Don't miss the 2024 Children's Discovery Fair!
April 13, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
East Columbia 50+ Center, 6610 Cradlerock Way, Columbia 21045
Celebrate Howard County’s Month of the Young Child and help your child on the path to kindergarten readiness!
Families with children ages three to five can explore math all around us with free hands-on learning activities, interactive games, crafts, stories, and more. Free dental screenings are also available. View the event flier in English, Spanish, Chinese or Korean.
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April Parent Workshops
The Basics: Math
April 11, 7 p.m. | Virtual workshop | Register
Focus on everyday ways to bolster early math confidence for a sturdy foundation for school readiness. Parents of children birth to age five will learn fun, simple and powerful ways to enhance their child’s brain growth.
How to Grow a Friend
April 24, 10 to 11 a.m. | Family Support Center, 9790 Patuxent Woods Dr., Columbia | Register
This parent-child art activity and story time is based on the children’s book, How to Grow a Friend, by Sara Gillingham. Learn proactive strategies to redirect undesirable behaviors and promote friendship skills for children two-and-a-half to five.
Managing Parenting Anger and Frustration
April 29, 7 p.m. | Virtual Workshop | Register Parenting is incredibly rewarding but can also be challenging when children don’t listen or have meltdowns. Learn how to navigate anger and frustration, gain coping strategies and get resources.
Discussing Your Child’s Mental Health with Your Primary Care Provider (PCP)
May 1, 7 p.m. | Virtual workshop | Register
Dr. Jessica Winkles will discuss the importance of mental health for everyone; the need to treat behavioral health like physical health; examples of typical vs. concerning behaviors; and why your PCP can be a great resource when questions arise.
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On the Journey to Fatherhood
April 4 & 27, May 16, June 8
This FREE four-part series supports Howard County fathers and is designed to help them develop healthy parenting habits, build networks and strengthen bonds with their children, ages zero to five. Participants will be entered into a raffle to win prizes. Email Kristin Reel or call 410-313-5987 (voice/relay) for more information. |
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Munchy Mondays: Healthy Little Cooks
April 8, 22, May 6, 20, June 3, 17, 10:30 a.m. | Family Support Center | Register
Engage your two- to four-year-old in a series of interactive healthy cooking and nutrition education classes, facilitated by Healthy Little Cooks! Tailored for a parent and child, each session uses cooking, reading, movement, and kindergarten readiness skills to promote healthy eating habits and includes quick recipes, plus crafts and physical activities.
Celebrate the Month of the Military Child (MMC)
Enjoy story time with Dr. Melissa Boyd, active-duty Army psychologist and children’s author, who will share her book series about emotions and healthy coping skills. Meet other Blue Star Families and learn how Howard County supports its veterans and military families. View the Month of the Military Child Toolkit from the Military Child Education Coalition with resources for students. |
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At-home spring activities to boost your child’s development
With work hours often spilling into evening hours, not every parent has the time to create a color-coded roster of activities for their energetic young children. Fortunately, it’s often the simplest at-home activities that give kids the most joy while teaching them critical new skills. Here are 12 low-tech spring activities from the Ages and Stages Newsletter to try with young children.
UMD research study seeks input from new moms of color
Pregnant & new moms of color (Black/African American, Latina, Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander, Alaskan native, and American Indian) age 14 and up are asked to provide input for a University of Maryland & University of Maryland School of Public Health study about supporting new moms and babies. Participants will receive monthly board books or access to a new app, along with compensation. Interested? Learn more.
April is Autism Awareness & Acceptance Month
One in 36 children in the US is diagnosed with autism, according to a 2020 study. No two autism stories are alike - everyone’s story is unique and different. To learn what autism is and how to celebrate and support the amazing qualities in all children, view these resources from the Autism Society. Children who have never met a child with autism before may find some behaviors difficult to understand. Sesame Street in Communities offers resources to talk to your children about autism and encourage friendships to grow.
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Everyone can help prevent child abuse
The 2024 Child Abuse Prevention Month theme, “Building A Hopeful Future, Together” focuses on creating a nurturing and supportive environment for children and families across the nation. The Office of Children and Families is dedicated to ensuring all children grow up in environments that are safe, stable and nurturing. Everyone has a role to play to help families in our communities be resilient and access support. Let’s work together to support families and prevent child abuse and neglect. For more information visit childwelfare.gov and/or register to attend Managing Parenting Anger and Frustration, a free virtual workshop for parents on April 29 at 7:00 p.m.
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Is your child ready for kindergarten?
Fall 2024 registration for new students or students entering public school kindergarten is underway for all Howard County Public Schools. Kindergarten is mandatory in Maryland; children that turn five by September 1, 2024 are eligible to start kindergarten this fall. For more information, download the registration flier in English, Chinese, Spanish and Korean. Learn more about readiness in the April Kindergarten Readiness Newsletter.
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The Basics Howard County - Math
“Isn’t math just for school?” is a common question we get from from parents when focusing on the Basics pillar: Count, Group and Compare. Introducing math concepts can be beneficial in the first five years of a child’s life, a period of rapid brain growth. Pointing out amounts and patterns helps your child make sense of their world. Try using numbers to describe what you are getting at the grocery store: “We are getting three apples. One, two, three!” Pointing to the apples while counting helps children make the connection. To learn more, register for The Basics Math workshop.
Sign up to receive free Basics Insights weekly text messages, based on your child’s developmental stage, from birth to age five (available in English or Spanish).
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Don't miss the Money Matters Month Kick Off
The kick off features three courses (Credit 101, Budgeting 101, and Scamo) to empower families to make better financial decisions. Free admission; to register for each session, click on the corresponding link below:
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Passport to Financial Literacy Youth Activities (ages 8-17): Register
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Credit 101 (11 to 11:30 a.m.): Register
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Budgeting 101 - Making Sense of Your Cents (10:15 to 10:45 a.m.): Register
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Scamo (11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.): Register
Plan, budget and execute your next home improvement project
April 10, 7:00 p.m. | East Columbia Library, Marvin Thomas Room | 6600 Cradlerock Way, Columbia 21044 | Email OCP to register
From negotiating with contractors to obtaining proper permits and licenses, there's a lot that goes into major home improvement projects. The Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) and a panel of experts will discuss every step of the process. Free.
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Howard County Library System Updates:
By borrowing items at the library, you can reduce waste. The less we consume, the fewer things that need to be reused or recycled. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American produces almost five pounds of waste every day, and a family more than 18 pounds, adding up to almost a ton of garbage annually. If you want to shrink your footprint and reduce waste, libraries can help with more than just borrowing books.
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Borrow video games to take them for a test drive before you buy.
- Rotate play items by borrowing free toys.
- Don’t buy something you’ll only use for one project. Items from lawn aerators to pressure washers, and even a Mickey Mouse cake pan, are available to borrow at the Elkridge Branch DIY Center.
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Artwork to spice up your home or office can be borrowed from the HCLS Central and Glenwood Library branches. You can trade it out every six weeks.
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GreenFest is Howard County's largest celebration of Earth Day, connecting residents with resources from local businesses, non-profits and government to help them become good stewards of the environment.
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Recyle usable bikes at the Bike Shed
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Medication and Sharps Collection
April 27, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. | Sponsored by HC DrugFree
A free, fast and convenient way to dispose of old medications and sharps, without leaving your car! Open to the public. Get more information about what is accepted.
Parenting Strategies: Talk about Drug Use in Popular Media
April 16, 7 to 8:30 p.m. | Free | Register
Depictions of drug and alcohol use are widespread in current media, including shows viewed by teenagers. Research shows exposure to these messages increases teenage substance use; what can parents and caregivers do to protect children and young adults? Join Dr. Aaron Weiner to explore the psychological impact of drug use in media, as well as strategies to help teenagers navigate this complicated social and cultural terrain. Free; sponsored by the Office of the Local Children's Board in partnership with HC DrugFree.
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Share the Parent Pages link with others, or encourage them to subscribe and sign up today!
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