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

First Connections CFCE and ParentChild+

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Acton, MA
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.

08/28/2025

Our fall newsletter landed in your inboxes yesterday! 📩

If you didn't get it, check your bulk folder, or click this link: https://conta.cc/460pBRx

It's full of great information for families with young children:
⭐Playgroups
⭐First Year of Life groups
⭐Parent Education seminars
⭐Story Walks
⭐Nature Activities
⭐ParentChild+ home visiting program openings
⭐Free support groups and caregiver education programs in the community
And so much more!

We hope to see you in some of our programs this fall!

08/24/2025

While playgroups are on a break, and children are starting school or going back to school, we thought it might be helpful to share some information on child development and how kids play at different ages and stages. Notice that children don't begin to play cooperatively until Pre-K or older!

⭐These age ranges are rough and are more true for typically-developing children.

⭐There is always a range of what is typical, so if your child isn't doing some of these things at these ages, they still may be typically-developing.

⭐If you have questions or concerns about your child's development, you can email Ellie at espringer@jri.org, or you can ask a trusted medical provider or educator in your life.

08/18/2025

"Ruby's School Walk" story walk is up at Reo Rd Playground in Maynard!

The weather looks like it's going to be nice all week; why not go play on the playground and read a book all about starting or going back to school!

08/14/2025

Starting this weekend!! 📅

It's almost back-to-school time, and your child (or you) may be feeling some nervousness about that. Check out this story walk at the Reo Rd Playground in Maynard to add a little levity and talk about some of those fears. (And you can play on the playground!)

A little girl named Ruby has to face alligators in the stream, a tiger hiding behind the building and more on her walk to school with her mom. Or are those scary things just in her imagination? How will she do when she gets to school?

Next week looks like it's going to be cooler, so if you can't get there this weekend, put it in your calendar for next week.

08/07/2025

ICYMI, First Connections has a diaper pantry, which provides free diapers to families in need in our communities. We had a grant that we used to buy diapers, but it has run out. 😔 We are now relying solely on donations.

We need your help! Our diaper supplies are running low, but the need has not changed. If you can afford to buy a package of diapers from our Amazon wish list, or if you have diapers at home you don't need, we would so appreciate it!

We especially need larger sizes--4 and up--and open packages are fine.
Amazon link: https://a.co/8JCxB91

Thank you in advance for your help!

08/01/2025

It looks like we're finally going to get a beautiful, sunny, not too hot weekend! 🎉☀ Looking for a fun activity to get the family outside? Check out our story walk of "The Ugly Vegetables" 🥬🍅 by the wonderful Grace Lin at Hugh Cargill Community Garden, across from the courthouse at 305 Walden St in Concord.

A couple of notes:
⭐️Please do not pick the flowers or vagatables, as they belong to the farmers growing them.
⭐️There is a picnic table if you bring a lunch.
⭐️Free parking is available at Hapgood Forest a short walk down the street.
⭐️The story is bilingual English-Chinese.
⭐️Find the bitter melon pictured in the book growing near the picnic table.
⭐️Get your coloring page at the end of the story.

Happy story-walking! 🥾📗

07/28/2025

📣 Last call! 📣 Happening this Thursday!

Join Ms. Ellie to learn how to help your child develop empathy, without forcing them to say sorry.

07/24/2025

We had so much fun at Discovery Museum's Nature Play Festval a couple weeks ago! It was great to see how many families came out to play outside and learn about nature, even on such a hot day. Thank you Discovery Museum for having us!

(Sorry for the ; we have just now cooled off and recovered! 😂)

07/22/2025

For those who didn't see our reel last week, or if you have been meaning to sign up but haven't yet, here's your reminder! 📆 Join Ms. Ellie next Thursday to learn why we don't encourage forced apologies and what to do instead.

Free and open to all caregivers! Email Linda at lmatthews@jri.org to register!

07/16/2025

Starting this weekend! Our first summer story walk, "How Groundhog's Garden Grew", will be up at Great Brook Farm in Carlisle.

This story is great for anyone working on a garden at home, especially if you have some critters who help themselves to some of your harvest! 😅🍅🥬🐿 And even if you don't have any green thumbs, this story has great messages of community-building.

Great Brook Farm is open sunrise to sunset, and you can see cows, goats, and chickens. Their ice cream stand is open 11-8, and there is a picnic area and restrooms. There is a $3 per car parking fee, but you can get a state parks pass at your library to park for free.

07/10/2025

📆 Mark your calendars for our first Story Walk of the summer! And this one provides a whole morning or afternoon of entertainment--story walk 📘, farm animals 🐐🐄, and ice cream 🍦! What more could you want?

"How Groundhog's Garden Grew" will be up at Great Brook Farm in Carlisle from July 19-29. The farm is open (with goats, cows, and chickens to see) from sunrise to sunset, with free robotic milking tours on weekends at 1:00, 3:00, and 5:00. The ice cream stand is open from 11-8, you can bring a picnic, and they have restrooms.

There is a $3 fee per car for parking, but if you get a MA State Parks pass from your library, it's free!

https://www.mass.gov/locations/great-brook-farm-state-park

07/09/2025

We're excited to join Discovery Museum's Nature Play Festival this Friday and hope to see some of you there. But if you can't make it, here are some nature activities you can do at home with your kids--inside and outside!

Find downloadable pdfs on our website:https://jri.org/sites/default/files/2025-06/Summer%20Nature%20Activities.pdf

Address

179 Great Road, Ste 104A
Acton, MA
01720

Opening Hours

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

Website

http://www.jri.org/firstconnections

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