Lantern: Free text message service promotes early childhood development

Arizona PBS provides a free service that sends tips and resources promoting early child development via text message.

Lantern, formerly Bright by Text, is a free parent and caregiver messaging program for expectant parents and families with children up to age 11. The service is designed to be relevant to today’s families, providing quality information and trusted resources to any caregiver, including hard-to-reach, low income families and informal caregivers.

We’ve also created a flyer you can share with others to help them subscribe. Available in English, Spanish and Arabic. Download the flyer with the steps to get signed up.

When a parent subscribes to Lantern, they’ll receive a welcome message with statements in English, Spanish and Arabic so they can choose which they are most comfortable with. From 1980 to 2021, the number of families speaking Arabic at home has grown by 581%, and it is now in the top five most commonly spoken languages, other than English, in the United States.

The messages are comprised of research-based content from Bright by Three and other trusted providers, such as PBS KIDS, PBS KIDS for Parents, PBS LearningMedia, Vroom, Fred Rogers Productions and Sesame Workshop.

Since messaging is geolocated, Arizona PBS can provide information to subscribers in their own zip code in English, Spanish or Arabic.

Local non-profits and agencies are encouraged to connect with our Education Outreach team at Arizona PBS to learn more about promoting free resources, activities and events through Lantern.

For organizations that would like to send local messages to parents and caregivers, explore the requirements, then when the message is ready to send, please complete this form, and we will add it to the cue.

Lantern presents BOND, a mom speaks with her child

A baby’s first year is… Exciting. Emotional. Exhausting. Our partners at Lantern are proud to offer a special program to support new parents in their journey!

All parents of a child ages 0-1 can text the word BOND to 274448 for free text messages in English, Spanish or Arabic with tips for keeping parent and baby healthy and happy. Parents can also sign up on the Lantern website, or learn more on our website.

Lantern presents HEAR, a child holds her ear

The HEAR program is a specialty track within Lantern’s larger network specifically designed for families of children ages birth to 3 years with suspected or confirmed hearing loss. Messages are a mix of information and encouragement, delivered once per week for 6 months.

HEAR messages were developed by American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), Lantern and the Helping Adults Talk to Children (HATCH) Lab at Idaho State University and also refined in collaboration with a group of parents within the HATCH Lab who have children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

All parents of a child ages 0-3 can text the word HEAR to 274448 for free text messages in English, Spanish or Arabic with tips specifically designed for families of children with suspected or confirmed hearing loss. Parents can learn more on our website, or visit the Lantern website.

Nutrition is an essential part of child development, but sometimes parents need a little help figuring out how and what they should be cooking for their kids. That’s why Lantern teamed up with experts to help support parents with day-to-day cooking tips and tricks in a program called COOK.

For COOK, Lantern partnered with Cooking Matters, an organization that develops resources to help families eat more cost-effective and healthy meals. Participants receive messages straight to their phones containing family-friendly recipes in English, Spanish or Arabic.

All parents can text the word COOK to 274448 for free text messages to help their family get meal ideas with the nutrition children need. Parents can also sign up on the Lantern website by visiting their website here, or learn more on our website.