Our experienced professionals are dedicated to helping your child succeed and develop essential skills necessary for their growth. In this blog, we’ll explore why Growing Kids Learning Center is the best choice for parents looking for a quality daycare center for their children. Contact us today to learn more about our programs!

Child Care Experts

At Growing Kids Learning Center, we pride ourselves on having only childcare experts on staff. Our teachers exceed the highest state standards for preschool and are trained in pediatric CPR and First Aid. Our staff is dedicated to providing an educational, safe, and caring environment for children.

Main Street

Main Street is a child-sized mini-town that helps kids learn while playing in real-life activities. Children have the opportunity to role-play, pretend, socialize, and problem-solve. As they get older, they mature into interactive and more complex forms of play. Main Street sets us apart from other daycare centers because, unlike traditional motor rooms where children can quickly get bored, Main Street grows with them.

Protection is Our Top Priority

At GKLC, we take the safety and protection of your children very seriously. We understand that entrusting us with your most precious gift is a big responsibility, and we don’t take it lightly. Our staff is thoroughly screened and reference-checked, and our policies and procedures are in place to ensure that the security and well-being of every child in our care is our top priority.

Develop Essential Skills

We believe in developing essential skills in young children. Our hands-on curriculum helps children learn while having fun. Our approach to education is child-centered, meaning that we focus on the needs of the child and the needs of the parent. We offer programs for all ages — contact us today to learn more!

Growing Kids Learning Center is more than just your average daycare center. Our focus on having only childcare experts on staff, commitment to protecting children, and emphasis on developing essential skills set us apart from other daycare centers. We are a family-owned business and take pride in providing services that parents can be excited about. If you’re looking for a quality daycare center for your child, look no further than Growing Kids Learning Center in Elkhart. Get in touch with us today!

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Social Skills

One of the essential skills that children learn at Growing Kids Learning Center is socialization. Our programs encourage your child to interact with other children, developing social skills such as communication, empathy, problem-solving, and teamwork.

Creative Thinking

Creative thinking is another vital skill that we encourage in children. We provide children with opportunities to engage in activities such as art, music, storytelling, and dance, helping to develop their imaginative and innovative skills.

Problem-Solving

Problem-solving is a skill that we teach children to enable them to analyze problems, develop solutions, and think critically. Our staff encourages children to identify problems and try out various solutions to help them develop problem-solving skills, essential in real-life situations.

One of our unique features, Main Street, is a child-sized mini-town designed to help children learn through playing real-life activities in a fun and safe environment. Whether your child is a toddler, a preschooler, or a school-aged child, Main Street caters to all age groups, offering opportunities to role-play, pretend, socialize, and problem-solve.

Independence

Independence is another vital skill we foster in children by encouraging them to handle tasks on their own. We help children build confidence in their abilities to do things for themselves, and we believe that this skill forms the foundation for future success.

At Growing Kids Learning Center in Elkhart, we strive to provide a nurturing environment that encourages the acquisition of essential skills necessary for future success. Our programs go beyond basic childcare to provide a safe, stimulating, and fun environment for children to learn and grow. Contact us to schedule a visit or to learn more about how we can help your child thrive!

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Preparation for Kindergarten

As stated earlier, preschool education is the first step towards formal education for your child. It is in an environment where children learn how to listen to instructions, follow directions, and develop social skills that will help them during their transition to kindergarten. While your child is in preschool we give them a routine and show them the importance of taking turns and problem-solving. 

Early childhood centers like Growing Kids Learning Center teaches children pre-academic skills that will be required in kindergarten. From learning the alphabet and numbers to shapes and colors they will learn the necessary skills to help them become independent and successful. Our goal is to help your child become confident in their abilities and reduce the anxiety from being away from you.

Social and Emotional Development

Preschool programs can also help children develop their social and emotional skills. They will make friends, manage their emotions, and build self-esteem. We make sure our programs provide a safe and supportive environment where children can explore their feelings and express themselves.

Growing Kids Learning Center teaches children in preschool education how to share and show empathy to others. Compassion and respect are important and they have the ability to learn these lessons when they interact with other children.

Cognitive Development

Preschool programs offer children a variety of opportunities and experiences to stimulate their cognitive development. Children learn through play, which is an essential part of their development, and exploring and experimenting will help them make connections with other people.

Your child’s education is important and each program should strive to grow their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Teachers should encourage children to ask questions, make predictions, and test their ideas. Preschool helps foster creativity, imagination, and curiosity, which are all crucial for academic success and lifelong learning.

Health and Safety

Each preschool program should provide a safe and healthy environment for children to learn and grow. Our early childhood center teaches children about healthy habits, such as washing their hands, brushing their teeth, and eating nutritious foods. We have created policies and procedures to ensure each child’s safety and well-being.

Preschool programs will also promote physical activity and play, which are great for every child’s overall health and development. These types of activities will improve their gross motor skills like running, jumping, and climbing, which is great for developing their coordination and balance. Growing Kids Learning Center plans outdoor activities each day for children in our preschool programs.

Preschool is essential for any child between the ages of three and five to begin the process of learning and developing their minds in preparation for kindergarten. Growing Kids Learning Center strives to help each child learn the necessary skills and educational knowledge to have success as they grow older. If your child is ready for preschool education in Elkhart, Indiana, then give us a call and we can discuss enrollment!

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Develop a Routine

Before your child is enrolled in a preschool program it is important to develop a routine. Start by waking up your child at a specific time each day, having breakfast, and getting dressed. Think about other activities they might participate in during preschool to make the adjustment easier. Having a routine allows children to feel more confident and secure when they are familiar with their daily activities. 

Teach Your Child Basic Skills

There are many essential skills that children should learn so they can be successful in their preschool education. Basic skills can include dressing, using the bathroom independently, and washing their hands. Teaching children these skills prior to preschool sets the foundation for them to be confident to do it alone when you aren’t around. 

Practice Separation 

As children enter preschool programs, it isn’t uncommon for them to experience separation anxiety. To relieve this potential anxiety, practice leaving your child with trusted family or friends for short periods of time to help them get used to you being away. 

Visit the Preschool 

A great way to ensure your child thrives in preschool education is to visit the daycare before their first day. Seeing the school will help them familiarize themselves with other children and adults. This allows them to feel comfortable and less anxious when their first day arrives. 

Preparing your child for preschool can be an exciting and challenging milestone for any parent. Growing Kids Learning Centers wants to help every parent in Elkhart, IN, relieve some of the stress and help prepare them and their children for this next step. If you are interested in our early childhood center, contact us today to discuss enrollment.

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Consider Your Child’s Needs

Deciding on your child’s preschool education can be stressful with so many options to choose from. Consider your child’s needs, learning style, and interests when selecting a school. Have conversations with the staff about what they do to make sure each child thrives in the school’s environment.

Look for a Safe and Clean Environment

It’s important that your child participates in preschool programs that are safe and clean. When choosing a preschool check to see if they are following safety regulations and maintaining a hygienic environment. This is a crucial factor so your child stays healthy and is protected from harm.

Evaluate the Curriculum

Understanding your child’s curriculum to make sure it’s well-rounded and developmentally appropriate is important. Ask each school if they offer activities that promote physical, emotional, and social development in all their curriculum. Make sure this learning extends into summer preschool programs so your child can continue to grow.

Look for Parental Involvement

Look for a preschool that wants their parents to be involved in their child’s education. This has a positive impact on your child’s development and helps you stay informed of your child’s progress. Seek opportunities to volunteer, participate in classroom activities, and assist the teachers.

Growing Kids Learning Centers wants the best for your child and strives to continuously improve our preschool programs based on the feedback we receive. We understand that finding the right preschool education for your child in Northern Indiana can be difficult, but as a top-rated company, we promise to protect, educate, and inspire your child always. If you are ready to take your child’s education to the next level, contact us today to get started!

The post Tips for Choosing The Right Preschool appeared first on Growing Kids Learning Center.

Story Time

Gather around a cozy blanket and read a few of your child’s favorite stories. They’ll love hearing the same stories again and again, and it’s a great opportunity for them to learn about different characters, settings, and how stories are structured.

Arts and Crafts

Get creative with a variety of craft activities! Use construction paper, glue, markers, and other supplies to create fun and unique art pieces. If you’re feeling adventurous, try making your own playdough or creating a paper mache project.

Puppets

Create your own puppets and put on a play. Have your child come up with all the characters and their stories. You can even use household items like socks and paper cups to make your own puppets!

Indoor Scavenger Hunt

Hide simple items around the house and create a list of items for your child to find. It’s a great way to keep them active while they search and they’ll love the surprise of finding something new.

Music Time

Put on your child’s favorite tunes and encourage them to dance, sing, and make up their own songs. It’s a great way for them to express their creativity and have fun at the same time!

Create a Fort

Gather some pillows and blankets to create a cozy fort. It’s a great place for your child to curl up with their favorite stuffed animals and books or even watch a movie!

Bake Something

Get in the kitchen and whip up a tasty treat! Your child will love helping out and it’s a great opportunity for them to learn about measuring ingredients and following directions.

Puzzles

Puzzles are a great way to keep your child engaged and help them practice problem-solving skills. Choose a puzzle with the right level of difficulty for your child and have fun putting it together.

Gardening

Plant some seeds indoors and watch them grow! Have your child help water the plants and watch as they grow. It’s a great way to teach them about the life cycle of plants and how to care for them.

Play Dress-Up

Dig out some old clothes and costumes and let your child explore and create their own outfits. It’s a great way to help them use their imagination and have some fun!

Enroll Your Child in a Safe, Nurturing Early Education Program

These are just a few of the fun and educational activities you can do with your preschooler on a rainy day. With a little planning and creativity, you can make any day fun and exciting! At Growing Kids Learning Center, we’re dedicated to providing your child with a safe and nurturing environment to explore and learn. Contact us today to learn more about our preschool programs and daycare centers in Northern Indiana!

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In today’s post, we’ll be providing an introduction to the childcare programs we offer at our early childhood learning center. Read on to learn more, and if you’re searching for a children’s learning center in Northern Indiana, give us a call today!

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Daycare

Our daycare program is designed for infants and toddlers, aged six weeks to two years. We provide a warm, loving environment where your child can feel safe and secure. Our experienced staff provides individualized care and attention to each child.

Preschool

Our preschool program is designed for children aged three to five years. We provide a stimulating learning environment that helps prepare children for kindergarten. Our experienced teachers help children develop important skills such as literacy, numeracy, and social skills.

Evening Care

Our evening care program is designed for elementary school-aged children. Our after-school programs provide children with a safe atmosphere where they will feel encouraged to learn, grow, and engage with their peers, as well as activities that they’ll enjoy. We even offer our school-aged children care during school vacations and closings to ensure parents have a reliable and safe place to send their children.

Camps

We offer a variety of camps for children, from older preschoolers to school-aged children. Our camps are designed to provide a fun and enriching experience for children. We offer a variety of activities such as arts and crafts, sports, and much more.

Enroll Your Child in Growing Kids Learning Center Today!

Are you searching for a high-quality daycare or preschool program? Look no further than the early childhood learning center at Growing Kids Learning Center. With locations throughout Northern Indiana, we are sure to have one that will work for you and your family! Contact us today to learn more and schedule a walk-through.

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Talk About It

One of the absolute best things you can do is to talk to your child about what they can expect from preschool programs. When they know what they have to look forward to, it can help to lessen anxiety and create a sense of excitement.

Establish a Schedule

As many parents know, children often thrive when they have a schedule to follow. Having a sense of routine is often beneficial, and establishing a schedule early is a great way to get children used to the change of being in an early childhood learning center.

Visit the School

Another way you can help to prepare your child for preschool is by visiting the preschool together before school begins. This is a wonderful way to get your child used to a new space while he or she is with you, ensuring that they feel more comfortable in a new environment and are less likely to have anxiety about coming back.

Get Them Involved

Encouraging your child to interact with other kids and take part in the activities offered in preschool helps to reinforce their enjoyment of being in a new place. At the end of the day, the more involved your children are in their preschool programs, the more likely they are to enjoy themselves and look forward to spending time with friends, playing, learning, and interacting with others.

If you’re searching for an award-winning children’s learning center, look no further than Growing Kids. Explore our website today to learn more about what you can expect, then enroll your children today!

Enroll Today

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At Growing Kids Learning Centers, we offer a variety of child care programs that give your children a number of different opportunities to socialize with other children and adults. Whether you help your child socialize through play dates or they socialize at our child care center, they will benefit in many ways. In this blog, we are going to discuss the benefits of socialization for young children! Learn more and get in touch with our child care center today.

Learn A Variety of Social Skills

There is a variety of skills that fall into the social skill category. Social skills are a set of skills that need to constantly be practiced and strengthened. By helping your child develop these skills at a young age, they will be able to continue to practice them and improve them. Some of the social skills your child should learn and develop include:

• Sharing
• Cooperating
• Listening
• Following directions
• Using manners
• Making eye contact
• Using self-control
• Respecting personal space
• Constructively expressing emotions, ideas, and thoughts
• Thinking before acting and speaking

There are many different social skills that your child will learn as they grow and develop. When you give your kiddos more opportunity to engage in social settings, they can practice these skills and begin to strengthen them, which will be beneficial throughout the rest of their lives.

Build Stronger Friendships

It only makes sense that children with better social skills will get along better with their peers, make more friends, and develop stronger friendships. Strong childhood friendships can be extremely beneficial to your child and allow them to feel a sense of belonging as they grow. Verywell Family mentions a study that indicated that childhood friendships are good for kids’ mental health. By providing your child with plenty of socialization, they will be able to get better at making friends and developing stronger relationships.

More Successful in Education

Many social skills can help your child do better in school and throughout their entire academic career. From sharing and listening to cooperation and following directions, with improved social skills, your child will be able to excel in school. The Verywell Family article also mentions a research that found children who were better at these social skills at the age of five were more likely to go to college. If you want your child to be more successful throughout school and in their careers, helping them develop social skills at a young age can be a great starting point!

More Successful in Life

Social skills are a necessary life skill. These are skills that you and your child will use throughout your entire lives. No matter the situation, social skills are important. Helping your child develop, practice, and strengthen their social skills can help lead them to a more successful life in every aspect. This includes everything from a social life to their career, to being a parent, and more.

More Confidence

Children who have better social skills are often more confident in themselves. When your child develops this set of skills, they will feel more comfortable speaking their mind, working with others, engaging with groups, setting boundaries, and so much more. With more confidence comes even more benefits. Help your child develop the confidence they need in a variety of social settings by helping them develop these skills at a young age.

Helps Them Develop Other Skills

Socialization can help your child learn and develop a variety of other skills as well. Through socialization, your child can develop stronger problem-solving skills. When they face different challenges with others, they will learn how to problem-solve and work to find a solution that is beneficial for everyone. They will also develop better language skills. Your child will learn how to properly converse with others and improve their understanding of the spoken word. Even through storytelling, dramatic play, and engaging with other children, your kiddo will begin to further develop their language skills.

Through socialization, your child will be able to experience a number of different benefits. When you give your child numerous opportunities to engage in social interactions, you will be helping them develop new skills that will become important throughout the rest of their lives.

Be sure to learn more about our child care programs at Growing Kids Learning Centers. We have locations throughout Indiana and can ensure that your child is always able to socialize with others. Contact us to learn more!

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At Growing Kids Learning Centers, we know how beneficial doing different activities with your kiddos can be! Not only does it get them moving, stimulate their minds, and get them away from the screen, but it is a great way to bond as well. We offer a variety of child care programs that allow your children to learn and develop new skills. Plus, we have a summer camp that allows children to spend time outside, take part in different activities, and make the most of summer!

In this blog, we are going to give you some ideas for some fun spring activities to do with your kiddos at home! Read on to learn more and be sure to enroll your children in our summer camp today!

Make an Outdoor Fort

Forts are always fun for children and can give them a place to hang out and play. While indoor forts are always a great idea, you can make your fort building even more exciting by building a fort outside!

Be sure to check the forecast to ensure that it won’t rain that day or for a few days after in case you want to leave the fort up. Use a tarp to lay on the ground and use as the floor of the fort. Try to find an old sheet that you no longer use and hang it from a tree, staple it to the fence, or throw it over a ladder to get the fort started. You can use the natural aspects of your yard to help you create a fort that is fun and unique.

Let your children play where they want the fort and how they want to build it. This will help them learn decision-making and problem-solving skills! Plus, it allows them to create an outdoor fort that includes their favorite natural aspects, whether it is a tree, a garden bench, or the soft green grass that covers your lawn.

Create a Fairy Garden

You may have seen fairy gardens in your neighborhood before. These gardens include small figurines of cottages, bridges, fairies, and other pieces to create a little fairy village. You can head to a local nursery or shop online to find some fun pieces to add to your fairy garden. It may be more fun to go to a nursery and have your children pick out the pieces they want to include.

If you don’t want to buy pieces for your fairy garden, you can also make some! Walk around your yard with your kiddos and gather pine cones, leaves, pine needles, old flower pots, and any other things that could be used for your fairy garden. Use your craft supplies to create different pieces and then head back outside to help your children set up their fairy garden. This can be a fun way to spend time outside and help your children enjoy nature more! Plus, they will be able to set up, rearrange, and move their fairy garden whenever they want.

Go On a Nature Scavenger Hunt

Create a scavenger hunt for your kiddos to do in your backyard or when you are at the part together. Add things like bugs, birds, squirrels, flower buds, bird nests, and other natural aspects to the list for your kiddos to find. They will love running around and looking for these different things.

This is a great way to get outside and help your children get excited about nature. It will also cause them to actually look around and take in the beauty that is all around them. This is a great activity that can help keep your kiddos busy outside and running around for a while!

Start a Garden

Gardens can be a fun thing to do with your children and can be beneficial for a number of reasons, from teaching them how to grow their own food and patience to teaching them to care for something other than themselves. And the spring is the perfect time to start a garden!

Decide whether you want to grow a flower garden or a vegetable garden and take your kiddos to go pick out plants or seeds! This can be a fun project that will last all spring and summer long, giving your child something to look forward to and keep track of throughout the warmer month.

As the plants start to grow, your child will become even more excited and begin to learn more about plants and how amazing nature truly is. Plus, it can help them learn how to eat healthier if you choose to plant a veggie garden!

Make a Bike Course

A bike course can be a fun and unique way to spend time outside with your children! While riding bikes is fun for the whole family, a bike course can keep your children entertained for hours. Use chalk, cones, and other items you have in your garage to create a course in your driveway, on the sidewalk, and in the street (if it is safe).

You can either create a racetrack that is big enough for multiple children to ride around at the same time or just make it a fun course that they can take turns doing. Your kiddos will love working on their bicycling skills in their course and they can even throw on some rollerblades or use a scooter to go through the course! The best part is, if you make the course with chalk, you can make a new one after it rains or by simply hosing off the old course.

Make Bird Feeders

Bird feeders are a fun item to have in spring. They can invite all sorts of birds into your yard, which can be fun to watch and even more fun to listen to! While you can always go out and buy a bird feeder, making one with your child is even more fun!

Whether you make it out of wood, make-your-own bird feeder kit, or come up with some other creative way to make a feeder, this can be a fun activity to do with your kiddos that they will absolutely love. They will get excited every time a bird swoops down to enjoy the feeder they made!

These are a few of the many great spring activities that you and your children can do to enjoy the beautiful outdoors and spend more time together. If you are looking for something for your kiddo to do during the summer months, be sure to check out our summer camp program and enroll them today! Contact Growing Kids Learning Centers today to learn more and start planning some fun spring activities to do with your kids!

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