Children explored, created, listened to stories, and learned through play Tuesday, November 10, as Webster Ready Start hosted its Fall Family Fun Day at the Minden Civic Center.
The free event attracted numerous families with young children who enjoyed a variety of hands-on activities designed to encourage early childhood development. The event also gave parents an opportunity to learn about educational resources and ways to support their children’s development at home.
With the theme “Less Screen Time, More Family Time, More Brain-Building Play,” the event emphasized the importance of play in helping young children develop the skills they need for future learning.
Throughout the Civic Center, children moved between activity stations offering different opportunities to explore and experiment. Activities included building with colorful blocks, creating crafts, examining objects with magnifying glasses, and participating in interactive games. Fall-themed activities, including opportunities to investigate pumpkins, added a seasonal touch to the afternoon.
The Webster Ready Start Wee Play stations were also available, offering children opportunities to practice problem-solving, coordination, and other developmental skills through hands-on activities.
Storytime provided another opportunity for children to learn while having fun, with young participants gathering to listen as books were read aloud.
The event also featured informational booths where parents could visit with representatives from community organizations and learn about resources available to families with young children. A display of recommended toys offered parents ideas for encouraging developmentally appropriate play at home.
Children appeared to enjoy the wide variety of activities, moving enthusiastically from one station to another while parents participated alongside them or visited informational displays.
Webster Ready Start works to increase community awareness of early childhood education and provide children from birth to age 5 with access to high-quality learning experiences and programs. The organization’s mission is to help ensure children enter kindergarten ready to learn and succeed.
An important part of that mission involves helping parents understand how everyday activities contribute to brain development during the earliest years of life. Activities such as reading together, building with blocks, playing pretend, and exploring the world around them can help children develop language, motor, social, and problem-solving skills.
The organization also encourages families to limit electronic screen time in favor of activities that promote interaction, creativity, and learning..
For more information about Webster Ready Start and available early childhood education programs, call 318-377-3099 or visit www.websterreadystart.com.
