Marion County, FL, January 21, 2026: The Early Learning Coalition of Marion County is hosting their 2nd Annual Truckin’ It To Preschool event at the Marion Oaks Community Center on Saturday, January 31, 2026. The free event is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. A quiet hour for children with sensory sensitivities will begin at 10 a.m.
Attendees will learn about the many preschool options available in Marion County and can receive assistance with applying for VPK, Florida’s free Voluntary Prekindergarten program for all 4-year-olds. Children will also be able to get up close and personal to their favorite trucks and emergency vehicles. A Help Me Grow Books, Balls, and Blocks activity area will encourage families to complete free developmental milestone screenings.
The Truckin’ It To Preschool event caps off Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida! which begins January 26. An initiative of the Florida Department of Education’s Just Read, FL!, Celebrate Literacy Week is designed to raise awareness about the importance of reading and to inspire Florida’s students and families to make reading part of their daily routines. This year’s theme is “Read, White & Blue: Celebrating 250 Chapters of America!” The first 360 children at Truckin’ It To Preschool will receive a free children’s book.
The Coalition works to meet the early care and education needs of children and families in Marion County. They implement the Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK), School Readiness, and Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) programs on behalf of the Florida Department of Education Division of Early Learning plus additional complimentary programs that support parents as a child’s first and most important teacher. For more information, call 352-369-2315 or visit ELC-Marion.org.
Help Me Grow Florida is sponsored by the Children’s Forum and the State of Florida, Division of Early Learning.