Too Cute Tuesday: Day Nursery Northwest toddlers reach out to help others

The children in Ms. Renee’s Toddler 4 class at the Day Nursery Northwest Center in Pike Township are collecting toys to donate to the Julian Center.  Here’s a look at what they have collected so far.  Happy “Too Cute Tuesday!”

Day Nursery Thankful Thursday

Thank you to First Book of Greater Indianapolis for their donation of books to support Day Nursery Association and Child Care Answers’ Play and Learn Program. For more information on First Book, visit their website.

A sampling of the great books we received!

Are you ready to LEAP into ART?

Proceeds from Leap Into Art will support arts programming for children.

Do you have your ticket yet for LEAP into ART? Day Nursery and Arts for Learning  are joining together on Saturday May 18 to raise money for arts programming for children.This adult-only event features live music, hands-on arts activities  and lots of yummy hors d’oeuvres, Barefoot Wine and Sun King Beer. Come “Be a Child Again” while you shop the silent auction and make a masterpiece to take home with you. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased here or by calling Sarah Ferguson at 317-636-9197 ext. 240.

Here’s a flyer you can download and share with your friends.  Tickets are limited so order yours today! Leap into Art flyer

Day Nursery Federal Center two year olds celebrate Earth Day with special visitors

Day Nursery Federal Center teacher Nina Woodbury is known for going the extra mile to present a hands-on learning opportunity for the two-year olds in her classroom.  Today she didn’t have to travel any further than her driveway at home to find some special visitors for her class. On her way to work, Miss Nina scooped up a handful of earth worms to bring in to celebrate Earth Day today.  While our downtown Federal Center has a beautiful playground, it doesn’t have much dirt on it to explore so Nina imported the visitors. The chatter around the earthworm table has been punctuated with giggles this morning as the children have worked up the courage to touch the worms and marvel at their mobility.  Hope you and your little ones have a chance to dig into the dirt today.  Happy Earth Day!

Post update 11:15 am-Just got this photo emailed to me by Day Nursery Federal Center Director Sarah Parks.  She wanted to share this picture of the worms being released on the grass in front of the Federal Building.  She thought some grownups might be concerned about the worms spending the entire day with two year olds.  Rest assured, the worms have been safety returned back to the earth.

Week of the Young Child: Day Nursery IU Health Center

During Week of the Young Child which wrapped up Friday, Mr. Seth,  teacher in the Toddler 1 class at the Day Nursery IU Health Center, put on a musical concert featuring familiar favorites as well as original songs for children.   As you can see, it was a rockin’ success!

Week of the Young Child: Day Nursery Federal Center

All week the Day Nursery Federal Center has encouraged families to come read to their child’s class as part of our Week of the Young Child celebration.  Fatimah’s father came to read The Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle to the Toddler 3’s class today.  Fatimah wore her Hungry Caterpillar dress yesterday for Book Character Day, and the pair passed out Hungry Caterpillar stickers to the class as well.  The class was very engaged in the story, and wanting to know if the Caterpillar’s tummy hurt, sharing what things they like to eat, and counting the number of things he ate.

Too Cute Tuesday: Day Nursery infants enjoy painting

Infants at the Day Nursery Ruth A. Lilly Center and Indiana State Government Center enjoyed “body” painting this week.  Happy Too Cute Tuesday!

Ruth A. Lilly Center

Ruth A. Lilly Center

Indiana State Gov’t. Center

Indiana State Gov’t. Center

Indy 500 Winner Scott Dixon visits Day Nursery Northwest

2008 Indianapolis 500 Winner Scott Dixon visited the Day Nursery Northwest Center yesterday thanks to our friends at PNC’s Grow Up Great program. Dixon read a story about counting with race cars followed by a question and answer session with the preschool and kindergarten classes. The students wanted to know how old Dixon is and why there was smoke coming from one of the race cars in the story. Dixon presented the center with a mini race car which the students will be able to take apart and learn more about how it works. The racing related activities are part of PNC’s initiative to bring STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) activities to preschoolers across the country. The same group of students will get to tour the Target Chip Ganassi Racing facility on May 10.

A Call for Excellence in Early Childhood Education

Each April, child care providers across the country rally together to ask the community to celebrate the young child and recognize high quality early experiences that make a difference in children’s lifelong academic and social success.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, April 3 from 11:00am-1:00pm, Indiana child care providers, advocates and organizations will declare April as the Month of the Young Child. The rally will celebrate providers who have moved up a level on Indiana’s Paths to QUALITY rating scale as well as recognize legislators who champion policy to support Indiana children and their families.

The rally will take place in the North Atrium (Ohio Street side) of the Indiana Statehouse Rotunda.  Please join the

Please join the Indiana Association for the Education of Young Children in the call for excellence in early childhood education .

Too Cute Tuesday: Planting seeds and watching them grow

The students in Ms. LeeAnn and Ms. Patricia’s preschool class at the Day Nursery IU Health Early Care and Education Center are thinking spring and hoping by planting their seeds it will bring some spring weather! What’s coming up in your garden?