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.
Subscribe to the Family Connections Newsletter Now!
Planning Summer Vacations and Staycations
Summer is a great time for families to recharge and reconnect. Whether it’s a vacation exploring a new region, a trip to visit loved ones or simply relaxing at home (i.e., a staycation), stepping away from the usual routine can provide children and adults a mental and physical boost. Below are resources to inspire and support your family’s summer planning:
Family vacations and staycations matter. These experiences offer more than a break from routine–they help strengthen bonds, create lasting memories and provide opportunities to learn and explore together. This blog post from Packed for Life and this Parent Circle article explain why intentional time together as a family is beneficial and supports families’ connection and growth.
Vacations can be affordable and accessible for families with young children. If your family is considering traveling this summer, this article from U.S. News and World Report suggests 22 relatively affordable domestic destinations. This article from The New York Times provides tips for traveling successfully with young children.
Staycations are important for relaxation and connection. Families do not need to travel to take a break. This article from Healthy Happy Impactful suggests 101 fun, affordable and relaxing staycation ideas, and this Time Out article provides a list of free or low-cost activities in the District that everyone in the family can enjoy.
Resource Highlights
- Children’s Mental Health – May is Mental Health Awareness Month. In this FAQ, Sesame Workshop provides resources to help families support their children’s mental health and emotional well-being.
- Serving Milk to Young Children – This article from Parents magazine provides important information about milk consumption for children, including the appropriate age to introduce milk and how families can make informed decisions about which type of milk is best for their family.
- Pick Your Own Produce – This KidFriendly DC article includes information about local farms where families can pick their own produce. Some farms, like Schlagel Farms LLC in Waldorf, MD, accept WIC and SNAP for payment in addition to cash and credit/debit cards.
Let’s Read Together!
Reading aloud to infants and young children helps build reading skills such as recognizing the sounds of words, identifying letters of the alphabet and expanding a budding vocabulary.
Families should read to children at least once per day to build these skills and more. Consider reading a few of the books listed below, which are available at DC Public Library (DCPL) locations, with your child this week.
- Fox in Sox by Dr. Seuss – A book of silly tongue twisters, including a fox in sox, chicks with bricks, and much more.
- Mel Fell by Corey R. Tabor – This story follows Mel, a kingfisher, on her journey from downward fall to triumphant flight.
- While we can’t hug by Eion McLaughlin – The tale of hedgehog and tortoise who are best friends but aren’t allowed to hug. Luckily, there are lots of other ways to show love.
- Odder by Katherine Applegate – Odder the otter spends her days practicing her underwater acrobatics and making up stories. One day, she comes face-to-face with a hungry great white shark, which changes her life forever.
- Little Troublemaker Makes a Mess by Luvvie Ajayi Jones – Little Luvvie loves her mom, sister and doing nice things for others. But what happens when doing something nice means breaking some rules?
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.
Today’s Tip: What Would You Do?
Invite your child to stretch their thinking by asking, “What would you do if you could…climb to the sky? Swim to the bottom of the sea? Run as fast as the wind?” Invite them to take a turn asking you the “What would you do if…” question.
Brainy Background
Playing the “What If” game lets your child call on what they already know about the world and adjust it to fit into new possibilities. This ability to remember and think flexibly will be helpful for the rest of their life.
Week of May 19, 2025
- Music and Movement Monday: Do the bean bag boogie.
- Tasty Tuesday: Make some frozen yogurt bark with peanut butter and bananas.
- Wellness Wednesday: Listen to Nina and Abuelita’s breakfast song for a lesson about healthy eating.
- Textured Thursday: Play the ‘What’s in the Box?’ sensory game.
- Family Fun Friday: Gather your family and have breakfast for dinner.
Week of May 26, 2025
- Music and Movement Monday: Create an outdoor music station.
- Tasty Tuesday: Make a 5-minute strawberry-banana-oat smoothie.
- Wellness Wednesday: Practice the ‘breathe, think, do’ strategy for when you have a problem.
- Textured Thursday: Create a silly soapy sensory jar.
- Family Fun Friday: Go on an outdoor treasure hunt with your family.
Mommy Poppins DC
Mommy Poppins is a website that lists family-friendly activities and events in and around DC. It explores DC’s top attractions for kids, summer camps and programs, family road trips and day trips and more.
Click here to visit the Mommy Poppins website.
Family Connections Workshops and Events
Thursday, May 22, 2025, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Understanding Child Growth and Development
The first years of a child’s life are marked by significant growth and development. During this virtual session, families will learn about the developmental stages of young children to better understand what to expect as their child develops from birth to age five. Session facilitators will share ideas for fun, hands-on, developmentally appropriate activities. Click here to register.
Questions About Your Child’s Development?
Strong Start is DC’s early intervention program, offering free services for children under the age of 3 with developmental delays or disabilities. Strong Start provides therapeutic and other services for DC infants and 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:
- Deuter Kid Comfort, Kid Comfort Pro and Kid Comfort Active Child Carriers, because the hinges on the foldable rear kickstand support leg can crack or break, posing a fall hazard.
- Xylolin Peg Doll Toy Sets, because the dolls’ spherical ends can block a child’s airway, posing a risk of choking and death.
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.
Check out our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram to stay up to date on events and opportunities.
Subcribe to our Newsletter!