On March 4^th, Larimer County hosted the third annual Be Ready Family Fun Fair in Loveland. This year, the fair had over 85 families in attendance. Those who helped put it on made sure there was a great balance between resources for the families as well as fun activities for the kids. This meant a list of activities that incorporated learning, socializing with other children, and of course, fun. The Be Ready Committee put on six main activities including: letters to a T, boogie Bags, parachute, emotions wheel, routine charts and baby iPads. Each of these activities are beneficial towards development.

Here is how some of the activities incorporated learning developments:

• Routine charts are a great crafty activity for children to learn the importance of a routine. Social and emotional skills are the foundation for learning. When a child knows the expectations and is taught the steps to get through the day, s/he can focus on playing, learning and growing.
• Letters to a T was an activity that teaches literacy as well as fine motor skills. Children begin to recognize letters of the alphabet. They used the golf tee to poke holes in the letter as they are tracing it, (which also helps with fine motor skills).
• Emotions wheel. Around the age that kids are starting preschool, they are becoming more aware of their emotions. Emotions can be extreme. An emotions wheel is a fun, interactive way for kids to express their emotions. This activity is fun to put on the refrigerator, and every day, have your child move the arrow (brad) to how they are feeling. As children being to recognize what emotions look like, they can begin to manage their own emotions and show empathy toward others.
• Yoga is a great source of movement. Toddlers have tons of energy, so keeping them moving is important. One way to teach kids about their bodies, balance, and using energy is through yoga. We learn how to move our body to become stronger and more flexible, balance on each side, and to build strength. Starting yoga at a young age will build the foundation for staying physically active.
• Baby iPad was a crafty activity for children to show their creative side. Developing creativity and imagination is important in young children. This was one fun, simple way for the kids to show their creativity and imagination when creating their own iPad.
• Boogie Bags. Childhood Movement is vital for young children. Regular movement for young children not only helps children stay healthy, but enhances their learning abilities. When children move, they stimulate most areas of the brain, especially the center responsible for maintaining focus and attention. Movement is necessary for learning new motor skills, and is vital to health and development of young children.
• Parachute. Once again, movement is important in young children. The parachute was an additional activity to get the kids moving.

Along with these activities, each booth had fun little activities for children relevant to their preschool or program while parents learned and browsed. After the activities and resource booths, families followed the arrows to the food, books, and community vehicles.

Kids’ faces lit up when they saw that they got to pick a book to take home.
That was just what we wanted to see, children excited to learn.

As they exited the building, they stopped to see a local firetruck, police car, garbage truck, school bus, and ambulance. It’s always exciting to learn how these big vehicles impact our community in a positive way. Loveland is a great community to reach out to when it comes to early education. With lots of young families within the community, we always have a great turn out at our fairs. The BE READY Campaign for school readiness is the result of a partnership among Larimer County schools and community organizations. The intent of the campaign is that all of Larimer County - parents, the medical community, employers, childcare providers, libraries, school districts, grocery stores, community and government agencies, faith communities, service organizations - will share in this responsibility to make certain all the children in Larimer County will be ready to succeed when they start school. This fair was just one approach in getting families involved in school readiness, and we believe it was a huge success. Attached is a link to the Be Ready Facebook page to see more photos.

			Larkin LaBrunerie Larkin LaBrunerie is a Community Impact Intern for United Way of Larimer County. She is a senior at Colorado State university studying Human Development and Family Studies with a business minor. She is pursuing a career in human resources and wellness post-graduation. In her free time, she loves to ski, hike, and swim.