September is a busy month in Cambridge with a number of fun fall festivals to attend. Let’s Talk! will be giving out free children’s books at these events!
Cambridge Book Bike is ready for it’s fifth year! The Book Bike will be at 5 parks from July 9 to August 10th, 11:30 to 12:30 p.m. Cambridge children of all ages can pick a free book, do a craft, get a free lunch and hear stories read aloud.
To stay up-to-date on schedule changes or rainouts, call 617-349-4038 or follow us on Facebook, or Twitter.
The Book Bike supports healthy bodies and healthy minds by visiting many of the Cambridge parks that participate in the Summer Food Program, which provides free lunches to children under 18. Summer Food Program Schedule 2018
The goal of the Book Bike is to give all children access to books to build their home library for enjoyment and learning in the summer to help prevent “summer slide”. Meeting families in the park for stories and activities, the Book Bike models that reading is fun! The program provide a wide variety of titles, topics and languages so children can find a book they want to read. Research has shown that children read more when they select the book. For more information:
The Men’s Health League, in partnership with the Men of Color Task Force, is hosting the 25th annual Hoops ‘N’ Health sports tournament and health fair on Saturday, June 16 at Hoyt Field in Cambridge. This year’s Hoops ‘N’ Health will feature basketball and flag football tournaments, an “Ask a Health Care Provider” table and health screenings, live entertainment, cooking demonstrations, information about community programs, and a free healthy lunch. Kids can enjoy free books, face painting, gaga ball (a gentler version of dodge ball), hula hooping, and other activities.
Events Schedule
Health Fair, entertainment & kids’ activities: 12 p.m.–4 p.m.
Registration is now open for the spring session of Cambridge Community Playgroups. Playgroups meet weekly for 7-8 weeks starting in April. Children and their moms, dads or caregivers attend and get to play and learn together through songs, books, and fun activities.
Playgroups are held in different locations around the city. There are three groups for children 2-5 years and two Tiny Tots groups for children 15-23 months. Details about the times and locations of groups are on the registration form.
To sign up, fill out the registration form belowand return it by Friday, March 23, 2018.
By mail: Center for Families, c/o DHSP, 51 Inman St., Cambridge, MA, 02139 In person: Give it to anyone at the Center for Families (70 Rindge Ave.) or the Agenda for Children Literacy Initiative (119 Windsor St., ground floor). You will hear from us by March 29th to know if you are in a group or on the waitlist.
Questions? Contact Natalia at 617-665-3825 or nmartinez@challiance.org.
Playgroups are sponsored by the Agenda for Children Literacy Initiative and the Center for Families.
Play Boxes contain collections of small, familiar, inexpensive items that are organized around a play theme and are presented in an appealing way. They are ideal for rainy days, sick days, play dates, when a child needs a break from screens or when “bored” and looking for something fun to do. They make great gifts too!
Here’s how to create Play Boxes for your child:
1. Find a sturdy cardboard box or a plastic bin.
2. Choose a theme and put a label on the box (including both a simple word and a picture of the theme). Decorate the box yourself or with your child, if you like.
3. Collect items for your box at home or purchase supplies at drug stores, hardware stores, stationery stores, arts and crafts stores, and/or grocery stores.
4. Put items in small containers, sandwich bags, or build dividers with pieces of cardboard to make appropriate compartments in the box. Young children often like to organize play items by returning everything to its place.
TRUCE (Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Children’s Entertainment) developed Play Boxes and has ideas for 14 different box themes such as: cooking, nature, vehicles and first aid. Ideas: Play Boxes
Playing with the everyday items in these boxes encourages children to ask questions, investigate, problem solve, and act out familiar scenes. Creative play develops valuable skills including creativity, communication, collaboration, and early academic skills. Children are natural “scientists,” exploring and learning about their world while involved in activities sometimes misunderstood as “just play.”
Play Boxes are a great way to support children’s creative play by providing easily available, engaging activities and materials!
For other ideas about children and play: TRUCE website
Registration is now open for the winter session of Cambridge Community Playgroups. Playgroups meet weekly for 7-8 weeks starting in January. Children and their moms, dads or caregivers attend and get to play and learn together through songs, books, and fun activities.
Playgroups are held in different locations around the city. There are three groups for children 2-5 years and two Tiny Tots groups for children 15-23 months. Details about the times and locations of groups are on the registration form.
To sign up, fill out the registration form belowand return it by Wednesday, December 13, 2017.
By mail: Center for Families, c/o DHSP, 51 Inman St., Cambridge, MA, 02139 In person: Give it to anyone at the Center for Families (70 Rindge Ave.) or the Agenda for Children Literacy Initiative (119 Windsor St., ground floor). You will hear from us by December 15th to know if you are in a group or on the waitlist.
Questions? Contact Natalia at 617-665-3825 or nmartinez@challiance.org.
Playgroups are sponsored by the Agenda for Children Literacy Initiative and the Center for Families.
Join us on Saturday, November 4th for the 21st Annual Cambridge Family Literacy Fun Day, which kicks off National Family Literacy Month (November). 2017 FLFD FLyer
This free event will take place at Cambridge City Hall from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and is open to all Cambridge families with children in pre-K through grade 3.
The event includes children’s activities, free books, Bonaparte the Magician (show at 1:45 p.m.), sing-a-long, face painting, and more! For more information, call 617-349-6492.
This event is sponsored by the Agenda for Children Literacy Initiative, Cambridge Public Library, Cambridge Public Schools – Title 1 Program, Center for Families, and City of Cambridge Department of Human Service Programs.
TRUCE (Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Children’s Entertainment) created a handout for parents about how to make Play Boxesfor their children.
Play Boxes contain “collections of small, familiar, inexpensive items that are organized around a play theme and are presented in an appealing way”.
There are suggestions for 13 different boxes from first aid or office to cooking or vehicles. Click for the list of suggestions: Play Box Ideas
In addition to having fun, playing with everyday items in Play Boxes encourages children to ask questions, solve problems, and act out familiar scenes. Creative play helps develop creativity, communication, collaboration, and early academic skills.
