Ventura County Library and First 5 Ventura County are proud to partner on Parent and Child Together classes for local families starting this summer. In this free 12-week class, families with infants or toddlers are invited to learn new skills together, play fun activities, and share the love of reading. “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.”
In the 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 began Tuesday, May 25 for the summer session of classes, which will be held during the months of June, July, and August. Parents must 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.
Attendance is limited and all participants must follow safety protocols in place at the time of the class – including distancing and face coverings – while in the library.
The summer session of classes will be held weekly in Ventura at:
Community Room
Housing Authority of the City of San Buenaventura
1187 Riverside Street
Ventura, CA 93001
Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
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. For additional information, contact Antonio Apodaca, Education and Outreach Coordinator, (805) 218-3821.
