Parenting Resources

Helping Parents Succeed

Resource Library

Housed within the Museum, and accessible by all visitors, is Habitot's Family Resource Center. A collection of 500 books, manuals, videos and parenting guides address many if not most of the issues facing parents raising young children. Magazines, brochures from preschools and parenting services, flyers for family friendly events can all be found in the Center. FREE First 5 'new parent kits' in many languages are also distributed from the Center.

Members may check books out for FREE for three weeks. New or gently used donations are welcome. See wish list.

“Learning Together” Family Activity Cards

Parents and caregivers can enhance children's learning in each exhibit area with a little active engagement. Note that Habitot values children's self-directed play but also recognizes that adult encouragement can facilitate children's observations, language and concepts as well as emerging social skills. Discovering the Museum alongside your child also results in social and emotional benefits to you and your child. All Exhibit Cards (PDF)

Parenting Q&A

Each month, Habitot's FREE electronic newsletter, Totmail, addresses a different aspect of parenting young children from how to encourage your toddlers' interest in science to how to toilet train. The Parent Q&A cites additional articles and helpful websites for each topic. Search Parenting Q&A's.

To sign up for Totmail, see sign up link at bottom left of page or email us at hcmimc@habitot.org.  Note: Habitot does not sell or trade email addresses with anyone.

Purple Parenting Cart

FREE copies of easy to read articles and handouts on a variety of parenting topics and current trends in parenting are organized into helpful categories on the Purple Parenting Cart. References cited in the current month's Parent Q&A are available.

In addition, the Cart contains up-to-date catalogs of recalled toys and consumer products for infants, toddlers and preschools and current lead abatement and other safety information needing widespread distribution.

Behaviors commonly seen among Habitot visitors have been addressed in a series of four "Parent-to-Parent" brochures. These free brochures are available in Spanish and English are are distributed throughout the Museum, or you can access them below.

• Parent to Parent Help: Biting & Hitting
  Young children's language skills are just developing, so they often find it hard to express their needs...
  
  
• Control Issues: Managing Your Anger
  No matter how much you love your child, there will come a time when you find yourself feeling frustrated...
  
  
• Learning to Share: Moving from "Mine" to "Taking Turns"
  Providing alternatives and conflict resolution...
  
  
• Easing Transitions: Helping Your Child Move from One Activity to the Next...
  

Parenting Workshops

Parenting experts, researchers, family therapists and others offer FREE, evening workshops for parents and caregivers in our Classroom Annex. Please call 510-647-1111 x16 or parented@habitot.org to inquire about upcoming parenting workshops.

Early Childhood Safety Campaign

Habitot’s Early Childhood Safety Campaign is presented each year from May to September to help parents and caregivers address the high number of unintentional accidents among very young children—“the biggest threat to the life and health of children one to six years old," according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The Campaign has been sponsored for the past twelve years by State Farm Insurance Companies and includes a series of in-Museum and off-site events such as FREE car seat inspections in community locations, CPR and choke-saving demonstrations, poison control displays and information, baby-proofing advice, toddler helmet sales and distribution and much more. All informational events are presented on FREE Admission Days.

Community experts and other supporters of the Campaign have included the East Bay Regional Parks, SafeKids USA, Alameda County Public Health Department, Children's Hospital, Oakland, Bay Area Red Cross, Capture Technologies, The Childproofer, YMCA, and the Berkeley Public Health Department. Child Safety Events

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