Kiwanis Hosts LVCC Preschool Annual Picnic with the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks

The smiles and laughter of nearly 120 Allentown preschoolers recently filled the Allentown Rose Garden. It was a sunny day in the park for the Lehigh Valley Children's Centers annual preschool field day and picnic. Our gracious hosts, the Kiwanis Club of Allentown, held a fun-filled day of developmentally appropriate activities. And guest volunteers from the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks indoor arena football team made the day extra special.

A big stick, rope, dish detergent, glycerin, corn syrup,
and a wash basin equal hours of fun blowing giant bubbles.

Team sports was the theme this year. The LVCC preschoolers and Pre-K Counts students from our South Mountain, Walnut Street and Judith Chase Early Learning Center sites rotated through six different stations, each promoting gross motor activities. 

With the help of football players from the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks, the children performed football drills by throwing and kicking footballs through mini goal posts. The Steelhawks players were able to keep up with the preschoolers, which we know have boundless energy.   

Nearly 40 volunteers kept the games moving, including members of the William Allen High School and Allentown Central Catholic Key Clubs, along with several students from Emmaus High School. They assisted the young children through the moon bounce and obstacle course.  There were also activity stations to make giant bubbles and to get football-themed temporary tattoos. 

Thank you to the Kiwanians for supplying lunch for everyone, grilling nearly 200 hot dogs.

A Partnership for Best Nutrition Practices

Healthy foods and snacks play a large role in child development, which is why Lehigh Valley Children's Centers (LVCC) partnered with Penn State Cooperative Extension's Better Kid Care Program and Novick Brothers Corp. to create a sequence of nutrition videos to be used in the training of child care professionals. LVCC invited the Better Kid Care film crew into our Central Food Service Department for a cooking demonstration, and then into our Pre-K Counts classroom on Union Boulevard in Allentown for a lesson in healthy snacking.

Penn State's Better Kid Care crew filming a Pre-K Counts classroom.

The Better Kid Care Program provides educational materials and programs for child care providers. Among these materials, the videos were first presented by Jill Cox, Better Kid Care Program development specialist, at the April 2015 National Child and Adult Care Food Program Conference in Las Vegas. The videos will then be modified to become a part of an online training module, Healthy and Hunger Free Children: Resources for Families, available this summer.

Cynthia Snyder, childcare specialist
for Novick Brothers Corp.

Novick Brothers Corp., an independent food distributor and food service solutions provider, has been supportive of LVCC's innovative nutrition practices for many years. Cynthia Snyder, childcare specialist for Novick Brothers Corp., was instrumental in coordinating the partnership for the training videos. 

LVCC's CFS Manager Randy Levan

Child Food Service Manager Randy Levan understands the importance of a healthy community and makes nutritious foods his number one priority when planning daily menus for LVCC. This equates to over 16,000 meals and 13,800 snacks served a month for nearly 1,000 children.

Watch both videos below.

Holiday Celebration with the Kiwanis Club

The halls of LVCC at South Mountain rang with laughter and music on Friday as the center opened its doors to two of its sister centers in Allentown. The preschool and Pre-K Counts classes from LVCC on Walnut Street and LVCC's Judith Chase Early Learning Center took a field trip to South Mountain for the annual Kiwanis holiday party. 

Our good friends from the Kiwanis Club of Allentown hosted the celebration for over 120 three- and four-year-olds. They sang holiday carols and colored winter scenes. Magician Eddy Ray engaged the large group with a delightfully entertaining magic show. 

Each child had their picture taken with Santa Claus (contact your center director to see your child's photo). Along with members of Kiwanis, the William Allen High School Key Club played Santa's helpers while handing out gifts and serving lunch.

Thank you Kiwanis Club of Allentown for helping LVCC bring joy to children of the Lehigh Valley!

View Kiwanis Holiday Party Photo Gallery

Children Improve Dental Hygiene Through Puppets

With the help of puppet friends, Allentown toddlers and preschoolers discovered all the amazing things teeth can do and how to take care of them. Segal Puppet Theatre & Company presented Tooth Buddy Tales, a free dental care and awareness puppet program for the young children attending LVCC at South Mountain.

Through interactive storytelling and adorable characters, the puppeteers empowered the children in the audience to become "tooth buddies." The children explored how to keep their smiles pearly white. They learned that germs cause cavities, when to brush, and the difference between good and bad snacks.

To further encourage dental health, Ms. Dana read The Tooth Book by Dr. Seuss with her Pre-K Counts class. The rhyming words and funny story engaged the pre-kindergartners' interest in oral hygiene.

Happy Heart Health Day

On February 7th, the staff and children of LVCC on Walnut Street showed their support of National Wear Red Day® by wearing red clothing and participating in activities that promote heart health awareness.

Toddlers, preschoolers, and Pre-K Counts students
from LVCC on Walnut Street in Allentown.

The morning began with stretching exercises. The preschool and Pre-K Counts children then learned fun facts about the heart's function in the body.

The younger preschoolers practiced important motor development skills like cutting with scissors.While creating heart-shaped art projects, they discussed how the heart is associated with feelings of love and holidays such as Valentine's Day.

In their journals, the older preschoolers in Pre-K Counts practiced writing sentences about having a healthy heart. They also drew nutritious foods that they like to eat. After a delicious snack of applesauce and graham crackers, the children were powered up to learn some more!

View more photos of Heart Health Day.

Stepping Up with Pre-Kindergarten

LVCC at Walnut Street's Pre-K Counts class is going places.
Click for more photos.

Pre-kindergartners, Pre-K Counts class and teachers from
LVCC's Judith Chase Early Learning Center
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The past two weeks marked the final days of the school year. Completing LVCC's pre-kindergarten and Pre-K Counts programs, six centers celebrated with "stepping up" ceremonies for the students and their parents.

"Whether we call it stepping up, graduation, or end of the year party, the main goal is to celebrate children and their accomplishments," explains Joselin Blanco, LVCC's Campus Center director. "It offers the children the opportunity to show their parents what they have learned throughout the school year."

Moving from preschool to kindergarten becomes a milestone in a child's life. Preschool builds the foundation for education, instilling a love for learning that a child can take with them throughout life. Celebrating this milestone helps children realize the importance of their accomplishments.

If asked what some of the most memorable LVCC experiences have been this year, preschoolers may say field trips to the Lehigh Valley Zoo or the Crayola Factory. Ask LVCC preschool and Pre-K Counts teachers the same question. They'll answer, "watching their students blossom from the beginning of the year until now."

LVCC on Union Boulevard Pre-K Counts class and teachers
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Congratulations Class of 2013! 

We are proud of you! 

Rockin' out with LVCC's Campus Center Pre-K Counts ceremony
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Aloha from LVCC's Fowler Center on Main Street
pre-kindergartners, Pre-K Counts class and teachers.
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LVCC at South Mountain pre-kindergartners,
 Pre-K Counts class and teachers
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Telling Time

Tick tock, tick tock. That's the sound of the working clocks built by the Pre-K Counts class at LVCC's Judith Chase Early Learning Center.

Time is a difficult concept for young children to understand. It's not something that can be seen or felt. By building a clock piece-by-piece, children have a tangible object representing time to explore.

In the class lesson, the children learned the names and uses for the hands on a clock. They identified which numbers made up a clock face. Time reading and counting make a great introduction to math skills.

The pre-kindergartners made imaginative use of telling time. They colored unique clock faces. They also discovered the basic mechanics of how a clock keeps ticking.

What time is it?

Preschoolers Experience Special Repertory Dance Theatre Ballet Performance

The Pre-K Counts class from LVCC's Judith Chase Early Learning Center and both preschool and Pre-K Counts classes from LVCC on Walnut Street experienced a composition of music and beauty with a live, enchanting performance of "Sleeping Beauty." As honored guests of the Repertory Dance Theatre, the four-and-five-year-old children visited Allentown's Scottish Rite Cathedral to watch the classical Tchaikovsky ballet.

Adapted for youngsters, the ballet told the story of the beautiful Princess Aurora, cursed by an evil witch. After sleeping for 100 years, true love's kiss woke the princess from the spell. The prince and princess then married, living happily ever after. 

The children's eyes widened in amazement and wonder as the dancers entered the stage in their bright-colored costumes. The art of dance introduced the preschoolers to a different form of creativity and music. 

After completion of the performance, the children expressed themselves through movement, imitating the ballet. The Repertory Dance Theatre performers then made a special appearance, inviting LVCC on stage for a photo opportunity and a chance to dance with the ballerinas (female ballet dancers) and ballerinos (male ballet dancers). 

Thank you Repertory Dance Theatre for a wonderful day!

View more photos of meeting Sleeping Beauty...

Allentown Health Bureau Teaches Healthy Habits Through Yoga

The preschool and Pre-K Counts classes from LVCC's Judith Chase Early Learning Center learned the importance of health through yoga. An intern through Allentown Bureau of Health's Nutrition and Physical Activity Program led the nutrition-based instruction.

This community education program was designed to generate excitement among youth about fitness and eating healthier foods. Using large pictures of  fruits and vegetables as focus points, the children discussed from where food comes, such as on a farm or from a tree.

The interactive sessions then engaged the children in poses as bunnies and cows. Visualizing being rooted into the ground while in Tree Pose, yoga allowed the preschoolers to expand their imaginations. They discovered different ways of relaxation by breathing. Yoga stimulated their physical, mental and emotional abilities.

View More Photos of the Yoga Instruction

Pre-K Counts Culinary Journey into Nutrition

What do strawberries, blueberries, bananas, yogurt and wheat tortilla shells have in common? A deliciously healthy power snack for both children and adults, of course! Pre-K Counts from LVCC's Judith Chase Early Learning Center made the fresh fruit wraps during their cooking class with Randy Levan, LVCC's Central Food Service Manager.

After donning their new cook's hats, the children practiced fine motor skills by spreading yogurt and/or cream cheese and sprinkling an assortment of fruit onto the tortilla. While tasting their yummy creation, the children answered questions about the fruit's colors. When asked why we want to eat healthy foods, many children responded, "To keep from getting sick."

View More Photos of the Pre-K Counts cooking class at ELC

Kiwanians Bring Holiday Cheer with Annual Party

The preschool and Pre-K Counts classes from LVCC at Walnut Street had a jolly good time at our annual holiday party. Our gracious hosts, the Kiwanis Club of Allentown, held the festivities in the banquet hall of the Allentown BrewWorks. "Melody" Mike Maiatico, an accomplished pianist, led the group in a holiday sing-along with his electronic keyboard. The children sang and danced while playing tamborines.  As soon as we started singing Santa Claus is Coming to Town, guess who appeared? Santa Claus! Each child had the opportunity to sit next to Santa, told him what was wanted for Christmas, and had photos taken. The Allentown Central Catholic Key Club officers played Santa's helpers by singing and handing out gifts. Following the fun, we had a delicious lunch to fill our tummies.

Thank you Kiwanians for making our spirits bright!

View Photos of the Holiday Party

 

 

Seiple Farms Pumpkin Picking

The preschool and Pre-K Counts classes from LVCC at South Mountain discovered life on the farm at Seiple Farms. Mrs. C., the farm educator, explained the different types of pumpkins and gourds, along with the machinery and crops found on their farm. She then led the children on a journey into the corn fields, through the hay maze, on a hay ride, and finally ending at the pumpkin patch.  During the visit, the children explored the barn full of cows, pigs, and llamas. They also picked out their very own baby bear pumpkins. By the end of the exciting afternoon, the children boarded the bus tuckered out with their pumpkins.

 

View More Photos of LVCC at Seiple Farms