With the emphasis on children doing well in school, it is often forgotten that learning actually begins long before a child is old enough to enroll in an official school setting.  Children under the age of 5 are in a constant state of information intake.  The Laugh and Learn program was developed to address the need for children ages 2-5 to experience positive learning opportunities, learning while laughing and having fun.  

During the restricted time onset by the COVID-19 pandemic, Laugh and Learn was converted from its original "in person" format to a "grab bag" format with take home activities for children and their guardians to explore together.  Over the course of 7 months, 38 families participated in the Laugh & Learn At Home program.  Each month, families were given a bag with resources and activities to encourage play based learning, plus Extension publications explaining the importance of early learning and information related to healthy, happy family life.  Activities focused on prewriting skills, fine & gross motor skill development, nutrition, dental health, sensory learning, and early letter/number identification.

Participants reported that they greatly enjoyed the opportunities to engage with their little ones that were provided by the program.  Almost all of the 38 families reported completion of the activities and that they looked forward to the next time the program will be offered.  All reported some improvement in fine motor skills and prewriting practices. Most importantly, all families reported laughing and learning together.