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Here are some resources for addressing family needs and education resources to help engage your kids in activities that will assist them in their own stages of development. We recommend that guardians use a combination of the Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards and the ECASD 4 Year Old Benchmark to approximate their child's development. Each document linked above provides different levels of understanding and how to best prepare your child for success in Kindergarten. These tools are not intended to be evaluation resources, rather as a way for parents to get a feel for state standards and expectations moving into Kindergarten.
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Resources for Family Support in Our Local Community
Literacy Chippewa Valley is a community-based literacy organization that offers adults the opportunity to gain the skills they need to make a better life for themselves and their families. This includes assistance for citizenship exams, corrections education, workplace literacy, G.E.D., classes for English language learners (ELLs), and their family literacy programs. Their free services not only help the learners and their families, but they also enrich the entire Chippewa Valley community. (https://www.literacychippewavalley.org/)
Feed My People Food Bank has many available agencies listed in the Eau Claire area regarding hunger relief. They also have information about the 2-1-1 Great Rivers food hotline and about WI's FoodShare program and the application process. (https://www.fmpfoodbank.org/get_help.phtml/eau_claire_county/)
The Community Table is a partner of the UWEC ECLIPSE program. They offer free meals to anyone on a no questions asked basis, during their designated mealtimes. Visit their website for more information regarding meal times and volunteer opportunities. (http://thecommunitytable.org/)
The Family Resource Center is a non-profit organization that offers playgroups, home visits, parent cafes, a toy lending library, parenting education courses, and other programming to address family needs. Almost all services are free and there are no qualifications for services or referrals needed. (https://www.frcec.org/)
The Eau Claire County Resource Page includes information regarding adult education services, aging and disability resources, English language learning as well as housing, SNAP, and WIC. (https://www.co.eau-claire.wi.us/health-family)
Wisconsin Department of Children and Families has a list of child support and benefit programs. All programs are provided by the State of Wisconsin. (https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/cs/benefits)
A listing of Altoona food pantries, food closets, soup kitchens, vouchers are more are provided on this website. https://www.foodpantries.org/ci/wi-altoona
The Bloomer and New Auburn Food pantry provide resources for families such as various services programs provided such as a backpack program, free weekend children's meals and more. https://bloomerfoodpantry.wixsite.com/bnapantry/projects
A listing of Chippewa Falls food pantries are provided on this website. https://www.foodpantries.org/ci/wi-chippewa_falls
Language and Literacy Resources
Dialogic Reading: An Effective Way to Read Aloud with Young Children
"Dialogic reading works. Children who have been read to dialogically are substantially ahead of children who have been read to traditionally on tests of language development. Children can jump ahead by several months in just a few weeks of dialogic reading."
Too Small to Fail is an initiative being pushed forward by the Clinton Foundation. They focus on promoting early brain and language development. They seek to empower adults and provide them with the tools necessary to aid talk.
Literacy Chippewa Valley: Talking is Teaching
Talking is Teaching empowers caregivers with creative and simple ways to improve their child's learning. "Talk, read, sing" is a public awareness campaign highlighting the importance of boosting a child's early brain and vocabulary development. This can be done through simple everyday actions. Some examples include describing scenery and singing songs for language-rich environments. Check out their website for more tips.
The L.E. Phillips Public Memorial Library provides many tools for parents and caregivers to enrich the learning experience of their children. These resources include: Story Kits, Nature Backpacks, Babysitter Backpacks, Steam Backpacks, Tours, and the Parent/Teacher Resource room.
The Altoona Public Library lists numerous resources for families to use form home including: nature/animal livestreams, virtual museum tours, online story times and free coloring pages.
Get Ready to Read! is designed to support educators, parents, and young children in the development of early literacy skills in the years before kindergarten. Intended for use with all children, the resources and information provided on this site promote skill-building, communication between adults, and ways to address concerns.
The Chippewa Falls Public Library provides resources for families including: Resource Kits, online Story times and Grab-and-Go bags.
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The Bloomer Public Library lists numerous resources for families to use form home including: nature/animal livestreams, virtual museum tours, online story times and free coloring pages.
PBS Kids Learning Media provides a fun and exciting way to learn about current events. This page includes digital read alouds, and much more. We highly recommend you explore their massive library of videos.
International Children's Digital Library
The ICDL Foundation promotes tolerance and respect for diverse cultures by providing access to the best of children's literature from around the world.
Math Resources
Too Small to Fail is an initiative being pushed forward by the Clinton Foundation. They focus on promoting early brain and language development. They seek to empower adults and provide them with the tools necessary to aid talk.
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) - Math at Home
NAEYC promotes high-quality early learning for all children, birth through age 8, by connecting practice, policy, and research. They advance a diverse, dynamic early childhood profession and support all who care for, educate, and work on behalf of young children.
Literacy Chippewa Valley: Talking is Teaching
Talking is Teaching empowers caregivers with creative and simple ways to improve their child's learning. "Talk, read, sing" is a public awareness campaign highlighting the importance of boosting a child's early brain and vocabulary development. This can be done through simple everyday actions. Some examples include describing scenery and singing songs for language-rich environments. Check out their website for more tips.
Social and Emotional Resources
The Center on the Social and Emotional for Early Learning
The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) is focused on promoting the social emotional development and school readiness of young children birth to age 5. CSEFEL is a national resource center funded by the Office of Head Start and Child Care Bureau for disseminating research and evidence-based practices to early childhood programs across the country.
Too Small to Fail is an initiative being pushed forward by the Clinton Foundation. They focus on promoting early brain and language development. They seek to empower adults and provide them with the tools necessary to aid talk.
Talking is Teaching empowers caregivers with creative and simple ways to improve their child's learning. "Talk, read, sing" is a public awareness campaign highlighting the importance of boosting a child's early brain and vocabulary development. This can be done through simple everyday actions. Some examples include describing scenery and singing songs for language-rich environments. Check out their website for more tips.
Additional Resources
Annunity assists parents in teaching their children about money management. There are various lessons designed for multiple age groups of children ranging from 3 years of age to 18 years of age.
Pigly: The Kids' Guide to Emergency Savings
Pigly is an organization that teaches children the value of building emergency savings.