The 'Fair' Way to Get Ready for Kindergarten

Kindergarten Resource Fair Features Dr. Seuss Birthday Bash

Last updated: 2/21/2013 3:00:55 PM

 
Yavapai College invites families with young children to attend the Kindergarten Transition and Resource Fair on Saturday, March 2, 9 a.m. to noon. The free event, conducted by the Del E. Webb Family Enrichment Center with the support of a grant from First Things First, will be held in the YC Prescott campus gymnasium.

 
More than 2,000 children in Yavapai County will enter kindergarten this fall. Parents often wonder if their child is ready to succeed. The fair connects parents with teachers and administrators from local public, private and charter schools to answer questions about their programs and how to prepare children for success in kindergarten. Many other family support services and programs, such as Yavapai County Community Health Services, the Prescott YMCA and Head Start, will also be represented at the fair.

 
Vickey LaMotte, director of the Del E. Webb Family Enrichment Center, notes that reading aloud is one of the best things that parents can do to prepare their kids for school. This year, the Yavapai College NAEYC Future Teachers Club is partnering with the Fair to throw the Dr. Seuss Birthday Bash, which will feature fun literacy-focused activities for the entire family. The Dr. Seuss Birthday Bash is free, but families are encouraged to bring a new or used children’s book to donate. Adults will also be able to participate in a raffle and silent auction.

 
“Language and literacy skills begin early in life,” LaMotte says. “When we expose young children to rich vocabulary, give them lots of opportunities to explore books, read to them out loud, and have meaningful conversations with them about the concepts in books, we are setting the stage for them to successfully learn to read and write.”

 
For more information about the Kindergarten Transition and Resource Fair and the Dr. Seuss Birthday Bash, please call Connie Reordan at 928-776-2111.

 
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Emily, two years old, attends the Del E. Webb Family Enrichment Center at Yavapai College. This is the third year the Center has organized the Kindergarten Transition and Resource Fair.