The holidays are a time for family, joy, and connection—a perfect opportunity to create Mighty Small Moments that spark growth and learning in your little ones. These everyday interactions, like reading, playing, and exploring, help build your child’s brain and strengthen your bond.

We are thrilled to share that our PopSpot initiative was recently featured on TMJ4 News!

This coverage shines a spotlight on an exciting and innovative way for Milwaukee families to engage in hands-on learning experiences while creating Mighty Small Moments that will leave a lasting impact on their children's development.

The first week of December marks National Handwashing Awareness Week, a perfect time to remind families about the importance of hand hygiene—especially for young children.

Handwashing may seem simple, but it’s one of the most powerful tools for preventing the spread of illness. Teaching children good handwashing habits early sets them up for a lifetime of wellness.

December is Safe Toys and Gifts Month, a time to reflect on the safety of the gifts we give to children. With the holiday season in full swing, it’s important to ensure the toys and gifts under the tree bring joy—and not harm—to your little ones.

As parents and caregivers, we all want the holidays to be magical, but it's just as crucial that they’re safe. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, toy-related injuries result in tens of thousands of emergency room visits annually. Safe Toys and Gifts Month encourages families to make mindful choices when selecting toys, focusing on age-appropriate options and safety.

If you're looking for ways to celebrate this holiday without breaking the bank, Milwaukee has you covered! Across the city, there are wonderful events and opportunities where families can gather, enjoy a delicious meal, and embrace the spirit of giving—all for free.

Thanksgiving isn’t just a time to gather and enjoy a feast - It’s a chance to make memories that will shape your child’s early learning and development. Mighty Small Moments are the everyday activities that nurture a child’s growing brain, and the holiday season offers countless opportunities for these meaningful connections. Here’s how you can create Mighty Small Moments this Thanksgiving.

Today is “Read Across Milwaukee” day, and to celebrate we’ve collaborated with Central City Cyberschool of Milwaukee to read to children in grades K4 - Grade 3 with an extraordinary guest reader, Mayor Cavalier Johnson!

Together, Mayor Johnson and our awesome volunteers took literary adventures with the youth and helped to celebrate the power of reading. The event was such a success and CBS 58 also stopped by and captured footage of the event!

We are SO excited to share that our partner, LaundryCares Foundation, was nationally recognized as a Library of Congress Announces 2024 Literacy Awards recipient!

The Library of Congress Literacy Awards program, sponsored by David M. Rubenstein since 2013, and also by the Kislak Family Foundation since 2023, honors promising initiatives that provide exemplary, innovative and replicable strategies that promote literacy (Source: https://newsroom.loc.gov/).

September is National Literacy Awareness Month, a time to reflect on the importance of reading and literacy in shaping our children’s future.

At MKE4Kids, we are committed to helping families build strong literacy foundations through daily interactions and #MightySmallMoments that support brain development and educational success. We’ve created a special Literacy Activity Calendar for September, full of fun, engaging activities that families can do together to support early literacy, no matter how busy their schedules may be.

Dea Wright is featured in the National Campaign for Grade-Level Reading initiative’s video celebrating the important role of Children's Museums in early education. Watch to learn more!

"Read, Play & Learn" popularity is growing!

In February 2024, we partnered with LaundryCare Foundation to install a “Read, Learn & Play” space at Quick Wash Laundromat 7613 W. Villard Ave.

This space is intentionally designed to foster the development of Mighty Small Moments between parents and their children, while simultaneously improving the literacy of their child. Spectrum News recently covered the success of the installation! Check out the full story below.

Today is a day to celebrate you, the unsung heroes of your child's life - parents. On National Parents as Teachers Day, we pay tribute to your incredible role as the first and most important teacher in your child's life.

But STEM/STEAM Day is not just for adults – it's a perfect opportunity for parents to engage their little ones in fun and interactive activities that can promote an early interest in STEM/STEAM and prepare them for success in school and life.

Barbershop Books works "to expand reading opportunities for Black boys by creating and supporting fun reading experiences in barbershops," according to their website.

The organization also reports that 82% of Black male 4th-grade students in the United States are not proficient in reading. A stat DJ called "astonishing."

"There's just not a lot of books that entertain them as far as their history, as far as where they come from," DJ explained while touching up Zeckarias' hair. "I think it's hard to read when there's nothing that represents you."

Dea Wright, the Director of the Office of Early Childhood Initiatives, is the one responsible for bringing the program to Wisconsin.

Parents can explore Milwaukee-area parks with their little ones in a new way with the installation of storybooks that can be read by walking along park pathways.

The Story Paths are the latest PopSpots, interactive spaces designed to create a mighty small moment of learning for a young child, featuring colorful illustrations, simple phrases, and an opportunity to be active while learning. The Story Paths are located at the 12th & Wright St. playground and Southgate Playfield in Milwaukee.

The city of Milwaukee's Office of Early Childhood Initiatives (OECI) is building their "Mighty Small Moments" mission, to make parents the first teachers for children.We want to transform everyday places and spaces by doing our part to make sure parents have access to literacy and language-rich opportunities," said Dea Wright, OECI's director.

Their newest initiative brings reading opportunities to a favorite space for families - community parks.

Just 15 minutes of playing, reading, singing and interacting with your child can help build important connections to family members and the community.

That’s the message the City of Milwaukee’s Office of Early Childhood Initiatives, or OECI, is stressing as it rolls out the Mighty Small Moments public service campaign.

One of the campaign’s messages is that kids are like sponges, which is to say they are constantly absorbing information and experiences, all of which affects the people they become as they age.

Early childhood education is essential for giving children a strong foundation for their future academic and personal success. Research has shown that children who attend high-quality early childhood education programs have better cognitive skills, social and emotional skills, and academic outcomes.

One of the most important things we can do for our children is to read to them. Reading is not only a way to introduce our children to new ideas and concepts, but it also helps to develop their language skills, imagination, and creativity.