News

March 24, 2026

Resources to Help Children with ADHD or Sleep Issues

Despite caregivers’ best efforts, most children do not get enough sleep, whether it’s because they are energized and do not want to go to sleep or they’re overwhelmed by homework.

But for children with ADHD, the Child Mind Institute notes, these struggles can be compounded with the fact that difficulty falling or staying asleep or waking up early are all common issues, and sleep problems can be a side effect of taking ADHD stimulant medication.

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The Child Mind Institute has shared resources regarding sleep issues for children with ADHD and what can be done to help them.

One article discusses how being able to wind down at night is a form of self-regulation and that children with ADHD have trouble stopping an activity they find stimulating – whether it’s reading or doing something online.

Another piece focuses on how caregivers can help children develop better routines to get to bed on time, such as providing support to help them set limits for themselves. If a child feels anxious about being able to fall asleep, the institute has provided tips on how to help them relax.

Occasionally, lack of sleep can cause children to have trouble focusing at school, according to one Child Mind Institute resource, and even lead to an ADHD misdiagnosis.

Below are the resources shared by the Child Mind Institute.

News

March 23, 2026

National Nutrition Month Resources to Help Caregivers Make Healthy Choices for Children

March is National Nutrition Month, an education campaign by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that focuses on informed food choices, good eating habits, and physical activity.

The campaign was founded in 1973 and the theme for 2026 is “Discover the Power of Nutrition,” which highlights how nutrient-rich foods can improve overall health and reduce the risk of chronic disease.

To celebrate the month, the Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Program (IECMH) has compiled a list of resources that can help caregivers make nutritious choices for the children in their care.

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Among the resources is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Early Child Nutrition Resources, which provide requirements for meals, food groups, and infant nutrition.

Pennsylvania’s Department of Education also provides guidance on food and nutrition for early childhood education settings. Some of their resources include:

One article shared by the IECMH – “How Snack and Mealtimes Can Help Preschoolers Learn Social Skills, Vocabulary, Math, Science, and Cultural Awareness” – discusses how snacks and mealtimes are important opportunities for preschool-age children to learn and develop in a variety of ways.

Other resources explore the role of food in emotional regulation, how snack time during after-school programs is important, and how predictable snack and meal times can teach children to listen to their bodies and foster healthy eating habits.

News

The Buzzword is COSTUME

As part of its programming, Buzzword distributes its signature “BUZZ Boxes” to local families to help excite children from birth to age five as well as their caregivers about new words that are all around them. These family engagement kits come complete with a high-quality children’s book and enriching activities that support early literacy skills and development.

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This month’s Buzzword is COSTUME, which means a distinctive style of dress. Buzzword’s COSTUME Activity Book will give children – ages birth to five – and their caregivers the opportunity to connect through science, art, music, and early literacy activities.

Caregivers are encouraged to read through Dress Up Day by Blanca Gomez with their child. Then, they should go through the different activities and ideas together, taking time to explain the meaning of the words and connecting them to their child’s real-life experiences.

Buzzword has also provided a COSTUME book list of recommendations from the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh for further reading.

View the COSTUME Activity Book and book recommendations.

More Information

Want to learn more on how to get involved with Buzzword? Ask your local Allegheny County Family Center about the program, or email buzzword@tryingtogether.org.

News

Start Strong PA Calls on Child Care Directors, Owners to Take Staffing Crisis Survey

The Start Strong PA Campaign is calling on child care directors and owners to take part in a survey on the staffing crisis survey in the next two weeks.

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Start Strong PA is collecting information about the ongoing staffing crisis and participation in the Child Care Recruitment and Retention Program that was included in Pennsylvania’s most recent budget.

The information collected during the survey will be used to demonstrate the continued need for the 2026-2027 state budget to increase funding for child care so the workforce is paid a livable wage and programs can keep classrooms open for working families.

Surveys must be completed by Sunday, April 5.

Child care programs should fill out separate surveys for each locations if they are multi-site organizations.

Some of the questions on the survey include:

The amount of open or unfilled staff positions
Whether the program has closed classrooms
Whether there are under-enrolled classrooms
Whether there are challenges with recruiting teachers

The survey can be taken online.

News

March 19, 2026

Homewood Hub Formula Bank Fed Nearly 250 Babies in 2025

The Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center fed 250 babies and distributed more than 800 cans or bottles of formula in 2025, according to a year in review for the formula bank.

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The Greater Pittsburgh Infant Formula Bank, which is managed by Beverly’s PGH, launched its network in June 2022 and has seven public bank locations and a mobile unit.

At the Homewood Hub formula bank site, a total of 250 individual babies were fed during 745 visits for infant formula support in 2025. A total of 834 formula cans and bottles were distributed. The site had a 4% staff error rate, which is calculated based on the number of cans or bottles of formula missing from the site without a checkout attached.

There was a 48% increase in checkouts at the Homewood site between 2024 and 2025.

Other statistics for the formula bank include:

64% WIC enrollment rate for bank users
28% preterm birth rate for babies fed (born before 37 weeks)
5% rate of babies that are breastfed and using formula for supplementation

The sites in the Greater Pittsburgh Infant Formula Bank’s network include: Hilltop, McKeesport, Highlands, Homewood, Monessen, ELRC Region 5, and the Babies in the Burgh Mobile Unit, and Beverly’s HQ.

Read the entire report.

News

March 18, 2026

Homewood Hub’s Remake Learning Days Event to Feature Kamin Science Center Planetarium

The Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center and the YMCA will present the Kamin Science Center’s new Mobile Planetarium as part of Remake Learning Days in May.

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Attendees at the event will be able to take a journey through the stars in an inflatable, immersive planetarium experience. They will also be able to take part in a constellation craft.

There will be several shows between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the YMCA Homewood Brushton Branch, located at 7140 Bennett Street, on Friday, May 15.

The event, which runs from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., also includes food and games between planetarium shows.

Those interested in attending can register online.

Remake Learning Days

Remake Learning Days, which is currently accepting submissions for events, is celebrating its 10th year in 2026. The innovative, national learning festival for youth and families includes thousands of hands-on learning events for children of all ages at libraries, schools, tech centers, parks, museums, play spaces, community centers, and more.

The festival’s activities are generally aimed at children between the ages of 2 and 17 as well as adults. Activities from previous years include building a robot, coding an art spinner, directing a film, doing scientific work, exploring the outdoors, making music, and printing inventions with a 3-D printer.

This year’s Remake Learning Days festival will run from May 21 to 23 in western Pennsylvania. The list of events, which has not yet been unveiled, is typically released in April.

News

March 17, 2026

PACCA Releases New TEACH Scholarship Tip Sheets for Providers and Early Educators

The Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA) has published several new TEACH Scholarship tip sheets to help make college access and professional development easier to achieve.

The tip sheets include resources for child care providers, early educators, high school students, and early childhood programs.

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The TEACH (Teacher Education and Compensation Helps) Early Childhood Pennsylvania Scholarship Program offers early learning professionals a debt-free higher education, supporting them while they work to become teachers and earn higher wages.

The new resource for family child care providers is TEACH Scholarships for Family Child Care Providers, which explains how TEACH works and how it can support professional growth with one’s unique needs in mind.

A new resource for early educators, College Enrollment Checklist for ECE Professionals, is a detailed road map to help one get started on their education journey.

High school students interested in early learning careers will soon be able to view the new College Enrollment Checklist for High School Students resource on PACCA’s website. It’s a step-by-step guide to help the next generation plan a career in the early childhood education field.

Making Release Time Work, which is intended for early childhood programs, provides practical strategies to help employers support staff in TEACH and receive financial assistance. Another resource, Sponsoring Staff in TEACH, discusses what employers need to know to invest in their staff with confidence.

All tip sheets are available in English and Spanish. Resources can be found on PACCA’s websites for early educators and employers.

News

How Providers Can Celebrate the Month of the Young Child

Trying Together celebrates the Month of the Young Child (MOYC) every April in conjunction with the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) yearly observance of the Week of the Young Child.

This year, the Week of the Young Child will be observed April 11 through 17.

There are several events taking place in Southwestern Pennsylvania during both the Month of the Young Child and Week of the Young Child.

Month of the Young Child

On Thursday, April 9, Carlow University and Westmoreland County Community College will host the 2026 Early Childhood Educator Student Affiliate Dinner on WCCC’s campus. This year’s theme is “Every Person, Every Path, One Passion,” which celebrates the work of educators to build inclusive education spaces for all learners. Tickets for the event can be purchased online.

Trying Together will hold its annual event to honor the Month of the Young Child and the work of early childhood educators – Celebrating Together – on Thursday, April 30 at Rivers Casino. The event will include a VIP Reception and the 30th Annual Celebration of Early Childhood Educators Dinner. Those interested in attending can purchase tickets online.

NAEYC’s Week of the Young Child

To celebrate the Week of the Young Child, NAEYC has set themes for each day between April 11 and 17. The week’s themed days include Kick-Off Saturday, Music Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Work Together Wednesday, Artsy Thursday, and Family Friday. NAEYC has provided a number of suggested activities for providers during the Week of the Young Child. The full list is available on NAEYC’s website. Some of the activities include:

Kick-Off Saturday: Share a video, blog, or social media post about why you celebrate Week of the Young Child, host a virtual event to share your proclamation, and create a plan for the week (for example, a playlist for Music Monday or restocking art supplies for Artsy Thursday).
Music Monday: Join the chorus for change by working with state affiliates to secure proclamations honoring early childhood educators.
Tasty Tuesday: Engage families by exploring culturally meaningful foods, sharing stories or recipes, and creating a community recipe book illustrated by children.
Work Together Wednesday: Help promote teamwork among children to develop their social and early literacy skills, or connect with elected officials.
Artsy Thursday: Find ways to display your classroom’s art projects for the community to see – for example, set up a gallery at a local business or public library.
Family Friday: Connect families with NAEYC, your local affiliate, and advocacy opportunities. Share resources that help families support learning and engage with policymakers.

Two great resources to celebrate the Week of the Young Child are NAEYC’s page, which lists a number of activities and provides information on the week’s history, and Discovery Building Sets’ 80 Ways to Celebrate NAEYC’s Week of the Young Child.

The Homewood Early Learning Hub and Family Center’s Week of the Young Child

The Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center, located at 7219 Kelly Street, has scheduled events each day of the Week of the Young Child that mostly correspond with NAEYC’s themes.

For Musical Monday, families are invited to an open house that features musical activities courtesy of Playnotes Pittsburgh, food, refreshments, and other activities. On Tasty Tuesday, visitors can listen to a dinosaur-themed Storytime at the Hub event that includes food, while the Hub will team up with the Holy Cross Homewood & Reading is Fundamental Storymobile for a joint storytime and activity on Work Together Wednesday.

Then, on Family Collage Thursday, the Hub staff will help visitors to create a special collage featuring artistic creations and family photos. Visitors should bring printed photos of their families for the activity. The finished collage will be displayed in the center.

Finally, on Family Fun Night Friday, visitors will be able to take part in an evening full of activities, food, and line dancing featuring special guest Attack Theatre. More information about the Hub’s Week of the Young Child events is available online.

Indiana County’s Week of the Young Child

The Week of the Young Child will kick off in Indiana County at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 11 with a proclamation at the Indiana County Courthouse. This will be followed by a walk to the Indiana Free Library.

Children’s activities at the library will include storytime at 10:30 a.m., crafts in the library’s Community Room from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and a STEAM Play Day from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

For more information on the event, check out this flyer from the Children’s Advisory Commission of Indiana County.

News

Resources Focus on Identifying Early Signs of Developmental Disorders

Children are often diagnosed with mental health or learning challenges in middle and high school after having struggled for years without support.

Some of them could have been identified and gotten help earlier if adults in their lives had recognized the signs. The Child Mind Institute has put together resources on how to keep an eye out for early signs of developmental disorders.

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The institute’s resources on how to recognize signs cover a number of developmental disorders, including autism, ADHD, nonverbal learning disorder (NVLD), and dyslexia.

One article focuses on NVLD at various ages, from preschool to high school, and how in young children it can show up as a motor delay or difficulty drawing shapes, building with blocks, or doing puzzles.

Another discusses how some of the earliest signs of autism include delays in simple gestures such as pointing and sharing objects with others. One resource focuses on how learning disorders such as dyslexia and dyscalculia often aren’t caught until a child is struggling to keep up in school, but there may be early signs in preschoolers, such as trouble with rhymes or counting.

A resource on ADHD in preschool discusses how identifying it early can help children get behavioral support they need to succeed when they get to elementary school. Anxiety and depression are covered in two other resources.

The Child Mind Institute’s resources include:

News

March 16, 2026

Homewood Hub to Offer Week of the Young Child Events in April

The Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center will offer an event each day between Monday, April 13 and Friday, April 17 to celebrate the Week of the Young Child.

Week of the Young Child

This year marks the 55th anniversary of the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) Week of the Young Child. Each April, NAEYC invites educators, families, and communities to come together for a celebration of early learning, young children, and the adults who support them.

Trying Together celebrates the Month of the Young Child, culminating in Celebrating Together, an evening of formal events that includes a VIP reception and the 30th Annual Celebration of Early Childhood Educators Dinner.

Homewood Hub Events

The Hub will offer one themed event per day for young children and their caregivers during the Week of the Young Child.

On April 13’s Musical Monday, families are invited to an open house at the Hub that features musical activities courtesy of Playnotes Pittsburgh. The event will include food, refreshments, and fun for the whole family. Participants will be able to learn about the center during the open house, which runs from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

On April 14, known as Tasty Tuesday, visitors will be able to join a Storytime at the Hub event that has a dinosaur theme and includes food. The event will run from 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.

Then, on April 15’s Work Together Wednesday, the Hub will team up with the Holy Cross Homewood & Reading is Fundamental (RIF) Storymobile for a joint storytime and activity during drop-in play hours. After the activity, families are welcome to stay and play. The event will run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

On April 16, which is Family Collage Thursday, the Hub staff will help to create a special center collage featuring artistic creations and family photos. Visitors should feel free to bring printed photos of their families. The finished collage will be displayed inside the center. The event will run twice on Thursday, from 10 a.m. to noon and from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Finally, on April 17’s Family Fun Night Friday, visitors will be able to take part in an evening full of fun, food, and line dancing featuring special guest Attack Theatre. Registration is required for the movement-based Family Fun Night. The event will run from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

More information about the Week of the Young Child events can be found online.