Fair

On Saturday, August 14, 2010, Foundation for Early Learning joined with over 100 partner organizations to kick off the 2010 Early Learning Fair.

In Seattle, the Foundation partnered with Casey Family Programs to organize an early learning exhibit as part of the Educational Resource Street Fair.

Despite the temperature hovering above 90°F, families and organizations from across Seattle came out to share information, play games and support children. Over 1,500 people attended Saturday's event.

In addition to connecting families with educational resources, the day included a ceremony where the Early Learning Action Alliance presented Crayon Awards to legislators who have been strong advocates for education. You can view the complete list of recipients by clicking here.

The Foundation distributed Getting School Ready!® booklets, magnet picture frames and preschool coloring books.

Thanks to Bartell Drugs, the Foundation also distributed over 200 bottles of hand sanitizer to parents, so children can enter kindergarten germ-free.

This past Saturday, our partners in Richland also held their fair event. With support from Foundation for Early Learning, United Way of Benton and Franklin Counties partnered with the local library to host fun activities for children that support school-readiness. Children blew bubbles, learned about colors and painted a sign for the event. Foundation Board Member Dennis Gissi joined in on the day's activities.

Over the next six weeks, fair activities will continue across Washington. These educational exhibits and early learning activities will be hosted in the following cities Aberdeen, Bellevue, Chehalis, Colfax, Covington, Everett, Langley, Marysville, Mount Vernon, Olympia, Puyallup, Richland, Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Toppenish, Vashon, Walla Walla, Wapato, Wenatchee, and others.

To find an event in your community, please visit the Early Learning Community events page and select a push-pin on the interactive map.

It’s back to school for kids of all ages! Back to school as I remember meant picking out one new outfit, the latest cartoon superhero lunch box, and flashiest pencil sets. Even as a veteran student today myself, my personal love for learning cannot completely suppress that terrifying -“oh my gosh…summer is over!”- panic elicited by the approaching first day back at school.

For parents and little ones, who haven’t yet developed a back to school routine of their own, the process can be confusing and even daunting. These first getting to school adventures should be exciting and encouraging for families and their youngest learners.

Universal access to early learning information and community resources is essential for a thriving early learning community. According to the Department of Early Learning’s Parent Needs Assessment, most parents want more information on early learning. The most requested was information about activities, events, and family community services.

This September 20, 2008 will begin a tradition of the Early Learning Resource Fair. The fair is the Foundation’s way to kick-off fall’s back to school. To help support children, parents, families and the community in getting school ready! The event will include early learning resources and activities at over 60 locations in Washington State stretching from Spokane to Walla Walla, and Wenatchee to the Puget Sound.

The downtown Seattle activities for the Early Learning Resource Fair will be held at Westlake Center 11am-3pm and the downtown Seattle Public children’s library. We hope to reach all kinds of families in the hustle and bustle of the fall back to school season. Most importantly the Foundation strives to reach those families and communities who have not yet been exposed to the richness of information and resources made available by the movement of early learning in Washington. Equal access and equality of experiences in early learning can start with the sharing of resources and knowledge.

Just like kids fill up their backpacks full of the supplies they need to help them explore, develop, wonder and grow…why not stock up entire families and communities with the information and resources they need as well? After all, getting school ready is a family and a community event. Everyone is involved!

To learn more about the Early Learning Resource Fair visit:
http://www.earlylearning.org/events/early-learning-resource-fair/