Spring has Sprung at AFCCC

It is officially SPRING at Altoona Family Child Care Center!  The walls are covered in flowers, grass, and spring time fun. There may be some snow on the ground but the grass will be popping up very soon.  The kids are so excited to get outdoors without that thick layer of clothing on and you are getting ready to lock up those boots and bring out those running shoes.  The past few months have been extremely hard on all of us and at this point we can't wait for the temperatures to rise.
Luckily we have scheduled a field trip to Carson Park for Friday March 28th to "bring in the spring."  All of the children at the center are invited to join us on this adventure.  It will be from 9am to noon with transportation provided by Rock n' Roll To Go.  We will be giving the kids a chance to explore outdoors and work their large muscles.  Carson park is equipped with a large playground structure, plenty of running space, and a nice walking path.  Fingers crossed the weather stays on our side and we are able to have lunch in the pavilion. 
Please make sure that if it is snowy or cold that you have your child dress appropriately.  This includes snow pants, coats, hats and mittens.  We are hoping that a few of these items will not be needed but Wisconsin weather is very unpredictable.  Parents are more than welcome to join us as well.  See you all at Carson Park.

Parent Teacher Conferences

We strive at AFCCC to increase education for young children. 
We do this multiple ways. 
1. Provided educational materials for parents, staff and children
2. Participate in continuing education for staff
3. Include ourselves in Youngstar programming
4. Hire well educated staff
5. Practice teaching skills demonstrated in Creative Curriculum
6. Offer Parent Teacher Conferences twice a year.
7. Keep detailed portfolios and assessments on each child
8. Much, much more
We love to share all of our progress with parents every day.  Twice a year we actually get to sit down with parents and brag about what your children have learned with our teachings.  Please listen to the attached pod cast to learn more about our Parent Teacher Conferences.


https://soundcloud.com/jschoettle3/afccc-pt-conferences?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=twitter

Youthful Yoga

Studies have found yoga to be effective in:

• calming children
• reducing obesity
• curbing discipline problems
• controlling anger and panic attacks
• enhancing imagination, concentration, and academic performance

According to Green Child Magazine, health problems likes headaches, stomachaches, constipation, and colds are reportedly improved with a yoga practice, as well as a decreased need for medication for children with attention deficit disorder. Researchers have found that kids with autism spectrum disorder who did yoga at their elementary school behaved better than kids with autism who weren't doing yoga.
You already know how helpful yoga is for your Mind, Body, and Spirit. Imagine what a start you can give your kids by introducing them to the benefits of yoga from an early age!
Yogis believe a flexible body and an open mind go hand in hand. A natural style of parenting believes loving hearts, common sense, and open minds are the keys to bringing the peace and compassion the planet needs more than ever.
Yoga is the coordination of specific postures with breathing, meditation, and concentration to focus and calm the mind. There is an increasing interest in the use of yoga for children to quiet the mind and increase overall health and well-being.
I have seen the children at our center learn and grow using Yoga every day.
We decieded to add it to our daily schedules every day at 9am circle time. It has done wonders in the concentration and behavior of the children throughout the entire day. The kids look forward to yoga every day and it truly makes a difference