Children and their families are invited to the free annual Family Fun Festival on Saturday, April 19, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Northbridge Mall.

Come and enjoy a variety of activities including alphabet hopscotch, a spinning wheel and seed guessing. Visit with Curious George, explore fire trucks and an ambulance, and make photo ID cards, trail mix and flubber. There will also be lots of crafts to make and take home including butterflies, visors, pinwheels, and paper hats.

Twenty-six local agencies and organizations are providing the activities along with information about local resources for young children. Register for prizes which will be given away throughout the day at the registration table near the center of the mall. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

The Family Fun Festival is being sponsored by the Freeborn County Interagency Early Intervention Committee to celebrate the Week of the young Child (April 13-19). The Week of the Young Child is an annual event sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, and this year&8217;s theme is &8220;Bring Communities Together for Children-Children Bring Communities Together.&8221; Today we know more than ever before about the importance of children&8217;s earliest years in shaping their learning and development. Yet, never before have the needs of young children and their families been more pressing. The NAEYC states, &8220;The Week of the Young Child is a time to plan how we – as citizens of a community, of a state, and of a nation &8212; will better meet the needs of all young children and their families.&8221;