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A Kick-Off To Pasadena’s ‘Early Learning City’ by 2025 Initiative
Community Sep 26, 2017
Children engage in sensory play in Brookside Park. – Courtesy photo
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Children engage in sensory play in Brookside Park. – Courtesy photo
Brookside Park in Pasadena was bustling Saturday, Sept. 23, when young children, parents, expectant parents, grandparents and others came to the free, fun, family-friendly kick-off of the Pasadena as an Early Learning City by 2025 initiative.
Activities for young children included bubble and block play, crafting a “Why Kids Love Pasadena” wall hanging, bilingual sing-alongs, storytimes, sports and fitness activities, developmental screenings and healthy snacks. Adults enjoyed cooking demonstrations of healthy kids’ meals by Food Network celebrity chef Jet Tila and his wife, chef Ali Tila, a workshop on the importance of music and creative play in young children’s development, a vision wall and health screenings.
Dozens of representatives from local nonprofits that provide services to children and families were on hand to inform everyone about their programs and chat with parents and children.
“Now that the kick-off has taken place with great success, our work is just beginning and will continue in the months and years ahead,” said Vera Vignes, chair of the Pasadena Council for the Young Child, a coalition of more than 25 local experts in child development, education, health, social services and other fields.
Research has proven that when parents of young children from birth to age 5 read to them, sing to them, play with them and talk to them, they develop skills that impact their future ability to learn as well as their social, emotional and physical well-being. They have a much higher chance of entering kindergarten ready to learn and be creative, have success throughout their school years, graduate from high school, pursue higher learning and earn higher wages.
Six of 10 children nationwide who enter kindergarten are not prepared to learn when they walk in the door on the first day of school. This can lead to a frustrating progression of remedial learning that may last until their mid-elementary years and beyond.
“Given all the compelling evidence, there is an absolute necessity for the Pasadena as an Early Learning City by 2025 initiative,” said Mayor Terry Tornek. “It is so obvious and unarguable that it cannot be ignored, and the impact is undeniable. Pasadena’s future depends on it.”
The City of Pasadena Early Childhood Development Policy, the roadmap for the initiative, can be found at http://tinyurl.com/y8znwcoq.
For more information visit www.facebook.com/PasadenaOYC, call (626) 744-4297 or email LGuirguis@cityofpasadena.net
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