Bicycle Safety and Helmet Law Updates and Reminders
Effective October 1st, 2025, the age requirement for children wearing helmets while riding bicycles, scooters, skateboards, roller skates, and inline skates increases from under 16 years to under 18 years. The minimum requirements for helmets include the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) standard and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard. In […]
New Office Space!
The Early Childhood Collaborative of Southington is so excited to announce that we have opened an office and education space in downtown Southington! After almost 19 years of working out of our homes and holding meetings at churches, schools, and local non-profits, we now have our own space. With our organization’s transition to being a […]
Free Childcare is in the News
You may have seen the recent headlines like “House Bill Providing Free, Reduced Cost Child Care Heads to Lamont’s Desk” or “New program to help support affordable childcare.” Unfortunately, some of the news media was not clear about the timing of this assistance, which programs will offer these spots, or who will be eligible. Since […]
2025 State of Early Childhood Presentation
On May 29, 2025, the Early Childhood Collaborative of Southington hosted their annual “State of Early Childhood in Southington” presentation and breakfast. Thirty-three people attended representing the Southington Public School district, elected officials, businesses, non-profit organizations, funders, ECCS board members, childcare providers, healthcare, Parent Ambassadors and other parents. The Opening slideshow that displayed during breakfast, […]
Community Cafe – Foods for Brain Health & Development
The Early Childhood Collaborative of Southington hosted their fourth Community Cafe about the connections between healthy eating and brain development in children on May 7, 2025 at LiveWell. The goals were to: Learn about brain development in young children and the role that nutrition plays. Discuss issues around getting your children to eat healthy foods. […]
April is Autism Acceptance/Awareness Month
Autism Acceptance/Awareness Month is a time to celebrate the unique qualities of people with autism and promote acceptance and inclusion. As parents, we can learn more about autism, support our children’s needs, and promote understanding and kindness toward all individuals. Let us celebrate differences and create a more compassionate world for everyone. Autism spectrum disorder […]
March is Developmental Disabilities Month!
Developmental disabilities refer to a range of conditions that affect physical, learning, language, or behavior areas and typically start during the developmental period and last throughout a person’s lifetime. Often, diagnosis is a crucial step to utilizing resources and assistance that improve one’s quality of life. A great resource we have here in Connecticut is […]
The Anxious Generation
The Early Childhood Collaborative of Southington, Southington Public Library and Southington Public School District partnered on a 3-night book discussion of The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness. Here are materials from this One Book – One Community event, including the presentations and additional resources. Did […]
Year in Review for 2024
Looking back over 2024, the Early Childhood Collaborative of Southington staff and board members exhibited at over 30 community events or “office hours” around town where we connected with families. Books, materials to develop fine motor skills, or kits to support the SPARKLER mobile app were distributed at these events, with the Read to Grow Bookmobile, at the Family […]
Over $283,000 in Grants Awarded to Boost Access to Health and Wellness Services in Southington
“Main Street Community Foundation (MSCF) rounded out its 2024 grantmaking from the Bradley Henry Barnes and Leila Upson Barnes Memorial Trust with the awarding of $283,705 in grants to organizations that improve the health outcomes of Southington residents. Since the beginning of the year, MSCF has awarded over $910,000 from the Trust, with grants supporting […]
