Missoula Kid Central Preschool and Child Care

Fun day watching trees getting cut down across the street!

This all comes before writing. Let's work together and get kids ready to write!

Rainy day fun 😁

Wiggle, Freeze, Spin + more! | Dance Along | Dance Compilation | Danny Go! Songs for Kids You're invited to a DANCE PARTY!! ⚡️ Do you have enough energy to dance along to FIVE Danny Go dance songs?? Let's find out!! 🧊🐵🦖🤖🪱Wanna keep dancing? H...

Here's some great help for families that qualify!

Is your power bill higher then you'd like it to be.. How about your water bill? Do you own or rent and have utilities in your name? You may qualify for assistance with these bills. Maybe you aren't needing that assistance but know that your house could be more energy efficient... They can help with weatherization or furnace repairs or other emergencies! Take a second to fill out this application. One application - three services. Share with a friend, family member, or coworker that may benefit. Follow this link for the application https://dphhs.mt.gov/hcsd/energyassistance/

Text 406PARENTS to 274448 or sign up on the Bright by Text website: https://www.brightbytext.org/Families to get connected to free family-friendly events happening in Missoula County. Signing up will also connect you to tidbits of information about all things parenting.

Santa Claus Has An Actual Phone Number Your Kids Can Call Back in my day, we had to put pen to paper, write out our wish list to Santa and then send it all the way to the North Pole. ...

A new Missoula resource for families.

YES 🫤

Just three weeks until our annual Safe Kids Fair!

A good reminder.

via Printable Preschool

Smoke alarms can cut the risk of death from a home in half.

First Interstate Bank employees and the American Red Cross of Montana are teaming up to install free fire alarms in Missoula homes on September 14 from 1-5 p.m.

Sign up for sign up for free smoke alarms by calling 406-284-5462 or going online to www.SoundTheAlarm.org/Montana

How true!

So true!

Play is a child's work.

I feel this fits the current topic of the posts here on Listen to the Children.

The over-arching theme lately: Making the mistake of rating the value of play.

WHEN did we stop trusting in child-led play?
Child-led play isn't a new-fandangled idea, it's existed since the beginning of time. Children have always been wired to play, it just looks different from child to child.

The value in child-led play has always been there, it's always been important.

Children used to play for HOURS, uninterrupted by adults. Children would reap the benefits without the need for adults to check boxes.

But NOW, the belief of far too many people is that only SOME play is worthy of a child's time; "Play like "that"" is all that is valuable. I know this to be true because one of the most common questions I get asked is "How do you get children to play like that?"

What even is "play like that?":

•the kind of play that renders adults in awe of what they are observing?
•the kind of play that is free of conflict and uncomfortable moments?
•the kind of play that adults can clearly figure out what is going on and how it is valuable?
•the kind of play that causes adults who read about it to want to "make their students play like that"?

I am here to tell you that ALL CHILD-LED PLAY HOLDS VALUE FOR THE PLAYER

We absolutely have to change the way we are viewing play and return it to its rightful spot as VITALLY IMPORTANT

We have to stop only valuing "play like that" and INSTEAD, value and respect ALL OF IT.

Contrary to popular belief, play does not need to be "amazing", nor does it need to be directed by an adult in order for it to be "purposeful".

I love this quote by Janet Lansbury, and this picture of Max is the perfect example of CHILD-LED play that many adults fail to see as valuable.

The real life of a child.

Do you think this graphic would help parents understand why their kids' clothes might come home dirty?

(via Nature of Kids)

An after school option.

Register for After School Club 2022-23 Providing after-school programs and summer camps for elementary school and middle school aged kids in Missoula County Montana.