News & Notes

4C Family Newsletter | January 2025

Posted on by Scott Gunnerson

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 by providing high-quality services that improve the lives of children and families.

Parent Resources

Make Story Time A Routine At Home
Story time at home, even with babies and toddlers, is a wonderful way to bond with your child while supporting their early development. Reading together helps build their vocabulary, improve listening skills, and spark their imagination, even from a young age. It also strengthens their understanding of the world and encourages a love for books that can last a lifetime. Even just a few minutes of daily story time can make a big difference in your child’s language development and future success in school.

Why Is Tummy Time Important?
Babies spend a lot of time being carried in arms, strollers, and car seats. To develop strong bodies, they also need a chance to move more freely. Tummy time helps babies develop strong neck, arm, shoulder, and back muscles. Over time, babies learn to reach for an object while on their tummies. They also discover how to roll from this position. These new skills help them prepare for crawling, pulling up, and walking. To learn more, click here.

Choosing Books for Infants and Toddlers
Reading is an important skill for future learning. Here are some tips for choosing good books for infants and toddlers. Parents, caregivers, and guardians may find these tips courtesy of the National Center for Family Literacy helpful, click here.

Stretch, Breathe, Move!
Help children connect with their brains and bodies to relax, refocus, or work through big feelings. After we notice how our bodies are feeling, we can think about what we are feeling and label it, click here.

On The Calendar

Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Monday, January 20
The annual King Holiday Observance is a time that celebrates, commemorates and honors the life, legacy and impact of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. To learn more about his life and achievements, click here. There are several Central Florida events over a three-day span to commemorate Dr. King:

UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS

Find upcoming free, family-friendly events in Central Florida on the Community Calendar:

PUBLIC LIBRARIES

Local public libraries offer a variety of on-going events such as story times. Use these links to learn more about the offerings available to your family at a library near you:

MORE RESOURCES

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.

Neighborhood Centers for Families
NCF is made up of nonprofits, agencies, churches, and groups that work together to provide family-friendly, accessible services and activities to Orange County families, click here.

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