Pinwheel Pal Scavenger Hunt
Can you find all the Pinwheel Pals? Join our digital scavenger hunt!
Pinwheel Pals are cardboard cut out dolls that appear in business windows during the month of April to raise awareness throughout our community about the importance of early childhood with facts in one hand and in the other a blue pinwheel that represents Strengthening Families Month.
The Early Childhood Collaborative wants you to find 16 Pinwheel Pals that are hanging out in downtown Helena. Match the fact on the Pinwheel Pal to the Beanstack Badge and tell us where you found the Pinwheel Pal. If you find all 16 Pinwheel Pals, you'll be entered into a drawing for a $50.00 Walmart gift card.
Click here to sign up for Beanstack and register for the challenge!
Click here for more information.
Week of the Young Child Kickoff Event
Location: Lewis and Clark Library
Audience: Children 0-5 years old and their caregivers
Cost: Free
About: Free fun activities, giveaways and resources.
No need to sign up ahead of time, just show up and join the fun.
Music Monday
About: Make some noise for Week of the Young Child’s Music Monday! Join Joslyn Dollar with Music Together Helena Valley for a fun and engaging music and movement class.
Location: Large Community Room at the Lewis & Clark Library; 120 S. Last Change Gulch, Helena MT
Audience: Children ages 0-5 with their caregiver
Capacity: 20 children with their caregivers
Cost: Free
RSVP: Please let Maureen or Joslyn know you’ll be attending so we know how many to expect. If there is space and you just show up, you are more than welcome!
More information: Contact Joslyn Dollar at mthelenavalley@gmail.com or Maureen Bjerke at mbjerke@sphealth.org or 406-461-4449 (call or text is fine)
Click here to visit Music Together’s website.
Reading in the Rotunda
About: Please join us for Reading in the Rotunda during Week of the Young Child. We will have fun guest story readers for preschool children and a resource fair where you can learn and explore services available to Helena families.
Location: Montana State Capitol Building; 1301 E. 6th Ave; Helena
Audience: Children aged 0-5 and their caregivers
Cost: Free
No need to sign up or register, just show up anytime between 9-11 am
Montana Capitol Tour
Special offering during our Reading in the Rotunda event:
Join the Montana Historical Society on a fun and educational tour of the Capitol building.
Location: Montana State Capitol Building; 1301 E. 6th Ave; Helena
Audience: Everyone!
Cost: Free
No need to sign up or register, just show up a few minutes before 10 am on the first floor of the Capitol next to the Information Desk (Next to the sign that reads: Capitol Tours Meet Here)
Did you know you can tour the Capitol any time at 9 am or 3 pm?
Artsy Thursday
Join us for Artsy Thursday with a fun and interactive Fizzy Painting activity! Kids will mix food coloring, water, and baking soda to create their own unique masterpieces. Then, watch the magic happen as they spray or drop vinegar or lemon juice onto their artwork for a fizzy, bubbly reaction!
This hands-on activity encourages creativity, curiosity, and a little bit of science, too! Perfect for young artists and explorers alike. Drop in anytime between 2 and 4 PM!
Family Farm Tour
Join Rocking Tree Farm for a special Week of the Young Child Family Farm Tour!
Baby animals, plant seeds, and just enjoy some good ol’ fashion fun.
Click here to see the flyer.
Cost: Free
Audience: All ages
Visit their website for more information: rockingtreefarm.com
Elevate Montana Family Friday
Join Elevate Montana for Family Friday during Week of the Young Child! This special event is designed for parents and children (ages 5-11, but all are welcome) to enjoy a meaningful, hands-on experience together while learning about the power of positive experiences in childhood development.
Creative Activity (30 min): Parents and kids will create an "I Know How To…" flower craft, celebrating growth and achievements with glue sticks, markers, and more!
Interactive Learning (45 min): A session for parents on the Building Blocks of Hope, featuring practical strategies to create positive experiences at home, a book list for parents, and coloring sheets for kids in a cozy corner.
RSVP encouraged but walk-ins are welcome! Email Maureen or Rebecca to let us know you’re coming and how many to expect.
Family Fun Fest
The Family Fun Fest is back!
Registration is encouraged but not required. The first 500 to register receive a free Family Fun Fest t-shirt!
Family Fun Fest is free and open to all area children and their families.
Activities include:
One-mile fun run: Warm ups start at 8:30 am and the race starts at 9 am in Centennial Park
Health and wellness fair: Games, prizes and activities until noon for kids of all ages at the Great Northern Town Center
More information: Family Fun Fest | St. Peter's Health (sphealth.org)
Back to School Bash
The second-annual Back to School Bash will be on Friday, August 9th at JFK Park in East Helena from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The goal of the Back to School Bash is to ease the financial burden of the upcoming school year on parents and to get kids excited about their education through a fun, community-focused event.
There will be free backpacks and school supplies. There will be carnival games, free popcorn, and fire trucks for the kids to see. Food trucks will be there, so everyone can purchase a delicious meal to enjoy.
Thank you to PureView and Helena Indian Alliance for putting on this wonderful event.
More information:
Ripple Outdoors Hike
Join Jenny from Ripple Postpartum Care for a family (and body!) friendly hiking club. Wednesday mornings at 9 am all summer long!
The location changes, so keep an eye on ripple.outdoors Instagram page for more information or reach out to jenny@ripplemt.com
Ripple Outdoors Hike
Join Jenny from Ripple Postpartum Care for a family (and body!) friendly hiking club. Wednesday mornings at 9 am all summer long!
The location changes, so keep an eye on ripple.outdoors Instagram page for more information or reach out to jenny@ripplemt.com
Teddy Bear Picnic
Join Florence Crittenton for a teddy bear picnic! Bring your bears and your babies out for a fun pizza dinner, some imaginative play, and an informative discussion about choosing nutritional meals for your kids as well as learning about the power of snuggling!
RSVP to Jen at 406-413-7043 or jenb@florencecrittenton.org to find out more and reserve your spot.
Free Rides at the Carousel
Launch into summer break with FREE RIDES at Great Northern Carousel
FREE RIDES from 1-3 pm and 6-8 pm
$1 POPCORN and $2 NACHOS
OPEN LATE until 8 pm to let the fun last!