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TL&LC's Tinker Time for Tots: Igniting Early Learning Through Everyday Fun


As summer unfolds in Highlands, The Literacy & Learning Center remains a vibrant hub for early learning, particularly through its beloved Tinker Time for Tots workshops. These engaging sessions are designed to empower parents with inventive, accessible ways to turn everyday household items into enriching learning tools, preparing preschoolers for kindergarten and fostering a lifelong love of discovery.


Led by TL&LC's Pre-K Director, Carolyn Middlebrooks, Tinker Time for Tots is built on the philosophy that learning can be both fun and practical. Each session begins with a few engaging books related to the day's topic, setting the stage for curiosity and exploration. Then, children and parents engage in hands-on table activities, followed by valuable free playtime, during which children can explore and interact. Parents also often receive information to take home, reinforcing the skills practiced that day.


The workshop curriculum is carefully crafted to enhance a variety of crucial early childhood skills:

  • Fine Motor Skills: Children refine their dexterity by engaging in activities such as precisely placing stickers on lines, molding Play-Doh into suggested shapes (like forming a ball or rolling a snake), and using their fingers to write shapes or lines in sand trays.

  • Colors: Learning colors becomes an adventure with activities like color scavenger hunts, sorting colorful Fruit Loops (with the bonus of a tasty treat!), and clipping colored clothespins onto corresponding cards.

  • Numbers: Foundational number sense is developed through hands-on tasks, such as placing the correct number of pom-poms into a water bottle, rolling the corresponding number of Play-Doh balls onto a numbered card, and threading beads onto pipe cleaners with numbers on them.


These free, no-registration-required workshops offer a unique opportunity for young children to develop essential skills in a playful and supportive environment. Tinker Time for Tots exemplifies TL&LC's commitment to fostering a love of learning and providing enriching experiences for youth throughout the summer months.


Upcoming Tinker Time for Tots sessions are available on Wednesdays through August 13. To learn more about these invaluable workshops and other enriching opportunities at The Literacy & Learning Center, please visit TheLiteracyandLearningCenter.org or contact Caroline Cox at CCox@TheLiteracyandLearningCenter.org or 828-526-0863.

 
 

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P.O. Box 2320 (mailing)

675 South 4th Street (physical)

Highlands, NC 28741

Hours: M - F, 9:30 am - 5:30 pm

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