Simple Tips By Text for Parents and Caregivers of Preschoolers

Imagine receiving a handful of text messages a week that offer age-appropriate tips for your child’s development from birth until they reach preteen. You can read the texts when you have time–no pressure or expectation. Lantern, formerly known as Bright by Text, offers such a thing for free for families and caregivers throughout the nation. For Denver families and caregivers, Lantern is among a few select partners Denver Preschool Program (DPP) promotes as providing valuable early care and education information for families and providers. 

Lantern Text Messages for Denver Families

Denver families can sign up for free tips from Lantern that are customized to your zip code, child’s age, topics of interest, and language preferences. Lantern works with more than 50 expert early childhood organizations that provide reliable, relevant, and trusted information. Signing up is free, easy, and you can cancel anytime.

Families can sign up for Lantern by: 

• Visiting their website and filling out a few simple questions. 
• Texting PARENT to 274 448. 

Also, be sure to follow Lantern online for more tips and information: 

• Facebook: @Lantern.Families 
• Instagram: @Lantern.Families 
• LinkedIn: lantern-families 

Lantern for Family, Friends, and Neighbors (FFN) in Colorado

It truly takes a village to raise children, which is why nearly half of families in Colorado rely on family, friends, or neighbors (FFN) to help with caring for their children. Together with Mile High United Way, Lantern recently launched a FFN text channel to share valuable early care and education resources with Colorado caregivers and early care educators. From child development tips to professional training opportunities, and from how to apply for the Colorado Caregiver tax credit to fun ways to engage children and families, Lantern shares 2-3 texts with FFN providers each week. The text messages are available in English, Spanish, or Arabic. And, the text channel and information were all developed with input from caregivers who shared their lived experiences and expertise to ensure the platform is helpful. 

Sign up is free and easy. Colorado FFN providers can sign up by: 

• Visiting the FFN page on myLantern.org 
• Texting FFN to 274 448 

More Resources for Denver Families and Caregivers

In addition to MyLantern.org, DPP offers a variety of resources for Denver families and early care and education providers on Instagram and LinkedIn. We also encourage all Denver families of young children to sign up for our monthly newsletter, Family Dispatch. Don’t forget, Denver FFN, community-based, and school-based preschool providers can enjoy monthly tips and insights in our DPP provider newsletter.