Arrowhead West Infant-Toddler Services

11/21/2025

‘Tis the season to buy more toys!

But there are so many toys to choose from. So how do you decide which toys to buy?

It is important to recognize that toys are the tools for learning. So choosing a variety of well-balanced toys is key.

When shopping for holiday gifts for young children, choose toys from the following categories:

🔹 Gross motor play: These are toys that encourage play-based movement, such as a ride-on toy, tee ball set, pop-up tunnel, scooter board, slide, etc.

🔹 Fine motor play: These are toys that encourage small muscle movements, such as puzzles, shape sorters, peg boards, lacing beads, etc.

🔹 Pretend play: These are open-ended toys that encourage imagination, such as a farm set, train set, doll house, play food, musical instruments, etc.

🔹 Arts and crafts play: These are toys that encourage creativity, such as crayons, markers, construction paper, glue, stickers, etc.

🔹 Constructive play: These are toys that encourage building, such as blocks, Lego’s, Lincoln Logs, Bristle blocks, etc.

🔹 Outdoor play: These are toys that encourage play in nature, such as a kite, sidewalk chalk, water and sand table, wagon, etc.

🔹 Cooperative play: These are board and card games that encourage social interactions and turn-taking, such as Don’t Break the Ice, Memory, Hi-Ho-Cherry-O, CandyLand, etc.

🔹 Literacy play: Books are toys too so don’t forget to include them on your shopping list. Flap books, touch and feel books, wordless books, picture books, story books, interactive books...they all support language and early literacy skills.

Avoid the battery-operated, button pushing toys that force-feed academics. Instead, choose toys that allow the child to provide all the power, all the imagination, and all the sound effects.

11/17/2025

Today is World Preemie Day! Our Infant-Toddler Services staff have the privilege of working with infants and toddlers who were preemies and their families every day, giving preterm babies a strong start for a brighter future. We Love Our Preemies!!

11/14/2025

STOP telling kids they are going to get sick when they go outside!
The biggest lies we’ve convinced ourselves to believe is that going outside in the cold is what makes us sick.
Fresh air helps their immune systems, resets moods, and burns energy! Our kids need that. We need that.
So bundle them up.
Double up the socks, zip the snowsuit, and slap on that hat they’ll rip off five minutes later anyway. Then go outside.
The cold won’t make them sick. But keeping them cooped up just might.

11/13/2025

Thank you to the Community Foundation of Southwest Kansas for their continued support of our programs. Our Infant-Toddler Services Program received a grant to purchase a new device for providing hearing screenings at our screening clinics and for the children in our services.

11/06/2025

11/06/2025

Mark your calendar and join us in the fun!!! Bring your family and friends and join us to create your very own gingerbread house. We will have lots of other fun activities, including face painting, cookies, hot chocolate, and Whoville beauty shop, bakery, and tattoo parlor. A great way to get in the holiday spirit

11/01/2025

Did you know that Nursery Rhymes support language acquisition in young children!
WORLD NURSERY RHYME WEEK is coming soon — November 10–14 (or pick your own time to celebrate)!
Let’s celebrate, sing, and learn together! 💛
More info here: www.worldnurseryrhymeweek.com/registration

10/31/2025

Stop by and see us at the Main Street Trick or Treat in Pratt from 3-5

10/31/2025

Happy Halloween from our AWI Infant Toddler Services Team! Have fun and be safe!

10/31/2025

A Big Shout Out and Thank You to the South Central Community Foundation for supporting Arrowhead West! Yesterday, we received a $1,000 check to purchase books for our Infant Toddler Services Program.

10/29/2025

Thank you to Lisa Libraries for the amazing books you provided us to share with the children and families in our services! The books will help promote the importance of literacy and learning in the early years of life and enhance our services to the young children we serve by providing them with tools to improve their development trajectory.