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Smart Start of Butler County

Children get a critical boost with Smart Start of Butler County.

For many, improving the quality of child care in Butler County is one of the most important initiatives we as a community can undertake.  Funded by Kansas Children's Cabinet and Trust Fund and in partnership with a comprehensive network of government, early childhood education specialists and business community. Families have increased access to affordable, quality child care in centers and/or family homes. A clearinghouse of information and support for parents, child care providers and early childhood community is also available through county libraries and resource centers.

Opening doors

Smart Start of Butler County is a community connection to early childhood education and child care resources and expertise.

Smart Start of Butler County is opening doors of opportunity for quality child care, early childhood wellness, and provider training and support in the following ways:

  • Serving as a clearinghouse of information for a growing network of resource centers.
  • Offering scholarship funds to help child care providers advance their skills through college courses in the child care field.
  • Developing mentoring and training opportunities for families and providers.
  • Awarding mini-grants to help providers prepare their home or center in meeting child care licensing standards.
  • Supplying relevant child care expertise and informational materials to libraries and resource centers.
  • Consulting with a mental health specialist on issues relevant to families and child care providers.

 

How to get started

For more information, contact Smart Start of Butler County at (316) 320-1342 or visit ButlerKids.org.

Check it out!

Our Smart Start lending library is up and running and we have had several visitors come to the El Dorado office to check out books. If you are interested in learning more about items we have available, please contact us!

Suggested Readings for March: Just Take A Bite
Just Take A Bite: Easy, Effective Answers to Food Aversions and Eating Challenges! (by Lori Ernsperger, Ph.D.) - Does your child refuse to eat foods from a specific food group? Does your dinner table turn into a battle ground during mealtimes? Are you working with a student who is anxious or scared of eating new foods? This book presents a practical and contemporary approach to helping children who are problem eaters. This book is an excellent resource on why some children have eating challenges and how to use different strategies to promote positive mealtime environments.

How Are You Peeling?How are you Peeling: Foods with Moods
(by Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers)
With simple rhymed text describing the emotions, this appealing picture book is bound to spark discussion with young children. Parents and child care providers can use it to talk about different emotions or to help children to identify and articulate their mood of the moment.