TALLAHASSEE, FL – On Friday, May 17, the Children’s Services Council of Leon County (CSC Leon) will host its second “Books, Balls & Blocks” Early Childhood Developmental Screening at its office. Families are invited to come and “play” between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. This interactive parent-child event is fun and entertaining, in addition to providing information about early childhood development, conducting developmental screening, and connecting families with available community resources.
In partnership with 2-1-1 of the Big Bend’s Help Me Grow program, “Books, Balls & Blocks”’ will feature activity stations centered around books (emergent literacy), balls (gross- and fine-motor, and problem-solving skills), and blocks (emergent math and fine-motor skills). The activities, paired with direct parental feedback, serve as a screening tool to determine if young children are on track with certain developmental milestones, such as communication, self-regulation, motor skills and adaptive functioning. For children with concerns, Help Me Grow actively connects families to services through a collaborative system of child healthcare, education, and family support service providers – all at no cost.
“At first glance, it may appear that a child participating in the activities is simply playing and having fun,” said Cecka Rose Green, CSC Leon Executive Director. However, in reality, this play encourages learning and facilitates important screening to determine if the child may need developmental services. “Many parents appreciate the simplicity of the activities and can visualize how to recreate these learning stations at home using everyday items and toys,” she said. “Community events like these help parents see just how important their role is to foster their child’s ability to learn, grow and reach their developmental targets.”
Three additional community partners will be onsite providing free resources designed specifically for parents: FSU’s Rebound & Recovery, WFSU’s Public Education/PBS Kids, and the Children’s Home Society of Florida. Parents and caregivers can learn strategies for coping with new or changing behaviors in their child, access early literacy materials, and how to get and stay engaged in their child’s learning during the summer.
CSC Leon is located at 2002 Old St. Augustine Road, Building A, Suite 50.
Families are encouraged to pre-register using this link: https://bit.ly/cscleonbbb517
The first 30 families to register for a childhood screening will receive “take & play” children’s bag of activities.
Resources provided by: 2-1-1 Big Bend Help Me Grow, Rebound & Recovery, WFSU Public Media, and Children’s Home Society of Florida
Sponsored by the Children’s Services Council of Leon County, Children’s Forum and the State of Florida, Division of Early Learning.
For an inside look at the first event hosted last December, click on the video below.