Hip Health Hooray

Brenna's interpretation of the life-size skeleton Billy Bones

Sheriff Tuffy Tooth by Alexander

Each summer the preschool children of Day Nursery take a field trip to the Ruth Lilly Health Education Center to learn about their body.  Students visit TAM (a lifesize transparent anatomical manikin) and learn how to keep their bodies healthy. Emphasis is also placed on dealing with feelings. Food models are used to categorize foods into groups that can be eaten everyday. Children participate in light physical activity to see that it is fun and healthy. Sheriff Tuffy Tooth shares the importance of dental care. Students discuss safety and ways to protect themselves, both indoors and outdoors. Proper use of medicine is also included. 

If you or you child has never had a chance to visit the Ruth Lilly Health Education center, tomorrow if your lucky day.  The center, which is only open to school and youth groups is having a public open house. Hip Health HOORAY,  a FREE fun filled day for young Hoosiers and their families to come and learn about being healthy in different interactive ways will take place tomorrow, Saturday May 30 at the Ruth Lilly Health Education Center, 2055 N. Senate,  from  10:00 am-3:00 pm. Activities include mini programs such as Eat this, Not that and Trash Talk with fun activities provided by Kevin Wanzer, Indianapolis Fire Department, Arthritis Foundation, MdWise, Indiana Organ Procurement, Clarian Health and many more.

Preschoolers welcome at Kids’ Fishing Derby

If you have a preschooler who is looking to try something new, why don’t you introduce them to fishing.  I just happened to read that the 8th Annual Eagle Creek Park Foundation Kids’ Fishing Derby is coming up Saturday June 6th (Rain date – Sunday June 7th) from 8 am to 12 noon at the Eagle Creek Park reservoir waterfowl sanctuary (near the 71st street entrance).  The Catch and Release event is open to children ages 4-14.  Pre-registration is required  and is due by 5pm on Monday, June 1. After reviewing the entry form, it appears to be a free event, although there is an admission charged to enter Eagle Creek Park. The entry form asks if you would be bringing your own fishing pole or if you needed one so it sounds like a great place to take a beginner without investing in equipment.  And another bonus… Indiana residents can enjoy fishing June 6 & 7  without purchasing a fishing license.

Day Nursery’s own 500 Festival Princess-Part II

Off we go, race cars in tow!

You may have seen my post last week about the Crib Race held at Butler University last month to celebrate Day Nursery’s 110th anniversary and The Week of the Young Child.  Our official race starter was 500 Festival Princess, Jennifer Eakins, a Ball State sophomore, who attended preschool at the Day Nursery Federal Center.  Today we got to spend more time with Jennifer when she made a special visit to the Federal building to check out her old Day Nursery stomping grounds and to lead the Day Nursery children’s parade around the building (try doing that in heels!) We really appreciate Jennifer finding time in her busy race weekend schedule to visit Day Nursery.  Here are a few pictures from today’s unofficial 500 festival parade.

Jennifer sat with the toddlers while they finished their pre-race snack.

Miss Belinda's Preschool 1 class

Jennifer poses after the parade with the Preschool 2 class

Preschool 3

Not everyone stayed awake for the whole trip. This buggy did have an roof on it to provide some shade but we took it off for the "photo op"

It was Rayvn's birthday today so she got a special picture with "our" princess.

Day Nursery grad shares lesson in philanthropy

Day Nursery Director of Development, Beth Rodriguez shares pictures with Maya and Day Nursery State Center Assistant Director Marti Thiery.

Twelve-year-old Maya returned to Day Nursery last Thursday to complete a homework assignment. Even though she met with several of her former teachers, it was not an assignment leftover from her preschool days at the Day Nursery Wiles Center on East Street. Maya and her parents stopped by the Day Nursery at the State Government Center to catch up with old friends “Miss Thiery” and “Miss Fuqua” and to make a donation to the Day Nursery Tuition Assistance Scholarship Fund. Maya, a sixth grader at Fall Creek Valley Intermediate School, raised the money by making and selling chocolate chip cookies to her friends and family as part of a school project to support a charity of the student’s choice. Maya and her older brother attended Day Nursery, so she decided to research our agency and raise money for the Tuition Assistance Program. This program provides scholarships for children from low-income families (especially single moms) giving them the opportunity to attend Day Nursery to get the best start in life. Day Nursery is honored that Maya chose Day Nursery for her project and admires her creativity. We’re hoping that when she visits next time, she brings some of those delicious chocolate chip cookies!

Tip for traveling with small children

This may seem a bit obvious, but I think it is worth mentioning as we head into vacation season. If you’re traveling to a place where it’s possible your child might become separated from you, such as a large amusement park, be sure to take a photo of your child every day before you enter the park. You’ll then have an image of what the child is wearing, should you need one. At the time you take the picture, I also suggest asking your child to look at you and say aloud what color you are wearing so they will have a mental picture of what to look for if they get separated from you in a crowd. When my children were very young and we visited large amusement parks I often wrote my cellphone number on their hand in ballpoint pen. Thank goodness we never had to put that safety plan into action! My oldest Day Nursery kid is heading off to college this fall. Perhaps it is time to put that plan into action again.

Study Finds Booster Car Seats Not Being Used Appropriately

While child booster car seat use has increased across the United States, many seats are improperly installed, leading to greater risk of serious injury for their little passengers.

Researchers from the Automotive Safety Program at Riley Hospital for Children and Indiana University School of Medicine have found that an alarming two-thirds of the booster seats observed in a study conducted throughout Indiana were not being used appropriately.

The analysis of the survey of 564 children in booster seats, conducted at 25 fast food restaurants and discount stores appears in the May 2009 issue of the journal Accident Analysis and Prevention.

Read the complete press release here.

Day Nursery’s very own 500 Festival Princess

Day Nursery Executive Director Carolyn Dederer welcomed 500 Festival Princess and Day Nursery graduate Jennifer Eakins to our recent crib race. Jennifer served as official starter at the inaugural event.

A Day Nursery graduate is one of thirty-three young ladies from across Indiana selected to serve in the 2009 500 Festival Princess Program during the 52nd year of the Festival. Jennifer Eakins,  who attended Day Nursery in the Federal Center during the early 1990s and is currently a sophomore at Ball State University, is part of this elite group.

This year’s 500 Festival princesses represent 10 Indiana colleges and universities and 25 cities and towns across the state. The young women were selected from 245 applicants based on communication skills, poise, academic performance, and community and volunteer involvement. As ambassadors of the 500 Festival, the Indianapolis 500, and their hometowns, the princesses attended 500 Festival events and volunteer programs throughout the month of May.

The 500 Festival Queen, to be crowned on this Saturday, May 16 at the 500 Festival Breakfast at the Brickyard, presented by ProLiance Energy at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, will receive a $2,500 scholarship.

If you would like to meet Jennifer (and all the other 500 Festival Princesses) they will be at  the Chase 500 Festival Kids Day this Sunday, May 17 on Monument Circle from Noon to 4:00 pm. The event is the state’s largest outdoor free festival for children.

 The queen and princesses will also serve as ambassadors for the 93rd running of the Indianapolis 500, Sunday, May 24.

We’ll all be cheering for you Jennifer!!

How to raise a reader

Children from the Day Nursery Ruth A. Lilly center show off their selections during a recent visit of the Indianapolis Marion County Library bookmobile.

Happy National Children’s Book Week.   Since 1919, Children’s Book Week has been celebrated nationally in schools, libraries, bookstores, clubs, private homes-any place where there are children and books. Educators, librarians, booksellers, and families have celebrated children’s books and the love of reading with storytelling, parties, author and illustrator appearances, and other book related events.

It all began with the idea that children’s books can change lives. In 1913, Franklin K. Matthiews, the librarian of the Boy Scouts of America, began touring the country to promote higher standards in children’s books. He proposed creating a Children’s Book Week, which would be supported by all interested groups: publishers, booksellers, and librarians. The National Children’s Book week site has activities for children as well as a free poster and bookmark that you can download.

 Several Day Nursery centers have scheduled guest readers.  If you would like to read to the children this week, please contact the center nearest you to schedule a time.  I have updated the blog in the right column with a list of all the addresses and phone numbers for our centers.

If you need additional inspiration to celebrate National Children’s Book Week, Elizabeth Kennedy, the Children’s Book Guide at About.com has a good blog post on her site listing 10 ways for you to help you raise children who love to read.

Working moms want safe child care

NACCRRA, the National Association for Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies  has posted a new Safe Child Care Campaign in their Take Action Center. The concept is simple:  “Working Moms Want Safe Child Care” and is designed to send a letter to First Lady Michelle Obama and your Congressional Delegation urging action to strengthen the Child Care and Development Block Grant this year!  In honor of Mother’s Day, let’s remind policymakers that we want every parent to have access to child care settings that are safe and promote the healthy development of children! 
http://highqualitychildcare.org/campaign/MothersDayCCDBG

Still more pictures from Day Nursery night at the Children’s Museum

We had a great turnout at the Children’s Museum Target Free Family Night last night. Our staff prepared over 340 sack dinners. I had several parents stop by to thank us for providing the dinners and more than one remarked that they would not have been able to attend if we hadn’t made the evening so efficient.
Thanks to Day Nursery Director of Administration Patty Fisher for coordinating the food and thanks to our center directors and assistant directors for pulling kitchen duty to get the food packaged together in time for a 4:00 pm pickup by our families. The Day Nursery family night at the Children’s Museum was our 3rd annual event. Just a reminder, thanks to Target, every first Thursday of the month at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis has free admission from 4:00-8:00 pm. Thanks for attending!