Special to the Signal

The Lowndes County Children’s Policy Council along with the Lowndes County Board of Education Head Start Program will be hosting Books, Balls and Blocks Friday, Dec. 13 from 8 a.m. until 12 noon at the Jackson-Steele Community Center in White Hall.

According to Samita Jeter, director of the Lowndes County BOE Head Start Program, “This event is free to parents and children and sure to have a great impact.”

She said, the Books, Balls and Blocks event will provide to children (4 months to 5-years-old) in the community with eight activity areas of play to stimulate their development from playing with blocks, building structures, identifying colors, shapes, listening to stories, crawling through the tunnel, finding treasure in the pool of foam peanuts and art.

“The parents, while the children are playing, will observe and complete the Ages and Stages questionnaire. And after it’s scored, they will know if their child is on target developmentally or if further evaluation is needed. This event has been held in Russell, Autauga and Lauderdale counties and they were a lot of fun!” Liletta Jenkins with the Alabama Department of Children’s Affairs said.

Judge Adrian Johnson, chairman of the Lowndes County Children’s Policy Council said, “I would like to see this made available to all children and their parents in Lowndes no matter what childcare setting they attend, if any at all. It’s important that parents know if their children are developing age appropriately.”

Jeter agreed, adding, “Using Ages & Stages is a way to get parents involved in the screening process. We hope many of our parents bring their children out to this exciting event.”

She said parents/guardians must attend in order for the children to participate.