January 2024

Hello! Thank you for taking a moment to read through this month's Early Childhood Community Liaison Newsletter, with a big emphasis on COMMUNITY! Each month, you'll find great information from several entities in Cody that work directly with young children. (Please note that this newsletter works best using the Chrome web browser. If you have difficulties downloading any of the documents found below, please reach out to me directly and I'll send them to you. My contact information can be found at the bottom of this newsletter.)

All programs are FREE and open to children of ALL ages!! Attending any of these programs is a great way to support and extend the learning your child is already doing at his/her preschool or at home. Please note that parents must remain in the classroom for the duration of each program and are expected to be active participants with their child(ren). Be sure to download the January schedule below!

8 Easy Math Games For Young Children

It's never too early for kids to start learning about math. From around the age of 2, your child is developmentally ready to understand the one-to-one relationship between a numeral and objects. They know, for instance, that two is more than one. To teach them important concepts and prepare them for school, consider playing the following eight games that double as math lessons for toddlers.

1. Count Together

Learning to count is a great introduction to mathematics for toddlers. Counting fingers and toes from one to ten is particularly fun when accompanied by rhymes such as "one, two, buckle my shoe." Aim to work counting in throughout your day, such as lining up toys on the floor or pieces of finger food on their plates for them to add up.

2. Sort Objects

To help your child understand groups, you can sort things based on categories, such as color, size, shape, texture, or use. For instance, have them separate their toy cars from toy airplanes or spoons from forks. They can also sort building blocks by color or size, and then count how many are in each group.

3. Set the Table

Teach your child that mathematics has real-life applications too! Setting one plate (preferably non-breakable) for one person, two cups for two people, and so on helps your toddler learn important skills. They can also help with cooking, such as asking them to get four carrots, three apples, or two eggs.

4. Name Shapes

The naming of shapes is fundamental to your child's understanding of math. Play a game of finding squares and circles around the house. For example, point out your circular clock, square blocks, rectangular toaster, etc. Also, show them how triangles can fit together to make a square and smaller objects can fit inside larger ones, such as bowls or cups.

5. Teach Spatial Relationships

Play games that teach the concepts of “near and far” or “under and over.” For example: Walk towards me when I say “near,” and backward when I say “far.” Climb over the chair and under the table. Also, let your toddler practice volume and quantity by filling cups with water or sand, and transferring contents from one container to another.

6. Compare Sizes

Here’s a math game for toddlers that teaches size: Ask your child to gather their stuffed animals, then line them up from smallest to largest. You can also encourage your child to stretch as big as they can and then curl up to make themself tiny. Talk about how people of different ages have different sizes, pointing out that you are bigger than your toddler and that they are bigger now than when they were born.

7. Teach Patterns

Patterns are also an important math concept for toddlers. Set up the start of a simple pattern of blocks or other toys in alternating color or shapes and let your child add on. Puzzles, building bricks, magnetic building tiles, and lacing toys also build on these skills of observation, repetition, and construction.

8. Use Math Concept Words

Phrases that denote quantity, like "a lot" and "a few," begin to take on meaning when used in everyday conversations. Make a point to include these phrases while grocery shopping, eating dinner, and playing games. Ask your child how many of an item they can see or whether they have more of one type of item or another.

Winter is the best time to curl up with great books, isn’t it?! And what better place to find your favorites than the nice, warm library!!

• Those fabulous folks from Children’s Resource Center will have their amazing Toddler Playgroup on Thursday morning, January 11th at 10:00, especially for ages 1-3.
• “Winter Reading” is a super-simple program for all ages beginning January 16th and going through February. Simply write down the name of a book you’ve read (including books you read to your kids) and put it in a bowl for a drawing! There will be fun prizes awarded for all age groups.
• Toddler Time is every Monday morning from 10:00-10:20, especially for ages 1-3, with short stories, music, and movement.
• Story Time is every Tuesday and Wednesday morning from 10:00-10:45, especially for kids with a little longer attention span. Stories, music, games and crafts geared for ages 3-5. Please note there will be no Story Time January 2 + 3.

Your library is open Monday-Thursday 9:00-7:00, Friday and Saturday 9:00-5:00. You can call the Kids’ Library directly at (307) 527-1884.

Reminder: Kids who practice caring about others grow into adults who regularly care about others.

Be sure to check out the Cody Calendar of Events for information about local happenings in our community.

Wyoming Department of Health Children's Programs

In order to build a healthier future for our state, the Wyoming Department of Health offers several programs to assist Wyoming’s youngest residents.

Kid Care CHIP provides affordable health coverage for the children of working parents in Wyoming. The program provides free preventive dental and health care. Other health services are available for a small co-pay. Kid Care CHIP is available to the children of parents’ whose income lies below 200% of the federal poverty level and are not eligible for Medicaid.

Wyoming Medicaid children’s programs provide health coverage for eligible children from birth through age 18. Programs include:

• Child MAGI
• Foster care children in DFS custody
• Former Foster Youth up to the age of 26 who were in DFS custody and on a federally funded Medicaid program at the age of 18
• Children receiving an adoption subsidy
• Newborns born to Medicaid-eligible mothers are automatically eligible for the first year

To qualify a child must be:

• A Wyoming resident
• U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents who have lived in the U.S. for at least five years
• A child ages 0-18
• Income eligible for Child MAGI
• Children ages 0-5 whose family income is at or below 154% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL)
• Children ages 6-18 whose family income is at or below 133% of the FPL

The Children’s Mental Health Waiver is a short-term home and community-based program that uses an intensive care coordination model designed to provide a community-based alternative for youth with serious emotional disturbance who might otherwise be hospitalized and whose parents may be required to relinquish custody of their child for them to receive needed mental health treatment and services.

The Children’s Mental Health Waiver seeks to:

(1) prevent custody relinquishment for youth to receive mental health treatment

(2) prevent or reduce the length of costly psychiatric hospital stays

(3) provide a mechanism to offer mental health support services to youth with serious emotional disturbance and their families in identified service areas. The Children’s Mental Health Waiver is not a long-term care waiver.

For Children’s Mental Health Waiver eligibility information please click here.

Cold Weather on the Horizon

PARK COUNTY – However enjoyable the snow, ice and freezing temperatures are, for some people, there are steps that need to be taken to stay safe in the cold. Frostbite, hypothermia, and possible death are real life consequences of severe cold weather. According to the Mayo Clinic:

• Frostbite – an injury caused by freezing of the skin and underlying tissues. First skin becomes very cold and red, then numb, hard and pale. Frostbite is most common on the fingers, toes, nose, ears, cheeks and chin. Exposed skin in cold, windy weather is most vulnerable to frostbite.

• Hypothermia is a medical emergency that occurs when your body loses heat faster than it can produce heat, causing a dangerously low body temperature. Normal body temperature is around 98.6 F (37 C). Hypothermia occurs as your body temperature falls below 95 F (35 C). Symptoms can include confusion.

Dressing for the weather is an important step in staying warm and comfortable during the winter. Cold weather dress can include:

1. Dressing in layers, as anyone that grew up in Wyoming knows, the base layers are the way to go.
2. Gloves and hats, for both comfort and protection.
3. Waterproof snow boots, because wet means cold.

A little preparation goes a long way in the winter and no vehicle should ever be without a survival kit of sorts, winter or summer. Always keep the gas tank full and a vehicle survival kit in the winter should always include:

• Jumper Cables
• Flashlights
• First aid kit
• Baby, pet, or special needs gear
• Water
• Basic tool kit
• Radio
• Cat litter or sand (traction)
• Shovel or ice scraper
• Extra clothes
• Hand warmers
• Blankets or sleeping bags
• Cell phone charger

And preparation for the home is never a bad idea either. House preparation in the winter should include:

• Know where the main water shut off is in your home.
• Check that all fireplaces, woodstoves, and electric or gas heaters are working properly.
• Keep the fireplace flue closed when not being used.
• Have someone check on the house during long absences.
• Keep garage doors closed.
• Have candles, lamps, and/or flashlights available.
• Take precautions to keep water pipes from freezing.

Making the weather forecast a part of a regular routine is important for winter preparation. Make sure there is plenty of time to get somewhere if travel is necessary. Always plan ahead and adjust schedules as needed. And don’t forget to protect pets, livestock and property. Make sure animals have appropriate shelter and basic needs met. And finally check on your elderly neighbors. If they haven’t been seen or heard from, reach out or call local law enforcement for a welfare check.

For more information on winter weather safety please visit the National Weather Service at https://www.weather.gov/safety/cold-before.

Brooke Sieg, PCSD 6 Early Childhood Community Liaison

Email: brookesieg@park6.org
Website: www.park6.org
Location: 919 Cody Avenue, Cody, WY, USA
Phone: (307) 272-0153
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057666729007