The free Family Fun & Playfest at Fairytale Town will showcase early learning programs and community organizations, offering education, health, and wellness information to parents. Photo courtesy of SCOE

SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) – What a child learns in their early years is critical to building a foundation for lifelong success. High-quality preschool programs help children develop vital social skills and prepare them for academic achievement. California’s Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) initiative ensures all children have access to these opportunities before kindergarten. Through the use of a “mixed delivery system,” families get diverse choices (ranging from public schools to home-based care) to meet their specific needs.

The Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) invites families to explore these early learning options at its third annual Family Fun & Playfest, which will showcase 50 early learning programs and 30 community organizations, offering education, health, and wellness information to parents.

The Family Fun & Playfest takes place from 5 to 7 p.m. April 25 at Fairytale Town, 3901 Land Park Drive. This is a free event; however, families should register online at https://bit.ly/SacEarlyLearning.

Sponsored by the Local Child Care and Development Planning Council (LPC) and hosted by the SCOE Early Learning Department, the annual fair helps parents navigate the early education landscape.

“The fair is so much fun because it brings the early learning system to life by showcasing a vast network of providers in one location,” said Julie Montali, Ph.D., executive director of Early Learning. “Families are excited to discover new resources that help them make the best choices for their children.”

The event ties into one important element of the key vision, mission, and goals set forth by the Sacramento County Board of Education: to provide pathways for learners to thrive.

Flexible Options for Early Care

A key focus of the event is explaining the mixed delivery system. This approach emphasizes family choice, providing high-quality options for early care that fit specific family schedules and values. Instead of a single model, Universal Prekindergarten allows children to attend various programs, including Transitional Kindergarten at local public schools; California State Preschool Programs; Head Start; center-based care; licensed family childcare; and family, friend and neighbor care.

Sacramento County’s UPK Mixed Delivery Workgroup emphasizes the critical need for options starting as early as infancy, advocating that children aged 0 to 3 be fully integrated into the mixed delivery system to support continuous development. This system empowers parents to choose the best setting for their children, whether it is on a school campus or in a home-based environment.