Too Cute Tuesday: Splash Day at Day Nursery Ruth A. Lilly Center

While today’s a bit cloudy, the children at the Day Nursery Ruth A. Lilly Center on Central Avenue have had many beautiful days this month to enjoy their newly remodeled playground.  In their early years, children explore the world around them by using all their senses (touching, tasting, listening, smelling, and looking) and splash day offers many opportunities to explore and pretend.

These “Too Cute Tuesday” pictures feature a recent playground splash day on the playground designed just for infants and toddlers.

Day Nursery Indianapolis names new President & CEO

Ted Maple, Ph.D.

Indianapolis – The  board of directors of Day Nursery Association of Indianapolis, Inc. is pleased to announce the appointment of Ted Maple, Ph.D. as the President and CEO. He will succeed Carolyn M. Dederer who will retire August 2 after 15 years with the organization.

Maple comes to Day Nursery from United Way of Central Indiana where he led United Way’s education priority with a focus on early childhood and school-age initiatives.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Indianapolis, a master’s degree in Elementary Education from Butler University and his Ph.D., in, Early Childhood Education from Ball State University.

Carolyn Dederer welcomed Dr. Ted Maple to his new office at Day Nursery this morning. They will work together for three weeks until Carolyn officially retires on August 2.

He began his career in education as a kindergarten and first grade teacher in Pike Township. Following his time in the public schools, he served as Director of the Early Childhood Program at St. Mary’s Child Center where he led the nationally-accredited early childhood program for 200 at-risk preschoolers at two locations in Indianapolis. In 2005, Maple’s career in early childhood took a different turn, when he was selected as United Way’s Director of Success By 6. In this role, over more than eight years, he crafted United Way’s early childhood agenda that included programs, policy advocacy and community engagement. In 2012, he was promoted to Director of Education to oversee United Way’s two education priorities: children entering school ready to learn, and performing on grade level by sixth grade.

He lives with his wife and three children on the northeast side of Indianapolis.

ABOUT DAY NURSERY:
Day Nursery Association is the oldest and largest non-profit provider of early care and education in central Indiana. Founded in 1899, the agency has been educating the youngest children of Indianapolis for over 100 years. Serving more than 1,350 children annually ages six weeks to six years old in 7 locations in Marion and Hendricks County, Day Nursery believes that all children, regardless of a family’s income, should have access to the highest quality of care. Day Nursery is a United Way agency.

Day Nursery Too Cute Tuesday

Our racetrack is an “O”

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

Play helps toddler understand how the world works

Indiana’s Academic Standards for Young Children tell us that early geometry concepts involve position and movement of self and items. To a child, this is a step in understanding how the world works.    Benjamin went around his classroom at the Day Nursery IU Health Center recently gathering items to put into his plastic jar, pushed the baby doll repeatedly to get it to fit inside the jar, even attempting to put the lid on top when he felt the baby was inside enough. Benjamin spent about 20 minutes on this play process.

Too Cute Tuesday: Day Nursery Federal Center

The Toddler 3 class at the Day Nursery Federal Center  made “hot” chocolate to warm up on a chilly day, pouring their own warm water and stirring it up, and the best part was of course tasting it!   Thanks to teacher, Ms. Kesha and Center Director Sarah Parks for sharing these pictures!

Stone Soup provides Day Nursery preschoolers a delicious opportunity for learning

January is National Soup Month, and Ms Tomi and Ms. Jannel’s preschool class at our IU Health Center read the story ‘Stone Soup’ with the children, a story about working together for a common goal and the ‘magic’ that can bring to a person/group/community. The children then made the soup together, discussing math skills in measurement and cutting. The children then sat together to eat the soup for snack, this gave them the opportunity to build language skills and build relationships with their peers. Thanks to Assistant Center Director Amy Cavin for sharing this great learning experience!

Day Nursery Indianapolis students add ingredients to soup

Students practice making soup in the dramatic play area of their classroom.

Day Nursery preschoolers enjoy the soup they made together.

 

Day Nursery Indianapolis

All Day Nursery Indianapolis early care and education centers will open as scheduled today, Friday December 21. Please drive carefully.

Day Nursery Federal Center Family Feast

Families gathered at the Day Nursery Federal Center yesterday to have lunch with the children and to enjoy a Thanksgiving program.  If you have ever seen the size of our kitchen in this center, you know that is was no small feat to prepare a big special meal for all the guests.  A big shout out goes to Center Director Sarah Parks, and our cook Gail Dodson.

Ms. Gail was assisted by our floating teacher Ms. Robyn and one of our parents Ms. Porshea.  Porshea is taking classes in the Human Services field and needed some volunteer experience, so has been volunteering here at the center for a few hours.

Day Nursery Indianapolis Flashback Friday

This picture from the April 12, 1964 edition of the Indianapolis Star features 6 year old Day Nursery student Toni Stahl on the jungle gym at our old Lockerbie Branch (that’s what we used to call our “centers”).  The picture was part of a larger article about an effort by the Day Nursery Auxiliary to raise money for playground equipment at a new center opening that month at 3522 N. Central.  That center, now called our Ruth A. Lilly Center, is still going strong and is currently undergoing a playground renovation.   Today, a large group of volunteers from Eli Lilly and Company is  helping to turn the playground into a beautiful natural outdoor classroom.