Office for Children
Fairfax County Department of Family Services
12011 Government Center Pkwy., Suite 920
Fairfax, VA 22035
Media contacts: 703-324-7162 or 703-324-8042
TTY: 711

Office for Children’s Display
Can Help Parents in Springfield and Tyson’s Corner

An estimated 12,000 Fairfax County children start kindergarten each year. Parents can help their children get ready for school by doing simple activities together using ordinary household items. Some of these activities are illustrated with a special exhibit that will be displayed at the Kingstowne Library and the Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library during the month of May.

“Parents can help their children learn science, math and reading concepts while making dinner, shopping for groceries, or even doing laundry,” says Betsi Closter, who directs School Readiness initiatives for the Fairfax County Department of Family Services’ Office for Children.

Parents who visit the Kingstowne or Tysons-Pimmit library branches in May can take home free copies of “Helping Your Child Love to Learn” while supplies last. The booklet was published by Fairfax Futures, a nonprofit organization that supports the Office for Children’s school readiness efforts. Fairfax Futures’ booklet can also be read online at www.fairfax-futures.org.

“Research shows that preschoolers who have quality early learning experiences start kindergarten with stronger academic skills, which can lead to higher test scores, higher graduation rates, and higher income as adults,” says Fairfax Futures’ Executive Director Vera Steiner Blore.

Child care professionals who help care for and educate infants, toddlers and preschoolers can support parents’ efforts at preparing children for school success by reading the library’s copy of “The Early Learning Guidelines.” This manual, published by the Office for Children, can also be read online.