Author Archives: letstalkadmin

  1. 25th Annual Hoops ‘n’ Health!

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    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.
    • Red Sox trophy: 11:30 a.m.– 1:30 p.m.
    • Live music: 12:30–2:30
    • Wally the Red Sox mascot: 12:45 p.m.–1:30 p.m.
    • Gaga ball: 1 p.m.–4 p.m.
    • Cooking demonstrations: 2 p.m.–4.p.m.
    • Sports tournaments:  10 a.m.–6 p.m.
    For more information, contact Richard Harding at the Cambridge Public Health Department at 617-665-3769 or cphdevents@challiance.org. View flyer: HoopsNHealthFlyer

  2. Spring 2018 Community Playgroups

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    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 below and return it by Friday, March 23, 2018. 

    Spring 2018 Community Playgroup Forms

    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.

  3. Creating Play Boxes for Children

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    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

     

    (Adapted from TRUCE Play Boxes article)

     

  4. Winter 2018 Community Playgroups

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    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 below and return it by Wednesday, December 13, 2017. 

    Winter 2018 Playgroup Registration

    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.

  5. Family Literacy Fun Day 2017

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    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.

    FLFD14-2

    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.

     

  6. Creating Play Boxes

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    TRUCE (Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Children’s Entertainment) created a handout for parents about how to make Play Boxes for 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.

    Info about TRUCE: www.truceteachers.org.

     

  7. Early Literacy Parent Workshop Series, Fall 2017

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    Join us for a five-part series –  Early Literacy Development:  Dads and Moms Make a Difference!

    Learn concrete strategies to support your child’s language and literacy development (birth to four years).

    Share your successes and challenges with other Cambridge Dads and Moms.

    Topics include talking, reading, managing screen time, early math and storytelling. Free books and giveaways!

    dad and kid reading

    Thursdays, October 12, October 19, November 2, November 9 and November 16

    6:30-8:30 pm, Fletcher Maynard Academy, 225 Windsor Street

    Facilitated by Jen Baily, Agenda for Children Literacy Initiative.

    Limited child care available upon request. Light snacks served.

    To register contact Christine at 617-349-3003 or cdoucet@cambridgema.gov.

    Co-sponsored by Let’s Talk! and Center for Families.

    Info: Early Literacy Development Series fall 2017

  8. Fall 2017 Community Playgroups

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    Registration is now open for the fall session of Cambridge Community Playgroups.  Playgroups meet weekly for 7-8 weeks starting in mid October.   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 below and return it by Friday, September 22, 2017. 

    Fall 2017 Registration

    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 September 27 to know if you are in a group or on the waitlist.

    Questions?  Contact Jen at 617-665-3812 or jbaily@challiance.org.

    Playgroups are sponsored by the Agenda for Children Literacy Initiative and the Center for Families.

     

  9. September Festivals 2017

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    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:

    *15th Annual Port Community Pride Day, September 9th from 12-5 p.m., Clement Morgan Park. Info: Port Pride Day 2017

    *22nd Annual Danehy Park Family Day, September 16th from 11-4 p.m., Danehy Park. Info: Danehy Day

    Hope to see you there!

  10. Cambridge Book Bike 2017

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    Let’s Move, Let’s Eat, Let’s Read!

    Cambridge Book Bike is ready for it’s fourth year! The Book Bike will be at 5 parks from June 26th to August 11th, 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.

    • Mondays: Greene-Rose Heritage Park (Harvard St.)
    • Wednesdays: Hoyt Field (Gilmore St.)
    • Thursdays: Danehy Park (Sherman St.)
    • Fridays: Gold Star Mothers Park (Gore St.)
    • Fridays: Russell Field (Rindge Ave)

    Book Bike Schedule 2017

    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 Schedule: 2017 Summer Food flyer

    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:

    Why we should let kids choose their own summer reading books

    Book Bike partners include: Liz Phipps-Soeiro, Elementary School Librarian, Agenda for Children Literacy Initiative, Center for Families, and Cambridge Public Library. For more information check out the Book Bike website or contact Jen Baily, AFC Literacy Coordinator, jbaily@challiance.org, 617-665-3812