The first Community Action Partnership (CAP) of Lancaster's first Thrive to Five Home Visiting Park Play Date began at 9 a.m. on June 30 in the Reamstown Memorial Park, and by 9:10 a.m., bubbles filled the air as nearly 10 children and their caregivers were engaged in educational play. "It's for the whole family," said Ocean Smith, family engagement specialist with CAP and CrossNet Ministries in New Holland. "The little and the big (children) are learning, and the adults are too." In addition to the Reamstown session, a playdate was held at Long's Park Kids Place on July 7, and two upcoming dates are scheduled for Friday, July 28, and Friday, Aug. 18, at Daniel's Den Playground, 530 Central Manor Road, Lancaster. Registration to attend a Park Play Date is encouraged. Parents may register at https://bit.ly/TTFHVPPlaydates23.

"The Park Play series is a continued learning connection for the families over the summer," said Smith, who noted that one important benefit of the program is giving children and parents a chance to connect and socialize. "The biggest thing is building a resource group with informal connections and play," she said.

"So much learning is done through play," Smith pointed out, noting that the games she brings to the park are designed to keep children engaged. "There are so many simple things you can do and ways to interact that encourage learning," she noted, adding that the playground itself offers gross motor practice. "We have some books we hope to do a story time, (followed by) a couple of songs," she said. Open-ended games incorporate sensory objects and include hand-eye coordination activities, such as a fishing game. "We have (games to encourage learning) colors, numbers, math, and fine motor skills," she said, pointing out a tic-tac-toe game, sidewalk chalk, and a bean bag toss. "These help to work skills over the summer," she said.

About five team members aided Smith in the park and one of those was Jessica Zook, youth services coordinator with the Adamstown Area Library. "The libraries ... are a continued connection through the collaboration of the First 10 Partnership," explained Smith. "We often collaborate for play and learns and sometimes in these smaller learning and connection opportunities like the playdates." Zook was at the Reamstown Park to read a book to the children and help involve families in the summer reading program. During the session, Zook also interacted with the children by helping them hunt for plastic waffles and fish, among other activities. "There's a fish escaping," she pointed out to a child.

Last year, Smith only served ELANCO School District as part of the Parents as Teachers program, but that changed for 2023 when the Parents as Teachers Home Visitors and the Head Start Home Visitors programs merged together on CAP's Thrive to Five team. "Now (I work) under the Thrive to Five education umbrella," Smith explained, noting that she is doing home visiting in a wider area of the county. Smith noted that the Thrive to Five education team is producing a newsletter about events throughout the county, which parents may receive by registering at https://bit.ly/TTFEventNewsletterReg. Readers who have questions may email osmith@caplanc.org.