The Butler County Early Care & Education Council is celebrating national “Week of the Young Child” with a special event titled “Bugging Out About Books.”

The event includes the distribution of free activity bags for children age 8 or younger from April 10 to 16, followed by the free Virtual Early Learning Experience April 17 to 30.

More than 20 community agencies and businesses are partnering to help young children and their families explore early literacy and learning through a variety of activities.

This free event for families promotes future school success by raising awareness about the importance of learning during the early years and offers resources to support families as their child’s first and most important teacher.

From April 10 to 16, while supplies last, families can pick up “Bugging Out” activity bags at any of the nine Butler County library locations.

Packets include registration information, fun activities for children, story times and community resources.

From April 17 to 30, families can participate in a fun, virtual early learning experience. There will be seven virtual playrooms related to early literacy, spring/bugs, music/movement, speech/hearing, health/hygiene, nutrition and other areas of child development.

Registration opens April 10. To register, visit https://butlerlibrary.beanstack.org.

Established in 1971, the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s Week of the Young Child promotes the needs of young children, their families and the early childhood programs that serve them.

The Butler County Early Care & Education Council is a community collaboration focused on supporting school readiness, which is coordinated through Lifesteps in Butler County.

For additional information, please contact the council coordinator at 724-283-1010, Ext. 310, or visit www.lifesteps.net/ecec.

The Virtual Early Learning Experience is sponsored by Butler Area Public Library and Butler County Human Services.

Lifesteps, a nonprofit agency serving Pennsylvania communities since 1923, offers family-focused services, including programs for children of all abilities.

For more information, visit www.lifesteps.net.