Darlene's Wee Care 4 Kids Daycare

Tag: parents

  • SIP & PAINT EVENT

    SIP & PAINT EVENT

    SIP & PAINT EVENT

    Have you ever watched a child finger paint on a sheet of paper with both hands? Or have you observed a kid coloring in bountiful circles with crayons? If yes, then you have seen the joyful expressions on their faces. You’ve witnessed creative art in process!

     

    Most of us recognize that art is important for our children because we’ve seen our children deeply involved in art. Not only does art aid in developing the right side of the brain, it also fosters important skills that benefit a child’s development. Art can become a crucial mode of uninhibited self-expression and astonishment for a child.

     

    That’s why we, at Darlene’s Wee Care 4 Kids daycare, sponsored a Sip & Paint Event on Thursday, August 12, 2021. Marriya Mobley, from Expressive Illustrations Inc., took the lead. Following her inspiration, the kids took blank canvases and transformed them into beautiful pieces of art. It was incredible to see how excited the kids got when they experienced the fun of painting while sipping on a refreshing kid-appropriate drink.

     

    Paint and Sip

     

    Why a Sip & Paint?

    Because creating art increases a child’s ability to interact with the world around them and offers a new set of skills for self-expression and communication. Here are four life skills our children can develop through art.

     

    • Communication Skills: When a child paints, they are communicating visually. Art goes beyond oral language to communicate feelings that might not otherwise be expressed. Creating art permits children to work through feelings and emotions.
    • Problem-Solving Skills: When kids delve into art ideas, they are testing options and working through challenges just like a scientist who experiments and then finds solutions. Art allows children to make their own assessments, while also training them that a problem may have more than one answer. Rather than being told what to do, answers and directions come from the child. Even when learning how to use art materials effectively, children are solving challenges and coming up with new ways to handle unanticipated outcomes. 
    • Fine Motor Skills: Holding a paintbrush so that it will make the desired marks or drawing with a crayon can help develop a child’s fine motor skills. 

    Painting fine motor skills

    • Social & Emotional Skills: Art aids children in coming to terms with themselves and the control they have over their efforts. Through art, they also practice sharing and taking turns, as well as appreciating one another’s efforts. Art nurtures positive mental health by allowing a child to show individuality as well as success and accomplishment, all part of a positive self-concept. 

    Painting with confidence

    Future Picassos?

    Through exposure to the elements of art (line, space, color, etc.), our little artists expressed their individuality with visual narratives that showed their unique style and voice.

    Paintings

     

    At Darlene’s Wee Care 4 Kids, we encourage creative voice. Are they future Picassos? Maybe, or maybe not. You be the judge. Regardless, how pleasurable to see the unique artwork of each child, even though this was a guided painting class. Thank you, Marriya Mobley, for your leadership and inspiration.

    Artist

     

    Children are filled with joy and wonder. Their imagination is limitless. That’s why we held a Sip & Paint Event, to get the most out of them. With a bit of direction and motivation, our kids can achieve anything they want. Art is the perfect tool to help channel their energy and efforts towards something that can help build character. We had a blast with sip and paint! The kids have been asking when they can do it again!

     

    Art Class

     

    “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”—Pablo Picasso

    Special thanks to… 

    • Ms. April, Ms. Danita, Ms. Dayona, and the rest of the hardworking teachers that contributed to the smooth functioning of the event.
    • Ms. Dayona, for taking the pictures.
    • Sandra Hicks, our Event Planner, for planning and organizing all the logistics for this event.

    By Derik Hicks
  • 2021 SUMMER CAMP KICKOFF WEEK

    2021 SUMMER CAMP KICKOFF WEEK

    2021 SUMMER CAMP KICKOFF WEEK

    Whew! It’s hot out there! But who doesn’t love summer? I mean, with no school and all. Unfortunately, you parents still have to go to work. In the meantime, who’s going to watch those rug rats while you work from 9:00 to 5:00? Darlene’s Wee Care 4 Kids daycare, that who. We had and will have so much in store for your children during our 2021 Summer Camp to keep those imaginations firing on all cylinders. And let’s face it, we want to have fun too!

    Would you like to see the photo galleries of the 2021 Summer Camp Kickoff Week held on June 28 to July 2, 2021? Let’s get started.

    Pajama Day
    Monday, June 28, 2021

    Book/Movie Character Day
    Tuesday, June 29, 2021

    Crazy Hat/Hair Day
    Wednesday, June 30, 2021

    Classroom Color Day
    Thursday, July 1, 2021

    Twin Day
    Friday, July 2, 2021

    As you can tell, everyone had a fun time. Thank you, parents, for participating and keeping your children engaged during our Summer Camp. But wait! The summer is not over. Besides some planned events throughout the summer months, we are scheduling another week of dress-up activities during our 2021 Summer Camp Countdown starting August 23-27, 2021. Keep on the lookout for the notifications and details of each day on our website calendar, LifeCubby calendar and eblasts, Google Events, Facebook, and Instagram. It’s going to be a costumaganza!

    By Derik Hicks
  • WHEN SCIENCE AND FUN COLLIDE—SLIME-MAKING EVENT

    WHEN SCIENCE AND FUN COLLIDE—SLIME-MAKING EVENT

    WHEN SCIENCE AND FUN COLLIDE—SLIME-MAKING EVENT

    Who has 80 thumbs and ready for some slimy, ooey-gooey, tactile fun? The 40 kids at Darlene’s Wee Care 4 Kids daycare. That’s who. On Thursday, June 24, 2021, science and fun collided at Darlene’s Wee Care 4 Kids daycare during a Slime-Making Event held for our Busy Bees, Reading Dolphins, and our Amazing Scholars.

    I mean, who doesn’t like slime? For kids, it seems like the messier the better. The children at Darlene’s Wee Care 4 Kids daycare seem to have a particular love for slimy, gooey, sticky, weird-feeling mixtures. They aren’t alone. There’s a reason the toy industry creates things like Playdough, silly putty, gak, and what seems like a thousand different versions of slime. Slime is a fantastic tool for sensory play, as part of an anti-anxiety kit, and to develop fine motor skills and strength.

    slime-making class

    What happened?

    The instructor, Ms. Dayona, took the simple ingredients below and created an educational yet fun experience for our kids.

    Slime recipe/ingredients:

    • (1) cup of cornstarch
    • (1) 3 oz pack of Jell-O mix 
    • (1) 4 oz cup warm water
    Alana Vernon ingredients
    Alana Vernon ready to go with all of her ingredients

    Educational? Yep, there’s a lot of science behind slime. I will not bore you with all the science, but during this event Ms. Dayona taught our kids…

    Literacy/Vocabulary

    1. Use new vocabulary and phrases acquired in conversations and being read to.
    2. With prompting and support, clarify unknown words or phrases read aloud.
    • The children learned that when you gather things to make something, what you are gathering is called “ingredients.”
    • When identifying the ingredients, the children were asked what they thought the white powdery substance was. Some said it was baby powder or baking soda before Ms. Dayona informed them it was “cornstarch.”
    • They discovered that when you put ingredients together; you make a “mixture.”
    • Once the ingredients were mixed, the children said it felt “slimy, squishy, and gooey.”

    [New vocabulary words: cornstarch, slimy, squishy, ingredients, recipe, mixture, stretchy, and gooey]

    Math

    1. Measuring skills—describe and compare measurable attributes of length and weights of everyday objects.
    2. Use mathematical processes when measuring; representing, organizing, and understanding data.
    • The children had to measure out the ingredients before they combined them all in their colored bowls. They made scientific guesses on what it needed more or less of to create the perfect consistency.
    stretchy consistency
    Zania Gibbons, Rahiem Gibrin, and Aleah Montaque creating the perfect consistency

    Science

    1. Think, analyze, and hypothesize.
    2. Take part in simple investigations about living and/or non-living things to answer a question or to test a prediction.
    3. Sort and describe objects according to size, shape, color, and texture.
    4. Notice changes in matter.
    • Before they made the slime, the kids made a hypothesis about how they felt it would feel, look, and taste.
    • The children said it smelled really good but tasted horrible! (Don’t worry! All the ingredients we used were safe and edible.)
    • When water was added to the ingredients, the children noticed the slime went from powder to liquid, then solid.
    chase dangerfield
    Chase Dangerfield—future scientist

    Boooring? Not!

    Don’t be fooled! It was not all science and education. The kids had a blast taking part in several slime competitions, like who could make the roundest ball? Who had the longest/stretchiest slime? Who could create the first letter of their name with slime? Congratulations to Alana Vernon and Ryon Harris! They both received a certificate and a prize.

    alana vernon

    ryon harris

    If you think making slime was boring, check out this slide presentation and see what happens when science and fun collide….

    Yes, when science and fun collided at Darlene’s Wee Care 4 Kids Daycare, everyone had a slimy, ooey-gooey, and enjoyable tactile time!

    Rylee Harris
    Rylee Harris having an exciting time learning

    Special thanks to…

    • Ms. April and the rest of the hardworking teachers that contributed to the smooth functioning of the event.
    • Ms. April, Ms. Danita and Ms. Dayona, for taking the pictures.
    • Sandra Hicks, our Event Planner, for the video and planning and organizing all the logistics for this event.

    By Derik Hicks and Dayona Evans
  • WEE CARE 4 GARDENS, TOO

    WEE CARE 4 GARDENS, TOO

    Wee Care 4 Gardens, Too

    In this frantic world that we live in, even our kids need something to ground them; something that can help them deal with the anxiety that even we, as adults, must deal with. At Darlene’s Wee Care 4 Kids daycare, we’ve implemented gardening in our mindfulness curriculum and our “Calm Down Corner.” (We’ll tell you more about that corner later.) Gardens and children are a natural match.

    Gardening with kids

    Ten reasons to garden with kids:

    1. Gardening engages all five senses. 
    2. Gardening encourages healthy eating. 
    3. Gardening enhances fine motor development. 
    4. Gardening is science. It teaches them about the life cycle.
    5. Gardening is a great family activity.
    6. Gardening teaches responsibility. Making sure the plants get enough fertilizer, water, and sun fosters mindfulness.
    7. Gardening helps kids learn to plan and organize.
    8. Gardening allows for team building and promotes communication skills.
    9. Gardening improves children’s moods and decreases anxiety.
    10. Gardening gives kids a sense of purpose. It can develop in kids a deep respect and responsibility for taking care of our planet earth.

    In this electronic age, kids need time for meaningful connections, especially with fellow family members. We, at Darlene’s Wee Care 4 Kids daycare, understand children are curious. They like to learn by doing, and love to play in the dirt. Working in a garden, a child can experience the satisfaction that comes from caring for something over time, while observing the cycle of life firsthand. That’s an important life skill, one that is overlooked in standard school curriculums. That’s why we’ve created an opportunity for kids to learn and grow through gardening, engaging their natural curiosity and wonder.

    Photos of some of our Playful Pandas and Busy Bees

    two kids gardening
    Na’eisha Coleman and Hailey Clarke learning team building and communication skills

     

    kid gardening
    Anai’ya Meekins developing fine motor skills

     

    kid gardening
    Hailey Clarke learning about responsibility and taking care of the planet

     

    kid gardening
    Kenydi Stokes engaging all of her senses while gardening

     

    kid gardening
    Amarra Sieh improving her mood and decreasing anxiety while gardening

     

    By Derik Hicks and Dayona Evans
  • WEE CARE 4 PARENTS, TOO—BRIA WILSON

    WEE CARE 4 PARENTS, TOO—BRIA WILSON

    Meet Bria Wilson and Her Children

    Thank you for checking out our first blog highlighting an exceptional parent of children that attends Darlene’s Wee Care 4 Kids daycare. Our Marketing Team thought long and hard about who should be featured first. It was a unanimous decision to feature Bria Wilson. I’ll tell you why later. But first, let me introduce you to Bria and her children that are enrolled in Darlene’s Wee Care 4 Kids daycare.

    bria wilson
    Age: 26
    Occupation: dietary aide/lash technician
    Location: Upper Darby

    Bria’s Children

    nylaa hill
    Nylaa Hill
    Age: 8
    Enrolled since: she was 3 years old

     

    chase dangerfield
    Chase Dangerfield
    Age: 4
    Enrolled since: he was 3 months old

    Bria’s History

    Bria Wilson was born in Lansdown, PA, but now lives in Upper Darby. She is a hardworking mother of two that takes an active interest in the lives and well-being of her children. We featured Bria because she and her brother, Bryant Wilson, were attendees at Darlene’s Wee Care 4 Kids daycare when they were children. The daycare was on Marshall Road back in those days. Now that Bria’s grown with children of her own, her children attend Darlene’s Wee Care 4 Kids daycare in the current location 6800 Market Street, 3rd Floor in Upper Darby.

    Why Bria Chose Darlene’s Wee Care 4 Kids

    Although Bria does not have any recollection of attending Darlene’s Wee Care 4 Kids daycare as a child, one wonders why she sent her children to Darlene’s daycare now when there are so many other options available. I’ll let Bria tell you herself. “It was my mom. I was looking for a daycare for Nylaa when she was three years old. I asked my mother did she know of a good daycare and she suggested I use the same daycare that I attended when I was a kid. She knew that the original location was closed and that the new location is in Upper Darby near me.”

    That’s great mother-to-daughter advice. Moms know best! But Bria is grown and could make her own decisions now. So, when asked why she continues to use Darlene’s Wee Care 4 Kids daycare, she replied, “One of the first things come to mind, I am impressed with the security system in place at the daycare for my children. My children’s safety is important to me. I know just not anyone can come pick up my child. Next, my children love the activities at the center. They always seem to have a good time and they never come home with bad news. They’ve never been hurt or bruised. And you know how truthful kids are. They’ll tell you if something bad has happened to them. The other thing I love about Darlene’s daycare is the communication. I get notifications about their eating and bathroom activities. This is important to me, because one of my children has allergies. I always check my emails whenever I see it is from Darlene’s Wee Care 4 Kids.”

    Thank You Bria!

    We, at Darlene’s Wee Care 4 Kids, would like to express our appreciation for Bria Wilson, her mom, Jacqueline Wilson, as well as Nylaa and Chase. Two generations of loyalty. An outstanding testament to the quality of daycare offered at Darlene’s Wee Care 4 Kids. Bria concludes, “You guys are like family, especially Danita.”

    Come and be a part of the “family.” Yes, we care for kids, but we care for our parents, too. Contact us as soon as possible at Darlene’s Wee Care 4 Kids to learn more about the daycare and program options that are available to you.

    By Derik Hicks