School age summer campers •touring' the 50 states

The school age Summer Camp is off and running! This year's focus is –The Fifty States À A Tour of the U.S.A.”  Each day our classrooms focus on a different state and learn fun facts about them and what makes each interesting and unique. The children are doing arts and crafts, projects, experiments and cooking activities related to each state and also taking field trips to local parks and a swimming pool.

During our –virtual tour” of Arkansas, we learned that the state is famous for its dairy products, so we taught the children how to make butter. They got to eat the rewards of their hard work for snack.

When we traveled to Alabama, we learned that it is the helicopter capital of our nation. There are more helicopters in Alabama because that is where people learn to fly them, and all military personnel are trained in using helicopters there. On this day, we assembled paper helicopters and painted and decorated them.

On the day we studied Indiana, the children learned that the state is famous for its limestone and mineral deposits underground. On a field trip to the Caldwell Stone rock quarry, campers learned about different kinds of rocks and how they are extracted from the ground.

As we travel through the many states, we hope that our campers will have a better understanding of each state and what makes it diverse from all others. Our country is influenced by many different cultures and heritages from all over the world and we believe that it is important that children learn to celebrate and enjoy the differences that our country has to offer.

Kindergarten Graduation

Thursday, August 5

We will have a formal graduation at 7 p.m. for our preschoolers who will be starting kindergarten.  The children will wear caps and gowns and receive a –diploma”.  More information will be available in the near future.  Family members are invited to participate in this special occasion.

Meet Our Staff

Motto: –I can make a mean mud pie.”

Hi! My name is Kim Hamilton and I am one of the Older-3-year-old classroom teachers. I have been with A Children's Place for two years because I love to work with children.

I have two children, Brent and Becky. I am also the grandmother of a delightful 4-year-old named Shawn. The things I enjoy include playing with my grandson, taking long walks, listening to music, going dancing and watching movies. I love Bugs Bunny cartoons and watching Audie Murphy westerns.

I am the youngest of nine children, and I was introduced to caring for young children at an early age, because I became an aunt at the age of 3.

My philosophy is to try to focus on the good in life. I find that humor is a good way of releasing stress and it helps others to feel better. I believe that being a success means to try new things regardless of whether you fail.

As a child I was permitted to explore my world. I think that children should be allowed to be a part of their world, even if it means getting messy. They should be encouraged to try new things and to have fun while doing so.

What other Associates think of her:

–Kim is one of the treasures of A Children's Place.  She has an unmatched work ethic and a heart of gold.”

–Kim is full of originality and spontaneity.  She is a joy to work with and a great model for other Associates.”

–Kim is a wonderful person to work with.  She is always willing to help and give her opinion."

Health NotesÄ

Dogs have long been known as man's best friend.  However, they also account for bites to more than 4.7 million people each year, and 800,000 Americans (half of whom are children) seek medical attention as a result of being bitten by a dog.  Of those injured by dogs, 386,000 have to seek treatment in an emergency department, and about 12 people die each year from dog bites.  

Dog bites are most common among children ages 5 to 9 years, while a child's risk for dog bites decreases as children age.  Certain precautions can be taken to prevent or reduce the chances of being bitten by a dog.  Share the following precautions with your child:

à          Don't approach a dog with which you are not familiar.

à          Don't run and scream from a dog.

à          If you are approached by an unfamiliar dog, remain motionless.

à          If you are knocked over by a dog, roll into a ball and lie still.

à          Do not play with a dog unless an adult is supervising you.

à          If you see a stray dog or one that is acting strangely, report it to an adult immediately.

à          Avoid direct eye contact with a dog.

à          Do not bother a dog that is sleeping, eating or taking care of puppies.

à          Do not pet a dog without letting it see and sniff you first.

à          If a dog bites you, report it to an adult immediately.

Dog bites can be prevented if children and adults understand the behaviors that typically cause a dog to become aggressive and bite.  When we lessen our risks for being bitten, we can enjoy dogs for the joy they can bring into our lives and that of children.

  Sheila VanHook, LPN

There is more to life than increasing its speed.

Summer Fun

Connor and Donnie Quintana enjoy playing on the playground at A Children's Place.  Both are students in the Jupiter (school age) classroom.

Gardening Fun

Children enrolled in the Young Three's class planted potatoes in their classroom aquarium in the spring, and recently had some pretty good-sized potatoes to show for it.

Play it safe when swimming

During the hot, humid days of summer, the only real relief is found from a plunge into a swimming pool.  Children especially love to go swimming, and it seems that they can spend endless hours in a pool. Whether you and your child are swimming at a pool, a lake or the beach, it's important for these safety rules to be followed when swimming: 

à          Never leave a child unsupervised around water and never swim alone.

à          Know and stay within your swimming limits.

à          Obey –no diving” signs when you see them and avoid diving into shallow water.

à          When children are jumping off a diving board, have them follow some ground rules:  only one person diving at a time, wait in line, do not jump until the last diver has gotten out of the water and do not jump towards the side of the pool.

à          Do not allow yourself to become overly tired or to swim too far from safety or shore.

à          Swim in supervised areas only.

à          When swimming after eating, make sure your food has properly digested before getting in the water.

Happy Birthday

July 2

Shakeela Cloud

July 19

Crystal Pheasant

July 23

Sherline Graham

July 30

Jennifer Hamlin

August 15

Jennifer Quinn

August 21

Brenna Camic

August 31

Alice Staton

Touring Caldwell Stone

School Age Child Care students are learning more about the United States during this year's Summer Camp.  One of the activities they enjoyed was a trip to the Caldwell Stone rock quarry.

Scooter safety for your child

à          Wear the proper safety equipment, including a helmet and elbow and knee pads. 

à          Teach your child to avoid gravel, sand, water and uneven pavement, which can cause falls. 

à          Warn your child against riding scooters at night, when they can't be seen by drivers. 

à          Remind your child to ride his scooter on the sidewalk or a path away from the highway.  They should stay away from other vehicles.

Make traveling a fun time for your child

Summertime is vacation time for many families.  It allows you and your spouse to take a break from work and other stresses in life, and it's an excellent opportunity to educate your child about the world around them.  Although vacations are intended to be restful, they can become stressful if your children get bored and anxious during the road trip. 

The following tips will help keep your children entertained while traveling this summer:

à          Make sure you pack the necessities.  Among the items that you may need while traveling away from home are bandages, antiseptic hand gel, small packs of tissue, sunscreen, crayons, paper, a deck of cards, plastic bags for collecting shells, sunglasses, an umbrella, a lightweight windbreaker and camera with extra film.  You should also remember to pack your physician's telephone number, photos of your children (in case you lose them in a crowded area) and an extra copy of birth certificates, travel reservations and airline tickets.

à          Pack items that make traveling fun.  A Frisbee or jump rope will provide some quick exercise when you take rest breaks.  A plastic box will hold your child's supplies, and the lid will work well as a desk or place to hold food.  A lightweight blanket can comfort your child at naptime.

à          Keep hunger pangs at  bay.  Excellent food choices while traveling include individual applesauce and fruit cups, dry crackers, pop tarts, individual cereal boxes, flavored rice cakes, juice boxes and peanut butter and bread.

Before you leave on vacation, put some thought into some games that your children can play while traveling.  Among the traditional games that are popular with children is keeping a list of the various license plates that can be spotted while traveling on the highway as well as the alphabet game, where you complete the alphabet using letters spotted on billboards, road signs and license plates.  You may also want to prepare a list of items typically seen while traveling and present these as a scavenger hunt for your children.

Remember, traveling with your family should be a pleasant experience.  By being prepared for your trip and keeping your children entertained, summer vacation can provide that much-needed relaxation you are searching for.