Ventura County Library and First 5 Ventura County are proud to continue partnering on offering Parent and Child Together (PACT) classes for local families. In this free 12-week program, families with infants or toddlers are invited to learn new skills together, play fun activities, and share the love of reading. PACT Class is for children up to three years of age.
“Parents are their child’s first and most important teacher. Every child comes into this world ready to learn. It’s never too early to talk, read, and sing to your child,” says Petra Puls, Executive Director of First 5 Ventura County.
Nancy Schram, Ventura County Library Director says, “By collaborating with First 5 Ventura County and other organizations that serve children from birth to age 3 and their parents, our Ventura County Libraries can make an even bigger difference in early childhood brain development. This program means our libraries will play a key role in providing equitable opportunities for all children to experience language through books and other interactions and provide support for parents who may have few or no other places they can go for help.”
According to one parent in PACT Class, “I feel as though I have better tools in understanding what my child needs and anticipating the wants. It’s also been helpful to hear other parents’ experiences too.”
After class, another parent said, “I feel better connected with my child and we have more fun ways to read together.”
In PACT Class, parents receive a free toolkit with developmental screenings for their child, age-appropriate toys supporting early childhood development, and books exploring social and emotional competence. Librarians also partner with families to address individual needs and strengthen community connections.
Online registration is open now for the fall session of classes, which begins in November. Parents register using this link: bit.ly/VCLPact. The class is limited to six families per location and registration is on a first come, first served basis. If the class is full, a waiting list will be created, and interested families will be notified of any openings.
The fall session of classes will be held weekly at:
Westview Community Room
Housing Authority of the City of San Buenaventura, 1187 Riverside Street, Ventura
Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.Starting Thursday, November 4
The full class schedule may be found on the library’s online calendar of events: https://vencolibrary.org/calendar.
This class is offered in partnership with First 5 Ventura County. It is supported in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library. It is free and open to the public.
