Saturday, April 23, 2011

We care about your child's HEALTH, SAFETY, and NUTRITION

Garden of Blessings Child Care cares about your child’s health, safety, and nutrition. For this reason we teach hygiene skills to reduce the spread of contagious illnesses. Research shows that healthy children are better learners. We discover that germs are what make us sick and that we need to be good germ fighters to stay healthy. In order to take care of ourselves, we need to be good germ fighters and do things to keep viruses and bacteria from attacking us. One way we teach children to take care of themselves from viruses and bacteria is teaching proper hand washing techniques. We wash our hands various times throughout the day. For example, when we come in from outside we go into the dinning room to wash our hands. After potty we will wash our hands in the bathroom. Before and after eating we will wash our hands. When we wash our hands we 1st wet our hands, 2nd put soap on our hands, 3rd rub and scrub our hands and wrist. It is recommended that you wash your hands for at least 20 seconds. This is a perfect opportunity to sing the ABC song. We then rinse our hands until all the soap is removed. We take a paper towel, dry our hands, use the towel to turn the water off and then throw it into the trash.

Garden of Blessings takes many precautions necessary to ensure that illness and communicable diseases are kept to a minimum within our home. However, sickness does happen and is to be expected. Therefore, the safety of all the children within our care is planned for and guidelines are in place. Each child will be observed daily for illness. Children are considered ill when there is a fever in excess of 100.4 degrees, vomiting, excessive diarrhea, or any potentially contagious disorder (www.health.state.nm.us). When a child becomes ill during his or her day, parents will be notified and expected to pick up their child as soon as possible. The child will be kept isolated from the others as much as possible to try to prevent the spreading of the illness. If a contagious disorder has been diagnosed a plan based on the State of NM (www.health.state.nm.us) will be discussed with parents/gardians as to when the child will be able to return to class.

Research shows that children who eat good nutritional meals have more energy, can think clearer, and can focus better in order to learn effectively. Garden of Blessings provides an environment that allows children to be a part their nutritional choices. Eating healthy starts way before food is set before a child to eat. We have field trips to the farmers market and explore various selections of fruits and vegetables. Children are welcome to choose what they would like to bring into the kitchen. Then children are invited into the kitchen to be a part of food preparations. We encourage ownership in making a healthy meal by allowing children to wash, cut, pour, stir, peel, and serve the food to one another. We enjoy the social encounter of sitting down together to enjoy these choices. We encourage the children to discover the wonders of various tastes and textures that foods have to offer by encouraging them to discuss their experiences. Starting in the spring of every year we plan a garden. The children learn where some of their food comes from. They discover the importance of caring for the garden by watering the plants. They take pride in pulling weeds to prevent them from stealing water and nutrients from their plants.

Garden of Blessings welcomes the involvement and support of parents/guardians concerning their child’s health, safety, and nutritional well being. There are some simple things that can be done at home to show that involvement. One is encouraging the child to show what the steps are for good hand washing. Because sickness happens we suggest parents/guardians to consider establishing a family plan for when their child is sick. Whether that is setting aside sick time from work or established other adults within the child’s life to care for the child. Another suggestion would be to evolve their child in the grocery shopping and talk about the various foods served at the table and how they are nutritious.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Discovering Birds

These are our fish counters. We have used them for water play and sorting and catagorizing. The cards that come with this Bird Bingo are very detailed. We pretend to be flying as the nylon scarves are our feathers. This is a discovery tube with feathers in it.
Counting with Ducks in our water table.
This alphabet poster is a different bird for each letter.
Our stuffed Animal Bird collection.

The kids love for me to read to them.

More Books to read.

The blue bird in the cage sings to you every time you touch the cage.

Fisher Price Bird Bath sings and talks about Mamma Bird and Baby Bird.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Arts & Crafts

Quack Quack!, says the Duck

Pigs in the Mud

Rooster Barn

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Discovering the Farm

This unit is filled with knowledge and information about nature, and people's roles in the production of food. Vocabulary is increased through the use of words within an interesting, meaningful context, such as words for farm vehicles, the various produce grown on farms and an introduciton to some words in Spanish. In addition, recognizing letters, numbers, shapes and introduction to concepts such as counting and sequencing are provided through fun activities.


Preschool skills emphaized in this unit:






Language/Reading







  • Reading pictures and symbols





  • Becoming familiar with printed words





  • new vacabulary, such as farm, farmer, vehicles, and names of fruits and vegetables





  • Learning new words in Spanish





  • Repetition of rhyming words



Writing







  • Fine motor development through drawing to encourage pre-writing





  • Connecting print with spoken language





  • Sequencing from left to right





  • new words to copy



Mathematics







  • Names of Numbers





  • Counting





  • Ordinal numbers and the relaitionship to counted numbers





  • Sorting things into related groups and arranging things in sequential order



Social Skills







  • Taking responsibilty for our health by eating healthy foods



Other







  • The similarities and differences of animals, such as size, color, sound and other characteristics





  • Names and characteristics of farm animals





  • Planting seeds and plant growth



Riding Horses. When you rub his ear he gallops for you.
Good old reliable "John Deer"

Cowboy/girl Costume
Books of Farm life



Books of Farm Life



Stuffed Animals found on the farm. We use these to sing the "Old McDonald" song. These various materials are used to inhance the children's



Tractor
Farmer Hats
Tractor with Farm and Farm Animals. The toy plays various animal sounds.
Farm People.
Farm Animals
Barn.

Puzzles. One of the puzzles makes the sound of the animal with you put the piece of the puzzle in the correct place. Another puzzle had the word of the animal on the inside of the puzzle.


One one side of the 24 piece puzzle is pictures and discription of farming things.


On the other side of this 24 piece puzzles is a picture of a fam.


Magnet Farm scene.


These duck go "Quack Quack" in our water play area.


Play dough toys. The farmer, cow, and chicken grow hair and feathers out of their heads with the play dough. The barn doors have molds of various vegatable found on a farm.


The Horse loves to be feed apples.


The pig loves being feed corn. "Oink Oink!"


The Cow "Moo's" for Hay!

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Field Trips

There are times of field trips in which all the children would be transported in our 2001 Honda Odyssey. We are licensed and insured. We have 5 point harness car seats for all the children that are custom for newborn up to 100 pounds. Currently our daughter is attending a private kindergarten school which requires us to drive her to school. This means that all the children will be transported in the van between 7:30am to 8:15am and 3:30pm to 4:15pm. Next year both children will be attending the elementary school that is right behind our house which they can walk to.




We do have a weekly field trip to Costco. This gives the children an opportunity to develop social skills, math, and literacy skills. I have strict rules concerning field trip outings. Babies are always fastened within the shopping cart or double stroller and the preschoolers are required to hold onto the shopping cart or double stroller. We are taught “stranger danger” and the importance of sticking together. Once the importance of safety is established the world of learning is opened wide. Past experiences consist of many strangers commenting on how well behaved and happy all the children are in my care. Also, I have had many families express their appreciation in exposing there child to public places which has helped them when they have to do the grocery shopping themselves with their child.

In the summer time we also do a lot of field trips. They have changed through out the years depending on what is important to our families. We always discuss field trip and agree together what those field trips will be. Some examples are:

Explora
Zoo
Botanical Gardens
Monzano Mesa Water Spray Park
ABQ Jump
Library
City Park

Who are We?

Thank you for considering Garden of Blessings Child Care as your home away from home. We are a family home daycare who believes that you can have the best of both worlds. Which consist of personally customized care for each one of our families and academics that focus on kindergarten readiness.

I am working on getting an associates degree in Multi-Cultural Child Development and am considering getting a bachelors degree in teaching elementary school agers. I have been licensed since 2006. I have been studying child development for over a year and specialize in newborn to 5 years old. I started off opening my daycare in order to stay home with my children. It was important to me to have accountability to child care so I decided to get licensed. Since then I have studied and researched all aspects of the business for the sole purpose of bringing top notch care to all the children. I honestly have found that child care is my love and passion.

My husband, Ron, is a trainer for Sprint and works Tuesday thru Saturday. He is a big part of the kids on Mondays. He also fills in for me when I have conferences, training, or dr. appointments. He enjoys kids. He is a professional clown and does clown ministry on at our church. He also teaches 5th and 6th graders in a program called “Caravans” which is a Christian scouting program kind of like girl/boy scouts.

My husband and I have three children of our own. Tristan is 17 years old who loves hanging out with his friends, long boarding, and gaming. Stephen is 7 years old who enjoys acting in the theatrical plays at church, tinkering on his guitar and/or electrical key board but most important to him is his friends. Ruthann is our 5 year old who is discovering school and loving every minute of it. She enjoys arts and crafts of all kinds, playing with her dolls, and dressing up.

We also have Sally who is a two year old grey tabby cat. She loves being with the kids. In fact if the day care is closed for the day and there is not kids around she ends up meowing throughout the house. She is lost without them. She loves gardening with us and brings Mama birds and reptiles in the summer time.




If you decide to bring your child to our child care he/she will be a part of our whole family.

Through out the years I have cared for many different age groups and feel vary confident and am very experienced with children in the ages of newborn to 5 years old. Majority of the children that have attended the child care have started out as newborns and have moved onto kindergarten. This means that we have grown together in our discoveries and have built some lasting relationships between our families.

Although we are licensed for 7 children quality is important to us so we only take on 4 children at any given time.

We are eager to set up an appointment with you. Please contact me, Dawn Davis, at 385-2090

Monday, January 17, 2011

What is on the Menu?

Menu Rotation #1
Date: ________________

Monday

Breakfast: Cereal (Cheerios, Special K, Honey Bunches of Oats, Chex, Raisin Bran), Seasonal Fruit, Milk
Lunch: Am. Cheese, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Animal Crackers and Milk

Tuesday

Breakfast: Burrito(which could have any of the following- Eggs, cheese, pinto beans, potatoes, bacon, sausage, turkey, ham, chicken, onions), Mandarin Oranges, Milk
Lunch: Fish Sticks, Carrots, Celery Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Cheese its and Juice

Wednesday

Breakfast: Toasted Gain (wheat toast, bagel, raisin bread, wheat berry, English muffin, croissant served with cream cheese, jelly, and/or peanut butter), Peaches, milk
Lunch: Chicken Nuggets, Green Beans, Banana, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Gold Fish and Craisins

Thursday

Breakfast: Hot Cereal (cream of wheat, malt o meal, oatmeal), Pears, milk
Lunch: Cheddar Cheese, Mushrooms, Seasonal Fruit, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Gram Crackers and Peanut Butter

Friday
Breakfast: Cereal (Cheerios, Special K, Honey Bunches of Oats, Chex, Raisin Bran), Seasonal Fruit, Milk
Lunch: Monterey Jack Cheese, Bell Peppers, Apples, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Multi-Grain Crackers and Milk

**Menus may change due to product availability and sale prices when shopping


Menu Rotation #2
Date: ________________


Monday
Breakfast: Cereal (Cheerios, Special K, Honey Bunches of Oats, Chex, Raisin Bran), Seasonal Fruit, Milk
Lunch: Turkey Lunch Meat, Cucumbers, Black Olives, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Saltines & Cheese Stick

Tuesday
Breakfast: Burrito(which could have any of the following- Eggs, cheese, pinto beans, potatoes, bacon, sausage, turkey, ham, chicken, onions), Pineapple, Milk
Lunch: Ham Lunch Meat, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Wheat Thins and Juice

Wednesday
Breakfast: Toasted Gain (wheat toast, bagel, raisin bread, wheat berry, English muffin, croissant served with cream cheese, jelly, and/or peanut butter), Apple Sauce, milk
Lunch: Chicken Nuggets, Green Beans, Banana, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Yogurt & seasonal fruit

Thursday
Breakfast: Hot Cereal (cream of wheat, malt o meal, oatmeal), Fruit Cocktail, milk
Lunch: Cottage Cheese, Spinach, Grapes, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Animal Crackers and Milk

Friday
Breakfast: Cereal (Cheerios, Special K, Honey Bunches of Oats, Chex, Raisin Bran), Seasonal Fruit, Milk
Lunch: Am. Cheese, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Wheat Bread, Milk Snack: Cheese its and Juice

**Menus may change due to product availability and sale prices when shopping



Menu Rotation #3
Date: ________________

Monday
Breakfast: Cereal (Cheerios, Special K, Honey Bunches of Oats, Chex, Raisin Bran), Seasonal Fruit, Milk
Lunch: Fish Sticks, Carrots, Celery Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Gold Fish and Craisins

Tuesday
Breakfast: Burrito(which could have any of the following- Eggs, cheese, pinto beans, potatoes, bacon, sausage, turkey, ham, chicken, onions), Mandarin Oranges, Milk
Lunch: Cheddar Cheese, Mushrooms, Seasonal Fruit, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Gram Crackers and Peanut Butter

Wednesday
Breakfast: Toasted Gain (wheat toast, bagel, raisin bread, wheat berry, English muffin, croissant served with cream cheese, jelly, and/or peanut butter), Peaches, milk
Lunch: Chicken Nuggets, Green Beans, Banana, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Multi-Grain Crackers and Milk

Thursday
Breakfast: Hot Cereal (cream of wheat, malt o meal, oatmeal)
Pears, milk
Lunch: Monterey Jack Cheese, Bell Peppers, Apples, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Saltines & Cheese Stick

Friday
Breakfast: Cereal (Cheerios, Special K, Honey Bunches of Oats, Chex, Raisin Bran), Seasonal Fruit, Milk
Lunch: Turkey Lunch Meat, Cucumbers, Black Olives, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Wheat Thins and Juice

**Menus may change due to product availability and sale prices when shopping



Menu Rotation #4
Date: ________________



Monday
Breakfast: Cereal (Cheerios, Special K, Honey Bunches of Oats, Chex, Raisin Bran), Seasonal Fruit, Milk
Lunch: Ham Lunch Meat, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Yogurt & seasonal fruit

Tuesday
Breakfast: Burrito(which could have any of the following- Eggs, cheese, pinto beans, potatoes, bacon, sausage, turkey, ham, chicken, onions), Pineapple, Milk
Lunch: Cottage Cheese, Spinach, Grapes, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Animal Crackers and Milk

Wednesday
Breakfast:Toasted Gain (wheat toast, bagel, raisin bread, wheat berry, English muffin, croissant served with cream cheese, jelly, and/or peanut butter), Apple Sauce, milk
Lunch: Chicken Nuggets, Green Beans, Banana, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Cheese its and Juice

Thursday
Breakfast:Hot Cereal (cream of wheat, malt o meal, oatmeal), Fruit Cocktail, milk
Lunch: Am. Cheese, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Gold Fish and Craisins


Friday
Breakfast:Cereal (Cheerios, Special K, Honey Bunches of Oats, Chex, Raisin Bran), Seasonal Fruit, Milk
Lunch: Fish Sticks, Carrots, Celery Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Gram Crackers and Peanut Butter

**Menus may change due to product availability and sale prices when shopping

Menu Rotation #5
Date: ________________

Monday
Breakfast:Cereal (Cheerios, Special K, Honey Bunches of Oats, Chex, Raisin Bran), Seasonal Fruit, Milk
Lunch: Cheddar Cheese, Mushrooms, Seasonal Fruit, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Multi-Grain Crackers and Milk

Tuesday
Breakfast:Burrito(which could have any of the following- Eggs, cheese, pinto beans, potatoes, bacon, sausage, turkey, ham, chicken, onions), Mandarin Oranges, Milk
Lunch: Monteray Jack Cheese, Bell Peppers, Apples, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Saltines & Cheese Stick

Wednesday
Breakfast:Toasted Gain (wheat toast, bagel, raisin bread, wheat berry, English muffin, croissant served with cream cheese, jelly, and/or peanut butter), Peaches, milk
Lunch: Chicken Nuggets, Green Beans, Banana, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Wheat Thins and Juice

Thursday
Breakfast: Hot Cereal (cream of wheat, malt o meal, oatmeal), Pineapple, milk
Lunch: Turkey Lunch Meat, Cucumbers, Black Olives, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Yogurt & seasonal fruit

Friday
Breakfast: Cereal (Cheerios, Special K, Honey Bunches of Oats, Chex, Raisin Bran), Seasonal Fruit, Milk
Lunch: Ham Lunch Meat, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Animal Crackers and Milk

**Menus may change due to product availability and sale prices when shopping

Menu Rotation #6
Date: ________________



Monday
Breakfast: Cereal (Cheerios, Special K, Honey Bunches of Oats, Chex, Raisin Bran), Seasonal Fruit, Milk
Lunch: Cottage Cheese, Spinach, Grapes, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Cheese its and Juice

Tuesday
Breakfast: Burrito(which could have any of the following- Eggs, cheese, pinto beans, potatoes, bacon, sausage, turkey, ham, chicken, onions), Pineapple, Milk
Lunch: Am. Cheese, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Gold Fish and Craisins

Wednesday
Breakfast: Toasted Gain (wheat toast, bagel, raisin bread, wheat berry, English muffin, croissant served with cream cheese, jelly, and/or peanut butter), Apple Sauce, milk
Lunch: Chicken Nuggets, Green Beans, Banana, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Gram Crackers and Peanut Butter

Thursday
Breakfast: Hot Cereal (cream of wheat, malt o meal, oatmeal), Fruit Cocktail, milk
Lunch: Fish Sticks, Carrots, Celery Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Multi-Grain Crackers and Milk

Friday
Breakfast: Cereal (Cheerios, Special K, Honey Bunches of Oats, Chex, Raisin Bran), Seasonal Fruit, Milk
Lunch: Cheddar Cheese, Mushrooms, Seasonal Fruit, Wheat Bread, Milk
Snack: Saltines & Cheese Stick

**Menus may change due to product availability and sale prices when shopping