First Connections CFCE and ParentChild+

First Connections CFCE and ParentChild+ First Connections is funded by CFCE and PC+ grants from MA EEC awarded to JRI To view our direct services and programs, please go to: www.firstconnections.org

We provide free support, early childhood and parent education, and resources to all families with children under age 9 living in Acton, Bedford, Boxborough, Carlisle, Concord, Harvard, Lincoln, Littleton, Maynard, Sudbury, Westford and Hanscom AFB.

You know those cute Pinterest projects where you can make toys for your kids out of cardboard boxes? Well, they're not a...
04/30/2026

You know those cute Pinterest projects where you can make toys for your kids out of cardboard boxes? Well, they're not as easy or as quick as you think! 😆

But after many hours, a few hot glue burns, and a few mistakes, I think these came out pretty well! And they (mostly) survived two playgroups!

📅NEXT MONDAY! Infant Feeding Support Group: May 4, 12:30-1:30, First Connections Acton🤱Having trouble breastfeeding?🍼Goi...
04/30/2026

📅NEXT MONDAY! Infant Feeding Support Group: May 4, 12:30-1:30, First Connections Acton

🤱Having trouble breastfeeding?
🍼Going back to work, and your baby won't take a bottle?
👩‍🍼Triple feeding, and it's just too much?

Check in with Mary Beilman, Certified Lactation Counselor, and get support and tips on how to feed your baby in a way that works for your family and keeps your baby healthy. FREE, and open to anyone who is breasfeeding, bottle-feeding, pumping, chestfeeding, or a combination thereof.

Email Linda at lmatthews@jri.org to register (May 4 and/or June 1), or drop in at First Connections, 179 Great Rd, Suite 104a, Acton.

Last week, Ms. Ellie joined Paul from Discovery Museum and Meg from Farrington Nature Linc - Farrington Memorial to ass...
04/13/2026

Last week, Ms. Ellie joined Paul from Discovery Museum and Meg from Farrington Nature Linc - Farrington Memorial to assemble some nature exploration kits for local libraries.

The kits will have fiction and non-fiction books, real science tools you and your children can use to explore the natural world, and journals to record your observations. They are organized by theme: bugs 🐝, trees 🌳, birds 🐦, and ponds and streams 💧, and they are going to be SO COOL!

The kits need a few more finishing touches, but we hope to have them finished in the next month. We'll let you know when they're at the libraries and you can go check them out!

04/13/2026

Last call! 📣 Join us THIS Thursday evening! We’ve been working hard on a presentation and can’t wait to share it with you. And we’ll have lots of time and space for your questions!

April 16, 7pm, Village Nursery School, Harvard
Email lmatthews@jri.org to register

We have some great opportunities for caregivers to get information and support coming up this spring! Check them out, re...
04/09/2026

We have some great opportunities for caregivers to get information and support coming up this spring! Check them out, register with Linda, and share them with your networks!

🚸Transitioning Your Child to Preschool: Thurs April 30, 7-8pm, virtual. Join experienced early childhood educators to learn how to know when your child might be ready, and how to support them as they start a new school and/or routine. If you have a child who will start preschool in the fall, this is a great way to plan ahead!

🍼Infant Feeding Support Group: Mondays May 4 and June 1, 12:30-1:30, in person at First Connections, 179 Great Rd Acton. Register for one or both. Join Mary Beilman, Certified Lactation Counselor (and renowned baby and new parent whisperer), for tips and support on feeding your baby, however you are doing that--breastfeeding, bottle feeding, chestfeeding, pumping, or a combination thereof.

🥑Starting Solids: Tues May 26, 1-2pm, Virtual. Join Speech and Language Pathologist Julia Hurd, pediatric feeding specialist at Emerson Health, to learn to look for signs your baby is ready for solids, how to introduce food safely, and some ideas for first foods.

Email Linda at lmatthews@jri.org to register for any or all of these FREE programs!

Do you have a baby? Do you know someone with a baby? If they're available on Monday mornings, everyone is welcome to joi...
04/05/2026

Do you have a baby? Do you know someone with a baby? If they're available on Monday mornings, everyone is welcome to join our FREE caregiver-child Ages & Stages playgroup at the Reuben Hoar Library, Littleton, MA from 10:30-11:30, starting April 27.

Babies will have the chance to play with toys, while the caregivers can talk and connect and get support for any challenges they may be facing. Facilitated by an early childhood educator.

Email Linda lmatthews@jri.org to register, and please spread the word!

(We also have a few open spots in our toddler and preschool playgroups too, so get them before they're gone! Check our website or your inbox for our spring newsletter, including our playgroup schedule.)

Littleton Parents Association Harvard Family Association Acton-Boxborough Family Network Concord Family Network BFC: Bedford Family Connection LincFam Sudbury Family Network

04/02/2026

Our April Getting Ready for Kindergarten newsletter will go out early next week. Are you signed up?

If you have a child entering kindergarten in 2026, sign up for Ms. Ellie's monthly newsletter, where you'll get tips on what to expect in the transition to kindergarten, how to prepare yourself and your child, and a monthly calendar of simple activities you can do at home to prepare your child for "big kid" school.

https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/3xadWuvpha

03/31/2026

It’s frustrating when young children hit, sn**ch toys, fight with their friends or siblings, but it is developmentally appropriate behavior. 😫

But we don’t want it to continue! So how do we help them learn better, more adaptive social skills? How do we get them to genuinely apologize or take turns and share with others?

Join Ms Ellie and the directors of Village Nursery School in Harvard to get tips and advice on what to do to help children develop authentic social skills.

Thurs April 16, 7pm IN PERSON at their beautiful school in Harvard. Free, open to all! Register by emailing lmatthews@jri.org

Sure, you can get parenting advice on social media, but wouldn't you rather have a conversation with three early childho...
03/26/2026

Sure, you can get parenting advice on social media, but wouldn't you rather have a conversation with three early childhood educators with decades of experience between them? And if one or more of those people knows your child? Even better!

Come to Village Nursery School on Thursday April 16, where Ellie from First Connections and their directors Maureen Bajko and Emilie Staiger will talk about how to support your child in developing authentic social skills like apologizing and working/playing with others.

FREE, open to all caregivers. Email Linda at lmatthews@jri.org to register. And please share with anyone you know who might be interested!

Harvard Family Association Littleton Parents Association Acton-Boxborough Family Network Concord Family Network Sudbury Family Network LincFam BFC: Bedford Family Connection

We're going to do something we haven't done since B.C.--Before Covid--an IN PERSON parent education seminar! And it's co...
03/19/2026

We're going to do something we haven't done since B.C.--Before Covid--an IN PERSON parent education seminar! And it's coming up in just a few weeks!

We all want to raise children who grow up to be kind, empathetic adults who are able to genuinely apologize, take responsibility for their mistakes, and work well with others. You might be surprised to learn that forcing children to say they're sorry or to share toys is actually counter-productive. But if you don't do that, what do you do to raise emotionally healthy adults?

Join Ms. Ellie, Emilie Staiger and Maureen Bajko, directors of the Village Nursery School in Harvard, to learn why forcing apologies and sharing is not helpful and what to do instead.

Thur. Apr 16, 7pm at Village Nursery School, 40 Poor Farm Rd. Harvard
Email Linda at lmatthews@jri.org to regsiter.

Well, it took us a little while, but we're finally joining this fun trend! How cute were we!? 😍
03/18/2026

Well, it took us a little while, but we're finally joining this fun trend! How cute were we!? 😍

Address

179 Great Road, Ste 104A
Acton, MA
01720

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4pm
Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm

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