August 2, 2019 2019-20 PA NAP SACC Mini-Grant The Pennsylvania Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (PA NAP SACC) program is seeking licensed child care providers for their 2019-20 Mini-Grant Project! About the Program PA NAP SACC is a continuous quality improvement process focused on nutrition and physical activity practices and policies within early care and education settings. The program utilizes Go NAP SACC, an online, evidence-based tool to guide providers through self-assessment action planning, implementation, policy development, re-self-assessment, and reflection. The process empowers program leadership and includes individualized technical assistance to increase knowledge and improve the quality of practice and policy. With this, a limited number of programs will receive onsite, targeted technical assistance from a Child Care Health Consultant (CCHS) at no cost to the site. The CCHC reviews current practices and policies, assisting with developing sustainable policies and offering guidance for continuous quality improvement. Program Participation Beyond the reward of making a difference in the health of children in your care, those who participate and complete project requirements will receive a $500 mini-grant to support their action steps and enhance their nutrition and physical activity practices and policies. For STAR 3 and 4 programs, and STAR 2 programs moving to STAR 3, participation in all components of the program satisfies the performance standards and/or bonus point requirements related to utilizing a health care consultant to establish and maintain health policies above those required by certification. In addition to this, the program ensures participation in an organized effort to promote nutritional health for children. Technical support and policy consultation will be available to all participating programs. Timeline The PA NAP SACC Mini-Grant Project will follow the following timeline: Applications Due: August 27, 2019 Notification of Acceptance: September 12, 2019 Orientation & Kick-Off: October 2019 Implementation: Period of 8 to 9 months Reflection & Wrap Up: June 2020 How to Apply If you’re interested in participating, complete and submit the electronic application. All applications must be submitted by August 27, 2019. More Information For questions or more information, contact Lori McMonigal at 717.248.4942, x 112 or lmcmonigal@tiu11.org. *Information provided by PA NAP SACC
July 18, 2019 Eye Contact with Babies Increases Information Coupling A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences concludes that shared eye contact increases information coupling between infant and adult brains. About Communication is a fundamental part of life, especially when considering the early learning and development of a newborn child. In conversation, we use different types of social signals, both verbal and non-verbal, to share meaning with others. These signals can include things such as mimicking facial expressions, vocal tone, and eye contact. However, a recent study concluded that eye contact in specific can be a powerful tool to increase information coupling between infants and adults. Information Coupling In the study, researchers state that “previous research indicates that when communication is successful, close temporal dependencies arise between adult speakers’ and listeners’ neural activity.” Through these dependencies, an individual that’s communicating with another person can have varying levels of influence on the other person’s neural activity. In short, this coupling acts as a form of “social connectedness,” where the actions, reactions, and expressions of a person impacts how another person’s brain responds. For adults interacting with young children, using social signals such as direct eye contact can bring the child and adult’s “brains into temporal alignment, creating a joint-networked state that is structured to facilitate information sharing during early communication and learning.” Temporal alignment between adults and infants is important, as it “plays a vital role in supporting early learning across multiple domains of language, cognition, and socioemotional development.” Infants spend a lot of time looking at the faces of others, interpreting the way their facial features move, where their eyes shift to, and how their voices sound. And as they rely on these social cues to interpret meaning in their daily life, direct gaze is thought to be one of the most important cues for individuals and infants to infer communicative intent. Babies prefer to look at the face people who are looking right at them, with direct gaze even reinforcing the social responses that babies produce and their ability to recognize face-related information. Conclusion In conclusion, adults working or living with infants should consider using direct eye contact frequently with their child. Whether an adult is playing with, reading with, bathing, or even singing a nursery rhyme to a child, shared eye contact can act to build strong communication and information sharing between the two. To learn more about the importance of speaker gaze, read the full report. Article Citation Leong, Victoria, et al. “Speaker Gaze Increases Information Coupling between Infant and Adult Brains.” PNAS, National Academy of Sciences, 12 Dec. 2017, www.pnas.org/content/114/50/13290.
July 15, 2019 KidsPlay at Market Square KidsPlay provides free interactive and educational programming for children in Market Square, with local partners including Science Tots, the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, KidsBurgh, the Senator John Heinz History Center, and more. Active Dates Tuesdays, June 4 – August 27, 2019 | 10 – 11:30 a.m. Saturdays, June 8 – August 31, 2019 | 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Learn More To see a list of upcoming activities, visit the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership website.
July 9, 2019 Back-to-School Bash Join the Latino Community Center on August 24 for their Back to School Bash at PNC Park! About The Back-to-School Bash is a great opportunity for both parents and providers! For parents, celebrate the day with your children and enjoy live music, activities, and food while learning about programs available in your region! For providers, enjoy the day while connecting with the Latino community! Activities The event will feature: a book bag and school supply giveaway, children’s activities, a DJ, a meet and greet with the Pirates, a taco bar, and more! Learn More To learn more and ask questions, email Emily Blair at eblair@latinocommunitycenter.org. Interested in hosting a table at the event? Click here to register.
July 3, 2019 Kindergarten: Here I Come! At this annual event, children entering kindergarten experience a day full of fun and helpful resources, activities, and learning from Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh staff and their partners from around the city to help celebrate this amazing milestone and transition. Activities Visitors can look forward to: free museum admission for one kindergarten student and one accompanying adult, back-to-school giveaways, and delicious snacks and treats. More Information For more information, visit the event page.
4th Annual Autism Awareness Fun Day Families are invited to join together on August 11 for the 4th Annual Autism Awareness Fun Day. About This event will feature free fun activities, resources for the whole family, and a variety of vendors to explore and shop at. Participating kids eat free and will receive backpacks filled with school supplies while supplies last! Register To register and learn more, visit the event page.
Refugee and English Learner Access Day Want to learn more about the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh and other local organizations? Join Literacy Pittsburgh and the Library on July 28 for Refugee and English Learner Access Day! About Refugee and English Learner Access Day (R.E.A.D.) is an opportunity to enjoy fun informal activities, tour the Library, chat with people from local community organizations, get a library card, and find out more about local literacy services. Light refreshments will be available. More Information For more information, contact Shayna at newandfeatured@carnegielibrary.org or 412.622.3151.
Little Listeners Play Group Families with children under the age of three with hearing loss are invited to join the DePaul School for Hearing and Speech for their Little Listeners Play Group sessions! About This playgroup focuses on developing listening and spoken language through play and social interaction. Designed for children under the age of three with hearing loss, participating families will enjoy a variety of developmentally appropriate play-based activities, an onsite pediatric audiologist who can guide and answer questions, and time for parents to relax and unwind. Siblings are welcome. Registration To register, contact Michelle Parfitt at mparfitt@depaulhearingandspeech.org. For questions, call 412.924.1012. Share this flyer with your network.
July 2, 2019 Buzzword: Talk & Play Series 4 Join Buzzword Pittsburgh every Wednesday from July 10 to August 7 for Talk & Play Series 4! All events are free for learners ages five and under, with their caregivers, and will include activities that enhance vocabulary and literacy skills. A light dinner will be provided. Program Schedule The schedule of events is as follows: Wednesday, July 10 • Word of the Day: SECRET with Carnegie Science Center and Pittsburgh Festival Opera Wednesday, July 17 • Word of the Day: INFESTED with Carnegie Science Center and Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy Wednesday, July 24 • Word of the Day: PROTECT with Carnegie Science Center and Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh Wednesday, July 31 • Word of the Day: ERUPT with Carnegie Science Center and Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Wednesday, August 7 • Word of the Day: SOAR with Carnegie Science Center and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre More Information For more information, contact Jan Jones at jan@tryingtogether.org. Click here to view the Facebook event page.
June 14, 2019 OpenStreetsPGH Join Bike Pittsburgh in Uptown, Southside, and Downtown on July 28 for an opportunity to walk, run, and bike down main roads and explore businesses, watch live performances, and participate in countless fun activities for the whole family. About Take a classic Pittsburgh experience – traveling from a bridge into a tunnel – and try it on foot or by bike! Explore Downtown, Uptown, and Southside including the Birmingham Bridge, the 10th St Bridge, and the Armstrong Tunnel! Hop off your bike or slow your stroll to stop at hubs around the route! Hubs feature free fitness classes with the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh, kids activities, and local vendors! Activities As you walk, run, or bike down the route you will find: live performances, giant board games, local food and shops, fitness classes, kids activities, and more! Learn More To learn more, visit the Bike Pittsburgh website. Questions For questions, contact Bike Pittsburgh at 412.325.4334 or openstreetspgh@bikepgh.org.