(Family Features) Play is a universal language spoken by people of all ages. Through play, children learn to forge connections with others, build a wide range of leadership skills, develop resilience, conquer fears and navigate relationships and social challenges. For babies and toddlers, play is about far more than just having fun; it’s about learning and building important skills, from cognitive and physical to emotional and social abilities. As children get older, play helps reduce stress levels, process difficult emotions, promote problem-solving and build confidence – skills they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world. Despite its importance, play is often undervalued and overlooked due to busy schedules, lack of resources or misconceptions about its benefits. Approximately 4 in 10 children ages 2-4 do not get enough responsive interaction or stimulation at home, based on estimates from UNICEF, and roughly 1 in 8 children under age 5 don’t have toys or playthings at home. To overcome these barriers, it’s essential for parents and caregivers to recognize the value of both structured and unstructured play. Simple, everyday items – like kitchen utensils, cardboard boxes, leaves and stones – can be tools for imaginative play. Setting aside dedicated time for play, even in short intervals, can make a difference. In honor of International Day of Play, consider these ideas to turn everyday activities into playful learning opportunities from UNICEF, which recognizes play as an important means to help children by providing access to evidence-based parenting programs and working with governments to prioritize play-based teaching and learning practices in schools and other learning environments.

• Turn a grocery shopping trip into a scavenger hunt to teach kids about different foods, counting and categorization.
• Role play or act out different scenarios you read in books or see in movies to help develop social skills and emotional understanding.
• Make important language connections when getting dressed, such as identifying different articles of clothing and teaching colors.
• Use bathtime to explore buoyancy and water with floating toys.
• Play “I spy” while driving in the car or going for a walk around your neighborhood to help kids identify different animals, shapes, colors and elements of nature like trees, clouds and more.
• Explore the kitchen through tasks such as choosing ingredients, measuring them and keeping time while cooking.
• Use puzzles and building blocks to help develop problem-solving skills and hand-eye coordination.
• Stimulate senses and promote fine motor skills through play with materials like sand, water or crafting dough.
• Make sorting laundry educational by asking children to match socks by color or size, reinforcing their understanding of sorting and categorization.
• Take turns doing the feeding at snack or mealtimes to build hand-eye coordination.

Find more ways to engage your children in fun, engaging play at unicefusa.org/play.   SOURCE: UNICEF

From LA to LAX, Seamlessly

A Transit Hub with Artistic Soul

What This Means for LA Communities

Getting There: Your Connection Options

• C Line (Green Line)
• K Line (Crenshaw/LAX Line)

What Travelers Can Expect

• Security cameras and enhanced lighting for safety
• Real-time train arrival information
• Clean, comfortable restrooms
• A bike hub for cyclists
• Climate-controlled waiting areas

A Celebration Worth Noting

Looking Forward

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Support Veterans

(Family Features) For those who have served in the U.S. armed forces, transitioning back to civilian life can be a challenge. However, community support can help make the transition easier for many veterans and provide those who offer that support – particularly young people – with rewarding opportunities and insight. Take, for example, Daniel Finney, who started volunteering at a local Department of Veterans Affairs hospital where his mother worked when he was 13 years old. At first, his mother simply wanted him to learn from the veterans and their experiences, but volunteering changed the trajectory of Finney’s life. He volunteered almost daily for the next 10 years, even inviting his friends to join him at the hospital. From that experience, Finney built valuable skills and chose to pursue a career as a physician’s assistant. “I chose to volunteer at the hospital not only because it was a great opportunity, but because I wanted to give back to our nation’s heroes who I felt were too often overlooked,” Finney said. “In addition, volunteering with dedicated health care professionals allowed me to discover the actual purpose for my current career path.” Not only did Finney reap personal rewards from volunteering and make a real difference in the lives of veterans, he also received tens of thousands of dollars in college scholarship money from DAV (Disabled American Veterans). The organization annually offers $110,000 in scholarships to student volunteers to be used toward accredited higher learning, including universities, colleges, community colleges and vocational schools. “I look at this scholarship as another door opening up,” Finney said. “This has allowed me to do so many things. One of them is to pay for college. I want to continue to be a civil servant wherever I go. I want to continue to help veterans, whether that’s a part of my job or whether I’m still volunteering. It can be working at a hospital or helping with a food drive for the homeless veteran community. It can be anything. I now have that desire ingrained in me to continue to serve our veterans.” These scholarships are open to students age 21 or younger who have contributed a minimum of 100 cumulative volunteer hours credited through DAV or DAV Auxiliary. Students can be nominated or may apply with the inclusion of an essay on what volunteering for veterans means to them. Learn more at DAVScholarships.org. For students, or anyone interested in giving back, consider a few other ideas for supporting the nation’s veterans. Express Your Gratitude Simply saying “thank you” can go a long way in expressing gratitude to veterans. Whether it’s through a handwritten note, a heartfelt conversation or a public acknowledgment at a community event, showing appreciation can help veterans feel valued and recognized for their service. Raise Awareness for Veterans’ Needs Learning about the challenges veterans face, such as service-related health issues, homelessness and underemployment, then advocating for supportive legislation and programming can go a long way toward improving their situations. For example, Amelia Marcum, another DAV scholarship recipient, developed a Native American veterans resource guide designed to provide veterans with key information about federal, state, community and tribal-based programs. She worked closely with Vietnam veteran and North Dakota state Sen. Richard Marcellais to bring the guide, which is now used by five tribal veterans resource service centers, to fruition. “Volunteering to serve the veteran community has been immensely transformative for me,” said Marcum, a direct descendent of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians. “I discovered a profound sense of purpose in elevating support systems for Native veterans, a community that serves at the highest rates among ethnic groups yet often faces significant challenges in accessing the benefits they rightfully deserve.” Support Veteran-Owned Businesses Many veterans transition into entrepreneurship after their military careers, and your patronage not only helps their businesses thrive, but also puts money back into the local community. Look for veteran-owned businesses or use online directories to find veteran entrepreneurs when searching for specific goods and services.   SOURCE: DAV