Great stories about Week of the Young Child/Celebrating the Young Hoosier Child Month for 2011 are coming in! While we work to get them posted, check out the great celebrations that took place in 2010!

• The Fort Wayne Chapter for the Indiana Association for the Education of Young Children sponsored the Marianne Musick Memorial Children's Art Exhibit at Ivy Tech Community College in Fort Wayne from April 17 to April 22. This first annual event was held in memory of Marianne Musick, an early childhood instructor at Ivy Tech who died of cancer in December 2007. Early learning centers brought art work from their children to Ivy Tech for display.

          Contact: Mary Musson, Fort Wayne Chapter President at (260) 480-4154


 

• On Saturday, April 26, Childhood Connections in Columbus will hold its Festival of the Young Child. The theme is Kids in Bloom.  This is the 31st year that the celebration has been held, and there will be booths from agencies serving young children. Past years booth activities involved crafts, obstacle courses, a fire engine tour, meeting the mascot for the police/fire departments, and music. Each booth was required to have an activity for young children and a door prize to participate. There were also health screenings, kindergarten transition information available, and hot dogs, cookies and lemonade.

Contact: Rose Ellen Adams, Executive Director - Childhood Connections

1531 13th Street, Suite 1130 ~ Columbus, IN 47201

          Toll Free: 866-693-0672    Fax: 812-373-3616      www.childhoodconnections.org

• On Saturday, April 12th, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, Child Care Answers in Indianapolis hosted a Bagels & a Book training at Day Nursery Wiles Training Center (855 East Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202). Bagels, a book discussions & literacy tips, bonding, and prizes were part of the festivities.

• The Southeastern Regional Chapter of Indiana AEYC and Ivy Tech School of Education (Sellersburg) are co-sponsored a USBORNE book fair on Wednesday, April 16 and Thursday, April 17. Taking place on the main Ivy Tech campus in Sellersburg, the fair was open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday and from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. All proceeds will go toward the Southern Indiana Book Harvest groups, which the Ivy Tech School of Education sponsors.

        Contact: Teresa McKay, School of Education -- 812-246-3301, ext. 4294

• The Southeastern Regional Chapter of Indiana AEYC is also hosting an "Early Childhood Professional Recognition Banquet" on Monday, May 5, 2008. The banquet is open to providers, therapists, ANYONE who works with young children. As a special "bonus" - All SAYEC members will receive a certificate of recognition. The banquet guest speaker will be Heather Hornback Bland, author of "God Said Yes." Heather, who was accidentally run over with her car by her mother at the age of 4, has survived not only her injuries when no one thought she would live but also is a survivor of child sexual abuse. Her story is amazing and you will NOT want to miss it! Heather will have copies of her book available, and all the profits from her books go directly to purchasing her medication each month - which costs up to $8000!

RSVP by April 25th to:

Teresa McKay (Southeastern Regional Chapter President)

Nancy Clark (Southeastern Regional Chapter Vice President)

Becky King (Southeastern Regional Secretary)

Judy Smith (Southeastern Regional Treasurer)

 

>> View the Save the Date flyer

Contact: Donna at dcanterfpc@aol.com or Becky at becky@4csindiana.org

• The South Central Chapter of Indiana AEYC held a conference, “Healthy Kids…inside and out!” on Saturday, April 5^th, at Ivy Tech Community College in Bloomington. The event featured keynote speakers Dr. Lloyd J. Kolbe, from the School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation at Indiana University, and Gaye Gronlund, and author and early childhood education consultant. Some workshops included:

Indiana Paths to QUALITY_TM · Indiana Checklists-Observations · New Health Education Standards · Touchpoints

        The event was sponsored by the South Central Chapter of Indiana AEYC, Ivy Tech Community College, Step Ahead, Indiana 
        University School of Health, Education, and Recreation, and Family Resource Centers of Monroe County.

• The East Central Chapter of Indiana AEYC offered a special training opportunity on April 10^th from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Jennifer Young, assistant director and lab coordinator at the Ball State University Child Study Center, and Michelle Renser, family and child major at Ball State University, gave presentations on sensory and motor activities for children, o to 18 months, and movement and large muscle play for young children.

        >> View the event flyer

 cmiller@sscpl.lib.in.us

• Early World of Learning, Inc. and the Shelbyville-Shelby County Library have again partnered to offer the community fun and exciting events. On Saturday, April 19^th, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, the library hosted a special workshop for parents and child care providers. Christy Prulhiere, who manages the Ready to Lead in Literacy initiative at WFYI, was the special guest. Attending adults received a free CD and were eligible to receive door prizes. Contact Cheryl Miller at: (317) 398-7121, ext. ~

• Also in the Shelby County area: On Saturday, April 19^th at 12:30 p.m., there was a “Pamper Your Provider” luncheon at the library. Attending child care providers received a free lunch, information, gifts, and were eligible to win door prizes.

        >> See the press release

• The Flanner House Child Development Center had a carnival at Watkins Park Community Center on April 15, 2008, in Indianapolis. The carnival featured moonwalks, face paining, cotton candy, and more! Flanner House also enjoyed Spirit Week during the Week of the Young Child, with special events each day. The week closed with a grand finale celebration.

Contact:

 

Marlo Allen, Interim Director - Flanner House Child Development Center

2424 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street  - Indianapolis, Indiana 46208

(317) 925-4231 ext. 224  - mjohnson@flannerhouse.com  - www.flannerhouse.com

• The IUPUI (Indiana University- Purdue University, Indianapolis) Center for Young Children has collaborated with its local Indiana AEYC chapter and several accredited child care and education centers throughout the state to put up 12 displays at the State House. The displays, which focused on developmentally appropriate practices, literacy, math, science, social-emotional development, fine motor development, and more, spanned the length of the atrium on both sides!

        Originally designed as a modest way to honor children’s learning, the display has grown into “a big picture” championing young     
        children and appropriate education. From April 13 - 19, the display helped those passing through the State House to gain a better 
        understanding of the importance of the jobs of early educators and the power of learning in the early years!

        Contact: Victoria Anderson or Beth Steward at the IUPUI Center for Young Children: http://www.childcare.iupui.edu/
                     (317) 274-3508

View the State House Display Pictures

• Picture 1
• Picture 2
• Picture 3
• Picture 4
• Picture 5
• Picture 6
• Picture 7
• Picture 8

        Contact Debbie Collins, Preschool Coordinator: (765) 289-2291 (ext. 460) ~ cyberdeb8@aol.com  
        or call Apple Tree at: (765) 286-0616

• Apple Tree Child Development center in Muncie gave all parents of enrolled children a copy of the book Endangered: Your Child in a Hostile World, by Johann Christoh Arnold. Purple ribbons, along with a card explaining Week of the Young Child, were also distributed. Lastly, there was a “Safe Touch” presentation given by Ball State University students studying counseling.