Thanks to this plan, parents and their physicians will have uniform criteria for measuring a child's development.
• As part of a plan to increase children's access to high quality educational experiences, United Way also unveiled the fully
transformed United Way Mobile Play and Learn program. After extensive renovations and thanks to the generosity of the Caritas
Foundation, the truck, originally donated by Two Men and a Truck, is now outfitted with educational toys and learning games.
United Way's Mobile Play and Learn will bring a teacher and aide to 150 children at five community sites a week, turning empty
community rooms into places where children and their caregivers can learn together. Children's Service Society will be helping
children and adults build skills and foster a sustained improvement in literacy, math and social development.
• To ensure caregivers have access to resources that help them become successful as their children's first teachers, United
Way is increasing home visitation programs both in urban and rural areas of Dane County. United Way will both reduce negative
parental patterns and behaviors, as well as increase positive interaction between children and parents.
• United Way of Dane County is committed to helping the community become aware of the link between quality early
childhood experiences and school readiness. By launching a public awareness campaign, United Way will provide caregivers
across Dane County with helpful tips on how to interact with their children in play that promotes learning and stresses the
importance of being a child's first teacher.
United Way is presenting an exciting new plan for our community, and it will create a lasting solution to issues of early
childhood development. The inspiration, though, still comes from the joy we feel in seeing children play. Now that we know they
are learning during play, won't you play along?
How to Get Involved:
• To learn more about United Way 's Born Learning Mobilization Plan, visit our website at: www.unitedwaydanecounty.org
• To learn more about volunteering in our community, simply dial 2-1-1. United Way 2-1-1 has resource specialists available
24 hours a day to help connect volunteers with opportunities and direct donations to agencies and individuals.
• As part of a plan to increase children's access to high quality educational experiences, United Way also unveiled the fully
transformed United Way Mobile Play and Learn program. After extensive renovations and thanks to the generosity of the Caritas
Foundation, the truck, originally donated by Two Men and a Truck, is now outfitted with educational toys and learning games.
United Way's Mobile Play and Learn will bring a teacher and aide to 150 children at five community sites a week, turning empty
community rooms into places where children and their caregivers can learn together. Children's Service Society will be helping
children and adults build skills and foster a sustained improvement in literacy, math and social development.
• To ensure caregivers have access to resources that help them become successful as their children's first teachers, United
Way is increasing home visitation programs both in urban and rural areas of Dane County. United Way will both reduce negative
parental patterns and behaviors, as well as increase positive interaction between children and parents.
• United Way of Dane County is committed to helping the community become aware of the link between quality early
childhood experiences and school readiness. By launching a public awareness campaign, United Way will provide caregivers
across Dane County with helpful tips on how to interact with their children in play that promotes learning and stresses the
importance of being a child's first teacher.
United Way is presenting an exciting new plan for our community, and it will create a lasting solution to issues of early
childhood development. The inspiration, though, still comes from the joy we feel in seeing children play. Now that we know they
are learning during play, won't you play along?
How to Get Involved:
• To learn more about United Way 's Born Learning Mobilization Plan, visit our website at: www.unitedwaydanecounty.org
• To learn more about volunteering in our community, simply dial 2-1-1. United Way 2-1-1 has resource specialists available
24 hours a day to help connect volunteers with opportunities and direct donations to agencies and individuals.
| Child’s play is more than just fun and games |
By Renee Moe
Reading to children helps increase their vocabulary and prepares them for success in
school.
Few things are more enjoyable than watching children play. Whether it's babies laughing at
a game of peek-a-boo, or young children painting their first picture, these moments are always
touching.
Do you know what else is going on during these moments? Learning. That's right, learning.
Your child might not be picking up a book or memorizing numbers yet, but even as early as 18
months, children are laying the foundation for their emotional, social, and intellectual
development.
Do you know what that makes you? You're that child's first teacher. If you are a parent,
guardian, grandparent or childcare provider for young children, you can help that child today
by developing the skills he or she will need to start school and enjoy success later in life.
In Madison, over 40% of children entering kindergarten are not ready to learn. Research
Reading to children helps increase their vocabulary and prepares them for success in
school.
Few things are more enjoyable than watching children play. Whether it's babies laughing at
a game of peek-a-boo, or young children painting their first picture, these moments are always
touching.
Do you know what else is going on during these moments? Learning. That's right, learning.
Your child might not be picking up a book or memorizing numbers yet, but even as early as 18
months, children are laying the foundation for their emotional, social, and intellectual
development.
Do you know what that makes you? You're that child's first teacher. If you are a parent,
guardian, grandparent or childcare provider for young children, you can help that child today
by developing the skills he or she will need to start school and enjoy success later in life.
In Madison, over 40% of children entering kindergarten are not ready to learn. Research
shows that the first five years of a child's life are critical to creating the foundation
for educational success of that child. Since March of last year, the United Way
Born Learning Delegation has been working to understand issues related to early
childhood development in our community. After listening to experts, considering
research and engaging the community in a dialogue, the United Way Born
Learning Delegation assembled the key strategies that will have the greatest
impact on the development of young children in Dane County .
On November 15, 2007, United Way announced a comprehensive plan to
address the needs of our community's children. With the Born Learning
Mobilization Plan, United Way will create a lasting solution to this community
issue. The Born Mobilization Plan includes an unprecedented county-wide
strategy with four key goals that will bring together community partners to improve
pre-school child readiness in our community.
• To understand the issue more completely, United Way is working with local
health providers, non-profit organizations and educational specialists to create an
integrated and innovative assessment plan for Dane County pre-school children.
for educational success of that child. Since March of last year, the United Way
Born Learning Delegation has been working to understand issues related to early
childhood development in our community. After listening to experts, considering
research and engaging the community in a dialogue, the United Way Born
Learning Delegation assembled the key strategies that will have the greatest
impact on the development of young children in Dane County .
On November 15, 2007, United Way announced a comprehensive plan to
address the needs of our community's children. With the Born Learning
Mobilization Plan, United Way will create a lasting solution to this community
issue. The Born Mobilization Plan includes an unprecedented county-wide
strategy with four key goals that will bring together community partners to improve
pre-school child readiness in our community.
• To understand the issue more completely, United Way is working with local
health providers, non-profit organizations and educational specialists to create an
integrated and innovative assessment plan for Dane County pre-school children.
| (From Top) A young boy learns valuable social skills by playing with other children; Children get an early opportunity to learn thanks to United Way 's Mobile Play and Learn pictured in the back. |