Light center gives Day Nursery preschoolers a new outlet for learning

Preschoolers in Matt Miller‘s classroom at the Day Nursery Hendricks County Early Learning Center in Avon are eagerly waiting for their turn to play at the light table in their classroom’s new “Light Studio.” Mr. Matt created a small learning center where children can experiment with light and shadow using light tables, overhead projectors, mirrors, flashlights and any other materials that catches their eye! Thanks to Matt for sharing this picture of Shannon and Brayden enjoying the classroom’s new learning center.

Day Nursery Indianapolis Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day

All Day Nursery Indianapolis Centers and our administrative office will be closed today in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day EXCEPT our centers where we are in partnership with IU Health (Day Nursery IU Health, 2140 Boulvard Place and Day Nursery Hendricks Co in Avon on the campus of IU Health West).

A parent and child at Day Nursery Hendricks County stop to discuss the display honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Day Nursery Avon infants experience snow through pretend play

This week the Infant 1 classroom theme at the Day Nursery Avon Center in Hendricks County is snow. One of the sensory activities that they did yesterday was to experience pretend snow. The infants crinkled and waved wax paper pretending it was snow. They had a blast. This early learning foundation develops social emotional skills by demonstrating early pretending with objects.

Day Nursery Thursday December 27

All Day Nursery Centers will open on their regular schedule on Thursday,  December 27, 2012.

Day Nursery Indianapolis Friday Faces

Preschool 4 students and teacher Ms Tyler getting silly celebrating Hat Day at the Day Nursery Early Learning Center in Avon.

Day Nursery students participate in statewide tornado drill

This morning at 10:15 we had a statewide tornado drill.  School children all over Indiana filed into hallways, bathrooms and interior rooms to practice what they would do if the siren sounded for real.  We participated at Day Nursery too and I wanted to share some pictures I have already received from Joy McCallthe director of our Avon Early Care and Education Center in Hendricks County.  She was quite proud of how smoothly today’s drill went at her center.  There will be another drill tonight when most families will be at home.  This will be a good opportunity to practice your family plan so your young children will know the safest place for them to be in your home during severe weather.

Ms. Marla kept her two-year old students busy during the tornado drill by showing them the flashlight in her emergency kit. A good classroom emergency box has safety supplies like a small first aid kit as well as books and supplies to keep children occupied and calm during the time they have to be out of the classroom.

The infants were wheeled in their evacuation crib to the resource room which has no windows

The Toddler Two class moved into the staff lounge for their evacuation.

Preschool 3 evacuated to their bathroom when they practiced their safety position by covering their faces.

Day Nursery students help tackle hunger in Indy

Federal Center

Congratulations to the staff and families of the seven Day Nursery early childhood centers and our administrative staff for helping to Tackle Hunger in the Indianapolis area as part of the national Souper Bowl of Caring annual event.  As a group,  Day Nursery made this contribution:

• Total food donated: 559 items
• Total money donated: $340.59

Here’s a recap of our success story center by center. The Day Nursery Federal Center downtown selected their Pennsylvania Street neighbor, The Metro Baptist Center food pantry to support.  In a typical month, this pantry serves 400-500 people.  Federal Center Director Sarah Parks reports her center  collected 118 items and $32 to help them out.

Ft. Harrison Day Nursery

Our Start Smart 4 Children Day Nursery at Ft. Harrison split their collections between the Damien Center on North Arsenal and The New Haven Missionary Baptist Church food pantry.  The center collected 100 food items and $19.22 in cash. Ft. Harrison Center Director Debra Ballard and her head cook Beverly Croom are pictured here getting ready to wheel the donation out to the car.

Day Nursery Hendricks County

The Day Nursery Hendricks County Center collected 73 food items and $31.50 for the Messiah Lutheran Church in Brownsburg. The MLC Food Pantry exists to provide food for families and individuals in Hendricks County who are experiencing temporary financial hardship.

Day Nursery IU Health

The Day Nursery IU Health Center was collecting for Dayspring Center at the corner of 16th and Central Avenue.  Day Nursery Director of Curriculum, Jesse McCloud, who is based out of our IU Health Center knows the Dayspring Center very well because her late mother used to run the food program there. Dayspring provides emergency shelter, clothing, and three nourishing meals-a-day for homeless families with children in central Indiana. The IU Health center collected 34 cans of fruit and vegetables and $143.69 in money for Dayspring. Pictured above, Jesse McCloud joins  Rene Withers of Day Nursery to make the presentation to Dayspring Center Executive Director Lori Casson.

Northwest Center

The Day Nursery Northwest Center chose to do their Souper Bowl of Caring collection for their Pike Township neighbors at the Fay Biccard Glick Center at Crooked Creek,2990 West 71st Street. They collected $81.23 in funds and 20 different non-perishable items.  Ms. Rene’s class, pictured here, collected the largest amount of money and food.  The classroom won a pizza party and Ms. Rene won a Souper Bowl of Caring t-shirt.

Lilly Center

The Day Nursery Ruth A. Lilly Center was so close to the beneficiary of their Souper Bowl of Caring collection that the Pre-K class took the donations over to them in wagons. The students collected 100 food items for donations to the Tabernacle Presbyterian Church,418 East 34th Street. TAB serves meals to their neighbors every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. More than 800 people come through our doors each month for a hot lunch and food to take home to families.

State Center

The staff and families of the Day Nursery Indiana State Government Center chose to collect for the Northside New Era Baptist Church Feed the Sheep program where Day Nursery teacher Debbie Beatty is a volunteer.  The food pantry served over 1400 families last year and is open twice a week. The center collected$32.95 cash and 74 food items.

Day Nursery Human Resources Director Cathy Johnson

Finally, the staff of the Day Nursery Administration office in the English Foundation Building chose to collect food for the Ronald McDonald House to honor our co-worker Marsha Hearn Lindsey, Day Nursery Chief Operating Officer, who is retiring from a position on the RMH Board of Directors.  Food collected will help restock the pantry at the Ronald McDonald House allowing families to prepare meals at the house so they can stay close to their child being treated at Riley Hospital.  We collected 40 non perishable items and also donated fresh fruit and eggs for their kitchen.

It was a Super Week at Day Nursery Indianapolis

IU Health students collecting food for the Souper Bowl of Caring

As I write this post, I am sitting in the Day Nursery Administrative office just a few blocks away from the heart of the Super Bowl festivities.  Even in our neck of the woods, the Super Bowl is surrounding us.  Out the window I can see tents going up and TV trucks arriving at the Murat to set up for the NBC broadcast of the inaugural NFL Honors tomorrow night.  Helicopters and jet fighters have been circling our office all week and most everyone you bump into ends their conversation with “Have a Super day!”  The Super Bowl fun has extended into our 7 early learning centers too.  Teachers have worked hard to incorporate football into lessons dealing with counting, sorting and colors.  Many preschool classes voted for their favorite team and helped their teacher chart the results. Children are learning lessons about teamwork, sportsmanship and philanthropy.

IU Health football collage

The families and staff members in our centers have pulled together to collect food for local food pantries.  We are off to a great start in 2012.  Here’s a salute the Super Bowl XLVI and our great city from Day Nursery.

Toddlers painting the outside of a huge football that was later stuffed and put on the wall in their classroom at IU Health

Five month old Piper celebrates Baby's First Super Bowl at our Avon Center.

Ruth A. Lilly Center teacher Marti Gough made a special trip to the library to check out books that talked about both teams

Souper Bowl of Caring collection at Day Nursery Federal Center

The Lilly Center preschoolers have been counting down the days to the big game by subtracting a football a day for 100 days.

Vanessa Fletcher of our Child Care Answers program got up early to be in the audience of the Today Show.

"Miss Patty" Fisher made her rounds of the centers today dressed in her Super Bowl finest.

HR Director Cathy Johnson helped collected food for Ronald McDonald House food pantry for Souper Bowl of Caring

Day Nursery Executive Director Carolyn Dederer posed with the Colts Super Fan during a lunch break this week

Indianapolis families have lots of options for Martin Luther King Day activities

This coming Monday, January 16 is a day dedicated to the achievements and the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Five of our seven Day Nursery centers and our administrative office will be closed in observance of the holiday.  Our Day Nursery IU Health Center on Boulevard Place and Day Nursery Hendricks County Center on the Campus of IU Health West in Avon will be open normal hours on Monday.

If you are looking for something to do with your youngsters, consider heading Downtown for many special events including FREE admission to The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, Crispus Attucks Museum, Indianapolis Museum of Art and Indiana History Center. Also, bring a canned good for Gleaners Food Bank and receive one FREE admission per person per attraction in White River State Park including the Indiana State Museum, Indianapolis Zoo, IMAX Theater, Eiteljorg Museum, NCAA Hall of Champions and Victory Field. The Madame Walker Theatre Center hosts a Celebration Gospel Festival with singers presenting a musical tribute following a Freedom Walk on the Avenue. If that isn’t enough to do,  the iconic Harlem Globetrotters in action at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Celebrating Kwanzaa at Day Nursery Hendricks County

During a lesson of cultures and celebrations around the world, the two-year olds at Day Nursery in Avon made black-eyed pea salad while learning about Kwanzaa. 

Kwanzaa was created to introduce and reinforce seven basic values of African culture which contribute to building and reinforcing family, community and culture among African-American people as well as Africans throughout the world African community. The celebration lasts from December 26 through January 1.

The children were happy to share their recipe.

Ingredients:
2 15.8 oz black-eyed pea’s, rinsed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 bottle balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing
Rinse black eye peas and drain well.  In a large bowl, combine the peas, chopped onion, celery, bell pepper, and salad dressing.  Cover and refrigerate 2 hours before serving.