Early Childhood Happenings

This monthly publication will provide you with events and tips we think you might find useful as you raise your young child(ren). Please contact Tricia Sabathne, Child and Family Educator, with any questions or if you are looking for additional resources, information, or supports for your child or family.

tricia.sabathne@d303.org

331-228-5727

There is still time to join the Abriendo Puertas / Opening Doors parent program with 8 weeks remaining in the program. There are two options:

• In Person at Fox Ridge, facilitated in English, on Wednesdays from 4:30 - 6:30 PM weekly until March 20. Childcare and snacks are provided.
• Virtual via Zoom, facilitated in Spanish, on Tuesday from 9:30 - 10:45 AM weekly until March 19.

Register or request more information here.

Applications are currently being accepted for CUSD 303's Preschool for All Program, which is funded by the Illinois State Board of Education. The program provides a school experience for young children ages 3-5 years old (not eligible for Kindergarten) at Fox Ridge Early Childhood Center. Students are found eligible by taking into account various factors including delays in development, low income, homelessness, parent/sibling with a disability, parent education level, non-English speaking household, and others. Call 331-228-4834 for more information about how to apply.

The 10:15 AM playgroup is now open for all, with Spanish interpretation available upon request.

If you currently attend the 9:15 AM session and would like to attend the 10:15 AM session, please complete registration for the new time.

Do you have concerns about your child's development? If your child attends Fox Ridge Early Childhood Center, please talk to your child's teacher or Walk-In Speech-Language Pathologist. If your child does not attend Fox Ridge, Developmental Screening may be for you! Call 331-228-4834 for more information and to schedule an appointment.

The St. Charles Public Library Youth Service Accessibility Collection brings thoughtfully curated materials to the Library and supports individuals with neurodivergent differences, auditory processing, language, motor, physical, sensory processing, and visual processing disabilities and delays. Through these materials, the Library aims to provide opportunities for families to utilize items which aid in everyday living and celebrate inclusion and access. The collection is located on the lower level in Youth Services. The St. Charles Public Library offers materials and services to accommodate library users of all ages.

Contact the library if additional accommodations are needed to support your experience at the library. We have a selection of assistive aid devices and sensory-friendly tools like noise-dampening headphones and fidgets available for use in the library. Please visit the Youth Services desk for assistance.

BONUS: There is an Adult Accessibility Collection too! Find it on the main level's southwest corner.

Use a First/Then Board to navigate your visit: First/Then Board

View a story on YouTube to prepare: Video

Unless otherwise noted all programs for Families (Ages 7 and Under with Caregiver) and are at the St. Charles Public Library at One Sixth Ave, St. Charles.

St. Charles Public Library Programs

• Feb 5 Block Party from 11 am - 12 pm in the Miller Haase Community Room
• Feb 7 from 4 - 4:30 PM in the Helen Gale Story Room Ages 0-23 months with caregiver
• Feb 13 Quiet Coloring and Fairytales from 2 - 4:45 PM in the Helen Gale Story Room
• Feb 13 Stories & Snacks from 6 - 6:30 pm in the Miller Haase Community Room
• Feb 14 Stories at the Nature Center from 10:30 -11 am at Creek Bend Nature Center, 37W700 Dean St, St Charles (LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve)

Family Story Time in the Miller Haase Community Room from 10 - 10:30 am

Saturdays on January 27, February 10 & 24

Mondays on January 29, Feb 5, 12, & 26

Thursdays on Feb 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

Learning to read begins long before kindergarten. Reading to your child is one of the best ways to boost their brainpower. Any child from birth to entering kindergarten can participate in this self-paced early literacy program.

Come into the Library to sign up and get a paper log. Check in at the Library when you finish a log and move your canoe up our pretend river. When you finish 1,000 books, you’ll receive a fun, musical prize!

If you read just one book per day, you will reach 1,000 before the child is three years old. Join us on this journey to help create a brighter future for your child.

All Drive Thru Models. No ID or documentation needed. First come, first served while supplies last.

• Jan 27 in Aurora at Christ Evangelistic, 531 East Benton, from 10 - 11:30 am
• Feb 12 in Wheaton at Immigrant Solidarity, 311 S Naperville Rd, from 4-5:30 pm
• Feb 13 in Elgin at Old Sherman Parking Lot, 901 Center St, from 4-5:30 pm
• Feb 21 in Aurora at Our Lady of Mercy, 701 S. Eola Rd, from 4:30 - 6 pm
• Feb 22 in Carol Stream at Villagebrook Apartments, 278 E St. Charles Rd, from 4:30 - 6 pm
• Feb 27 in Elgin at Buena Vista Apartments, 1287 Fleetwood Rd (Behind building 1213) from 4 - 5:30 pm

Find a food pantry or soup kitchen near you.

Did you know the Salvation Army St. Charles (Tri-City) Community Center has a food pantry? Eligible families receive food as well as diapers, if needed, monthly. To access the food pantry, registration is required and visits to the pantry are by appointment only.

The Salvation Army St. Charles (Tri-City) Community Center
1710 S. 7th Avenue
St. Charles, IL 60174
Phone: (630) 377-2769 | Fax: (630) 377-2849

• You can receive 3 months of childcare while you look for work or attend school?
• If you are employed at a childcare center or childcare home, you can receive $1 copay
• There is no copay for families that are displaced?

Find Childcare & Early Learning Programs Near You

Many families do not have dental insurance. Well Child Center's mission is to provide ALL children with dental services regardless of their parents' ability to play. From 1 to 18 - with or without insurance - they can receive a comprehensive, full service dental exam.

Muchas familias no tienen seguro dental. La misión de Well Child Center es proporcionar servicios dentales a TODOS los niños independientemente de la capacidad de pago de sus padres. Desde 1 año de edad hasta los 19 años, con o sin seguro puede recibir un examen dental integral de servicio completo.

Do you want to learn English? We will match you with a tutor who will teach you one hour each week. You can take the class in the morning, afternoon or evening at the library or another public place. To qualify, you must be an adult who lives or works in St. Charles, Geneva, Batavia, Elburn, Campton Hills, LaFox, Lily Lake, Wasco or Wayne.

The St. Charles Park District welcomes participation in all activities by individuals with disabilities and special needs by working cooperatively with the Fox Valley Special Recreation Association. The District is committed to inclusion by providing public recreation services in the most integrated setting, providing to the maximum extent feasible for interaction between people with and without disabilities.

Kane County All Our Kids (AOK) Network resource guide. Includes phone numbers for crisis intervention, dental care, counseling & behavioral health, child safety, counseling & behavioral health, food & nutrition, emergency shelter, and more.