North Central Region | January 2022

Resource & Referral North Central Region January 2022

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a great holiday! The new year often brings hope and positive thoughts towards the upcoming year and all the possibilities. Once again, we find ourselves entering a new year with a lot of chaos and uncertainty. The ongoing stress, both mental and physical, of Covid; the staffing shortages; and the continued rising prices of goods make being hopeful and positive a challenge. So . . . what do we do? We make time for ourselves and our staff to focus on self-care. We stop, take a deep breath, and remember why we do the work we do. We give grace – to ourselves, our teams, our families, and our children. . . Click Here Cold Weather Safety Children are more vulnerable than adults to the effects of cold weather. Share these tips with Head Start parents and staff to keep children safe, healthy, and warm this winter. Sleeping Safely in Any Season ● Keep babies’ cribs free of stuffed animals and extra blankets. A firm mattress covered with a tight-fitting crib sheet is all that an infant needs to sleep safely. ● If you are worried about keeping babies warm, dress them in a wearable blanket, also known as a sleep sack. Bundle Up! ● Children are at greater risk for frostbite than adults. The best way to prevent frostbite is to make sure children dress warmly and don’t spend too much time outside in extreme weather. . . Click Here Tips to Keep Kids Safe on Snow Days Children love to spend snow days playing outside and building snowmen with family and friends. But, while the snow is pretty to look at, it can also present hidden dangers and cause harm to children. Keep kids safe on snow days by following these tips: . . Click Here 30 Boredom-Busting Winter Activities for Toddlers Winter can be a particularly challenging time for keeping little kids entertained. Cabin fever is real, and it can be brutal. But with a few supplies that you probably already have around your house, you can turn a boring, cold winter day into a fun adventure filled with activities that activate your child’s imagination. Check out these 30 winter activities for toddlers that you can try right now. Click Here 12 Simple Developmental Activities to Play with Your Baby Stumped on ideas for how to play with your baby? These fun and easy activities help stimulate your infant's development - and bring on some adorable smiles and giggles. And remember, much of your baby's learning in her first year will happen naturally as you talk, read, make faces, and interact with her every day. . . Click Here The Reading Corner! Each month there will be three books that your Resource & Referral Team recommend. The books will be based on age groups: Infant/Toddler; Pre-School; and School-Age. We hope you enjoy our book choices and read many books to the children this month and all year around! . . Click Here We are here to serve you! Ivy Learning Resource & Referral serves the North Central Region of Oklahoma, which includes nine counties. For more information, contact your Resource and Referral Specialist: NC Resource & Referral Specialist Heather Cruz 918-766-6254 HCruz@delawarechild.org (Osage, Payne, Pawnee, Lincoln, Logan, Washington, Nowata, Kay, Noble) NC Infant & Toddler Specialist: Renae Barnett 918-332-8651 RBarnett@delawarechild.org NC Business Consultant Tracy Hinton 918-766-2577 THinton@delawarechild.org QRIS Regional R&R: The Pyramid Model What is the Pyramid Model, and why are so many early childhood professionals in Oklahoma (and across the country) talking about it? It is a proven way to teach and support young children in understanding and managing their emotions, which helps children handle life’s tough situations with greater resiliency and hope. . . Click Here Scholars for Excellence in Child Care What Is the Scholars Program? The Scholars program awards scholarships to eligible child care professionals to complete coursework in the area of child development or early childhood education, as well as the Child Development Associate (CDA) and Certified Childcare Professional (CCP) Credential Assessment. These scholarships enable child care providers in Oklahoma to improve their skills through education, receive an educational stipend and continue the availability of quality child care in local communities. . . Click Here Technical Assistance from our Resource and Referral Specialists! Ivy Learning Resource and Referral can provide technical assistance to child care providers. Click below to find out more! Click Here More Resources for Information and Webinars

• Early Childhood Investigations Webinars - Early Childhood Investigations is a ongoing series of conference-quality free webinars for early childhood educators.

• Baby Talk: Resources to Support the People Who Work With Infants and Toddlers - Baby Talk is free and distributed monthly. Each issue features resources that are high quality and readily available at no cost. Click Here for archived issues that contain a wealth of information.

Additional Resources Ivy Learning & Ivy Academies 918.977.3600 Scholars for Excellence in Child Care Program 866.343.3881 Insurance Assistance Insure Oklahoma/OEPIC 888.365.3742 Oklahoma Child Care Warmline FREE phone support and consultation for child care providers regarding behavior, development, health, andsafety issues. Mon - Fri 8am - 5pm Automated system available 24/7. Questions? Email: warmline@health.ok.gov Follow us on Facebook: Delaware Child Development Facebook Centers for Early Childhood Professional Development (CECPD) 888.446.7608 Licensing OK Child Care Services Oklahoma Registry Child Nutrition Program Child and Adult Care Food Programs(CACFP) Information, Resources &Trainings Oklahoma Child Care Resource & Referral (OCCRRA) 888.962.2772 Multicultural Environments, Email Keila Garcia Fingerprinting: Delaware Child Development Fingerprinting Services OKDHS Information on fingerprinting Identogo to schedule an appointment. 2419 Nowata Pl, Ste 103 Bartlesville, OK 74006, USA Ph:918-977-3600 Share on social Check out our website