Talk+Play=Connect Social Media Tips for Family-Serving Organizations

Yolo County Children’s Alliance is excited to let all of Yolo County know about our 2016 Talk+Play=Connect campaign, and we need your help!

We have created many tools and resources for families, and we want as many Yolo County families to know about them as possible. As you know, one of theeasiestways to reachbusyparents is duringthose short social media breaks throughout the day. We plan toblast our social mediasiteswith information about our campaign, and we would love for you toshare, like, and retweet on your social media outlets, too, tohelp us ‘boost the signal.’ Join us on social media and share our toolkit related tweets and posts!

Find us on Facebook atYolo County Children’s Alliance ( or follow us on Twitter at@yccaforthekids (twitter.com/YCCAforthekids).

If you would prefer to create your own posts and tweets, here are some that you can use throughout the year. Although Child Abuse Prevention Month is in April, parents can use information about talking, playing, and connecting with their children throughout the year. Because we added so much new information about Times to Connect to our Talk+Play=Connect Toolkit for Families this year, most of these tweets/posts are related to how parents can connect with their children in the morning, during mealtimes, and at bedtime.

We’re planning to use the following hashtags this year, and we invite you to use them, too:

  • #TalkPlayConnect
  • #Play2Connect
  • #Talk2Connect
  • #NCAPM2016

If you have any questions, please contact Julie Beckner at

Thank you so much!

General tweets/Facebook posts

  • Talk+Play=Connect; Time with kids…It Adds Up
  • Parents, remember it is easier to care for and enjoy time with your child when you have taken time to care of yourself.
  • Even though mornings can be rushed, it’s great to start the day off right with a few moments of special connection with your child.
  • Eating a meal together gives you a perfect opportunity to slow down, talk, laugh, or play a little game with your child.
  • After the day is done, bedtime routines and conversations can calm your child before sleep and give you a chance to reconnect.
  • Every day brings new opportunities for you to connect with your child.
  • Whether you connect through talking, playing, hugging, or reading to your child, these moments add up.
  • It’s amazing how just a few minutes of quality time together can make a big difference in your relationship with your child.
  • Turn off electronics (TV, phones, computers) during meals so that you can all focus on talking and reconnecting as a family.
  • Keep meals interesting by choosing one or two questions for everyone to answer during dinner.
  • Routines are so important for children! Read more about why at

Babies

  • Talk to your baby about what you’re doing. Your baby doesn’t understand your words yet, but she will soon!
  • Develop a bedtime routine to help your baby calm down:

Toddlers

  • Label your toddler’s emotions at mealtimes and throughout the day to help her start to recognize them.
  • In the morning, talk about the day and what is going to happen with your child. We all love to know what to expect!

Preschoolers

  • Chat with your child at mealtimes. Show interest in what he has to say by asking questions and giving him your full attention.
  • Make clean up time a game. Race to see who can pick up the most or set a timer and see how much you can pick up together!
  • Build a few minutes of play time with your child into the morning: draw a picture, read a book together, or play hide-and-seek.

School-age children

  • Include notes, jokes, or drawings in your child’s lunch box or backpack to let your child know you’re thinking about him.
  • End the day with your school-age child with a special ritual or routine:

Teenagers

  • Give your teen a hug and say “I love you” every day. Your child is never too old to hear that you love him.
  • Help your teen fall asleep and wake up more easily with these tips: