DC Child Care Connections

09/26/2026

🍎 Happy Johnny Appleseed Day! Celebrate with a story together.

https://youtu.be/BsBnYiqIMJg?feature=shared

Do you know the tall tale of Johnny Appleseed? Follow along with th...

09/25/2026

Money lessons can start earlier than you might think!

💵 Young children can begin learning about money through everyday experiences—like talking about choices at the grocery store, identifying coins, or helping decide what to save for.

Parents shares age-appropriate ideas for introducing money concepts to children ages 2 and up.

💬 What’s one money lesson you want your child to learn as they grow?

👉 Explore simple ways to teach kids about money⁠: https://www.parents.com/simple-ways-to-teach-kids-about-money-12062810

09/24/2026

🌱 Consistent routines can help young children thrive.

Knowing what to expect throughout the day can help children feel secure, build independence, manage transitions, and develop healthy habits. Routines don’t have to be perfect—keeping them simple, predictable, and flexible can make a big difference.

💡 Try starting with a few consistent parts of the day, such as waking up, mealtimes, playtime, and bedtime. Visual schedules and calm reminders can also help young children understand what comes next.

Have questions about your child’s development? DC families can refer children ages 2 years, 8 months through 5 years, 10 months to Stages DCPS for a developmental screening. Younger children can be referred to Strong Start DC.

💬 What routine helps your child’s day go more smoothly?

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🌱 Las rutinas constantes pueden ayudar a los niños pequeños a desarrollarse y prosperar.

Saber qué esperar durante el día puede ayudar a los niños a sentirse seguros, desarrollar su independencia, manejar las transiciones y establecer hábitos saludables. Las rutinas no tienen que ser perfectas; mantenerlas simples, predecibles y flexibles puede marcar una gran diferencia.

💡 Puede comenzar con algunos momentos constantes del día, como despertarse, las comidas, el tiempo de juego y la hora de dormir. Los horarios visuales y los recordatorios tranquilos también pueden ayudar a los niños pequeños a entender qué sucederá después.

¿Tiene preguntas sobre el desarrollo de su hijo? Las familias de DC pueden referir a niños de 2 años y 8 meses a 5 años y 10 meses a Early Stages para una evaluación del desarrollo. Los niños más pequeños pueden ser referidos a Strong Start DC.

💬 ¿Qué rutina ayuda a que el día de su hijo transcurra mejor?

09/23/2026

📚🍎 Apple Week continues with storytime!

Sept. 26 is Johnny Appleseed Day, celebrating the story of John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed.

Turn it into a fun reading activity! DC Public Library has several children’s books about Johnny Appleseed available in its collection.

💬 Does your child have a favorite book about apples or fall?
👉 Find Johnny Appleseed books at DC Public Library⁠ https://catalog.dclibrary.org/search?query=johnny+appleseed&searchType=everything&pageSize=10&intendedAudienceIds=juvenile&pageNum=0

09/22/2026

🍎 How many ways can you learn math with an apple? More than you might think!

Apple-themed play can help preschoolers practice counting, patterns, colors, number recognition, graphing, and more.

Fun-A-Day shares 15+ hands-on ideas—including apple bowling 🎳🍎 and an apple taste test!

💬 Which would your child choose first: apple bowling or a taste test?

https://fun-a-day.com/apple-math-activities-for-preschool/

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Over 15 apple math activities for preschool and kindergarten kids. Practice important early math skills during your next apple theme.

09/21/2026

🍎 It’s Apple Week!

Looking for simple ways to bring learning into your child’s day?

This week, we’re sharing apple-themed activities that combine science, math, reading, and more!

Let’s start with science.
🔬 Little Bins for Little Hands has hands-on activities that let preschoolers explore the life cycle and anatomy of an apple and even experiment to find out whether an apple will sink or float.

💬 Ask your little scientist: Do you think an apple will sink or float? Why?

https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/apple-life-cycle-activities/

Learn the apple life cycle from seed to tree, flower, fruit, and seeds again with easy printable apple life cycle worksheets and activities for kids.

09/17/2026

🥚🥛 Is your toddler getting enough protein?

Protein plays an important role in children’s growth and development, but figuring out how much a young child needs—and which foods to offer—can sometimes be confusing (especially in today’s Protein hype culture).

Parents breaks down protein needs for toddlers and shares high-protein foods families can incorporate into everyday meals and snacks.

💬 What protein-rich food does your little one enjoy most?

https://www.parents.com/recipes/scoop-on-food/is-your-child-eating-too-much-protein/

Discover how to meet your toddler’s protein needs for healthy growth with practical food suggestions and supportive guidance from trusted experts.

09/16/2026

Looking for an easy way to keep your little one learning at home? Khan Academy Kids is a free app for children ages 2–8 with books, games, and creative activities that build early literacy, math, and social-emotional skills.

Their fall-themed activities are a fun way to explore the season while learning along the way. 🍎🍁📚

💬 What does your child love most about fall—leaves, pumpkins, apples, or something else?

👉 Explore free fall activities from Khan Academy Kids

Discover fun fall activities for kids ages 2–8 with free books, crafts, and learning in the Khan Academy Kids app. Celebrate autumn today!

09/11/2026

As the days get shorter and the weather gets cooler, invite your little one to become a weather watcher. ☀️🌧️🍃

Create a simple daily routine of observing the sky, checking the temperature, and recording whether it’s sunny, cloudy, rainy, or windy. Over time, children can begin noticing how the weather changes with the season—while practicing observation, consistency, and early science skills.

Kids Activity Zone offers a printable weather chart to help you get started.

💬 What’s the weather like outside your window today?

⬇️ Download the printable weather chart⁠
 https://kidsactivityzone.com/printable-weather-chart/

This free printable weather chart for kids is a fun daily activity for preschool, kindergarten, homeschool, or classroom. Download the free PDF.

09/08/2026

💛 September is all about supporting strong, safe families!

DC Child Care Connections invites DC families and caregivers to join us for two FREE virtual Family Engagement workshops this month:

💰 Family Finance: Building a Strong Financial Foundation
📅 Thursday, Sept. 10 | 5:30–6:30 p.m.
Learn practical strategies for budgeting, financial planning, preparing for unexpected expenses, and everyday money management. Families will also discover fun ways to begin teaching young children about money.

Register Here: https://bit.ly/46aRFBg

🎒 Family and Caregiver Chat: School Safety
📅 Thursday, Sept. 24 | 5:30–6:30 p.m.
Join an interactive conversation about keeping children safe at school, while traveling, and during indoor and outdoor play. DC government representatives will share tips for preventing injuries, preparing for fall weather hazards, responding to emergencies, and more.

Register Here: https://bit.ly/4xgkUxs

💬 Which conversation would be most helpful for your family right now—finances or school safety?