A Strong Educational Foundation

Contrary to the common belief that preschool is merely a precursor to grade school, it serves as the bedrock of a child’s education. Researchers have consistently emphasized the importance of preschool education as the most critical phase in a child’s life. At Growing Kids Learning Centers, we understand this significance and are dedicated to providing an exceptional educational experience that sets the stage for your child’s future success.

A Preschool Your Children Will Love

We love what we do at Growing Kids Learning Center on State Road 23, and it shows. We understand that dropping your child off at preschool for the first time can be a nerve-wracking experience for both parents and children. However, once your child becomes acquainted with us, they’ll eagerly look forward to going to school. We create a safe, secure, and comfortable environment where children can confidently explore the world, socialize with peers, and learn while having fun.

Daily Digital Reports for Parents

Communication is vital for a successful preschool education experience, and we recognize its importance. That’s why we employ the LifeCubby Family App®, a convenient and secure digital platform. This app provides parents with daily reports about their child’s day, including pictures and observations made by preschool teachers. It offers an insightful window into your child’s growth and development, fostering transparency and peace of mind for parents.

Minds in Motion Obstacle Course

We understand that a child’s development extends beyond academics. That’s why we’ve introduced the Minds in Motion obstacle course at our State Road 23, South Bend preschool. This unique program allows your child to engage in the course twice a day, promoting eye-hand coordination, enhancing motor skills, and aiding in speech development. It’s not just about physical growth; it’s about empowering your child in various aspects of their life.

A Well-Rounded Educational Approach

Our preschool programs at our State Road 23, South Bend location are designed to encompass all facets of a child’s development. We emphasize not only cognitive growth but also social, emotional, and physical well-being. Our curriculum is carefully crafted to stimulate intellectual curiosity, encourage social interactions, and promote physical health. We believe that a well-rounded approach to education is the key to nurturing a confident, capable child.

Qualified and Caring Teachers

Our preschool is staffed with dedicated and certified teachers who are passionate about nurturing young minds. Each teacher undergoes extensive training and has a strong foundation in early childhood education. We prioritize creating a nurturing and positive environment for your child, fostering meaningful relationships, and ensuring their happiness and growth.

Safety and Security

Child safety is paramount for parents, and it’s a top priority for us too. At our child care center, we’ve implemented multiple measures to guarantee a secure environment. Our custom-designed facilities feature parent-view windows, and audio and video monitoring, and all teachers are trained in pediatric CPR and first aid. We also maintain a clean and sanitized environment, with zoned heating and air conditioning to minimize airflow between rooms.

Enroll at Our State Road 23 South Bend Preschool Today!

Our child care center understands the significance of the early years in a child’s life and is committed to providing a nurturing, inspiring, and educational experience. Your child’s journey begins here, and we’re honored to be a part of it. If you’re looking for a preschool education that prioritizes your child’s growth, development, and safety, Growing Kids Learning Centers on State Road 23 in South Bend is the right choice. Contact us today and find a location near you!

The post Benefits of Sending Your Child to Our State Road 23 Preschool appeared first on Growing Kids Learning Center.

At Growing Kids Learning Centers, we love crafts and know the benefits that they can offer. We include a variety of crafts in our programs and curriculums because we know that students have a blast doing them and they will get a ton of benefits. In this blog, we are going to talk about the benefits that crafting can provide your kiddo. Be sure to read on and go hit the craft store to get new supplies for your child!

Improves Fine Motor Skills

Fine motor skills are something we develop at a young age. Fine motor skills are movements made with small muscles, like those in our hands and fingers, and include things like using scissors, fastening a button, tying a shoelace, or tearing paper. Crafting involves a ton of movements that are considered fine motor skills, which means that your child will improve these skills as they do more crafts.

From sculpting with playdough to cutting construction paper to holding a pencil, your child will be using and developing their fine motor skills with every craft they do! Their control over the muscles in their hands and muscles will improve, which will help them complete a number of tasks as they get older.

Boosts Hand-Eye Coordination

Your child will also be able to improve their hand-eye coordination. Hand-eye coordination is the control eye movement and hand movement, as they work together. As your child works on their craft projects, they will be able to improve their hand-eye coordination.

Cutting along a line, coloring in the lines, and molding clay will help boost their coordination. This is a skill that they will use throughout their entire lives, especially if they are going to be in sports.

Gives a Sense of Achievement

Believe it or not, but crafts can provide your child with a sense of accomplishment and a boost in self-esteem. When you teach your child to create something on their own, they feel like they are in control, which will help boost their confidence. When they complete their craft projects, they will feel that sense of achievement and accomplishment. In time, this can help them have higher self-esteem, which can be extremely beneficial as they get older.

Allow Them To Express Themselves

Many children have trouble expressing themselves and their feelings, while there are many things you can do to help them with this, art and craft projects can help. Crafts give your child the outlet they need to express their feelings, even if they can’t verbally express how they feel.

If you notice that your child is feeling a certain way and can’t express it, give them some craft supplies and let them create whatever they want. Even if you don’t understand what feeling their picture is trying to convey, you may notice that they feel better after they complete their project.

Encourages Creativity

Creativity is extremely beneficial for children. Creativity can help them with problem-solving when they are older and can help them become more innovative. Doing crafts can help encourage their creative thinking and allow them to continue boosting their creativity. The more your child boosts their creativity now, the more likely they will be to carry their creative thinking into their older years, which can be very beneficial.

Improves Decision-Making Skills

Crafting involves a lot of decisions, from what to create to what colors to use and what supplies should be included. When your child crafts, they will be able to start making decisions for themselves. This will help improve their decision-making skills for other things in life. They will be able to use these skills to make decisions when faced with other problems.

Allows of Easier Socialization

Some kids may have trouble making friends, especially if they do not have the same interests. Crafting is something that most children love and can be done together. Each child can work on their own project while socializing with other kiddos. This is a great activity for shy children because it allows them to do an activity alone, while still with others. Eventually, they will start opening up and may feel more confident socializing with others.

Crafting is a fun activity that most kids love and is one thing that can provide a number of different benefits. Now that you know the benefits that crafting can provide your kiddo, be sure to get more craft supplies and join them in creating this week!

If you are looking for a high-quality learning center that focuses on your child’s development and learning, be sure to contact Growing Kids Learning Centers!

The post The Benefits of Crafts For Kids appeared first on Growing Kids Learning Center.

Creative play is an important part of your child’s growth and development. This is something that can help them learn and develop new skills that they will use throughout their lifetime. Encouraging creativity and creative play in your young children can help them throughout their development.

At Growing Kids Learning Centers, we encourage our students to use their creative side and take part in creative play. We know the benefits that creativity can provide your children and how it can boost their development. In this blog, we are going to talk about the importance of creative play and how it can benefit your child’s development.

What Is Creative Play?

Creative play is honestly just children being children. When they create different scenarios and act them out or use their toys to create a story, this is them engaging in creative play. While children can play creatively on their own, nowadays, technology often takes over their attention, which can kill creativity. It is important for you to encourage your child to play creatively and give them the tools to do so. These tools include open-ended toys, such as blocks, clay, and other similar toys, as well as arts and craft items.

Benefits of Creative Play

Creative play can help your child with a variety of different developmental skills. While many parents think creativity just allows children to be imaginative, it actually can help in every aspect of their development.

Emotional Development

When children take part in creative play, they are able to improve their emotional skills. Creative play often leads to children making up scenarios, stories, and other games, which can often help them work through feelings and emotions. While children may not know how to express their own feelings, they may have an easier time doing it through their action figures or dolls. In our previous blog, we discussed how to teach your child about their emotions. Allowing them to play creatively is one additional way to help your child explore and express their emotions. Creative activities give your child a positive outlet for expressing their emotions.

Social Development

Creative play also allows children to interact with others and learn different social skills. When your child plays dress up or even does arts and crafts with other children, they will be able to learn how to communicate with others and socialize in a fun and unique way. Even if your child is playing alone, creative play can allow them to learn how to socialize with others. If your child is playing with their action figures alone, they will likely have them converse, allowing your child to practice conversation and learn how they would respond when talking with others.

Language Development

As we just mentioned, creative play allows your child to interact with others for practice conversations through their toys. This allows them to build a bigger vocabulary and develop better communication skills. They will develop language skills as they play!

Cognitive Development

Your kiddo will also be able to develop their intellectual skills through creative play. They will have several opportunities to practice problem-solving skills and start to learn more about language, cause and effect, and so much more. Creativity can lead to curiosity which can lead to your child learning more about different things that interest them. Your child will be able to develop math skills, reading skills, thinking skills, and many other cognitive skills. Creative play and different creative activities can help your young kiddo develop more intellectual skills.

Motor Development

Creative play can help your child develop their motor skills as well. Arts and crafts and other similar activities will allow your child to develop their fine motor skills. From cutting paper to using a paintbrush, your child will be able to continue working on their fine motor skills. When your child plays dress up or pretends to be a pilot, running and jumping around in the backyard, they will be developing their gross motor skills more. Your child will be able to develop motor skills and improve their physical abilities and movements.

Through creative play, your child will be able to learn a lot and continue to develop a number of different skills. Plus, creative play can help them remain creative as they grow older, which is a skill many adults wish they still had. Be sure to encourage creativity in your children and provide them with ideas and the things they need to be creative.

Ideas For Creative Play

Before we talk about ways to encourage creative play in your child, it is important that you try not to stifle their creativity. Parents often, accidentally, put a stop to children’s creativity because they fear that their child doesn’t know what is real. While this is a normal thing to do, try to recognize when they are being creative and when they actually don’t know. This will allow them to practice creativity and feel encouraged to use their imagination.

There are many different things you can do as a parent to help encourage and stimulate your child’s creativity. Read on for some fun ideas!

Get The Right Toys

As we already mentioned, getting your child toys they can be creative with or do crafts with is a great way to encourage creativity. Try to avoid video games and other toys that take all the creativity out of play. While some of those toys are fine, try to provide your child with more toys that allow them to use their imagination.

Encourage Invented Scenarios

Kids are great at making up scenarios as they play. Whether they pretend they are an explorer traveling through the jungle or they are a fireman saving all of their stuffed animals from a burning building, this type of play allows your child to try different roles and characters, which allow them to learn verbal and social skills. To encourage your child to create new and fun scenarios add dress-up clothes, puppets, and other toys to their collection. Let them lead your playtime and play along with whatever scenario they come up with. You could even try adding to the made-up scenario to show them that adults can be creative too!

Do Arts And Crafts

Arts and crafts are a great way to encourage your kiddo to be creative. Rather than choosing one craft to do and helping them do it, provide them with a huge collection of arts and crafts supplies and let them create whatever they want. Allowing your child to create anything they want allows their creative juices to flow. If they need ideas, give them a very broad idea rather than an actual project. Tell them to create a new animal, invent something they wish existed, or something else that allows them to truly be creative.

Explore Nature

Nature is a unique and beautiful thing. When children have time to explore nature and the everchanging sceneries, they are likely to discover new things that can help boost their creativity. Ask them questions about the great outdoors that they can answer creatively. Nature causes children to think and explore, which can help boost their creative thinking.

Let Them Be

When you just allow your children to spend time doing their own thing, without interfering, your child will likely begin to think creatively and start to imagine. Allowing your child to simply be a child is a great way to allow for creativity. Give them time to do whatever they want, that isn’t sitting in front of a TV screen. They will use their imagination and creativity to entertain themselves.

There are many benefits that creativity can provide and many ways to encourage it in your children. Be sure to encourage your child to be creative and use their imagination daily to allow them to start developing new skills and learn! You may even learn a thing or two about being creative yourself! Enroll your child at one of our Growing Kids Learning Centers locations where they will be able to use their imagination and be creative daily! Contact us to learn more and get your questions answered.

The post Why Creativity Is Important For Children appeared first on Growing Kids Learning Center.

That curiosity for life and to learn more is not something that we develop as we grow older, in fact, the older we get, the less curious we seem to become. Curiosity stems from childhood, when you are learning so much about the world and how things work. And while children are naturally curious, there are ways that parents can nurture their child’s curious spirit.

At Growing Kids Learning Centers, we believe that curiosity is an important part of your child learning, growing, and developing. Curiosity is important for a variety of reasons, which is why we believe parents should work with their children to nurture and stimulate a curious mind. In this blog, we are going to talk about the importance of curiosity and how you can help stimulate curiosity in your children.

The Importance of Curiosity

Curiosity is what causes children to explore the world around them and to crave learning new things. Your child’s active imagination and curious spirit can be beneficial later on when they become adults. But at this time in your child’s life, curiosity is extremely important and allows your little ones to really learn and grow. There are several reasons why you should encourage your child to be curious. Curiosity is important for your child to grow, learn, and develop as they age. Some of the main reasons why curiosity is important in children include:

• Keeps the Mind Active: Curiosity keeps your child’s mind working and figuring out new ways to solve problems. This will improve their problem-solving skills and help them become more self-sufficient.
• Defeats Boredom: When children are curious about the world around them, they are more likely to spend time exploring, imagining, and learning. Curiosity helps defeat boredom and keeps your children engaged in the world around them.
• Encourages Persistence: When a child is curious, they have a desire to know why something works and how to make it work. This desire to know more can make them more persistent in solving problems because they will have new and unique ideas on how to make it work. They will not quit when they fail, they will simply try something new.
• Stops Self-Absorption: Kids who are curious are also less likely to be self-absorbed. Since they are interested in and aware of what is going on in the world around them, they will not think of themselves as the center of the universe.
• Sets Kids Up For Future Success: Curiosity is one skill that will truly benefit your child in the future. When they are curious about the why, how, and what, they will find new ways to solve different problems.

A curiosity for the world around them is extremely important for children to develop. Not only will it help them learn and grow, but it will teach them valuable skills and allow them to become better problem solvers in the future. There are many ways that parents can encourage curiosity in children. Learn some fun ways to do this below!

Switch Up The Routine

While daily routines are important for children, and adults for that matter, it can be good to switch it up from time to time. Even just small changes in your child’s regular routine can get them thinking and stimulate curiosity. It can be something as small as getting a new cereal for breakfast, visiting a new grocery store, or reading a book at night instead of watching TV. These changes in their daily routine may be subtle but they can lead to an active brain.

Answer Their Questions

Kids are constantly asking questions, that is one thing every parent knows. While it may be tempting to simply say “I don’t know” to your child or give them quick, short answers so they will stop asking you questions, this will not help their curiosity. If you want to encourage curious thinking in your child, you need to be prepared to answer their questions. If you are unsure of the answer, look it up together. Showing them that you are interested in learning something new, even as an adult, can help them realize that there is always something new to learn.

Encourage Them To Ask More

While you may think your child already asks a ton of questions, encouraging them to ask more can help them become more and more curious about the world around them. If they show interest in a topic and you can answer some of their questions, encourage them to ask you more about it. Start a conversation and help them learn more about things that they are curious about.

Ask Them Questions

Another great way to encourage curiosity in your child is to be curious yourself. Show your child that you are interested in learning about them, what they think, and what they are interested in. Ask them questions about anything and everything. This is a great way to get their minds working and thinking in different ways. Whether you ask them about something going on in their life or you ask them about something you are curious about, this will help them learn more and show that everyone is curious about different things.

Visit New Places

Whether you take a day trip to a natural area or you go on vacation to somewhere completely different from your hometown, traveling and visiting new places is a great way to spark curiosity. While traveling to a different country where the culture is completely different is a great option, even just traveling to a different state can be enough of a change for your kiddo to become curious about their surroundings. Take them to the Grand Canyon or Old Faithful, explore new places that they may not know a lot about. And answer any questions they have about these places.

Allow For Boredom

When you create a full schedule for your child or always have an activity planned for them, you are not allowing them to try and entertain themselves. Giving your child some time to be bored can help them get lost in their own thoughts, come up with new ideas, and start asking questions about the world. If your child tells you that they are bored, instead of quickly finding them an activity to do, tell them to go find something to do to entertain themselves. This is a great way for them to explore and it encourages curiosity.

Let Kids Be Kids

Children often times get crazy ideas and want to try out new things, and we suggest you let them. As long as your child’s newest idea isn’t dangerous, allowing them to explore the world in their own way and learn from it can help stimulate their curious mind. Let them explore around your backyard, let them choose the path home while on a walk, and let them try things on their own. At a young age, toddlers will begin to want to try things on their own, allowing them to do this can help stimulate curiosity. Even something as simple as letting them dress by themselves can help! Try to avoid saying things like “That’s not how you should do it.” This will only put an end to their curiosity and creative thought process. Let them try doing something their way and let them fail. When your child fails, they will want to try and figure it out another way, which, again, helps with their problem-solving skills.

There are so many ways that you can encourage curiosity in your children, but these are a few great ones to start with! Curiosity is important for children and allows them to learn about the world around them and can teach them valuable skills that they can carry into adulthood. Help encourage your child’s curious mind with these simple tips!

If you are looking for a child care center where your child can learn, grow, and develop new skills, be sure to check out Growing Kids Learning Centers! We have nine locations in the Indiana area. Find the school closest to you and contact us today!

The post Encouraging Curiosity in Your Children appeared first on Growing Kids Learning Center.

Myth: “Parents should take care of their kids, not themselves.”

Fact: The two aren’t mutually exclusive! Plus, a parent can’t properly take care of their preschooler or 3rd grader if their basic needs aren’t met. And besides — parents can love their children unconditionally and still want time for themselves. To give yourself as a parent takes a tremendous toll, in spite of how rewarding it can be.

An iPhone or a remote controller can only run for so long before needing a recharge. Needing to recharge our batteries doesn’t make us bad parents, it makes us human.

Myth: “It’s selfish of parents to want time to themselves.”

Fact: Everyone should want time to themselves! It’s healthy, and it’s a way to stay connected to our individuality. Parenting just happens to be this strange situation where you simultaneously miss your kids like crazy, and also want a minute alone.

As our preschool and daycare center has said before, it’s essential for parents to be at their best selves to be their best selves as parents. Sometimes recharging can only happen most authentically and most fully when parents are on their own.

Myth: “This is what parents signed up for.”

Fact: Nothing can ever fully prepare someone for becoming a parent. We can go into parenting knowing that we’ll be overwhelmed, but that doesn’t magically erase those future moments when we feel stressed out. Parents still deserve self-care, and they shouldn’t have to fully sacrifice every single fiber of their being or their interests at all times — that’s an unfair expectation that parents already face.

Myth: “I didn’t take time off of parenting, why should others?”

Fact: No parenting situation is identical, for starters. No human experience is identical, for that matter! Each parent brings their own unique strengths and areas of growth to the table. Our fears, challenges, triumphs, and dreams are all wonderfully unique to us. Comparison is not only unproductive and unreasonable, but also unfair.

Every person deserves self-care — parents included. At Growing Kids Learning Centers, we know that we can help parents by providing the best child care and preschool programs in Northern Indiana. When you need assistance with coverage and want nothing less than exceptional care, we’ve got you covered. Read our reviews to see why people love the peace of mind that comes from child care with Growing Kids, and contact us to set up a tour today before space fills up. We look forward to hearing from you!

The post Myths About Self-Care for Parents appeared first on Growing Kids Learning Center.

When we think of burnout, we often picture stressed out workers at their hectic office jobs. We rarely think about parents. And with the stats on how busy and involved parents are, it’s no wonder that so many parents are feeling worn down.

Self-care is hard to practice when your whole world revolves around the care of your children. For that reason, our child care center has compiled a list of things that you can (and must) do as a parent. Try out some of these tips, and visit one of the Growing Kids Learning Centers in Elkhart, Valparaiso, South Bend (at Ireland Road, State Road 23, and North Bendix Drive), Chesterton, Goshen, Warsaw, Plymouth, or Bristol today.

Make Time for Yourself

We all complain that there’s not enough time, but that’s not really the problem (although, our child care center will be the first to say that parents have very little free time, if any!). It’s what we’re doing with the time that makes the biggest difference, and how we manage our energy.

It’s far easier to scroll through social media without intention than to sit down and do something that will truly make you feel better. When you purposefully make an effort to do an activity that brings you true joy, such as reading or playing an instrument, you’ll feel exponentially more fulfilled and refreshed.

Of course, spending time on social media isn’t a bad thing, and it can be a great source of connection. But more often than not, we end up mindlessly scrolling through news feeds and consciously or subconsciously comparing ourselves to others. If you catch yourself feeling this way while browsing Facebook or the like, it’s a sign to switch to something more restorative.

Cut Out Obligations

Whether it’s carpooling for your child’s fourth after school activity or a work meeting that could absolutely be resolved in a weekly email, there’s something in all of our lives that we don’t want to do. The good news is that we have the ability to cut some of these things out.

If you feel like there’s no time in your week or if there’s a commitment in particular that’s causing you anxiety, it’s OK to figure out a way to cut it out. Even if you’re just cutting back instead of eliminating entirely, you’ll feel so much relief from not having to do something you don’t want to. Saying no is definitely a form of self-care!

Journal Consistently

At our child care centers, we talk about expressing our feelings all the time. Journaling is one of the best ways to do so, and to feel better as a whole. Reflect on what’s working in your life and what’s not, what you’re grateful for and what you’re struggling with, and show yourself compassion through writing. Journaling is one of the best ways to help yourself process things, and it’s amazing to look back on where you’ve been and how far you’ve come by keeping a consistent, written record.

Savor the Small Things

So often we take for granted the most basic things that make up the fabric of our day-to-day lives. Hot, running water in the shower (even hot water for doing dishes shouldn’t be dismissed!), walks on the sidewalk, our children learning a new skill, or even just the fact that your coffeemaker is brewing in the morning are all pretty ordinary things on the surface. But when you take time to truly savor how incredible each thing is, you’ll feel more grounded and grateful.

Choose one thing to focus on each day, and focus on the nuances and details that make this task or activity so special.

Talk With Loved Ones

If your child was struggling, wouldn’t you want them to talk to you about it? Our loved ones are here to support us, just as we are here to support them. You are not alone in the struggles of parenthood — everyone has a tough time, because parenting is ridiculously tough!

When you feel overwhelmed, reach out to a loved one and share what’s going on. If you feel like you keep having the same struggles and you’re saying the same things, consider reaching out to a therapist for some additional great insights. There should never be any shame for talking to someone and getting the help that you need.

Sign Up For Child Care

Whether you need to clean the house without interruptions, to get to your job, or to have a moment to breathe, Growing Kids Learning Centers is here to help. We love working with children more than anything, and we still know how tough it can be to be a parent. That’s why we offer flexible child care in the Northern Indiana area for families to rely upon, and have been doing so for more than 20 years.

When you take a break for yourself, you’re still a parent, and you’re not shirking on your responsibilities. What you are doing is preparing yourself to be an even better parent in the future. Downtime doesn’t just feel good, it’s necessary! So let our child care centers help make that happen for you. Even if you end up just getting to listen to your favorite musician while on your way to pick up your 2-year-old, you’re still making time for you, which we believe every parent deserves to do. Contact us today to set up a tour!

The post Self-Care Tips for Parents appeared first on Growing Kids Learning Center.

At Growing Kids Learning Center, we acknowledge how difficult this decision is. Our preschool and child care teachers have compiled a list of things for you to consider when looking into programs for your young one. While we know that our preschool and daycare center is an exceptional place for every child to grow, we believe families should make informed decisions that they feel confident in. Whether it’s with us or elsewhere, we hope this guiding list helps you choose an incredible daycare or preschool program for your child! Find out more from Growing Kids Learning Centers, and visit one of our locations in South Bend (at Ireland Road, State Road 23, and North Bendix Drive), Elkhart, Valparaiso, Chesterton, Goshen, Warsaw, or Bristol today.

What is the overall look?

When you’re touring daycare and child care facilities, first impressions are everything. You’ll immediately get a sense of there being a possibility for this school or not from the moment you enter the building and start walking around.

Are things kept pretty tidy? Are there good security measures in place? Are staff happy to greet you and answer any questions you have? Are children engaged in learning or play activities? These are some of the first things you’ll pick up on, and if you don’t like what you see, that’s a pretty good indicator that this is not the daycare facility for your family to consider.

What sounds am I hearing?

This might seem like a strange question to ask, but it’s a very important one. It’s something that you’ll intuitively do, but when you’re intentionally thinking about the sounds that you’re picking up on, you’ll be able to make a more informed decision about your child’s potential daycare or preschool.

For example, do you hear child voices? Are teachers doing all the talking? If it’s silent, is there nap time? What are the tones in voices that you’re picking up on? How are adults talking to children and other adults, and how are children talking to adults and other children? Take all these things into account as you’re making your decision.

How do I feel when I’m here?

If you don’t feel comfortable at a daycare or preschool facility, you probably won’t want to send your child there. The right child care center should feel like a growing and learning environment. It should feel positive and uplifting, and a place where young ones can truly thrive.

Ultimately, your intuition is crucial for making your decision. As a parent or guardian, you know your child best, and you should trust your gut about the daycare or preschool you’re looking into. If you send your young one to a place you’re not comfortable with, you’ll feel even more stress than trying to find the right daycare to begin with. You shouldn’t send your child somewhere that makes you feel uneasy or defensive. If those are the feelings you’re getting, it’s best to say “thank you for your time!” and look into another option.

Choosing a daycare or preschool program can be stressful, but we know that you’ll find the right place for your young one. As tough as the search can be, it’s the kind of thing where once you’ve found the right place, you’ll have lasting relief and satisfaction. The search to find the right daycare is absolutely worth it! Growing Kids Learning Centers is happy to have you tour our school or ask any questions that are on your mind. Contact us to see if we’d be a good fit for your family!

The post What Should You Look For In A Daycare? appeared first on Growing Kids Learning Center.

Try some of these gift ideas this year for something different, and schedule a school visit at one of our Growing Kids Learning Centers in Bristol, South Bend (at Ireland Road, Goshen, State Road 23, and North Bendix Drive), Goshen, Elkhart, Valparaiso, or Chesterton!

Cooking Kits

Kids love helping out in the kitchen (well, maybe not as much with the clean-up part), and who can blame them? They get to put their hands in the dough, stir things, mix ingredients together, and the finished result is something tasty. There are some amazing kits out there that allow kids to bake in real life. Of course, having a pretend kitchen set can be so much fun for kids to explore and use their imagination with. But for your little chef who always wants to make something new, this is a productive gift for them to enjoy.

Puzzles

Puzzles are a great way for kids to work on their problem-solving skills, and they take a good amount of concentration. Plus, they help develop fine motor skills and a sense of shape and space. There are traditional two-dimensional puzzles that your toddler or preschooler will be excited to try, but there are also some new 3D puzzles that can be taken on the road, or can be reset and restarted to be enjoyed again and again.

Another great thing about puzzles? You can get them for cheap by shopping at a thrift store or a Goodwill. You might run the risk of missing a piece or two, but most people donating puzzles have already completed them, and are giving them away for someone else to try. You can do the same thing by donating your puzzle when finished, and then exchanging it for another one!

Board Games

Every adult can think of at least one board game that they cherished as a child. Whether you tried to sink everyone’s battleship or wanted to pop the bubble in Trouble, board games are one of the best examples of how learning can be so much fun. They’re a great opportunity for your family to connect and spend time together, too. Invest in a fun board game or two, and make Friday or Saturday nights your board game night with the family. Not to mention, everyone will be playing games without the screen time — something that every parent can get behind!

Giving gifts is a joyous act in itself, but the wonderful thing about kids is that they don’t need much to be happy. Especially when they’re younger and everything is new and special, you don’t need to go overboard for them to enjoy their holiday season. There’s no reason to get caught up with the latest gadgets and gizmos, many of which will quickly fade into the toy background after the holidays are over.

There are some presents that are timeless, incredibly fun, and promote learning and experiences all in one — something that our preschool and child care center can get behind! Have a great holiday season, and don’t forget to find out more about our upcoming Christmas program (ask your child’s teacher for details). Happy holidays from Growing Kids Learning Centers!

The post Skip The Toys With A Few More Gift Ideas appeared first on Growing Kids Learning Center.

Even if your children are too young to make their own list for Santa, you already know they’re going to get one metric ton of toys. Grandparents and aunts and uncles are going to bring all the presents, most of which will likely start collecting dust before New Year’s. If you’re feeling overwhelmed about the amount of stuff, if you don’t want money spent on toys that you know your child will quickly forget about, you’re not alone.

At Growing Kids Learning Centers, we think you can go without all that “stuff” and still have an amazing experience with the ones you love. If you’re looking for a gift idea list that doesn’t involve the toy aisle at Target in December, we’ve got you covered. Find holiday gift ideas that aren’t toys, and enroll your young one at one of our child care centers! With locations in Goshen, Bristol, South Bend (at Ireland Road, State Road 23, and North Bendix Drive), Elkhart, Valparaiso, and Chesterton, you never have to go far to give your kids the best in child care.

Books

Building the home library is one of the most admirable and worthwhile gifts you can give. Reading aloud to your child is one of the single most important things you can do as a parent — it makes an incredible impact on their academic and overall growth and development. Invest in some classics — your child might love reading the books that you loved as a kid! — and try out some new titles as well. “The Book With No Pictures” by B.J. Novak is a fun read, despite being exactly what you think.

Some other new titles in 2018 include “The Digger and the Flower,” “Elmore,” and “Wordy Birdy” (the last one is especially great if you have a chatty child). By finding books that teach valuable lessons and are fun to read, this is a gift that will truly keep on giving!

Arts and Crafts

Kids love working with colors and creating something new. Arts and crafts are a perfect present for every child to try! Finger paints, colored pencils, crayons and a new coloring book, jewelry making kits — the list goes on and on. Arts and crafts are a great way for your child to explore their creativity and imagination, and they might just find a new hobby in the process.

Sports-Related Gifts

Has your child just started getting into sports? Are they ready and rearing for their first soccer team that starts this spring? The holidays are a great gift-giving opportunity that can help them get their feet wet. Nerf balls, footballs, baseballs, frisbees, scooters, or bikes are all some other sports-themed gifts that your child will surely continue to love and use (especially when it gets warmer out).

Experiences

Kids usually have just a few toys that they truly love and that they remember. Experiences, however, are a gift that sticks with them, and helps shape who they are. The best thing about giving experiences as a gift is that it provides more opportunity for you to interact and connect with your young one. Plus, it doesn’t really matter what the experience is — if you hype it up, your child will be just as excited.

Mini golfing, trips to the museum, driving out of town to explore a new park or hiking trail, or even a trip to a hotel (with a pool, of course) are all things that kids will simply love. You can make it so that they still have something to unwrap by giving them a card with some picture clues, or create a scavenger hunt to help them figure out where they’re going!

Kids are what make the holidays so much fun. You want your child to have an incredible time, but you also want it to be worthwhile and meaningful. With these non-toy-related gifts, that can most certainly happen. Stay tuned for a few more ideas in our next blog, and contact Growing Kids Learning Centers to get the best in child care and preschool!

The post Holiday Gift Ideas That Aren’t More Toys appeared first on Growing Kids Learning Center.