December 1, 2021 Children Admitted Free to Heinz History Center During the month of December, children aged 17 and under will receive free admission to the Heinz History Center as part of their A Very Merry Pittsburgh event. Individuals must reserve tickets in advance before attending. About the Exhibit The History Center’s exhibition, A Very Merry Pittsburgh, features a special section with family keepsakes, artifacts, film, and imagery that explore how Western Pennsylvanians have celebrated major winter holidays, including Christmas, Chanukah, Diwali, and Kwanzaa, through the years. A Very Merry Pittsburgh will transport you back to the bustling holiday season in Downtown Pittsburgh with decorations and artifacts from popular department stores like Kaufmann’s & Macy’s, Horne’s, and Gimbels. The exhibit is open through January 17, 2022.
November 12, 2020 Make the Most of Learning at Home With PBS KIDS Are you interested in learning how to develop a learning routine for your family and increase your child’s motivation to learn? Join PBS Kids on November 18 for their online event, “Make the Most of Learning at Home With PBS KIDS.” About With children across the country learning at home, parents and caregivers are facing new challenges. PBS KIDS invites parents and caregivers of children ages five to eight to come together for a discussion with educators, a child psychologist, and fellow parents. Get ideas on how to use PBS KIDS resources to encourage everyday playful learning. Presenters will answer questions and share tips on how you can maintain a strong connection with your child’s school, help your child stay motivated to learn, and develop a learning routine for your family. Registration To register for this event, visit the PBS Kids website.
June 19, 2020 Adaptive Dance | Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Hosted by the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Adaptive Dance is an online class series intended for children ages six and up with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) or other sensory sensitivities. About The Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT) emphasizes creative movement principles and modified ballet technique in a welcoming and structured studio environment. Classes are taught by PBT School instructors experienced in adaptive dance and are limited to 15 students. Live music/percussion accompany each class. Caregivers may observe and/or participate in classes if they wish. This class is for children ages six and up. All classes will be held on Zoom. Each student that registers for the entire semester will also receive an adaptive dance kit to bring even more of the studio experience to their home. Session costs five dollars each or you can buy purchase all six sessions for 25 dollars. Registration To register and learn more, visit the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre website. More Information For questions about the class or registration, email accessibility@pittsburghballet.org. Share this flyer with your network.
May 27, 2020 Growing Together: Lunch & Learn Series Join the Women & Girls Foundation, Pathways PA, and MomsRising on Fridays at noon for a “lunch and learn” series to discuss how families are adapting, how communities can come together to support each other during this time, and what resources are available to help families thrive. About Every week presenters will discuss a hot topic for working people and families, including paid leave, eldercare, parenting young kids, and more. Stop by to connect to resources, ask questions, meet others, and share what you’re experiencing. Supporting Our Elders During COVID-19 | June 5, 2020 | Special Guest: AARP Parenting Young Kids During COVID-19 | June 19, 2020 | Special Guests: Trying Together and PennAEYC Registration To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.
April 7, 2020 Learning with Parents: Children on the Autism Spectrum and the Arts Join Brazelton Touchpoints Center‘s Joshua Sparrow, MD for the premiere of Learning with Parents: Children on the Autism Spectrum and the Arts, featuring Elaine Hall, Founder of The Miracle Project, and Yudi Bennett, Co-Founder of Exceptional Minds. About In this webinar, participants will find out how – as mothers and entertainment industry professionals – Yudi and Elaine learned to not only listen to their children, but also give a voice to thousands of children with autism spectrum disorders and to help them discover their inner artists! Registration To register, visit the event webpage.
February 20, 2020 Nurturing Connection to Nature for Health and Wellness Join APOST and Pittsburgh Parks Rx at the Frick Environmental Center on February 28 to learn how spending time in nature can support physical and mental wellness. About Attend this workshop to explore how to plan engaging experiences that nurture a connection to nature by incorporating active play and mindful reflection. Participants will try out activities, share ideas, and receive tools and resources to help you connect youth with nature in parks or any outdoor space! A light lunch will be provided and free parking will be available on site. Registration To register, visit the Eventbrite page. More Information For more information, contact APOST at 412.456.6876.
February 4, 2020 2020 Census | Count All Kids to Reinforce Early Education Did you know that in 2010, five percent of children under the age of five weren’t counted in the 2010 Census? That’s roughly one million young children, the highest of any age group. To ensure all young children have access to high-quality, affordable early learning experiences, we must #CountAllKids in the upcoming 2020 Census. About The United States Census informs funding decisions for critical services and infrastructure in our communities, including the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP); the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Toddlers (WIC); and the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) to name a few. However, in the 2010 U.S. Census, there was an undercount of 25,197 children in Pennsylvania, resulting in the loss of nearly $44 million in federal funding. That’s roughly $1,746 lost for every child who wasn’t counted. Undercounts like this negatively impact Pennsylvania’s children and families, as social service programs are unable to provide services to all eligible families due to limited funding. Why It Matters In their report “The Road to Success Includes High-Quality Pre-K,” Pre-K for PA states that “high-quality, publicly funded pre-k programs prepare students for kindergarten and beyond by supporting the development of the whole child.” When a child is 3- or 4-years-old, they’re developing critical skills like problem-solving, emotional self-regulation, collaboration, and more. These social-emotional skills are what the Harvard Education Magazine calls an “on-ramp” to later academic success. In fact, Pre-K for PA states that “studies of children who were enrolled in high-quality social-emotional learning programs have shown that ‘[enrolled children] score, on average, 11 percentage points higher on academic tests than children who do not receive such instruction.'” However, due to limited funding, “in nearly two out of three state Senate districts, less than half of eligible preschoolers attend a high-quality pre-k program. In half of the state House districts, less than 40 percent of eligible 3- and 4-year-olds are currently attending one.” Limited access to such programs is negatively impacting the lives of young children, as “children from low-income families are a year or more behind their more advantaged peers.” One partial solution to these issues is to ensure that all kids are counted in the upcoming 2020 Census. While an accurate count may not entirely eliminate issues of access, quality, and affordability, it will ensure that Pennsylvania receives federal dollars needed to provide health and social services to eligible families in the Commonwealth. Will you help us raise awareness about the need to #CountAllKids! Click here to view Pre-K for PA’s full report. Available Tools Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children To help increase awareness about the 2020 Census, Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children developed a toolkit that features factsheets, posters, social media images, and social media post templates. In addition to the toolkit, Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children highlighted a list of resources for advocates, stakeholders, businesses, elected officials, military members, parents, caregivers, families, and people with disabilities. To access the full list, visit the Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children website. 2020 Census: Be Counted 2020 Census: Be Counted provides information and resources to Pittsburgh and Allegheny County residents about the upcoming U.S. Census. The website highlights important dates, census submission options, an example of the questionnaire, frequently asked questions (FAQs), and more. For organizations, the website offers a toolkit, email newsletter, mini-grants, and more. Request a Mail-In Ballot Pennsylvania is now offering two options community members can choose from to submit their vote if they are unable to get to the polls on election day, including a mail-in ballot and absentee ballot. Registered voters can submit either ballot via mail or in person at their county election office. To request a mail-in ballot, please complete the online application by clicking here. Both mail-in and absentee voters will receive a ballot in the mail to complete and return to their county election office by 8 p.m. on election day. More Information If you’re interested in learning more about the 2020 Census, read our “Count All Kids in the 2020 Census” news post. The post features additional resources and information about who counts, submitting your data, safety, confidentiality, and more. *Information provided by Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, Pre-K for PA, and the United States Census Bureau
November 22, 2019 Kate’s Kid Book Bash Join Reading is Fundamental (RIF) Pittsburgh on December 8 at Ace Hotel Pittsburgh for Kate’s Kid Book Bash! About Join RIF Pittsburgh for a children’s book festival to celebrate the life of beloved Pittsburgh children’s author, Kate Dopirak. Activities will include a children’s book art auction, storytimes, and book sales/signing by other authors such as Jonathan Auxier, Sharon G. Flake, and Nick Courage! Admission is free. All proceeds benefit RIF Pittsburgh. Share this flyer with your network.
October 21, 2019 Count All Kids in the 2020 Census Did you know that in 2010, five percent of children under the age of five weren’t counted in the 2010 Census? That’s roughly one million young children, the highest of any age group. In 2020, it’s important that we count all kids. Why It’s Important The U.S. Census impacts every person’s daily life, acting as a key indicator to inform funding decisions for services and infrastructure in our communities, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), the National School Lunch Program, and more. In fact, more than $675 billion in federal funding is directed to states and local communities each year based on census data. However, due to varying fears, questions, and situations, many families and community members may be unsure of when and who to provide data on. To ensure communities receive the funding they need, families and community members across the United States must ensure that every person is accounted for in the 2020 U.S. Census. Who Counts? Everyone living in the 50 states, District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories (Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) is required by law to be counted in the 2020 Census. View special circumstances here. The person filling out the household form should count all children currently living in that household, including nonrelatives and children with no other place to live, even if the living situation is only temporary on April 1. All newborn babies need to be included in Census data, even if they are still in the hospital on Census Day (April 1). If a child spends equal time at two locations, count where the child spent the day on Census Day (April 1) or coordinate between both parties to identify which person will count the child with their Census data. Do not count the child twice. Submitting Your Data Filling out the Census yourself, on your own schedule, can often be easier than waiting for a Census worker to knock on your door. Consider submitting your data online, via phone, or via mail. Completing it shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes. See what type of questions the Census asks. Non-English speakers can self-respond to the Census. An online form and telephone line will be available in 13 languages, including English. Language guides will be available in 59 languages other than English. If you are a young parent with a young child and are living with a relative or household member, ask them to count you and your young child on their Census information. For families who rent or recently moved, complete your Census information online or via phone. That way, you don’t have to worry about your paperwork getting lost during the move. Safety & Confidentiality All responses submitted to the 2020 Census are safe, secure, and protected by federal law. Submitted answers will only be used to generate statistics and cannot be used against you in any way. All responses submitted to the U.S. Census Bureau household and business surveys are confidential. Even if a child is living in a place they aren’t supposed to be, it’s important to count them during Census data collection. Submitted information cannot be used against you or the child. The Census Bureau will never share information with immigration enforcement agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), law enforcement agencies like the police or Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), or allow this information to be used to determine eligibility for government benefits. The Census will never ask you for your Social Security number, your bank or credit account information, money, or anything on behalf of a political party. Be careful of fraud and scams. Resources For more information on the 2020 Census, view the following resources that were provided by the U.S. Census Bureau: Census 101: What You Need to Know Counting Young Children in the 2020 Census Options to Respond to the 2020 Census The 2020 Census and Confidentiality Learn More For questions, visit the FAQ page or call 301.763.4636 or 800.923.8282. For information on services for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, call the TTY number at 800.877.8339 to reach the Federal Relay Service. *Information provided by the U.S. Census Bureau
October 17, 2019 CitiParks Annual Track & Treat Join Citiparks on October 26 for its annual “Track and Treat” event at the Bud Harris Cycling Track on Washington Boulevard. About Citiparks Track and Treat is a free, fun, and active seasonal event for children and families with a Halloween theme. Children and families are welcome to wear their Halloween costumes, bring their own bikes, or borrow one! Cycle around the Bud Harris Cycling Track–stopping along the way to learn bike etiquette, safety, and maintenance from the Pittsburgh Police Bicycle Unit and have fun decorating their bikes. Children can play a host of Halloween and seasonal games and win prizes, enjoy Pittsburgh Puppet Works Halloween shows and the Dr. Sparks Science Show, and enjoy giant bubble making, balloons, and face painting. Generous donations include Eat n’ Park Monster Mash Cookies and Bike PGH information and resources. Children and families can enjoy life-size hand-painted seasonal decor including a haunted house facade, a barn and barnyard characters, minion city, pumpkin people, and more. Games and Activities Games and activities include: Halloween Costume Contest (2 p.m.), Pumpkin Decorating, Inflatable Games, Pumpkin Cone Toss, Spider Corn Hole Toss, Pumpkin Bowling, Guess How Many (Candy Corn), Break a Balloon, and more! More Information To learn more, visit the CitiParks website.
