Welcome to the FamilySPEAK Blog! Our main blog is below, and you may also visit our special blog categories by clicking on a topic: Emotional Well-Being, Health, Nutrition, and Learning at Home
Resilient Futures | Strengthening Family Coping Resources
Strengthening Family Coping Resources (SFCR) is a program aimed at building resilience during stressful or uncertain times. SFCR relies on natural healing and evidence-based coping
Meal Planning | Fun, Affordable, Healthy Meals for Your Family
Are you tired of trying to decide what to cook for your family that works with your food dollars? Do you wish you had help
Recursos de Salud Para los Latinos
Los recursos que aparecen a continuación están diseñados para ayudar a los hispanoamericanos que necesitan servicios de salud mental y de salud física y mental
Parent Resources from Children’s Hospital | Servicios en Español
Children’s Hospital Colorado is committed to helping you keep your kids healthy and safe. Their pediatric experts have created free resources, and provided valuable tips
Promoting Social-Emotional Skills During Virtual Learning
Social-emotional development is especially important during early childhood. Promoting social skills in young children can help prevent challenging behavior and support the development of relationships
Diversus Health Offers Crisis Counseling
Diversus Health offers crisis counseling through Colorado Crisis Services. For details, visit their main website or their Crisis Services page. Below are some resources to
Why Does Inflammation Matter to Child Development?
The immune system defends the body against infection and other challenges that can cause harm. One of the most important parts of the immune system’s
PPLD offers Dial-a-Story for Children!
There are stories available for different age groups (pre-K, kindergarten through second grade, and grades three through six). Call (719) 531-6333, x7150 to hear stories
Resource Round-Up from Colorado DHS
The Colorado Department of Human Services Office of Early Childhood’s new Family Resource Round-Up is a five-page guide to help with parenting during a pandemic and
FREE Virtual Support & Resources for Family, Friend and Neighbor Caregivers
If you are a family member, friend, or neighbor providing regular child care for children other than your own during the COVID-19 crisis, Alliance for
Social Connections – NOW and Every Day
Social connections are especially challenging for families right now – but remain key to reducing stress. As one of the five protective factors for Strengthening
Supporting Your Child’s Social & Emotional Health
FamilySPEAK has compiled resources to support families and their child’s social and emotional well-being. As one of the five protective factors for Strengthening Families, being
Video Library, Vroom, Bright by Text!
You are in the right place to learn more about parenting and child development! The FamilySPEAK.org website has a special video library for parents/families based
Parental Resilience Strengthens Families
As the weeks go by, you may be wondering if you will be able to “bounce back” from all the changes that have happened to
Community Resources for Families
Having concrete supports in times of need is one of the five protective factors for Strengthening Families. Call 2-1-1 for Information & Referral (Pikes Peak
What Builds a Strong Family?
Everything has changed for families over the last month. In an effort to be #DoingMyPartCO, Alliance for Kids will focus on the positive things EVERYONE
Local & State Resources for Mental Health Support
If you find yourself needing assistance managing stress and anxiety, local resources are available. NAMI of Colorado Springs At NAMI, calls to 719.473.8477 are being
Celebrity Read Alouds are Changing Things Up!!
Celebrities reading children’s books aloud is catching on…and the playlists are growing by the minute! Hearing stories out loud is great for a child’s early
Preparing for Emergencies | Brain Building Tips for Families
It is important to ensure that you and your family are well-prepared and ready should disaster strike; preparedness and planning are key. Children have unique
Nurse-Family Partnership for First-Time Parents
Public Health nurses provide home visits that improve the health, well-being and self-sufficiency of low-income, first-time parents and their children in El Paso and Teller
Catch All Editions of The Buzz!
If you’ve missed an edition of The Buzz or want to see all editions, visit our Buzz Page! Click HERE!
Video | Supporting Your Child’s Emotional Health
Dr. Barbara Stroud presents COVID-19 Tips for Parents A member of ZERO TO THREE’s Academy of Fellows, Dr. Stroud provides parents with information and skills
Tips to Stay Connected! Resources for FUN!
Ideas for Ways to Stay Connected while Socially Isolated: Without physical contact, creating some kind of shared experience seems crucial. Eating at the same time,
Academic & Wi-Fi/Smartphone Resource List
From the Colorado Partnership for Thriving Families: Bright by Text provides free tips, information, and resources to help all parents and caregivers give every child
Foods to Keep Children Healthy
You know your kid should be eating healthy to stay healthy, but how? We’ll give you the lowdown on which foods to give them, which
7 Ways to Boost Your Child’s Immunity
7 Ways to Boost Your Child’s Immunity There are healthy eating habits you can adopt that will give your child’s immune system a boost. Read
KidsHealth Resources to Stay Healthy
Health Resources for Parents, Kids, Teens, and Educators The KidsHealth website has information for finding out how to take care of your body, eat healthy,
The Germ Experiment for Kids
This is a hands on activity that parents/care providers can do with their children to teach the importance of how handwashing keeps germs away. Learn more
The Importance of Self-Care
Self-care is not selfish or indulgent—it’s how we keep ourselves well to ensure we are physically, emotionally, and mentally capable of being there for our
Emergency Preparedness
Watch a video featuring Devereux Center for Resilient Children Early Childhood Specialist and National Trainer Nefertiti B. Poyner, Ed.D., as she helps her 5-year-old daughter
Resources from ReadyRosie
A Toolkit for Supporting Families Impacted by COVID-19 With the growing impact of the COVID-19 virus, ReadyRosie (The Creative Curriculum) has developed a free toolkit
Sesame Street in Communities
Sesame Street in Communities offers TONS of resources that help kids (and parents!) with what matters most in young lives: health and wellness, social-emotional skills,
Kindergarten: How Can I Tell If My Child Is Keeping Up?
By Melanie Haiken, M.A. (from Health Day newsletter) How will I know if my child is keeping up in kindergarten? In the months after your
8 Reasons to Teach Kindness in School
Kindness Is Something Students Learn By Feeling It by Lisa Currie, Ripple Kindness Project From the Teach Thought website. Read an additional article from the Ripple
Kindergarten Readiness & February Fun
February’s Buzz is filled with steps to prepare you and your child for the journey to kindergarten, a sweet list of children’s books you’ll love
Make a Strong Start in 2020
We are BUZZING with excitement to share new ideas, activities, and information in 2020! Four Things You Can Do To Build A Happy Healthy Family
The December Buzz | Part 2
You’ll want to check out Part 2 of December’s Buzz to find out what this picture is! Michelle Klamm, AFK’s new Community & Family Education
Festivities with the Family | December Buzz Part 1
Click HERE to read the full edition of The Buzz (Part 1) and a link to local holiday events! Look for Part 2 in mid-December!
Positive Guidance | THE BUZZ October Edition
The October Buzz is all about the power of positive guidance. Discover strategies for various ages and learn more about the temperaments that make each
Build Curiosity | THE BUZZ September Edition
The September Buzz is all about building a curious mind during your child’s early years. The world needs more creative people and believe it or
How to Prevent Sports Injuries | Rider University Article
The safety of sports programs for child and teen athletes is an ongoing concern. It’s clear that kids should be free to have fun and
Spark Creativity! | THE BUZZ August Edition
Spark creativity! AFK’s Buzz newsletter is all about nurturing your child’s creative side – it helps brain development and builds their confidence! For more ideas,
Milestone Tracker App from CDC
Milestones matter! Track your child’s milestones from age 2 months to 5 years with the Center for Disease Control’s easy-to-use illustrated checklists; get tips from
Reading Counts!
Counting pictures of items, such as in a picture book, rather than physical items is a stronger way to support a child’s concept of cardinality,
Foster Care | Supports & Resources
Foster Care Foster and adoptive families truly change the lives of children in our community. Child Placement Agencies El Paso County Department of Human Services
Serve & Return | Building Your Child’s Brain
Did you know that you can help build a child’s brain – starting even before babies can talk? Simple serve and return interactions between adults
Safe Kids Colorado Springs May Newsletter
Read the latest news from Safe Kids. This newsletter features bike and water safety information just in time for the summer months. May Newsletter>>
The Buzz | April Edition
Check out the April Edition of The Buzz. This edition celebrates early childhood! Find out what promotes healthy brain development during the early years.
The Buzz | March Edition
Check out the March Edition of The Buzz. It features the final part of our Early Language & Literacy Series.
The Buzz | February Edition
Check out the February Edition of The Buzz. It features Part 6 of our Early Language and Literacy Series.
Keeping Kids Safe | Windows, Cars, Playgrounds, Sports & More!
How Children Spend Their Early Years Matters Children rely on their caregivers to keep their environments safe each and every day. Whether it’s “baby-proofing” a
Early Childhood Centers Receive ECHO Grants
Early Childhood Health Outdoors (ECHO) Grants Six early-childhood education centers in Colorado Springs have been selected to receive $5,000 seed grants to create outdoor learning
Fatherhood | A Series of Child & Family Blogs
Articles on Fathers and Child Development | Child and Family Blog The Child & Family Blog was developed to share the new knowledge with all
Special Blog Categories
