The ARIN Intermediate Unit 28 Early Intervention (EI) Preschool Program provides a variety of programs and services for children from their third birthday until entry into school. Services for children during the preschool years are provided at no cost to their families when the child is determined to meet eligibility requirements. Individual Education Programs (IEPs) are written to define the services that will be provided to those eligible children.

Preschool Services may include:

• Screening and Evaluation
• Support in Early Childhood Environments
• Specialized Instruction
• Speech
• Occupational Therapy
• Physical Therapy
• Hearing
• Vision
• Specialized Classrooms
• Transition to School Age Programs

Our secretaries play a major role in the ARIN IU 28 Early Intervention program from student referrals through their transition into kindergarten. They are a main contact for our program and hold a plethora of knowledge that keeps our processes running smoothly.

Nearly the entire world recognizes New Year's Day on January 1st. It's also one of the most celebrated holidays of the year! How does your family celebrate? Here are some ideas for some family resolutions:

• Have a weekly family game night
• Commit to one healthy eating change
• Cut back on screen time
• Eat dinner as a family
• Be quick to apologize and forgive
• Exercise together
• Play more

Want some New Years themed activities to try with your preschoolers? See below!

1. Chinese New Year Tracing Lines- Click here to print
2. New Year Coloring Sheets- Click here to print
3. Chinese New Year Rabbit Color by Number- Click here to print

1. Sing "On Top of Spaghetti"- Click here to listen to the song
2. Make your favorite spaghetti dish- invite your child to help!
3. Spaghetti Playdough- Click here to print a mat

8 Benefits of Outdoor Play

Why is playing outside so good for us? Besides getting us off the sofa or away from the desk, it also gives us an opportunity to explore our neighborhoods. While it's impossible to list all the benefits of outdoor play, we do have a few to share.

1. Playing outdoors is a freeing activity. It frees us from routines, enclosed spaces, and frames of mind.
2. The outdoors fills us with energy. Whether it's the fresh air, sunshine, or physical activity, we perk up and become motivated to accomplish things.
3. It clears the cobwebs from our brains. We sometimes get stuck on a topic, project, or issue and are unable to resolve it. A change of scene often brings clarity we didn't have before.
4. Outdoor play provides terrific physical activity for our bodies. Our hearts pump fresh oxygen to our limbs and brains.
5. We experience new sights and sounds. Children get to experience the world around them.
6. As a social activity, playing outside encourages positive interactions.
7. When you play outside every month, it becomes habit-forming - and this is one good habit to have!
8. It stimulates the imagination. Outdoor play almost has no boundaries. Your yard can be a kingdom or the playground can be a mountain to scale.

Outdoor Winter Activity Ideas:

1. Build a snowman
2. Have a snowball fight
3. Make snow angels
4. Have a bonfire (it's not just for summer!)
5. Go sled riding
6. Go snowboarding and/or skiing
7. Snow snowmobiling
8. Build a snow fort
9. Go ice skating
10. Take a walk and admire the snow, decorations, and winter scenery
11. Go on a winter scavenger hunt
12. Paint the snow! Mix water and food coloring in a squirt bottle!
13. Have a winter picnic

What's better than a warm bubble bath on a winter day?? Fun reasons to love bubble baths:

• Children find bubble baths fun and enjoy playing with the bubbles, which entice them to take their baths.
• Some bubble bath, bath foam, or foaming bath serves a dual purpose and can also be used to wash skin or hair.
• Bath foam preparations may be in the form of a liquid, gel, or solids in the form of powders, grains, or tablets.

Ways to celebrate Bubble Bath Day with your preschooler:

1. Focus on teaching them how to bathe themselves and take care of their basic hygiene
2. Use bath crayons/paints to get creative
3. Use bath toys for pretend/imaginative play
4. Use foam letters to practice the alphabet and make words
5. Cut a pool noodle to make bloating blocks
6. Use plastic foods to create "Bath Soup"
7. Let them play with shaving cream in the tub
8. Make homemade bath bombs (see picture below for recipe):

Ways to observe hot chocolate day:

1. Make hot chocolate. Wan to make your own homemade hot chocolate? Use this simple recipe!
2. Explore some science by making chocolate goop found here!
3. Make a simple hot cocoa sensory bin
4. Make your own hot chocolate playdough
5. Practice counting marshmallows and writing with the printable found below!

If your child currently receives early intervention services through ARIN IU 28 and will be entering kindergarten next school year, you will be receiving information this month! You will be given the opportunity to meet with your child's school district to learn about their programs and discuss your child's transition! If you would like a jumpstart on learning about the process, check out this presentation by the Arc of Northeastern PA! You must register if you plan to participate!

To register for January 9th, click here

To register for January 18th, click here

Winter means keeping kids warm, but did you know young children in car seats should NOT wear puffy coats or snowsuits when in their car seat? A coat or snowsuit can compress under the harness of a car seat, sometimes up to four inches! This compression can cause the straps of your child's car seat to not fit properly, leaving a dangerous situation.

How should you keep your young child in the car seat warm when it's cold?

Try these tips to keep your child warm and safe while in their car seat:

• Dress your young child in snug layers, like t-shirts and leggings. Add long pants, a long sleeved shirt, a hat and shoes and socks. You can even include a jacket.
• For preschoolers, after securing them in the car seat, turn their coat around and put it on backwards (arms through the armholes) so the coat is on top of the harness, or use a blanket in the car.
• Make sure your preschooler is in the safest car or booster seat as appropriate for their age, height and weight.

Armstrong County Community Action:

Phone number: 724-548-3408

Facebook Page

Website

Indiana County Community Action:

Phone number: 724-465-2657

Facebook Page

Website

Email: mfaught@iccap.net

Do you know about Power Library, Pennsylvania's electronic library? With Power Kids, you and your child can access things like:

• BookFlix: Watch videos and read books
• CyberSmarts: Learn how to be a safe, responsible and smart citizen with eBooks
• TrueFlix: Learn about people, places, nature, history and science from videos and eBooks
• Chat with a Librarian

In addition, many libraries throughout Pennsylvania offers their members access to downloadable or streaming eBooks and audiobooks through Axis 360 and Hoopla. Enjoy new bestsellers and old favorites on your compatible digital device! Check with your library for additional info.

Looking for a fun, free activity to do with your child(ren)? Check out your local Lowe's for the January 20th workshop! You can either complete the activity at the store, or get it to take home and complete!

Click here to register for the workshop! Change your store to the Lowe's location closest to you!

Check availability in your area!

The Dolly Parton Imagination Library provides books free of charge each month to children from birth to age 5.

Sign up for the FREE monthly Kindergarten, Here I Am eNews!

Each month get activities, tips and resources you can use to help your kindergartner prepare for and have a successful Kindergarten year.

January: We're Learning in the Kitchen!

Each month offers activities families can do together in a variety of settings. The activities within the Learning is Everywhere Calendar and on the website are aligned with the Pennsylvania Early Learning Standards (ELS).

Activities for your preschooler:

While your preschooler helps set the table, help them count the number of plates needed. How many forks will be needed? How many different ways can they fold a napkin? Does one person get a tall glass and another person a small cup? Once your preschooler has finished setting the table, have them assist with the meal. Encourage them to look at the recipe and say the numbers as you point to them and count the steps to make the meal. (Approaches to Learning through Play)

Have your preschooler close their eyes and guess what different smells are. Items to smell might be vanilla (extract), lemons, oranges, apples. Have them open their eyes and smell them again. Do they smell different or the same? What happens if they smell two things at once? Next time you fix a meal, see if they can guess what you’re cooking by its smell. (Scientific Thinking and Technology)

Explore a set of kitchen tools – strainer, turkey baster, potato masher, potholder, garlic press, spatula, slotted spoon, rolling pin, etc. Have your preschooler guess what the items is for, then tell them. After they have looked over the items, place one in a bag, and have them reach in and try to guess which one they feel. Ask them to describe what they feel—is it hard or soft? Is it cold or warm? Is it big or little? Does it move? Is it made of wood or plastic? How do they know? (Approaches to Learning through Play)

Sing up for the FREE monthly Learning is Everywhere eNewsletter!

Parent to Parent matches parents of children with special needs or disabilities with other families who've had similar journeys. A new diagnosis for your child might feel overwhelming, but P2P wants to ensure that you don't feel alone. By being matched to another family, they can provide emotional support, advice, stories of their own experiences, or just a listening ear!

Click here to complete a new match intake form

Want to become a Peer Supporter? Click here!

For more information, call 1-888-727-2706