Author: Shira Leibowitz

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REV It UP! Relationships, Experiences, Values

Relationships, Experiences, and Values in Early Childhood Education
REV It UP!

The first five years of life; a time of wonder, imagination, creativity and discovery, are marked by incredibly rapid development of both mind and body. Through play, interaction with others, and exploration of the world around them, children reveal their emerging personalities and identities. While a child’s home is the most central of environments in which to learn and explore, children benefit enormously from widening the circle of individuals with whom they interact. Through relationships with adults and peers; learning by doing as part of playful experiences that emerge from children’s interests; and a focus on values in early childhood education, children set lifelong foundations from which to learn, develop, and thrive. 

In some places throughout history and around the world, children have been organically embraced in communities of caring relationships, engaging experiences, and meaningful values. However, more often than not, parents in contemporary times are tasked with the challenge of actively putting together their own community, their own village, so vital to nurturing children’s healthy development. Many turn to childcare and learning centers, not only out of a need for their children to be cared for while they are at work, but out of a commitment to providing an exemplary environment for their children. Embracing the Reggio Emilia approach to learning, Discovery Village is actively designed to be the village children and families deserve, grounded in these three central pillars: relationships, experiences, and values in early childhood education.

Relationships

We consider relationships to be the fundatmental, organizing strategy of our educational system.

Loris Malaguzzi

Founder of the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education

Grounded in the educational vision of Loris Malaguzzi, founder of the Reggio Emilia approach, relationships between children and teachers as well as peers are not an “added bonus”, a nice benefit for families who choose a childcare center rather than in-home care. They are at the very center of our understanding of powerful learning for children. Through developing friendships, and forging strong bonds with their teachers, children learn about themselves, others, and their world. They develop social-emotional vital for success and well-being, while experiencing the joy of being understood, appreciated, and respected for who they are and for who they are in the process of becoming.

Experiences

Creativity seems to emerge from multiple experiences, coupled with a well-supported development of personal resources, including a sense of freedom to venture beyond the known.

Loris Malaguzzi

Founder of the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education

At Discovery Village our curriculum is dynamic, emerging from children’s interests. Guided by children’s creativity and curiosity, each day children participate in multiple projects incorporating the arts and sciences, literacy and math. Topics of exploration have included life in a science lab, on a farm, as an astronaut, in a museum, and within a transportation center. A vibrant village, located in the lower Hudson valley and its magnificent changing seasons, the outside world is incorporated into our learning as children spend time daily in our playground and on nature walks, from which they bring back materials from the outdoors to include in our learning. Celebrations are also incorporated into our learning with holidays as varied as Friendsgiving, Pablo Picasso’s birthday, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) day, and pajama day. These events bring us together as a village, engaged in learning and fun.

Values

Our image is of a child who has his/her own values and is adept at building relationships of solidarity.

Carla Rinaldi

Renowned Leader the Reggio Emilia Schools; President of Reggio Children 

The parents who built the very first of the Reggio-Emilia schools, in the days following World War II, were deeply motivated by the desire to prepare their children to stand strong against oppression, injustice, and inequality. From those courageous beginnings, many Reggio-inspired schools throughout the world have embraced a deep concern for nurturing values central to their own communities and contexts. At Discovery Village, supporting children to live values of care for themselves, others, and their world is central to our experience. In age appropriate ways, children are supported to be good friends and good villagers, doing what they are able to contribute to the betterment of others. We celebrate core values in early childhood education.

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How a Daycare Center in Tarrytown, NY Benefits Both Parents and Kids

daycare center near Tarrytown
How a Daycare Center in Tarrytown, NY Benefits Both Parents and Kids

Every experience and event during the formative years of your child’s life shape the foundation for later learning and their relationships with others. In a daycare center, you can expect your child to have plenty of exploratory time, free-play and play-based learning. Some even provide some structure learning activities to hone the children’s academic skills and knowledge, including solving numbers, reading and writing. 

Working parents in Tarrytown, NY, need and want accessible, high-quality, and affordable daycare centers for care, supervision, and learning that their children deserve. But with the plethora of options in town, the juggle is real in finding the right place to care for them.

Daycare doesn’t just help kids; they help parents too! 

Many parents agonize and feel guilty about enrolling their child in a daycare. But if you take a look at what a daycare center has to offer, that guilt is not necessary. Whether you are working or a stay-at-home parent, sending your kid to a daycare facility benefits your child, but also you. It gives you the time you need to fulfill your corporate and personal duties while your child socializes and learns in a caring environment.  

Some parents also need a break from their little one sometimes, so there is no shame in sending your child to a daycare center for a few hours a day. For instance, moms have one of the toughest jobs in the world: working for a living, taking care of their child and performing home duties. It can take a toll on their mental health, so having free time is a blessing for them. They can use the time without their kids to go grocery shopping, catch up on household chores and maybe even pamper themselves for some relaxation. The best part is that their children get to have fun and socialize with other kids close to their age as well. 

5 Benefits of Enrolling Your Child in Daycare

Did you know that putting your kid in a daycare center can help in enhancing their communication skills? If you send your kid to a daycare facility, and you feel guilty about it, you will love to learn how it benefits your little one. If you are pondering the idea of a daycare that best fit you and your child’s needs, here are some points to consider:

It prepares your kids for school

Sooner or later, your child will leave his nest to attend formal school. But if he has been going to daycare centers for a while, the transition of leaving home will be a lot easier as the time preschool and kindergarten rolls around.  

It has flexible hours and regular schedules

Daycare centers are flexible when it comes to hours – they open early and close late to cater to busy and working parents. It is also a place where your child can learn about routines while partake in a sequence of fun and different learning activities like singing and storytelling. Moreover, the structured time for playing, napping and eating can also shape your kid’s behavior at home, which can benefit parents too. 

It can make parents happy

While some parents have the means to stay home and provide their own childcare, not all can follow this path. For instance, some moms prefer or have to return to work after a few months of giving birth. Knowing that your kid is in a warm and safe daycare can help you feel content and give you peace about your choice to return to work.  

It’s fun!

Daycare is not only a place where kids stay while their parents work – it’s more fun than that! Your children spend their day playing with toys, interacting with others and assembling puzzles. They also learn better while playing outside and partaking in fun activities. 

They can adapt better behavior

A daycare center provides children an opportunity to socialize and play with other kids their age. Working with others can show how to behave and become a team player. Moreover, they also learn to play and share while their personalities develop and their minds grow. 

Parents should not feel guilty because they have to work or cannot afford a nanny, or because they want to take some time off to do some grocery shopping without a toddler. It takes a village to raise a child and if you are fortunate enough to live in a village such as Tarrytown, you can find high-quality daycares like Discovery Village Center. Let us help your child experience the love of learning and you benefit from it in more ways than one! Call (914) 631-1009 and see how we go beyond daycare. 

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Celebration as Self-Expression in Early Childhood Learning

Celebrations in Early Childhood Education
Celebration as Self-Expression in Early Childhood Learning

Villages are places of warmth and nurturing; extensions of family. They are also places of celebrations and commemorations. Since ancient times, communities have joined together to express their deepest ideals and emotions through holidays – festivals marking the seasons, historical events, and core values. Celebrations remain central to the self-expression of children in early childhood education programs.

At Discovery Village, designed to offer a village environment of nurturing and creativity to children, celebrations are very frequent, typically occurring once a week. They are not just “add ons”, but are among the most central ways that we playfully embed in our program our three pillars – Relationships, Experiences, and Values. (REV – REV it Up with Discovery Village!) Celebrations are central to learning in exemplary early childhood education programs.

“Celebrations not only enrich our program, they are core to our understanding of ourselves as a village” explains Anna Hobbs, Assistant Director, who has both inspired and organized our robust calendar of events. “Festivals create opportunities for children to experience our ideals and values as a community in ways that are exciting, meaningful and so much fun.” 

Some of the Discovery Village core values celebrated at our festivals include creativity, caring, community, and discovery.

Celebrations of Creativity

Some celebrations of creativity are whimsical like 

National Play-Doh Day 

and

 Talk Like a Pirate Day.

Others are more substantive investigations into the arts such as

National Color Day 

(which was actually an interdisciplinary celebration of art and science)

and

 Pablo Picasso’s Birthday.

Celebrations of Caring

Celebrations of Caring (for others and for the world) have included 

National Do Something Nice Day (caring for others)

and

National Recycling Day (caring for our earth)

 

Celebrations of Community

Deliberating building community we include days in which we celebrate Discovery Village as a home away from home. We had an especially good time on 

Pajama Day

Community celebrations also include festivals connected to the seasons such as 

Fall Festival and Harvest Parade.

We’re now gearing up for Friendsgiving.

Celebrations of Discovery

We also enjoy celebrations connected to learning and Discovery. A favorite was our recent

STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) Day

 

All of this, and we’ve only been open a little over four months. 

There is so much more to come as we consider our core values and days to commemorate them. 

 

What holidays and festivals would you like to see? 

We are truly looking forward to celebrating with you!

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How to Get Your Child Eat Healthy with a Childcare Provider in Sleepy Hollow

featured image of blog titled "How to Get Your Child Eat Healthy with a Childcare Provider in Sleepy Hollow"
How to Get Your Child Eat Healthy with a Childcare Provider in Sleepy Hollow

Kids either love or loathe veggies – there is usually no in-between. Most parents experience an uphill battle with feeding their little ones due to peer pressure and TV commercials. Once you factor in their hectic schedules it is no wonder that their kids’ diet includes takeout food and meals with little nutritional value. 

Food is a vital part of life, especially for kids – a time to nourish their bodies and minds. But what’s the harm a burger or fried chicken? And what’s wrong with keeping a pack of chips or even crackers in the cabinet? While these choices might seem harmless, it turns out that poor eating habits tend to stick with kids as they grow up. Thus, it is essential to teach your kids how to make healthy food choices at an early age.

If you’re a busy parent with loads of tasks on your plate, childcare is a fact of life — and this is where a childcare provider in Sleepy Hollow comes into play. When parents choose trusted people to care for their kids in their absence, they are valuing their child’s early development. Nutrition should be as vital to parents since your kid may never outgrow poor eating habits.

How Healthy and Nutritious Food Benefits Your Kids

It is challenging to feed children nutritious food. Then if you have a picky eater on your hands that challenge becomes even greater. They tend to refuse foods based on color or texture that doesn’t seem pleasing to their eyes. 

However, children need to receive the necessary nutrients in their body for growth and development. When your little ones start a life with healthy meals, they can avoid several health issues. This can have a massive impact on both their childhood and adulthood years. 

Aside from avoiding health problems, children under a balanced diet also see benefits in brain development. A child who is not receiving an adequate amount of iodine and iron may experience both motor development and cognitive delays. 

5 Ways to Promote Healthy Eating Habits 

Is your kid hooked on junk food? Does your little one turn up their nose when they see the salad and casserole on the table? They would probably ask for macaroni or chicken nuggets. As you tear open the bag of frozen chunks, you ask yourself: “What can I do to get my child to eat nutritious foods?”

Whether you’re a childcare provider in Sleepy Hollow or a frazzled parent, you need a few tricks up your sleeve to get your kids to eat healthily. Here are five simple tips on how you can get your child to eat better without turning mealtimes into a battlefield: 

Sneak in some greens

If you’re tired of arguing with your child about eating vegetables, you can sneak in servings of greens without them knowing it. If they love eating pizza, you can make your version and spice it up a bit by making the tomato sauce even healthier by adding unseasoned pumpkin puree. You can also make homemade french fries by baking the potato instead of buying them deep-fried from fast-food chains. 

Talk to them about eating healthy

You can talk to your kids about eating healthy even if they can barely understand it all. By teaching them where the food they’re eating is coming from, how to make and how to grow them, they can develop a frame of reference about making healthy choices. In addition, give your kids praise and encouragement when they try new foods.

Involve them in food choices

When you’re grocery shopping, make it a habit to involve your child and create a healthy food shopping list with them. You can also present them with some healthy snack ideas and have them pick the ones they want (avoiding unhealthy options). By doing this, your kids will acquire the habit of searching out and selecting nutritious foods.

Please don’t force it

As you expose your children to different foods and flavors, always encourage – not force — them to eat healthy food. Pressuring or bribing them to eat a particular food will do more harm than good in the long run. 

Be a role model

We all know that learning does not only happen inside the four corners of the classroom. If you have a picky eater, you can be a positive role model by eating nutritious and balanced meals as well. Drink water with your kid, eat your greens and try new foods with a smile on your face to encourage them to do the same. 

Now that you have an idea of how to get your child to consume healthier foods, put them into good use. Childcare providers should prioritize children’s health and wellness. Children under care should have regular healthy meals, snacks, and fluids while at the same time enjoy positive meal experiences. So if you’re looking for a childcare provider in Sleepy Hollow, let Discovery Village Center help you in getting your little one to eat better. We support families in the process of ensuring good health for future generations. Call (914) 631-1009 today!