Day Nursery Indianapolis celebrates Week of the Young Child

All 7 of our Day Nursery locations are taking part in the national celebration of the Week of the Young Child.  We will wrap up the week with 143 of our teachers attending the Indiana Association for the Education of Young Childrenconference at the Indiana Convention Center on Saturday.

In most centers teachers set out special activities in the hallway outside their rooms for parents to do with their children at pick up time. It’s our version of “stopping to smell the roses”—spending a few quality moments in a learning activity with your child–nothing better than that.

Parent and child activity at the Federal Center

The kindergarten class at Day Nursery Northwest had a special guest reader--their teacher Mrs. Robin's mom.

Royalty Day at Day Nursery Northwest, the children made their own crowns and dressed up as Princesses and Princes.

Dress as your favorite book character day at Day Nursery Federal Center

Ms. Nina won the Federal Center staff competition for the most creative book character as the Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly!

Really tweet preschool artwork

Day Nursery IU Health

Day Nursery State Center students embrace Earth Day

It is becoming a  Day Nursery State Government Center tradition for Mr. Tim’s preschool class to visit nearby Military Park and check for trash as a part of their Earth Day curriculum.  Last Friday, Ms. Ashleigh’s class joined them on their walk to the park.  As you can see by the pictures, some of them took the term “tree hugger” quite literally. 

Firefighter Brian visits preschoolers at Day Nursery Federal Building

Firefighter Brian Booth (aka preschool 1 teacher Ms Kesha‘s husband) from the Indianapolis Airport Fire Department visited our Preschool classes today at the Day Nursery Federal Building downtown.  He came in regular clothes, and then put on his equipment one piece at a time, so the children saw that firefighters aren’t someone to be afraid of.  He explained what each piece does, and talked about things they aren’t supposed to play with–like lighters and matches.  Since he couldn’t bring the fire trucks to the Federal building, he did bring pictures of his trucks instead.  The children’s favorite part was when they got to try on Firefighter Brian’s equipment! Center Director Sarah Parks said Brian’s visit prompted a lot of good conversation among the students: Firefighter Brian asked what should you do if your clothes catch on fire?  One Pre-K student raised his hand, and when Brian called on him he said “Panic!!”  So that led to the discussion that you don’t need to panic, you need to stop, drop, and roll.  After Brian’s explanation, another Pre-K student says—“So you’re saying we shouldn’t panic?  But roll around on the ground instead?”  

 

Friday Faces: Day Nursery Northwest Indianapolis

Day Nursery Race Into Reading with Simona De Silvestro

Simona De Silvestro visited preschoolers in the Day Nursery Northwest Center in April to read to them and to learn more about our mission to provide quality early childhood education.

We’re only 3 weeks away from our new fundraiser Race Into Reading which will be held Wednesday May 9 in Indianapolis.  Indy Car driver Simona De Silvestro will be the honorary chair of the event which will be held at The Riverwalk in Broad Ripple.  Ticket information can be found online or you can call our office at 636-9197 ext. 222 to charge your tickets by phone.  Calling all Indy Car fans!  This is a great chance to spend two hours talking racing and support a great cause.  Support of the Day Nursery Race Into Reading event will help low-income children from 250 Indianapolis families have access to a literacy-rich environment and a great early childhood education through the Day Nursery Tuition Assistance Scholarship fund.

Day Nursery Federal Center students learn about the US Mail

Ms. Kesha’s Preschool 1 classroom at the Day Nursery Federal Center has been learning about the US Mail this week.  They wrote letters to the person of their choice…mostly mommys and daddys, but also siblings that don’t live at their house with them.  The class rode in the wagon today to mail them at the post office a block away from the center.

 

Volunteers plant new trees on Day Nursery Lilly Center playground

It’s “Feel Good Friday” so I’d like to share with you a nice thing that happened at one of our centers this week. Keep Indianapolis Beautiful and Day Nursery parents planted 10 trees this week  on the playgrounds of the Day Nursery Ruth A. Lilly Center, 3522 N. Central.  Day Nursery Lilly Center Director Shannon Garrity and Day Nursery Chief Operating Officer Marsha Lindsey coordinated the project on our end.  They report the new plantings include 1 Burr Oak, 1 Sugar Maple, and 8 Serviceberry trees. Thanks to Jerome, Adam and Molly help from Keep Indianapolis Beautiful. Thanks to our regular group of volunteers from PNC who have worked on a wide variety of projects at our center and a very special thank you to parents, Nicole Schuster, Theresa and Matt Brooks and James Mehrilich for their time.

Thankful Thursday: Day Nursery grateful for Season for Sharing

Myrta Pulliam, chair of the Star Media community engagement team talks to grant recipients at this year’s Season for Sharing presentation. The campaign raised a total of $224,500 to benefit 27 Indianapolis nonprofit agencies that serve at-risk children and families and improve education. The funds raised in the 2011-12 campaign include $75,500 in matching funds from The Indianapolis Star and IndyStar.com.

The Week of the Young Child is coming April 22-28, 2012! This week long awareness campaign sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Children (NAEYC) focuses on the needs of young children and their families and recognizes early childhood programs and services that meet those needs. In anticipation of this special week, we would like to continue to thank our many supporters who make our mission possible.

Thank you to The Indianapolis Star and their Season for Sharing campaign for providing funding to our Tuition Assistance Program.