Columbia Parents as Teachers

07/26/2026

Neural Nugget: Babies who are talked to frequently know about 300 more words by age 2 than babies who hear fewer words, giving them a stronger foundation for language and learning.

One of the best ways to support healthy brain development is through serve-and-return interactions: the back-and-forth of talking, playing, making faces, and responding to your baby's sounds and cues. These everyday moments help build the brain, one interaction at a time.

Curious about what's happening inside your baby's brain? Explore our Baby Brain Map, an interactive guide that makes the science of early brain development easy to understand and put into practice: https://bit.ly/4w3j4jg

07/24/2026

Get out your calendar!
👀 Summer may be slipping away, but opportunities to connect & play are in full swing at Lend & Learn in August!
🚸 Countdown to K - Tues 11am-12pm:
On Tuesdays in August, we are hosting meet-ups for families with children of similar ages to play & prepare for school!
🔎 Nature Detectives - Fri, Aug 7, 10-11:30am
Nature play time, fun activities, and an optional short hike at Rock Bridge State Park
♻️ FREEcycle - Fri Aug 21, 10am-12pm
“Shop” for free gently used children’s items such as clothing, books, toys, and supplies
🚼 Baby Story Time with Ms Tess - Fri, Aug 28, 10-10:30am
Sing, read & play time for babies 0-18 months
▶️ Weekly Play Times: Tues-Thurs, 9am-1pm
Play, crafts, snacks & fun with friends
🌟 North Boone: Mon, Aug 10 & 24, 9:30-11:30am (1023 MO-22, Centralia)
Play & pick up diapers at the North location in Centralia
Lend & Learn is a free & fun program of First Chance for Children for littles ages 0-5 and their caregivers.

07/24/2026

Sleep is critically important for babies and young children and is deeply affected by routines. For many children and caregivers, instability in other areas, such as housing, can make it harder to have consistent sleep routines.

Policies and programs that support caregivers in maintaining routines can have an outsized positive impact on early development. This includes policies that may seem far removed from young children, such as housing or labor policies.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/3PbD432

07/24/2026

If you would like to help us provide school supplies to our youth please help us by donating school supplies to Rock The Community
Feel free to inbox us email [email protected]
Or call the number on the flyer

07/22/2026

While mattering is important to us all, our sense of whether or not we matter—to our loved ones, our communities, and the world at large—begins in the earliest days of infancy. While it’s never too late to build a sense of mattering, starting early can have an outsized positive effect on children’s health and well-being across their lifespan.

Find more strategies for building a strong sense of mattering in early childhood here: https://bit.ly/3NIZb0w

05/29/2026

05/29/2026

Brains are built over time, from the bottom up.

During early childhood, the brain develops rapidly, and early experiences shape the architecture of the developing brain—laying the foundation for all future learning, behavior, and health.

Learn more about brain architecture here: https://bit.ly/4hFNFwI