Family Connections

To help families with young children adjust to the current situation brought on by the public health emergency, DC Child Care Connections developed a system to provide useful information and resources to help with at-home learning, maintaining mental health and other important early childhood topics.

We have worked with community partners to identify a series of daily resources and activities from nationally-recognized organizations that families can use to keep children engaged and to continue the learning process. All resources are developmentally appropriate for the ages specified and are aligned to the DC Early Learning Standards.

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Teaching Gratitude

Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to teach children about gratitude. During this season, families and early educators often encourage kids to think about the people who love them and the material things that keep them safe and healthy like food and shelter. Below are resources to help families encourage gratitude in children this Thanksgiving and beyond.

Observing Thanksgiving with young children. Thanksgiving is about thankfulness and community. This blog post from Kids R Kids offers advice on explaining Thanksgiving to young kids, including how to teach children about the value of family, friends, sharing and traditions. It also suggests family friendly activities and crafts that reinforce the holiday’s values.

Celebrating the little things. Families can build gratitude practices into everyday life to nurture kindness, patience and joy in their children. This article from Today’s Parent lists six simple gratitude practices that families can incorporate into their daily lives. Some of the suggested practices include building gratitude into bath and bedtime routines, using pretend play to practice gratitude, using affirmations and reading gratitude stories together. The article also suggests a few books that help children practice gratitude.

Modeling kindness and compassion. Families have a strong influence on the character traits their children develop. Scholastic discusses how empathy develops in children and offers 13 strategies for encouraging kindness in kids. Families that help a relative, friend or neighbor in need and encourage their children to do the same model positive action. Young children may enjoy this video from Scholastic about being thankful for the people and things in their lives.

Resource Highlights

Start a thankful chain with your family – Hands On As We Grow developed this engaging and collaborative thankful chain activity for families to create together. On the days leading up to Thanksgiving, each person in the family creates a link in a paper chain of what they’re thankful for. The activity promotes motor skills in young children and helps all family members practice gratitude.
When your child is overwhelmed – Parents published this article on five encouraging things to say to a child who is feeling overwhelmed to help them regulate their emotions and deal with challenging situations.
Device-free family moments – Sesame Workshop offers this article about the benefits of distraction-free play with young children. As little as five minutes of unplugged, media-free playtime benefits children and adults alike.

Let’s Read Together!

Sesame Workshop says this about the value of reading aloud to children:

“Settling in for a story together can be a cozy and comforting experience for both kids and adults. Stories can take us on adventures to places we’ve never been! Sharing stories with young children lays the foundation for a lifetime of reading.”

It is important to read to children daily, ideally several times a day. Here are some e-books available at the DC Public Library (DCPL) that families can enjoy together this week:

Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora – When the aroma of Omu’s homemade stew fills the air, her neighbors arrive, one by one, for a taste until all is gone except for her generous spirit.
Home in a Lunchbox by Cherry Mo – A young Chinese girl adjusting to her new life in the US finds a sense of home in the familiar flavors packed in her lunchbox.
Llama Llama Gives Thanks by Anna Dewdney – It’s Thanksgiving time for Llama Llama and his family! That means yummy food, autumn leaves and being thankful for everything from pumpkin pies to blue skies.
Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty – Inspired by real-life makers Ada Lovelace and Marie Curie, this book champions women scientists in a rollicking celebration of curiosity, the power of perseverance and the importance of asking “Why?”
Oona by Kelly DiPucchio – Oona and her best friend Otto love to search for treasure, but often find trouble instead.

Vroom Brain-Building Tip

Vroom is a website and app with science-based tips to help boost young children’s brain connections. Families can turn everyday moments into brain-building opportunities.

It is important to read to children daily, ideally several times a day. Here are some e-books available at the DC Public Library (DCPL) that families can enjoy together this week:

Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora – When the aroma of Omu’s homemade stew fills the air, her neighbors arrive, one by one, for a taste until all is gone except for her generous spirit.
Home in a Lunchbox by Cherry Mo – A young Chinese girl adjusting to her new life in the US finds a sense of home in the familiar flavors packed in her lunchbox.
Llama Llama Gives Thanks by Anna Dewdney – It’s Thanksgiving time for Llama Llama and his family! That means yummy food, autumn leaves and being thankful for everything from pumpkin pies to blue skies.
Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty – Inspired by real-life makers Ada Lovelace and Marie Curie, this book champions women scientists in a rollicking celebration of curiosity, the power of perseverance and the importance of asking “Why?”
Oona by Kelly DiPucchio – Oona and her best friend Otto love to search for treasure, but often find trouble instead.

Today’s Tip: Play Spaces

Help your child find new play places inside your home. It can be a cozy corner, or you can create a space together with pillows. As you explore new spaces, talk with your child about what they think makes a space fun. Let them choose what they want to bring to the new play space. When they’re done playing for the day, encourage them to put everything away for next time.

Brainy Background

By helping your child break tasks down into steps, you encourage them to use strategies to achieve goals. They can use these strategies to take on different challenges in the future.

Week of November 17, 2025

Music and Movement Monday: Watch and sing along to the Thanksgiving Dinner song.
Tasty Tuesday: Make a batch of healthy sweet potato muffins.
Wellness Wednesday: Build your core strength through body bridge exercises.
Textured Thursday: Make an autumn-themed corn sensory bin.
Family Fun Friday: Make a family thankful banner.

Week of November 24, 2025

Music and Movement Monday: Learn the sounds made by 27 musical instruments.
Tasty Tuesday: Make some fluffy spinach waffles.
Wellness Wednesday: Do the Thanksgiving balance challenge.
Textured Thursday: Make rainbow-colored spaghetti and play with it.
Family Fun Friday: Burn off some Thanksgiving calories with this 10-minute family fun cardio exercise workout.

Folger Frost Fair

The day after Thanksgiving, the Folger Shakespeare Library launches a winter festival featuring holiday decorations and music, free family-friendly activities and more. This year, the festival runs from Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, through Sunday, Jan 4, 2026.

Throughout the festival, kids can participate in a holiday seek-and-find in the galleries to locate characters pictured in the Folger holiday guide. On Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, there will be story times for children, sponsored by the Folger and DCPL. There will also be craft stations with materials budding artisans can use to make ornaments, paper crowns and hand fans.

The whole family can enjoy tours, demonstrations and special events including a holiday sing-along. Shoppers looking for holiday gifts can visit the Museum Store.

The Folger Shakespeare Library is located on Capitol Hill at 201 E. Capitol St. SE. The closest Metro station is Capitol South (Orange, Silver and Blue lines). Free parking is limited, but there are several paid parking lots nearby. The Folger is closed on Mondays but is open Tuesday, Wednesday Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., and Friday from 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

For more information about the Folger Frost Fair, click here

DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) Weekly Veggie Giveaway

Through Nov. 26, 2025, DPR is providing produce four times a week at three District locations. Veggies including kale, collards, lettuce, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, squash, herbs, flowers and more grown at DC Community Gardens will be available for free at the following locations:

Where: Edgewood Rooftop Farm (Ward 5)
301 Franklin St. NE
When: Every Tuesday, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Where: Lederer Garden (Ward 7)
4801 Nannie Helen Burroughs Ave. NE
When: Every Wednesday, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.AND
Every Saturday, 10-11 a.m.
Where: Powell Communal Farm (Ward 1)
3149 16th St. NW
When: Every Thursday, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

For more information about giveaways, available produce, volunteering on a farm, and weather updates, contact Joshua.Singer@dc.gov.

Family Connections November 2025 Workshops

Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025 | 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Family Finance: Building a Strong Financial Foundation

During this workshop, families will learn how to establish a strong financial foundation and prepare for challenging times. Participants will gain practical skills for financial planning, budgeting and explore strategies for effective money management. This session will also introduce tools and resources to educate children about financial literacy.
Click here to register.

Strong Start

Strong Start is DC’s early intervention program, offering free services for children under 3 with developmental delays or disabilities. Strong Start provides therapeutic and other services for DC infants, toddlers and their families.

If you have questions about your child’s development, call Strong Start today at (202) 727-3665 or submit a Strong Start referral online.

Product Recall Alerts

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission recently announced the following recalls:

Inkari Plush Alpaca Toys because the eyes can detach, posing a choking hazard to children.
Vevor Baby Swings which violate the mandatory safety standard for infant sleep products and pose a risk of suffocation.

We are here to help! If you need support in navigating these resources or help planning experiences for your children, please contact one of our team members today. Please contact us at DC Child Care Connections (202) 829-2500.

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