Try these activities with your kindergartener, then visit your library to check out a book about them. Visit the PA's Promise for Children website to print this list.

We are learning Language and Literacy

Do it!

Help your kindergartner collect pebbles. See how the pebbles can be sorted (size, color, shape, etc.) Discuss how some are alike, and some are different. Assist your kindergartner in reaching, grasping, and collecting the stones. Allow them to feel the rocks with their hands or on their cheek. Use words to help them describe the textures, weight, shape, and temperature of their feelings.

Read it!

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig. Three Pebbles and a Song by Eileen Spinelli.

We are learning Social Emotional Development

Do it!

Talk about the jobs your family does. How do these jobs help others? Talk about the different people, services, and agencies that work with your kindergartner. Explain their jobs to them. Discuss how this helps them and their family.

Read it!

A Day's Work by Eve Bunting. Families by Susan Kuklin.

We are learning Scientific Thinking and Technology

Do it!

Look out a window with your kindergartner or watch the birds outside. When finished, encourage them to draw a picture of a bird they saw.

Read it!

What in the World is an Inch? by Mary Elizabeth Salzmann. What Will Hatch? by Jennifer Ward.

We are learning Mathematics, Thinking, and Expression

Do it!

Eat a snack of animal crackers. Have your kindergartner sort the crackers into groups by animal and count the number in each group. Substitute other foods if there are dietary or feeding restrictions. You can also adapt the activity using stuffed animals.

Read it!

Kindergarten Count to 100 by Jacqueline Rogers.  How Do Dinosaurs Count to Ten? by Jane Yolen.

Celebrate the Month of the Young Child!

During April, we come together to celebrate young children’s joy, wonder, and boundless potential! 🎉💕 The Month of the Young Child is a time to recognize the critical role families, early childhood educators, and communities play in nurturing and shaping the future of our youngest learners.

In the video below, Shante' Brown, Deputy Secretary for the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL), shares her appreciation for the families, early learning professionals, and communities that support our youngest learners during the Month of the Young Child.

How can you become involved in MOYC?

• Look for ways to celebrate in your home, early learning program, or community.
• Create a display that shares why quality early learning is so important. 

Visit the Month of the Young Child – PA Promise for Children to learn more.

Still Time for Families to Register for The Lifting Family Voices: Using Your Story to Strengthen Programs and Spark Change Workshop Opportunity

Registration deadline April 20, 2026

The Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) is recruiting pregnant and parenting families of children birth to age five in Pennsylvania for the Lifting Family Voices: Using Your Story to Strengthen Programs and Spark Change workshop on May 20, 2026, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. This workshop is designed to support families to learn how to make their voices heard and influence decisions that improve maternal and early childhood programs in Pennsylvania.

Reimbursement for child care and travel expenses, such as lodging and mileage, within guidelines will be provided. Lodging will be available for those who are traveling more than 50 miles to the workshop location.

Registration is due by April 20, 2026. Seats are limited and will be provided on a first come first serve basis. Register now for the Lifting Family Voices Workshop 2026.

Questions? Contact Sadia Batool at c-sabatool@pa.gov.

Fun Nature-Based Learning Activities

Celebrate spring with fun activities to encourage fine motor skills, creative thinking, and inspire a love of nature with these nature-based activities by Lindsey Brown, owner of Brown’s Family Child Care in Venango County.

The activities are perfect for home or early learning programs and are part of a homemade nature-based curriculum approved by the Department of Education and aligned with the PA Early Learning Standards.

Check out the Bird Watching Area Activity, Circle Cereal Bird Feeder, Collaborative Bird Feeder, and the Homemade Bird Feeder activities.

Sustainable Gardening with Kids Activity Guide

Empower kids to take action and make positive contributions to their communities. This free 18-page guide by KidsGardening and High-Country Gardens walks through the basics of sustainable gardening and offers tips and activity ideas for four sustainable youth garden themes.

Helping Kids Build Healthy Habits for Better Sleep

Getting kids to sleep well can feel impossible, but understanding the science of sleep and building healthy routines can make all the difference.

In this episode of Thriving Kids (25:31), Dr. Dave Anderson sits down with Dr. Shelby Harris, a clinical psychologist and board-certified sleep specialist, to share practical, evidence-based advice for parents. Drawing on her experience helping families overcome bedtime struggles, Dr. Harris explains why sleep matters for kids’ mental health, learning, and behavior, and how small changes can lead to big improvements.

Health Trends in Early Childhood Education: Well-Child Visits – Checkups for Success!

The April Health Trends in ECE focuses on Well-Child Visits – Checkups for Success! Well-child visits are associated with fewer hospitalizations and emergency department use. Despite these benefits, children miss between 30% to 50% of well-child visits. Many families struggle to access and utilize well-child preventive healthcare services and supports in the community. Taking the “whole child” approach to health goes beyond the physical to include social-emotional needs, mental health, and healthy behaviors, ensuring the best outcomes in early childhood and throughout the life course. Health promotion and preventive services for young children must be comprehensive, evidence-based, and evidence-informed.  Learn more in the April release of Health Trends in ECE.

Each month, Health Trends in ECE shares information about a recent health trend, helping readers understand why it is important. Discover the impact it has on children, their families and caregivers, and the community, as well as actions to take to ensure the health and well-being of children in our communities.

Mindful Parenting

Parenting can be stressful. Parenting kids with special needs can be even more stressful, and it can cause anxiety, depression and marital problems. A mindfulness practice can help alleviate stress and prevent these problems. And it can make you a better parent. Use mindfulness techniques to take stress and anxiety out of raising kids.

Positive Parenting, Thriving Kids

The Positive Parenting, Thriving Kids Project is a series of free videos and print resources with practical, evidence-based information and skills to address families most common parenting challenges. This project is part of the Child Mind Institute’s innovative partnership with the state of California. The series is organized into four categories, each containing multiple videos. Each video has been created in both English and Spanish. Ver episodios en español

Don't Wait. Vaccinate

When planning summer activities, please remember to schedule vaccinations. Scheduling your children's vaccines now for the ones they will need to start the next school year will help you cross a critical item off your hectic back-to-school list this fall. 

Immunizations should be part of your children's regular school physical before kindergarten. See information about immunizations for students attending Pennsylvania schools. For more information about the vaccines your children need, please contact their health care provider.

Calendar of Activities for Early Learning Providers

During May, celebrate Children’s Mental Health Awareness Month and spread awareness about the importance of children’s mental health and the need for services that support recovery, resilience, and success for youth.

Check out the May Calendar of Activities for Early Learning Professionals with activities and information to help prepare children and their families for school success.

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We are where you are.

The 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 

Pennsylvania Department of Education | Pennsylvania Department of Human Services

The Pennsylvania Key | Pennsylvania's Promise for Children

Early Intervention Technical Assistance