Community Coordinated Care for Children is committed to strengthening our communities and families. It’s our belief that every child deserves a bright and successful future. We produce this newsletter as part
of 4C’s mission to be a community leader in providing high-quality services that improve the lives of children and families.
Safe Toys and Gifts Awareness Month
When it comes to toys and gifts, it’s important to consider the safety and age range of the toys. Prevent Blindness America has declared December as Safe Toys and Gifts Awareness Month. The group encourages everyone to consider whether the toys they wish to give suits the age and individual skills and abilities of the individual child who will receive it, especially for infants and children under age 3. This holiday season (and beyond), consider the following guidelines for choosing safe toys for all ages, click here.
Family Time and Learning Tips for the Holidays
During the holidays, it’s important to keep learning and quality time at the top of the list while children are home on break from school. Research shows that families who spend quality time together and connect activities at home to what children are learning in school have a stronger emotional bond and better communication. These kids do better in school. The holiday season also provides a great chance to expose children to new ideas and information. You can reinforce skills and knowledge. Encourage creativity, which supports their success in school. For some ideas to mix quality time with learning, click here.
National Handwashing Awareness Week
Personal hygiene begins and ends with our hands. And though we’re taught as youngsters to wash our hands before dinner, it’s important to remember that germs don’t care what time of day it is. Clean hands prevent sickness. So it’s especially important to learn the basics about hand hygiene so that you, too, can become a champion hand washer. For handy tips and information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in honor of National Handwashing Awareness Week, which takes place each year during the first full week of December, click here.
EVENTS CALENDAR
Here are upcoming free, family-friendly events in Central Florida:
Thursday, November 30
Oviedo Holiday Tree Lighting, Center Lake Park, 5 p.m.
Friday, December 1
Orlando Tree Lighting Celebration, Lake Eola Park, 5 p.m.
Winter on the Avenue, Central Park, Winter Park, 5 p.m.
Free Movie, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Bill Breeze Park, Ocoee, 6 p.m.
Light Up Winter Garden, Winter Garden City Hall, 6 p.m.
St. Cloud Tree Lighting, St. Cloud City Hall, 6 p.m.
Apopka Tree Lighting, Kit Land Nelson Park, 6 p.m.
Light Up Sanford, Magnolia Square Fountain, 6:30 p.m.
Free Movie, The Muppet Christmas Carol, Central Park, Winter Park, 7 p.m.
Saturday, December 2
Winter Park Christmas Parade, Park Avenue, 9 a.m.
Avalon Park Christmas Parade & Festival, noon
Longwood Christmas Parade, Ronald Reagan Boulevard, 3 p.m.
Winter Wonderland Parade, Winter Springs Town Center, 4 p.m.
Light Up the Holidays, Cranes Roost Park, Altamonte Springs, 5 p.m.
Season of Lights, Lake Lily Park, Maitland, 5 p.m.
Casselberry Tree Lighting, Lake Concord Park, 5 p.m.
Oviedo Christmas Parade, Oviedo Boulevard, 6 p.m.
Friday, December 8
Free Movie, The Grinch!, Meadow Woods Park, Orlando, 3 p.m.
Free Movie, The Polar Express, Lake Eola Park East Lawn, Orlando, 7 p.m.
Saturday, December 9
Health Fair, Engelwood Neighborhood Center, Orlando, 9 a.m.
Apopka Christmas Parade, 10 a.m.
Festival of Lights, Kissimmee Lakefront Park, 3 p.m.
Parade of Lights, Downtown Sanford, 6 p.m.
Free Movie, The Grinch!, Magnolia Park, Apopka, 6 p.m.
Violectric Holiday Show, Lake Eola Park Amphitheater, Orlando, 7 p.m.
Sunday, December 10
Free Family Funday, Mennello Museum of American Art, Orlando, noon.
Friday, December 15
Free Movie, Elf, Lake Eola Park East Lawn, Orlando, 7 p.m.
Free Movie, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Reiter Park, Longwood, 7 p.m.
Free Movie, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, Audubon Park Garden District, Orlando, 7 p.m.
Saturday, December 16
Open House, Orlando Fire Department Station 8, 9 a.m.
Party with Santa, Valencia College Poinciana Campus, Kissimmee, 3 p.m.
Friday, December 22
Free Movie, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Lake Eola Park East Lawn, Orlando, 7 p.m.
Saturday, December 23
Holiday Drone Show, Lake Eola Park, Orlando, 8 p.m.
For more events, check out the 4C Community Calendar, click here.
PUBLIC LIBRARIES
Local public libraries offer a variety of events such as story times. Use these links to learn more about the offerings available to your family:
- Orange County Library System, click here.
- Osceola Library System, click here.
- Seminole County Public Library, click here.
- Winter Park Library, click here.
- Maitland Library, click here.
EARLY LEARNING RESOURCES
School Readiness
The Florida School Readiness Program offers financial assistance to low-income families for early education and care. We are actively enrolling children ages birth to 12 years old. To learn more, click here.
Head Start/Early Head Start
The 4C Head Start and Early Head Start programs promote school readiness and child development for eligible low-income families with children from birth to 5 years old, click here.
Voluntary PreKindergarten
VPK is free of charge to all 4-year-old children in Florida regardless of family income. The high-quality learning opportunity builds a strong academic structure. Now Enrolling. To learn more, click here.
Child Care Resource & Referral
Finding the right child care setting is an important decision. Trained CCR&R Specialists can locate quality child care based on your family’s needs, click here.
Neighborhood Centers for Families
NCF is made up of non-profits, agencies, churches, and groups that work together to provide family-friendly accessible services and activities to Orange County families, click here.
Parents’ Pages
Get tips, strategies, and child development information from the Florida Division of Early Learning monthly newsletter, click here.
Sign up for the monthly 4C Family Newsletter alerts and other
timely information about resources and services. To subscribe, click here.