WHY IS COMMUNITY OUTREACH IMPORTANT ?
Cedar Cross Cooperative Preschool is a mini community to our families and children, and a vital part of our local greater communities in which we live in. 
With their busy schedules, many parents overlook the importance of community service in their child's life. Serving the community teaches children responsibility not only for themselves, but also for other people. Through community service, children understand that their actions impact other families. Below is advice how to teach your children the importance of community service.  
Talk about Community Service
Over breakfast or dinner, talk to your children about community service. Explain what it is and the different types of jobs they can volunteer to do to help others in the community. If you have volunteered before, talk about your experiences. Finally, invite your children to think of types of community service they might like to do.
Make It Happen
One of the biggest problems in teaching children about community service is providing the experience of volunteering. Pick a Saturday or Sunday a month or two in the future and dedicate it as the day that you and your children or even the entire family will volunteer.
What is most important is that you choose an activity that will be fun for your children. Do not choose an activity that would be frightening or not allow them to fully participate. Walking dogs at the local animal shelter, for example, could be great fun, but your children might not be old enough to handle larger dogs. Make sure that the activity you choose is age appropriate and contains at least a little fun.
Purchase Books about Volunteering
If you cannot find the time for community service, another way to teach your children about it is to purchase books that discuss volunteering. Your local bookstore or library will offer kid's books that discuss the importance of being a good member of the community.
Volunteer at Home
If you cannot find a local charity that accepts children volunteers or do not have the time to volunteer, consider volunteering at home.  charities may allow you to create gift baskets of food or clothing for them to deliver to families in need. Each of these tasks can be accomplished at home on your schedule. Just make sure to tell your children what the project is for and who the project will benefit. Also, let your children be creative and participate in the process. Event flyers and gift baskets don't have to look perfect; they just need to be crafted with good intentions in mind.
*If you would like more information on Community Outreach Talk with Katie!
November Community Outreach
CCCP is committed to helping in our local communities and spread love and caring with our Community outreach program. The month of November we will be collecting food donations, and raising funds to provide a Thanksgiving Feast to 25 women at Monroe Gospel Women’s Mission. We are excited and blessed that this will be our 4th year working with Monroe Gospel Women’s Mission providing their thanksgiving dinner, and each year the need grows with lack of funding.
Non-perishable foods, and monetary donations will be collected all month. Perishable foods, and homemade/store bought sides and desserts will be collected Wednesday November 23rd 9:30am – 12:30pm, Katie Rugg will be delivering Wednesday, November 23rd immediately following collection times. If you are interested in participating in our outreach, please see our Bulletin Board to see how you can help.
Please see the Bulletin board for list of needs, if you are in the giving spirit, but cannot make it to the store, monetary donations are also accepted! Feel free to sign up for single items, or whole recipes all donations are greatly appreciated and accepted.
Please place Non-Perishable Donations in the Bright Green Bin in the Entry Way of CCUMC. For Monetary Donations: Checks made out to CCCP with Community Outreach on the memo line, or Cash in a labeled envelope can be placed in the Children’s Ministries box or handed to Katie Rugg

We all know reading to our kids is a good thing—but do you really know the rewards your toddler or preschool-age child can receive just spending 30 minutes a day reading? Below are some benefits of reading to your child between the ages of two and five.

1. A stronger relationship with you. As your child grows older, he’ll be on the move—playing, running, and constantly exploring his environment. Snuggling up with a book lets the two of you slow down and recaptures that sweet, cuddly time you enjoyed when he was a baby. Instead of being seen as a chore or a task, reading will become a nurturing activity that will bring the two of you closer together.

 

1. Academic excellence. One of the primary benefits of reading to toddlers and preschoolers is a higher aptitude for learning in general. Numerous studies have shown that students who are exposed to reading before preschool are more likely to do well in all facets of formal education. After all, if a student struggles to put together words and sentences, how can he be expected to grasp the math, science, and social concepts he’ll be presented with when he begins elementary school?

 

1. Basic speech skills. Throughout toddlerhood and preschool, your child is learning critical language and enunciation skills. By listening to you read One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, your child is reinforcing the basic sounds that form language. “Pretend reading”—when a toddler pages through a book with squeals and jabbers of delight—is a very important pre-literacy activity. As a preschooler, your child will likely begin sounding out words on his own.

 

1. The basics of how to read a book. Children aren’t born with an innate knowledge that text is read from left to right, or that the words on a page are separate from the images. Essential pre-reading skills like these are among the major benefits of early reading.

 

1. Better communication skills. When you spend time reading to toddlers, they’ll be much more likely to express themselves and relate to others in a healthy way. By witnessing the interactions between the characters in the books you read, as well as the contact with you during story time, your child is gaining valuable communication skills.

 

1. Mastery of language. Early reading for toddlers has been linked to a better grasp of the fundamentals of language as they approach school age.

 

1. More logical thinking skills. Another illustration of the importance of reading to children is their ability to grasp abstract concepts, apply logic in various scenarios, recognize cause and effect, and utilize good judgment. As your toddler or preschooler begins to relate the scenarios in books to what’s happening in his own world, he’ll become more excited about the stories you share.

 

1. Acclimation to new experiences. As your child approaches a major developmental milestone or a potentially stressful experience, sharing a relevant story is a great way to help ease the transition. For instance, if your little one is nervous about starting preschool, reading a story dealing with this topic shows her that her anxiety is normal.

 

1. Enhanced concentration and discipline. Toddlers may initially squirm and become distracted during story time, but eventually they’ll learn to stay put for the duration of the book. Along with reading comprehension comes a stronger self-discipline, longer attention span, and better memory retention, all of which will serve your child well when she enters school.

 

1. The knowledge that reading is fun! Early reading for toddlers helps them view books as an indulgence, not a chore. Kids who are exposed to reading are much more likely to choose books over video games, television, and other forms of entertainment as they grow older.

 
Books have the power to benefit toddlers and preschoolers in a myriad of ways. As a parent, reading to your child is one of the most important things you can do to prepare him with a foundation for academic excellence.
 
https://www.earlymoments.com
 
DID YOU KNOW CCCP HAS A LIBRARY, AND YOU CAN CHECK OUT BOOKS?
Pop in the preschool office, brows our books and check one out! (Please sign your books out on the sign out sheet on the Dino Bulletin board by the books). Reading to your children is a great way to connect and spend time together, but its also vital to language development and sets them up for success...
The link provides more info...
http://www.familyresource.com/parenting/child-development/why-reading-is-so-important-for-children
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Sno-Isle Libraries for Snohomish County  http://www.sno-isle.org/
                100 Essential books before Kindergarten: http://www.sno-isle.org/kids/booklists/?rid=371
 


Reading is not only for kids! I helps parents reduce stress, and soooo much more:
http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/10-benefits-reading-why-you-should-read-everyday.html
Cedar Cross UMC has a yearly Christmas pageant - Your Kiddo's are invited to join us! Talk to Katie for details!
Upcoming Dates/Event: * ALL families are welcome, invited, and encouraged to participate in all events and activities
 
 
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