March is #NationalReadingMonth and we love hearing from caregivers who receive books from Dolly Parton's Imagination Library! The love of reading is spreading throughout this home 👉 "Seeing my three year old granddaughter read to her cousins - two and six months old."

🐰🥕 Happy Easter from your friends at Smart Start of Mecklenburg County!

🔜 Join Smart Start of Mecklenburg County for a collaborative Lunch & Learn with special guest Angelica Foster. 📅 Thursday, April 24 ⏰ 12:00pm-1:00pm 📍 Ascend Nonprofit Training Rooms, 601 E 5th St. 🆓🎫 ow.ly/O8Fe50VELL0

🌎 Happy Earth Day! Our MECKPreK students are focusing on their recycling unit. This study helps the students deepen their understanding of ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle items they use through a variety of experiences that support their learning and development. #EarthDay

Families in Mecklenburg County have been enjoying 🆓 books from Dolly Parton's Imagination Library for over 8 years! The books are age-appropriate, feature representation all children can see themselves in, and best of all, are re-readable over, and over again! #WorldBookDay

Our longest tenured SSMC-er, Chief Financial Officer, Catherine "Cat" Etters, believes "working for SSMC has provided me great insight into the importance of early childhood support, and what community really looks like." Do you support SSMC, give us your 'why' in the comments!

🌞 📚 May is Get Caught Reading Month! Before the summer heats up, take your child and one, or a handful, of their favorite books outdoors. Find a fun place in your neighborhood, the playground, a park, a bench, and get caught reading! Share your child's favorite spot to read 👇

🏡👩‍⚕️ What is Home Visiting? Home Visiting 𝙄𝙎 customized. With a variety of program model delivery methods, home visiting programs offer the opportunity to receive the right fit for your family. To learn more visit: ow.ly/rLGE50W5zpE

🌞📚 Summer Reading is 🔙 Charlotte Mecklenburg Library! Sign up your child for the digital tracker or download a paper tracker and read to/with them and earn prizes the more days you read! Summer Reading starts next Sat., but sign up, (and keep reading), today! 📋 ttps://www.cmlibrary.org/summer

Smart Start of Mecklenburg County thanks our supporters from the State Employees Combined Campaign! Your contribution helps further our mission that every child in Mecklenburg County turns five ready to thrive. If you’d like to make a gift to SSMC: smartstartofmeck.org/donate/

⚠️ Babies do not come with instruction manuals Did you know, early childhood Home Visitation is... ✔️ is voluntary ✔️ is empowering ✔️ is strengths-based, and ✔️ is for 𝙀𝙑𝙀𝙍𝙔𝙊𝙉𝙀! Learn more about Home Visiting in Meck County: smartstartofmeck.org/early-childhoo… #HomeVisitingMatters

How do you know a joke is a dad joke? 𝐼𝑡 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡. It's no joke, your children love you, Dad! Even if they eventually grow out of your sense of humor. Happy Father's Day! 👔

Smart Start of Mecklenburg County is proud to honor and celebrate Juneteenth. As we push for progress, we must continue to educate ourselves, for a more just world for our children's future. Check out this Juneteenth booklist: penguinrandomhouse.com/the-read-down/…

🎆 Wishing you and your family a healthy and happy Fourth of July weekend!

🤝 Home Visiting is a 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑠𝘩𝑖𝑝 between parents and professionals. Home Visiting is educational, supportive, empowering and voluntary. Learn more about home visiting in Mecklenburg County 👉 smartstartofmeck.org/early-childhoo… #HomeVisitingMatters

🍦🌡️ Celebrate National Ice Cream Day with a cold cone and a sweet book! "Ice Cream Face" is just one of the many books your child can receive through Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. So scoop out your favorite flavor and pair it with a book on this #nationalicecreamday

You can't walk until you crawl! Explore Through Movement & Play is 1 of the 5 Basics Principles that give parents and caregivers fun, simple and powerful ways to help develop their child's young brains. Get The Basics delivered to your inbox every month: ow.ly/vz8T50Wtqbk

Happy National Parents' Day! While we know it’s Sunday and a parent/caregivers job is never done, be sure to take a moment to give yourself a pat on the back. You're doing a great job! If you need support or ways to boost your child's development: ow.ly/Z4Ye50Wujmi

🖍️ Happy National Coloring Book Day to all the little ones out there! DYK coloring enhances fine motor skills, improves hand-eye coordination, boosts creativity and promotes color recognition? #NationalColoringBookDay Join our email community here: ow.ly/j0kr50WyRBO

1️⃣ week warning 🚨 SSMC's next Virtual Lunch & Learn, "Being Kindergarten Ready," dives into how early educators can reassure families that their child is "ready" for kindergarten. 📅 💻 Save the event to your calendar and join us next Monday at noon. ow.ly/R0TL50Wzw8F