Created by Great Lakes Bay Parents - Informing parents since 2012! |
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November 2021 - January 2022 |
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The Midland County Family Guide includes the following sections:
Kindergarten Readiness Tips
Healthy Families
Social Emotional
Language & Literature
STEAM - Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math
Community Events
Resources for Parents
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KINDERGARTEN READINESS GOALS |
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PRESCHOOL & CHILD CARE RESOURCE |
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Now is a great time to begin planning your child's early education!
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Cooking Matters Recipe:
APPLE CRISP
Serves 10, 1 piece (1⁄10 of crisp) per serving
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Ingredients:
5 medium apples
¾ cup light brown sugar, packed and divided
½ cup whole wheat flour, divided
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Non-stick cooking spray
½ stick (2 ounces) cold, unsalted butter
1½ cups quick oats
Optional Ingredients:
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Rinse and cut apples in half, lengthwise. Remove any stems. Cut out center core of apple that contains the seeds. Do not peel.
- Place apples cut side down. Use a sharp knife to cut apples into ⅛-inch slices.
- In a large bowl, combine sliced apples, ¼ cup of brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon of flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg, if using. Mix well.
- Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Pour apple mixture into baking dish. Spread evenly.
- Dice butter into smaller cubes, using a sharp knife. In a medium bowl, combine remaining brown sugar and flour, oats, and butter. Mix with hands until crumbly.
- Spread oat and flour mixture over apple mixture. Bake uncovered on middle rack of oven for 40 minutes or until top is lightly browned or bubbly.
- Let sit for 15–20 minutes before serving.
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Downtown Midland
JINGLE BELL FUN RUN WALK
December 2, 6-8pm
This fun, free 1-mile run or walk begins at 6:30 p.m. at the corner of Ashman and Main Streets in Downtown Midland. It’s not a timed race, so people of all ages are welcome to take their time and come dressed in their best festive gear (holiday sweaters, Santa hats, cool socks, etc.). All registered participants will receive a jingle bell necklace to wear during the event. Furry friends and strollers are welcome – the more, the merrier!
Instead of a registration fee, participants are encouraged to bring nonperishable food items to be donated to a local food pantry for the holidays.
Even though the event is free, don’t forget to register here:
Questions can be directed to the Midland Downtown Development Authority at (989) 837-3330.
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Chippewa Nature Center
FAMILIES IN NATURE: HOMESTEAD HOLIDAY TRADITIONS
December 11, 2-3pm
Enjoy a quiet afternoon exploring the Homestead Farm and experience holiday customs from the 1870s. Gather with staff around the outside fire pit and learn how the tradition of holiday cards started. At the end of the program you will be able to create your own holiday greeting card. Meet at the Homestead farm.
FREE | All Ages, under 18 w/adult
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Conscious Discipline
ABC’s FOR PARENTS OF LITTLE ONES
As parents, we want to support our little ones during tough times. However, adults can’t help children navigate upset and reach a calm state unless we are composed ourselves. Adopt these ABC's to help you and your child navigate conflict and emotional moments.
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The Salvation Army - Midland Corps Community Center
PLAY GROUP
Tuesdays at 10 am
NEW to the Salvation Army...LITTLE FRIENDS PLAYGROUP!!! A fun playdate for baby and their adults! Bring your little one and join the fun!
LEARN MORE by calling (989) 496-2787
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THE IMAGINATION LIBRARY - FREE BOOKS (AGES 0-5)
The Imagination Library is a free early literacy initiative for young children in Midland County. Children enrolled in the program receive free high-quality age appropriate books from birth until they begin school, no matter their family’s income.
To enroll your child in Midland County Imagination Library or for more information contact:
LONGVIEW RECEPTION
Longview Early Childhood Center
Phone: 989-492-7700 ext. 1101
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Too Small To Fail
LITERACY IS ROOTED IN LOVE
"Long before a child learns to read, she is absorbing sounds and patterns of language by listening to you and other caregivers talk. The more you engage her brain by reading with her as part of a regular routine, the better equipped she’ll be for both speaking and reading – and the more she’ll learn to associate books with enjoyment. That can be a big advantage later in school, when reading is sometimes perceived as more work than fun."
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Talking is Teaching
TALK, READ AND SING TOGETHER EVERY DAY! TIPS FOR FAMILIES
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Grace A. Dow Memorial Library
STORY TIME
Practice those pre-literacy skills all while reading, singing, and dancing! The library story times are for ages 0-6.
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Chippewa Nature Center
STORY HOUR
November 4 & 18, January 6 & 20
9:30 & 11 am
Come spend an hour learning about nature! The hour will include a story, crafts, and other age-appropriate activities. The entire program will take place outdoors, so dress for the weather. Pre-registration required.
FREE | Ages: 3-5 w/adult
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STEAM - SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY,
ENGINEERING, ART & MATH
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THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY MATH
Too Small to Fail
Research tells us that exposing children to math early improves their success in school. In this video, Liz Simons, Linda Platas, and Deborah Stipek describe the importance of early math skills for young children and illustrate some easy ways parents and caregivers can help children develop basic math skills that are useful in all cognitive areas.
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Bedtime Math is a FREE online program that parents and kids can do together. This is a fun and quick way to instill a love for math in kids ages 3-9 years old.
MiniMath is designed for families with kids ages 4-5. Choose Food, Animals and Vehicles, or explore other math problems on all kinds of kid-friendly topics. With three different types of questions (“Look,” “Do,” and “Think”), you’ll get a fun new activity every day.
With MiniMath, you’ll help your preschooler learn about the world, and get ready for the math they’ll learn in school!
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NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR EDUCATION OF YOUNG CHILDREN |
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Bake together and build math skills with these 10 baking habits:
1. Pick an ingredient your children have read about—apples, blueberries, carrots, butter,
zucchini. Ask children “What shapes do you see?” Bake waffles, pancakes, bread, and
pizza.
2. Choose a recipe with simple ingredients and 1, 2, 3, directions. Recipes at
HomeBaking.org and KidsaCookin.org (Spanish or English) are a great start. Check your library for Cooking Class and Baking Class by Deanna F. Cook—perfect for young bakers.
3. Read the recipe, top to bottom, reading aloud ingredient names, amounts needed, oven temperature, baking time, and steps, beginning to end.
4. Ask, “What ingredient is used in the smallest amount?” “Which is the largest amount?” “Is there more flour than sugar or butter?”
5.Find each ingredient and place it on the counter. Ask your child to help put the ingredients in the order they will be used.
6. Offer children under age 2 the dry measuring cups to use as stacking cups. By age 3, they can hand you “the littlest cup,” (1/4 cup), the “medium-sized cup” (1/2 cup) or, you can ask, “Which cup has a 3 on it (⅓ cup)?” Help children fill the cups and level the measure off. Let them add the ingredients to the mixing bowl.
7. Bake the same-sized cookies, muffins, and loaves. This isn’t just to avoid fights over the biggest cookie! Help 4-year-olds work on hand–eye coordination by scooping batter or dough. Ask them to guess why all the cookies or muffins on one pan need to be equally spaced and the same size. (All will bake the same—if some are big and some small, the big ones might be raw while the little ones could be burnt.)
8. What is a fraction—or part of a cup? Have your 5-year-old measure two ½ cups of flour and transfer flour to the 1 cup measure. Show them that “1 over 2” is ½ cup; if the ½ cup is used twice it will equal 1 cup. This may be done with ¼ (four ¼ cups = 1 cup) or ⅓ (three ⅓ cups = 1 cup).
9. Check the oven—Ask if it is empty. “How many racks are in it?” “We will use the middle rack—which one is that?” Heat the oven to the temperature in the recipe—have your older children match the oven degrees in the recipe to the oven dial or toggle up to the degree number. Ask, “How hot will the oven be?” Compare and contrast the oven’s heat to a hot summer day—the oven is 3 to 4 times hotter! Remind your children: ONLY adults should load and remove pans from a hot oven.
10. Get a simple food scale. Help older children weigh their pancake, muffin, or bread serving to see its net weight. “Is it 1 ounce?” That’s one serving. “Does it weigh more?” “How many bread servings is your pancake?” Weigh the ingredients after measuring them. See if your child can get 1 cup of flour to weigh 4.25 ounces three times in a row!
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MIDLAND JACK BARSTOW AIRPORT |
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Dates: December 19 at 1 - 2 PM.
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NATURE PLAY!
On Tuesdays until December 14
It’s time to play outdoors! Whether we’re making pies in the mud kitchen, pretending to be animals, lounging in hammocks or creating nature art, this hour of play is sure to engage everyone! Caregivers must remain with children during this program and are encouraged to actively play alongside the children in their care. This program will be facilitated by a CNC staff member. Please meet in The Woods Nature Play Area near Arbury Trail.
FREE l Ages: 2-10 w/adult
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MASTODONS, MAMMOTHS AND OPOSSUMS OH MY! AN ICE AGE EXPLORATION
November 20 at 2 - 3:30 PM
Through hands-on activities, children will discover living and extinct Ice Age mammals that have called Michigan home. We will explore the trails for clues to help us learn how mastodons, mammoths and opossums adapted to the harsh Ice Age environment.
FREE l Ages 5+, under 18 w/adult
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TURKEY TALK AND WALK
November 21 at 2 - 3 PM
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, so we’ll be talking everything turkey! Join CNC staff to look for wild turkeys, make turkey sounds and learn about these unique birds.
FREE | All Ages, under 18 w/adult
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Chippewa Nature Center
CELEBRATING THE WINTER SOLSTICE
December 18 at 10 AM - 4 PM
The Winter Solstice marks the shortest day of the year. Families can drop in anytime between 10 am and 4 pm to celebrate the first day of winter along the paved Arbury Trail with a variety of winter-related, self-guided activities.
FREE | All Ages, under 18 w/adult
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ATTEND STEM EVENTS & RECEIVE $25 GIFT CARD
STEM Pipeline
The Great Lakes Bay Region is home to a variety of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) destinations and programs. Experience five (5) or more programs and your family will receive a $25 gift card on behalf of the STEM Impact Initiative & MiSTEM Network.
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2021 Family Holiday Guide
Includes:
- Holiday events in Bay, Isabella, Midland, and Saginaw County.
- Santa Houses
- Christmas Tree Farm Directory
- Light Show
- Shopping Locally
- Holiday STEM Guide
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MIDLAND SANTA PARADE
November 20, 10 am
The Midland Santa Holiday Parade is gearing up for the 2021 parade! This year’s parade will be Saturday, November 20, 2021 with Midland’s own WMPX/WMRX announcing. This year’s theme being “Let’s Celebrate”.
The parade starts at the Midland High School and follows this route: Eastlawn, Saginaw Rd., Ashman St., to Main St.
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Jack Barstow Municipal Airport
SANTA FLY-IN
December 5, 12 - 1 pm
Santa Claus is giving his reindeer a rest before their big night and is flying down to visit the children of Midland!
On Sunday, December 5 beginning at 12:00 children can enjoy a variety of holiday themed crafts while we wait for Santa to arrive.
Around 1:00PM we will go outside and watch Santa land, taxi and deplane. Children will have the opportunity to give Santa their letters and take a photo with him.
Dress ready to spend some time outside, bring a camera and get ready for some Holiday fun at the Airport!
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SANTA CALLING
December 7,8 & 9 at 6-8 pm
Santa Calling is a program in which Midland Parks and Recreation "patches calls through" from the North Pole to registered children in the Midland area. The program is a free and festive way to celebrate Christmas. Simply register the believers in your family so we can surprise them with a call from the North Pole! At registration we will ask all sorts of secret questions that only your child will know - we want to make sure they are surprised!
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MEETING DATES:
Thursday, January 13th
Thursday, March 10th
Thursday, May 5th
For more information on the Midland County Parent Coalition contact Amanda Hawkins at (989) 492-7702 ext. 1229 or ahawkins@midlandesa.org.
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WIC - WOMEN, INFANTS & CHILDREN |
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The mission of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community in which the campaign is conducted
Application Close Date: 12/01/2021
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THE DIAPER ALLIANCE
The Diaper Alliance cannot give diapers directly to families. Our agency partners with other non-profit organizations in the Great Lakes Bay Region.
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DO YOU NEED HELP PAYING BILLS? |
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Having trouble paying or receiving rent?
MSHDA has federal funds available to help tenants facing pandemic-related hardships avoid eviction while also ensuring landlords can recoup owed rent through the COVID Emergency Rental Assistance (CERA) program.
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Consumers Energy
Visit the Consumer Energy website to learn about how they can assist you with paying your energy bill.
Learn about:
- Consumers Affordable Resource for Energy (CARE)
- Public Assistance Programs
- Payment Plans
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Stay up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccine clinics by visiting the the Midland County Health Department WEBSITE.
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211 is here 24/7/365 to connect you with help of all kinds, like housing support to financial assistance.
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