York County Head Start

10/09/2026

Save the date and don’t forget to say HI! 🤩

We are so excited to participate at the Sanford Springvale Chamber of Commerce’s Autumn Fest!

AutumnFest is just weeks away, and we are so excited to share this family-friendly afternoon of free fun with you! We just measured out the vendor spots and are happy to share that we have room for 3 more crafters and 5-7 more business/non-profit booths. Please apply on our website by next Wednesday, October 7th, if you are interested.

10/07/2026

💦 You may be wondering why we’re posting pictures of children playing with sponges and bottles in a kiddie pool. 😄

It looks like simple water play, but those little hands are doing some important work!

As adults, we don’t usually think about the strength and coordination behind everyday tasks. Squeezing a sponge, pressing a pump on a soap bottle, or squeezing a ketchup bottle seems easy when you have the strength and agility to do it. For young children, though, these are skills they are still developing. 💪👐

In our Springvale 1 classroom, teachers turned a warm day last week into a fun outdoor learning experience with water, sponges, bottles and plenty of opportunities to practice those fine motor skills. 🧽💧

Through play, children are building the hand strength, coordination and control they will use for all kinds of everyday tasks — from feeding themselves and getting dressed to drawing, writing and using scissors. ✏️✂️

🏠 Parents, want to try it at home?
Grab a sponge, a cup or an empty squeeze bottle and let your little one explore! Ask them: “What can your hands do?” You might be surprised by how much learning can happen with a little water and a lot of fun! 💦😊

10/02/2026

First there were 2️⃣,
Then...
There were 3️⃣...
Then
There were 4️⃣...

because reading books with friends is so much more fun... but it is more than being fun... it is about language and reading and social and emotional development and learning to share space and negotiate preferences.

Reading brings people closer... no matter what age they are!

10/01/2026

This is so Maine and so Head Start - you can feel it is Fall in the colors of the damp wood chips and the warm clothes the boy is wearing.

And then, you focus on his curiosity and exploration of the sounds different containers produce.

Even more, he was aware he has been filmed, so he made it into performance, demonstrating to his audience that the bucket and the plate sound different and that the plate sounds different depending if it is bottom up or down.

It may seem like it’s just a childish banging of a bucket but it is about expanding his spatial awareness, auditory senses, and building identity through socialization.

So, put some ear plugs and let your kids bang on all the pots and pans you got! It is a learning activity! 🥘🍳🎶🎵🥁

09/29/2026

Hopscotch is one of the most versatile games, supporting a child’s development in so many ways:

🏃‍♂️physical - balance and coordination

🎯emotional - having a goal and reaching it

💡cognitive - learning the numbers, left and right sides

👧👩🧒social - at first with the support and guidance of an adult, then with friends, hopscotch is always more fun playing with others!

The rocket floor decal is supported by a grant through the 5210 Let's Go! Program.

09/24/2026

Searching for the little spider with Ms. Caitlyn.

09/22/2026

Last week, Ms. Mariah had a fun educational activity with the children at Stone 1.

She started with a book about dancing with shadows, transitioned to showing how shadows are created, and then giving the flashlight to the little ones to experiment with the flashlight and creating shadows.

The children will not remember the exact activity but their little minds were challenged, excited, and their curiosity grew as the activity was unfolding.

What says more than the activity Ms. Mariah set up for the children in her classroom? 👤🔦📖

09/21/2026

The new superpower you unlock when you turn 4: being able to draw with two hands. 👩‍🎨🖼️🎨✋🤚

This picture comes with a disclaimer: While Head Start does not celebrate birthdays, if a child arrives at school with a crown like the one on this picture, we respect the parents wishes to have their child's birthday recognized.

09/14/2026

We added the signs below the main sign at our Emery St. Center today. Because we want more children to have the chance to receive a free quality care and early childhood education.

The other two pictures: a few signs of affection and friendship between children at the Early and the Preschool classrooms (separate playgrounds based on age).