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Week of the Young Child
Spring into Education
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Week of the 
Young Child

National Week of the Young Child begins April 14, 2013. Honoring young children and all those who make a difference in children's lives, LVCC will celebrate April 15th-19th. 

Themed "Early Years are Learning Years," the week will hold a variety of family events, special visitors, and lots of learning fun.

During Week of the Young Child, prizes will be given away everyday on Facebook. Answer daily early education trivia to win LVCC swag, toys, Air Products gift packs, and Putt U mini-golf family passes!!

Check with your center director to find out all the fun things happening at LVCC!

A BIG Thank You... 

to our community partners for seeing the value in early education programs and helping to make Week of the Young Child successful. 

 

Air Products

 

Giant Food Stores

 

Putt U

 

Bimbo Bakeries

 

Novick Brothers logo

 

Redners

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into Education
The birds returned and the flowers are finally blooming. Welcome back spring! If the kids have been indoors all winter, they are begging to run outside by now. What to do with them if April showers prevent outside play? The creative teachers of Lehigh Valley Children's Centers came up with a list of ideas to keep your children active and learning.

 

A day at the park

Sharon DeBoer, infant teacher at LVCC's Campus Center recommends, "when possible take your infant outside to observe the world and get some fresh air." Walk to a park or

Baby in Flowergrassy area. Explore different textures by letting your child feel the grass under her bare feet, rubbing feathers and flowers on her skin, or blowing bubbles around her. On a beach ball, roll your infant around on her belly to strengthen her sense of balance (vestibular balance) and direction (spatial orientation).

 

On a rainy day, all the same activities can be done indoors. Spread a blanket on the floor to play, just like at the park. Lots of giggles and smiles may arise when your little one views her own reflection in a mirror while playing. Although your infant is too young to recognize herself (self-awareness develops in the toddler stage), she will focus on the facial features of the bright-eyed baby staring back at her.

 

Make your own sunshine

When the weather isn't cooperating, that doesn't mean your child won't either. Vicki Walters, LVCC at South Mountain's toddler teacher, keeps her class busy with weather-related artwork. They draw pictures of raindrops and the sun with crayons. "Toddlers learn the words for weather elements or seasonal events through art," explains Vicki. "It also gives them a healthy outlet for self-expression."

 

Another creative activity Vicki does with her class is painting butterflies with bingo dabbers. The thick dabbers are easy for toddlers to grip in their tiny hands. Dabbers come in a variety of colors. If they aren't washable, you may want to cover your child in an art smock.

 

Plant an indoor garden

Preschoolers find gardening fascinating. They experience nature hands-on. While digging through dirt, they discover different textures. As the seeds grow to plants, they explore the life-cycle of fruits and vegetables. 

 

To begin your indoor garden, have your child fill paper cups three-quarters full with soil. In each cup, plant a seed by covering it with some soil. Keep the soil damp, but not wet. Place your potted seedling in a window with lots of natural light to germinate. Once the green peeks through after four to six weeks, you and your child can plant the seedlings outside on a sunny day. Your child will soon learn to appreciate the gifts of nature and the satisfaction of eating healthy foods grown with his own hands.

 

Craft seasonal decorations

Spring is a time for emerging blooms and animals awakening from hibernation. Pam Schaeffer, LVCC at Western Salisbury center director, suggests using these seasonal themes to create crafts. Her school-age students enjoy decorating the classroom bulletin board for spring. They cut out construction paper bird houses, adorned with flowers made of colorful tissue paper.

 

Crafting contributes to child development. "Children use coordinating skills while cutting paper with scissors and then twisting ties and fluffing tissue paper to make flowers," Pam explains. "Thinking skills develop from experimenting with the different materials. Assembling the spring scene requires social interaction and working cooperatively. And equally as important, the children use their imagination."

Pre-K Counts 2011 
Are you or someone you know looking for a high-quality pre-kindergarten program for your child? LVCC is currently enrolling for the fall 2013 Pre-K Counts semester. Apply now if your child is age 4, your family meets income eligibility guidelines, and your child has a language barrier or has special needs.

Time:  2:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.

Registration Dates:

April 9th
410 E. 5th St. 
Bethlehem, PA

 

April 11th
1145 Walnut St.
Allentown, PA

  

April 17th
938 Main St.
Bethlehem, PA
April 18th
540 Chew St.
Allentown, PA

  

April 25th
2002 S. Albert St.
Allentown, PA
   

If you are unable to attend any of these sessions, please contact Debbie Hessinger at 610-820-5333, ext. 230 to apply.

Lehigh Valley Children's Centers provides high quality early education and child care to promote healthy child development, meet the needs of families, and encourage children to discover the joy of learning.

LVCConline.org