We hope you had a great summer and are ready to head back to school! The ECCS has been busy with events out in the community and planning even more for the fall. 

The ECCS is looking for a new Parent Ambassador to help with community outreach. Learn more about the position at www.southingtonearlychildhood.org/are-you-our-next-parent-ambassador/.

Connecticut's 27th Sales Tax-Free Week will run until Saturday, August 22nd. During this week, retail purchases of most clothing and footwear items priced under $300 are exempt from the Connecticut sales and use tax. Examples of Clothing or footwear that are exempt can be found here.

For young children, knowing what to expect can make a big difference in their development and behavior. Even the simplest routines, when consistent (getting dressed in the morning, sharing family meals, following a bedtime routine) can help.

Routines support many areas of children’s development. They can help children practice life skills and healthy habits and build independence. When children know what comes next, routines can reduce anxiety and provide a sense of stability and predictability. Routines all create opportunities for children to practice communication, cooperation, and other social skills that can help strengthen relationships. 

There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to routines and schedules - every child and family has different needs. The goal is to find what works for you and your child.

Learn more about routines: 

• Head Start - The Importance of Schedules and Routines 

• healthychildren.org - The Importance of Family Routines 

• CT Department of Education - Routines that Impact Students Learning to Read 

• UConn KIDS - How Routines Can Benefit Children

Thank you to everyone who came out and got a book from the Read to Grow Bookmobile last Friday! We are already working to schedule our bookmobile tour for next summer.

If you missed the bookmobile, you can still get free books through Read to Grow's Books for Kids program! Books for Kids provides new and gently used books for free to families, child-care providers, educators, healthcare professionals, libraries, and community organizations.

Learn more and request books at readtogrow.org/books-for-kids/.

ECCS Book Club Survey

MSCF Virtual Community Conversation for Parents

The Main Street Community Foundation (MSCF) is conducting a community quality of life study and invites parents and guardians of children under 18 to share their perspectives on the health, well-being, and healthcare needs of Southington families. Your experiences and ideas will help identify community priorities and inform future Foundation investments to improve the health and quality of life of Southington residents.

There are two opportunities to participate:
•    Tuesday, September 22nd from 7:00-8:00pm (via Zoom)
•    Wednesday, September 23rd from 7:00-8:00pm (via Zoom)

The Early Childhood Collaborative of Southington has been a recipient of multiple grants from the Main Street Community Foundation to improve the health and quality of life of Southington residents.

Care 4 Kids Parent Survey

The Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (OEC) is collaborating with Education Development Center and Yale University to learn about parents’ experiences with child care affordability. As part of this study, their team created a short online survey to understand how parents/caregivers make child care choices and interact with the state’s Care 4 Kids program. Please note that this NEW survey launched in July 2026 focuses specifically on affordable child care for working families.

If you live in Connecticut and have at least one child between the ages of 0-5, OEC hopes you will complete this survey whether or not you have interacted with Care 4 Kids. Survey responses will be kept confidential- the research team will only share summaries with OEC. Findings from this survey can help inform policies designed to improve the availability and affordability of child care in Connecticut.

August 25th - ECCS Parent Book Club - Join us for the first ECCS Book Club to learn parenting skills while connecting with other Southington parents and caregivers. Even if you haven't finished the book, you can join us in our discussion! We still have a few copies of the book available if you need one.

Learn more and register for this event at https://eccsparentbookclub-1.eventbrite.com.

Southington Farmers Market - The Southington Farmers Market is held on the Town Green every Friday from 3 to 6 pm, starting June 26th until September 25th. The ECCS will be exhibiting on these dates:

• August 28, 2026
• September 11, 2026
• September 25, 2026

September 26th - Car Seat Safety Check - 9 am to 1 pm at the Southington Calendar House, 388 Pleasant Street. Car seats will be inspected on a first-come, first-served basis at this free event.

For more details, visit www.southingtonearlychildhood.org/events/ or follow us on our social media.

Did you know that the ECCS does not receive funding from the Town of Southington or the Board of Education? Our work to support the parents and caregivers of Southington’s youngest citizens is funded primarily through grants we have applied for. 

Receiving contributions from individuals like you helps support our operations and allows us to show our larger funders that there is strong community backing for this work.

There are many ways that you can support our work -

1. Volunteer. Serve on the Board of Directors or become a Community Table member.
2. Get us something from our wishlist.
3. Advocate
4. Donate.
5. Follow, Like, and Share our social media

             Facebook @ECCSouthington

             Instagram @ECCSouthington

             Threads @ECCSouthington

             X/Twitter @ecc_southington

             Bluesky @eccsouthington.bsky.social