Their Halloween collection includes pumpkin decorating ideas, DIY costumes, crafts, games, decorations, recipes and more with plenty of activities that can be enjoyed at home.
For young children, Halloween can be about so much more than trick-or-treating. Creating a craft encourages creativity and fine-motor skills, playing a game can build problem-solving skills, and making a pumpkin decoration together creates an opportunity for conversation, imagination and family connection.
So grab some construction paper, pick out a pumpkin and let your little one's imagination take the lead! However your family chooses to celebrate, these simple activities can turn an ordinary October day into a fun learning opportunity and a special memory together.
| | Safety Tip of the Month: Fire & Burn Safety | |
Little Hands, Big Curiosity! Young children are natural explorers. They learn about their world by reaching, touching, grabbing, and tasting, but that curiosity can quickly lead to a burn. Young children are especially vulnerable to burns because their skin is thinner and they are still learning about danger. Safe Kids reports that fire and burn injuries are among the top 10 causes of unintentional injury for children ages 0–5, with children age 2 and younger at greatest risk. Every day, about 300 children ages 0–19 are treated in emergency departments for burn-related injuries.
Tips for Parents/Caregivers
- Keep children at least 3 feet away from the cooking area.
- Use back burners and turn pot handles toward the back of the stove.
- Keep hot drinks, food, irons, and other hot items out of reach.
- Set your water heater to 120°F or the manufacturer's recommended setting and always check bathwater before putting your child in.
- Keep matches and lighters locked and out of children's reach.
- Install smoke alarms and practice a family fire escape plan at least twice a year.
Remember: Little hands love to explore. Let's make sure their environment is safe for them to discover!
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A big thank-you to Randy Shaver and Mini Grand Motorsport for supporting young children and families in Iredell County!
Randy held a fundraiser at the Iredell County Fair earlier this month and stopped by Friday to present a $150 donation to the Iredell County Partnership for Young Children.
We’re grateful to Randy and everyone who supported the fundraiser. Your generosity helps us continue serving children and families right here in our community!
| | Cozy Up With A Fall Story | |
Cooler temperatures and longer evenings make October the perfect time to cozy up with a good book! Reading together, even for just a few minutes each day, gives young children an opportunity to build language, learn new words, practice listening and connect with the adults they love.
For babies and toddlers, look for books with simple stories, bright pictures and opportunities to point, name objects and make sounds together. Preschoolers may enjoy books about pumpkins, changing leaves, animals, Halloween or simply the changing seasons.
One fun idea? Let your child pick the book, grab a blanket and make reading part of your family's fall routine. Click the button below for Reading Rockets "Awesome Autumn" themed book list.
| | The Basics: Count, Group, and Compare | |
Everyone is born to be a math person! From the very beginning, children are natural problem-solvers, and everyday moments help build the early math skills they'll use for a lifetime.
This fall, turn seasonal fun into learning opportunities. Count colorful leaves as you walk outside, compare which pumpkin is bigger or smaller, sort acorns by size, or count pumpkin seeds while carving a pumpkin. These simple activities help children notice patterns, make comparisons, and understand numbers in meaningful ways.
Talking about what you see and asking questions like, "Which pile has more?" or "Can you find another red leaf?" encourages your child to think, explore, and build confidence with math concepts through play.
Try It!
Head outside for a fall nature walk and collect leaves, acorns, pinecones, or other treasures. When you get home, count how many you found, group them by color or size, and compare which group has the most or the least. Everyday fall adventures are full of opportunities to make math fun!
Every leaf counted, every object sorted, and every comparison made helps build your child's confidence and love of learning.
| | Apply Today: Iredell County Partnership Academy | |
Interested in a Career in Early Childhood Education?
The Iredell County Partnership Academy is a great opportunity to gain the knowledge and training you need to begin a career working with young children!
Participants will receive FREE training in areas such as:
-Lesson planning
-Playground safety
-Infant/Toddler Safe Sleep & SIDS Reduction
-Adult & Pediatric First Aid and CPR
-NC Foundations for Early Learning & Development (NCFELD)
-And more!
Participants will also have the opportunity to complete important steps toward entering the early care and education field, including registering for an NCID and completing a criminal background check. Those who successfully complete the Academy will earn 18 DCDEE contact hours.
📅 Academy Dates: October 19-29, 2026
⏰ Monday–Thursday | 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
💙 Academy scholarships are provided by the United Way of Iredell County Endowment for the Future Fund. Participants are responsible for the cost of their criminal background check.
📲 Ready to take the first step toward a rewarding career?
📌 Applications must be received by Friday, October 9, 2026.
| | ExCEL NC Iredell County Child Care, Business & Workforce Summit | |
Join ExCEL NC, the Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce, Iredell EDC, Iredell Partnership for Children, SHRM Iredell, and other community partners to explore the economic impact of the childcare crisis and how business leaders can drive solutions.
Today, child care challenges are costing the county more than $76.1 million in economic activity and disrupting employment for more than 10,500 workers. When employees can’t access reliable care, businesses feel the impact through absenteeism, turnover, and lost productivity. ExCEL NC is working with business and community leaders to change that—strengthening the child care infrastructure our economy needs to attract talent, support working families, and keep local businesses growing.
Addressing child care issues for working parents could increase North Carolina's GDP by up to $7.5 billion per year. During this Child Care Economic Summit, we'll start exploring ways that we can turn this economic projection into a reality.
At this event, you’ll hear from an engaging panel of business and industry leaders, gain insight from a substantive presentation by research and policy experts, and participate in a meaningful dialogue with fellow attendees who are equally committed to finding solutions.
We look forward to your participation as we explore the intersection of business, family, and early childhood education—and discuss how North Carolina can move toward a stronger, more sustainable future.
Date: Monday, October 12, 2026
Time: 12:00PM-1:30PM (Doors at 11:30AM)
Location: Statesville Event Center, 300 South Center Street, Statesville, NC 28677
| | The Iredell County Partnership for Young Children (ICPYC) is a public/private organization dedicated to measurably increasing learning and healthy development of children birth to age five in Iredell County. ICPYC provides services focused on raising the quality of early care and education, supporting families, advancing child health, and expanding literacy. |
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