Family Centers and Parent/Child Activities

Play. If you have a young child, you have a resource at your fingertips. Family centers are generally free and open to all parents and guardians and their young children. Family centers are a great way to find quality play and learning activities for children ages birth to kindergarten while engaging with other adults who understand the joys and challenges of parenting.

Learn. Take part in parent-child events. Discover a setting designed for young children with toys, books, and other materials to stimulate learning in your child. Participate in fun activities that promote skills like sharing, taking turns, and listening. These are skills that help smooth a child's transition to preschool or kindergarten by laying the ground work for success in social relationships and in school settings.

Connect. If you're new to your community or new to parenting, family centers are more than just a gathering place for children. They are a welcoming and convenient place for adults to meet other parents, grandparents, and care givers, and find support and information about important matters including preschools, public school, pediatricians, or parent support groups. Getting involved by volunteering time and talent helps family centers and local organizations thrive.

You don't need to be a resident of a town to visit the local family center. Don't see a family center listed for your town? Don't worry! Each community's family center provides unique programming and is open to residents as well as families from other communities. Play-and-learn groups are free and generally open on a drop-in basis (no preregistration required).

While family centers are sponsored by the Coordinated Community and Family Engagement (CFCE) grant funded by the Department of Early Education and Care, they also rely on donations from families, businesses, and community groups. Donations are welcome, but centers are open to all regardless of ability to donate.

For more information and to locate the family centers and parent-child activities nearest you, see our list below or contact us.

Most family centers follow the public school schedule of their home community for vacations and weather-related closings. All of the centers may sponsor activities and events at times other than those listed below. Please contact the individual centers for more specific information about hours and programming.

 

FAMILY CENTERS

Amherst Family Center
Unitarian Meetinghouse
121 N. Pleasant St.
Amherst, MA 01002
413-256-1145
www.umass.edu/ofr/familycenter.php
Hours: Tuesday and Thursday 9am-1pm; Wednesday and Friday 9am-12pm
Schedule: September through June
Directions: Located downtown in the church building between the Post Office and Bart’s. Please use rear entrance.

Belchertown Family Center
720 Franklin St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
413-283-7594
www.belchertownfamilycenter.org or find us on Facebook
Hours: Tuesday - Thursday 9:30am-12:30pm (school year)
Closed July and August
Directions: Located on Rte. 181 five miles south of Belchertown Center.

Cummington Family Center
33 Main St.
Cummington, MA 01026
413-634-5362
www.cummingtonfamilycenter.org  or find us on Facebook
Hours: Wednesday and Friday 9:30-11:30am
Thursday 10am-12pm: drop-in time for parents with infants
Schedule: October-May
Directions: Enter in back of the Community House on Main St. in Cummington.

Easthampton Family Center
43 Main St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
413-527-5496
www.easthamptonfamilycenter.org
Hours: Monday, Tuesday, and Friday 10am-12pm
Directions: At the Flywheel Arts Collective space in Old Town Hall on Main St., Easthampton - on the bus route.  

Gateway Family Center
Gateway Community Center
9 Russell Rd.
Huntington, MA 01050
413-667-2203 x3
Find us on Facebook
Hours: Wednesday and Friday 10am-12pm (drop-in play groups with School Readiness activities); Tuesday 9-11:30am (School Readiness group -- by pre-registration only)
Schedule: Year round
Directions: Located across from the Fire Station at 9 Russell Rd. (Rte. 20).

Northampton Parents Center
297 Main St., Lower Level
Northampton, MA 01060
413-582-2636
www.northamptonparentscenter.org  or find us on Facebook
Hours: Monday through Thursday 9:30-11:30am
Schedule: Mid-September through May
Directions: Located in the Edwards Church building, lower level, corner of State and Main Streets. Please use rear entrance.

Palmer/Monson Family Network
4 Springfield St.
Three Rivers, MA 01080
413-283-6246
Hours: Tuesday, Thursday Friday 10-11:30am (drop-in playgroups for all ages); Wednesday 9-10:30am (toddlers-only drop-in), 11am-12pm (parents with infants drop-in)
Schedule: School year
Directions: Located directly across from Three Rivers Common, also known as Hryniewicz Park.
FA11-Palmer-Monson Family Center News (6-Pg PDF)

South Hadley Family Center
7 Woodbridge St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
413-533-7096
www.shfamilycenter.org  or find us on Facebook
Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 9:30-11:30am (drop-in play groups for all ages). Find other parents with infants on Tuesdays.
Schedule: School year
Directions: Located in the All Saints Episcopal Church building on Rte. 116, across from the Post Office in South Hadley Center.

Ware Family Center
49 Church St.
Ware, MA 01082
413-967-8127
http://warefamilycenter.org
Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 9:30-11:30am
Schedule: October through May
Directions: Located in the United Church of Ware building.Church St. is uphill from Rte. 9 in Ware Center.
 

HATFIELD PARENT / CHILD ACTIVITIES

Activities for families with young children in Hatfield are offered throughout the year. Every Thursday morning at 11:00 there is a story time for young children at the Hatfield Public Library. In the course of this hour-long program, children, along with their parents or caregivers, listen to stories, enjoy finger plays, sing, join in a musical play-along, and engage in an arts and craft activity. Download a Story Hour Informational Flyer (1-pg PDF).

“Playshops” are free, early-literacy focused performances or events for children to attend with their parents. They provide Hatfield families with opportunities to come together and share in fun and enriching experiences. There have been marionette shows, musical concerts, story tellers and live animal presentations. We’ve also held ice cream socials and pizza parties. If you want to receive e-mail notices of upcoming playshops, send a note to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
 
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