Playgroups, Parent Connection, and Family Fun
Family Adventure Day in Northport
Shady Trails Camp was amazing! One more Family Adventure Day is coming up this summer on Saturday, September 10 at Boardman River Nature Center. Families with children ages 0-8 are welcome. Families will receive confirmation of their attendance two days before the event. Space is limited and registration in advance is required. Connect with your family, meet new friends, and enjoy simple activities in nature.
Playgroup Scenes
Sticky paper collage is a fun parent-child activity that focuses on eye-hand coordination. An activity like this helps develop fine motor and cognitive skills in the early years. Come to Grow Benzie for activities like this every playgroup!
Sidewalk Math!
Families in Kalkaska, Kingsley, and Lake Ann had a chance to interact with some Sidewalk Math patterns and signage to build early learning of math concepts. Did you participate in a Sidewalk Math experience? Tell us what you thought by clicking the button below. Your feedback is really important and will help determine if more families can around the area share in this activity.
Be Part of Parent Nation
Too Many Parents Lack the Societal Support Required to Meet the Needs of Young Children.
A PARENT NATION Ensures More.
Great Start Parents will be kicking off our next year of activities with a dive into the book Parent Nation, by Dr. Dana Suskind.

Be part of our region's Parent Nation! Learn how you can be part of creating our own regional effort to unlock each child's potential by coming together, fostering community, and advocating for the changes families need to be strong and successful. Location is yet to be determined. Copies of the book given away at the event.
August Activity Calendar
Looking for a tool to give you an idea of something fun to do each day in our region? These activities can help enrich development in lots of different areas. This calendar and activities were thoughtfully prepared by our Early Childhood Preschool Department at Northwest Educational Services. Have fun learning and playing this summer!
Question of the Week
Social Connections is one of five strengths all families can develop to improve outcomes for children. The good news is you can build these strengths by thinking and talking about your answers to certain questions we will ask in this weekly update. Share your answer with your partner, spouse, or a friend. And see how they might answer it, too!
How is your neighborhood a community and how are you part of it?
Upcoming Playgroups
Our 5toONE playgroups now operate with the assistance of an electronic registration process. A listing of all playgroups is also available on our website. Registration links are always available for families to register in advance for all playgroups. In addition to a simple registration for each group, families will complete a 30 second check in upon arrival at any 5toONE event. Groups are reaching capacity so advance registration is strongly recommended.
Wednesday
2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month
Please register in advance. If the the registration form is not accepting responses, we have reached our capacity for this group. Registration at the door on the morning of playgroup will only be available if space allows.
THIS THURSDAY!
Playgroup will happen every Thursday this summer from 10-12:00, join us for playgroup near the Thompsonville Fire Hall Park near Lincoln and 3rd Street. Please register in advance or upon arrival.
This Friday, August 12
Playgroup will happen the 2nd and 4th Fridays of the month from 10-11:30, join us for playgroup at the Lake Ann United Methodist Church Community Center. Please register in advance.
August 18
Grow Benzie's playgroup is held on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month. All are welcome! Please register in advance or upon arrival.

August 19 @ Log Lake
It's off to the parks! Check out our flyer below. Playgroup will happen from 10-11:30, Please register using the button here.
More for Parents
New Mental Health-Related Distress Line
988 offers 24/7 access to trained crisis counselors who can help people experiencing mental health-related distress. That could be:

  • Thoughts of suicide
  • Mental health or substance use crisis, or
  • Any other kind of emotion distress

People can call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org for themselves or if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.

988 serves as a universal entry point so that no matter where you live in the United States, you can reach a trained crisis counselor who can help.
Learn Something New from MSU Extension
These free online parenting workshops will provide guidance for parents of young children as they navigate the challenges, concerns, and joys of parenting. Participants may register for as few or as many workshops as they wish. All course and session information can be found here.
Class dates:
 
 *  8/16/22: RELAX: Alternatives to Anger for Parents and Caregivers
 *  8/23/22: Setting the Stage: Promoting Social-Emotional Health in Young Children
 *  8/30/22: Raising Young Readers
 *  Class Times: 8:00PM to 9:30PM

 *  For more information contact Courtney Aldrich at aldric82@msu.edu
Great Start Parents meets 10 months of the year to build strong families, understanding of the early childhood system, and leadership skills in parents. Our meetings are open to anyone parenting a young child, including grandparents. Lead parents attend most meetings throughout the year and help projects relating to our with our 4 purposes:

  1. Providing a "customer" and "real time" parenting perspective to agencies and organizations in our region.
  2. Educate others about the importance of early childhood.
  3. Support the work of the Great Start Collaborative and 5toONE Project.
  4. Provide information, education, and resources to parents.

Stipends to participate, meals, and unique opportunities tend to arise for those who partake in our work together and we hope you will consider joining us this year.
Tell us which communications you would like from us by clicking the button below:
See you later, Alligator!
How have you used rhyming with your child today?