How does it all feel? Quietly, 21-month-old Ramiel Dickson might be processing this question as he sinks his small hands into a bed of corn kernels — the contents of a “sensory play” bin intended to develop his understanding of physical environment.

And when his parents, Okeena and George Dickson, call his attention to some corn that has become scattered on the carpet floor, Ramiel’s ears perk up — and he dutifully begins picking up the fallen grains.

Here, on a recent evening at the Contra Costa First 5 Center in Pittsburg, the two parents are exhausted from a long work day. But they are in high spirits, enjoying a “third place” — beyond home and their jobs — to enjoy quality time with Ramiel and another son, 6-month-old Nathaniel.

The couple, who both originally hail from Guyana, moved from the East Coast to Antioch three years ago. In a blink, they were raising two boys, plus caring part time for a pair of “bonus children” from George’s previous relationship.

Okeena and George’s situation may be relatable to any young immigrant family without the uncles and aunts, or larger communal support, that helped raise children in their home countries.

What they find at Lincoln Families — the nonprofit that offers programs for parents with children aged 0 to 5, hosted at the First 5 Center in Pittsburg — is a helping hand for providing basic care to toddlers.

Inside Pittsburg’s First 5 Center, Lincoln Families educates not just children graduating from infancy to toddlerhood to kindergarten age, but it teaches parents, too, about healthy ways to put their kids on the right path.

The nonprofit also offers diapers, car seats and other services to families that can’t afford them.