Central Baptist Church

Children’s House Daycare

Summer Program

Handbook

 

 

Welcome to

Children’s House Summer Program!

This handbook is designed to give all parents and students a deeper insight into the summer program.  Although the handbook is designed to be a helpful guide, please direct questions about daily activities or your child’s behavior to your child’s teachers. Please feel free to contact us at anytime with questions or comments. We’re looking forward to a great summer ’13!

Children’s House Daycare

501 S. 4^th Street

Springfield, IL62701

(217)523-0122

www.cbcchurchfamilies.org/childrenshouse

Rita McCarthy,  Director – rita@cbcchurchfamilies.org

 Classroom and Program Information

Class:  There will be one classroom. We will use the room #211 as our primary class room and the Noah’s Ark room across the hall as needed (# 210). Both of these rooms are located on the 2^nd floor. We will also use Merriam Hall (located in the basement) to eat our breakfast, lunch and PM snack. Also, it will be used if we are in need of a larger space for games and activities inside.

 

E-Mail:  We would like to be able to contact you electronically through e-mail to eliminate some of the many notes and papers that go home.

 

Backpacks: Please make sure that your child brings a backpack every day. Any notes and art projects will be sent home in them.

General Classroom Rules:

• No running in rooms or halls
• Use inside voices
• Please pick up game area(s) when you are done
• Please respect others and their belongings
• Hats stay in backpacks when children are inside the building
• Please take turns with game/toys

 

Merriam Hall:  This room will be used when we need more space. It will also be used for lunch and game area.

 

Playground:  The playground is located on the Jackson Street side of the church. When equipment is taken out to the playground please do not throw the balls or other equipment against the church wall.  Tire chips cover the playground for the safety and protection of your children, just a reminder we do NOT throw tire chips!

 

Morning Check-in:  We begin our morning out on the playground until 9:00 a.m. then we go downstairs to have breakfast.  If the weather does not permit us outside, then we will begin our days in the class room (#211).

 

Sign-in/out sheets:  Anytime you bring or pick up your child from the program you must sign the sheet.  Each child has a space and a time slot for arrivals and departures.  If you pick your child up for any reason throughout the day, and then return to the program you must sign in and out; even if it is just for a short while.  The sheets are located where the teacher is located! Also sign in and out at the computer at the Children’s House office window everyday.

 

 

Guest Speakers:  We may have guest speakers come to visit us here at C.H.   If a speaker is scheduled, a note will be posted explaining who, when, and where.

 

 

Birthdays:  All children are welcome to share their birthday with their class.  Please note that DCFS requires that all birthday treats are store bought.

**Due to allergies, Children’s House is a peanut free center!**

This is very important due to life threatening allergies.  Please read all labels and check with the teacher for a birthday treat count.

 

Medicines:  If your child takes medication, please sign it in with the morning teacher.  Please leave the medication in the care of the morning teacher, as she will lock it up.

 

Movies:  Wednesday afternoon we will watch a movie after returning from the park. For the summer, we will enjoy movies downstairs in Merriam Hall.  We will also watch movies at the IllinoisStateMuseum on Tuesday mornings. All movies will be “G or PG” rated and the teachers will choose the movie of the week to go with the weekly theme.

 

Toys from home: Children may bring a toy ON FRIDAYS ONLY to play with during free choice time. NO electronic gaming systems will be allowed at Children’s House. If you have a toy that is very important to you, you may want to leave it at home where it is safe. Please label everything; this will save on confusion and possible headaches. If there are problems with toys, the children may be asked to leave them at home.

 

Reading for pieces: We will have a reading challenge again this year. For every 30 minutes a child spends reading, that child receives a paper chain piece to add to the length of their own chain.  At the end of each week, we will count the chains and award coin stamps for every five chain links.

 

Themes:  Every week we will have a theme.  The themes are:

 

May 27-31                               Camp Welcome Week

June 3-7                                   Environment Week

June 10-14                               Spy Week

June 17-21                               Superhero Week

June 24-28                               Animal Week

July 1-5                                   Summer Fun Week

July 8-12                                 Carnival Week

July 15-19                               Cooking Week

July 22-26                               Camping Week

July 29-Aug. 2                       Culture Week

Aug. 5-9                                  Ooey Gooey Week

Aug. 12-16                              Wrap-Up Week

 

Discipline Policy Statement

 

No physical punishment is used at our center although some form of managing a child’s behavior is necessary.  This is done primarily through keeping the children engaged in a wide variety of stimulating activities, providing plenty of love and physical interaction, praising good behavior, accepting the child’s feelings and substituting one activity for another.

 

Implementation of Discipline

 

1. The teacher must provide well planned, interesting learning experiences, to help decrease the frequency of disruptive behaviors.
2. Positive reinforcement of good behavior is encouraged.
3. Discipline should be related to the child’s act, and should be immediate.
4. Shouting does not occur, physically going to the child and talking to him/her is essential.
5. When limits are necessary they should be clearly defined and consistently maintained.
6. Removal from the group to help a child gain control may occur.
7. No child is subject to corporal punishment or to verbal abuse for any reason.
8. In cases of extreme disciplinary problems, Children’s House reserves the right to dismiss a child.

 

Behavioral Management: We use a re-direction approach in our behavior plan. We will use a colored traffic light sign with clothes pins that will have each of the children’s names on them to help keep a record of each child’s behavioral pattern. Each child will have three different behavior levels.

Green= Go, good day. At the end of the day a dime stamp will be placed on their chart.

Yellow= Verbal warning, slow down and talk about better choices. There will only be a penny stamp placed on their chart.

Red= Stop, behavior has not changed and wrong choices are being made. There will be no stamp placed on the chart. Parents will be informed at this level of their child’s behavior choice.

Stamps worth different amounts will also be given to children throughout the day for exceptional behavior (even if the child is already on red).  This will encourage children to always be kind and helpful and to follow directions.  For a child who has made poor decisions and is already on red, this will be an incentive to still use correct behavior, even though the daily stamp that everyone receives is no longer attainable.

At the end of each week, children will be allowed to “shop” for prizes that are worth the amount of coin stamps they have earned that week.

 Written Rules for Children

 

1. At Children’s House, we care and respect ourselves, each other, and the environment around us.
2. We walk inside the building.
3. We sit on our bottoms on our chairs with our feet on the floor.
4. We use quiet voices inside.
5. We keep our hands and feet to ourselves and talk nicely to others.
6. We ask for a toy we want instead of taking it away from others.
7. We wash our hands when we enter the day care, when we blow our noses, when we go to the bathroom, and before and after we eat.
8. We use the buddy system while on walks.
9. No gun play, war toys, or violent videos are allowed at Children’s House.

Field Trips!!!

 

Money for Field Trips:  All money should be paid by the first day of the Summer Program.

 

Field Trips:  When traveling out of the center, each teacher will be responsible for the group.  Children are expected to stay with the group at all times.  We will still be implementing the behavior program while we are away from the center.  Safety is the key and we expect children to listen and follow directions at all times.  We will also provide a tie-dyed t-shirt for each child to wear on our fieldtrips.  The T-shirts will stay at the day care and be washed after every fieldtrip.  Your child will receive a shirt at the end of the program.

 

Water Bottles:  Please send a water bottle that has a pop top labeled with your child’s name for field trip days.  Water bottles are to be taken home each night.

Field trip Rules:

1. Stay with your assigned adult, group, and/or buddy.
2. Respect yourself.
3. Respect others.
4. Respect property.
5. Follow the rules of the location we are visiting.
6. Be on your best behavior.
7. HAVE FUN!

 

Bus Safety:  Before our first field trip, we will be discussing bus safety.  We will be going on a lot of field trips and we need to know the proper way to board the bus and control our behavior while on the bus.

 

Bus Rules:

1. Please stay in your seat while the bus is moving.
2. Please keep hands and feet out of the aisle.
3. No gum, food, or drinks on the bus except for water bottles.
4. No toys (unless given permission).
5. Please use inside voices and be respectful to the driver.
6. Please do not climb over or under the seats.
7. When getting off the bus, follow your teachers.
8. THE BUS MUST BE COMPLETELY QUIET WHILE CROSSING RAILROAD TRACKS.

 

 

 

Where We’re Going…

 

 

Parks

On Wednesdays at different locations

1. We will eat lunch at the park (lunch is provided by the center).  *Please let us know of any allergies.
2. Children may not bring play equipment from home to the park.  Children’s House will provide play equipment and the teachers will have planned activities while at the park.
3. Teachers will separate into locations, so that every child can be seen.
4. Children must stay at the picnic site until enough children have finished eating for the teacher to accompany them back to the playground.
5. We highly suggest no sandals on this day! The children play hard at the park and it makes it hard for them to run with their friends.
6. Again, the child must ask permission to use the restroom and will be escorted by a teacher.

 

 

Swimming at Veterans Pool

 

1. We will be taking a bus to the Veterans Pool.
2. The Veterans Pool provides lifeguards.
3. All  teachers will monitor the pool, at least one in the water and one at pool side.
4. Children must check in with a teacher when needing to use the restroom.  A teacher will then accompany them to and from the restroom.
5. Children must wear shoes appropriate for water when not in the pool. Please no flip flops.
6. Children will need to bring with them a beach towel and swimsuit or trunks and sunscreen.  Please label everything!
7. If parents are picking their child up at the pool, please let us know so your child can bring his/her stuff with them.
8. We will only allow the children in the shallow end of the pool.
9. NO DIVING OR JUMPING INTO THE SHALLOW END OF THE POOL!

 

 

 Swimming at the YMCA

 

1. We will be walking to the YMCA.
2. The YMCA Pool provides lifeguards.
3. All  teachers will monitor the pool, at least one in the water and one at pool side.
4. Children must check in with a teacher when needing to use the restroom.  A teacher will then accompany them to and from the restroom.
5. Children must wear shoes appropriate for water when not in the pool. Please no flip flops.
6. Children will need to bring with them a beach towel and swimsuit or trunks.  Please label everything!
7. If parents are picking their child up at the pool, please let us know so your child can bring his/her stuff with them.
8. We will only allow the children in the shallow end of the pool.
9. NO DIVING OR JUMPING INTO THE SHALLOW END OF THE POOL!

 

 

Bowling

Strike & Spare West

1. Bring socks that day.
2. Please do not bring your own bowling ball.
3. Each teacher will be assigned a group to monitor.
4. Children must stay in the alley area.
5. No playing in the game/locker area.
6. Ask permission from a teacher to use the restroom.

 

 

 Ice Skating

NelsonCenter

 

1. Children must stay in the rink area; no playing in refreshment area.
2. No running or playing on bleachers or in game area.
3. Please ask to use the restroom.
4. One teacher will stay off the ice and be located on the main floor to help.
5. Please bring warm clothes, including socks and gloves.

 

 

Putt-Putt

BoulderCreekFunPark

1. We will golf in groups.
2. Children must let a teacher know if they need to use the restroom.  Please try to use the restroom before or after we golf to avoid leaving the course.

 

 

 Henson Robinson Zoo

 

We are going to take a journey to the zoo.  We will search for various animals, some of which we see driving down the street, others that we can only see during a safari in the jungle.  We can’t wait!

 

 Illinois State Museum

 

We are going to the museum several times for their summer movie program.  We will also have one fieldtrip set aside to tour the exhibits.

 

 

 Roller Skating

Most Tuesday at Skateland South

1. You may bring your own skates.  Skate rental is included in the price whether you have your own skates or not.
2. At least one teacher will sit out of the activity and monitor the main floor.
3. Please wear shoes or skates at all times.
4. When a student goes to the restroom, he/she must tell the teacher on the main floor, and only one student at a time in the restroom.
5. NO PLAYING IN THE RESTROOM!
6. No playing in the game area or locker area.
7. Everyone must wear socks.

 

HappyFeet

Happy Feet will be twice a month (June & July) on Thursday’s.

 

HappyFeet will provide a fully qualified and certified instructor who has passed the necessary background checks for the state of Illinois to teach the children appropriate soccer skills and general fitness.

1. HappyFeet will take place in Merriam Hall.
2. HappyFeet provides an instructor to teach the children the skills.
3. At least one teacher will be with the group.

 

 A COUPLE OF EXTRA TIPS TO HELP MAKE

THE SUMMER GOES A LITTLE SMOOTHER!

• Please invest in a book bag for your child.  It will help keep things organized and keep order in the classroom.
• Please go over the rules with your child prior to summer.  We will be reviewing them, but it will help for them to have a prior knowledge of what to expect.
• Bring extra clothes in the backpack if your child is prone to accidents.
• No food may be brought into the center from home unless approved by a doctor due to food allergies.  Those foods should be clearly labeled with name and date.  The appropriate form needs to be signed by a doctor and dated.
• We will serve breakfast between 8:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. depending on field trips.
• Since we have some children with life threatening food allergies, we are a peanut free center.  Please do not bring any snacks that have nuts or nut products in them or made on a belt with peanut products to the center.
• Lunch is at 11:45 a.m.  If you are arriving late to the center be aware that lunch can only be held until 12:00 p.m.
• When picking up your child, there will be a bulletin board by the office telling you where your child’s class is located.
• We would appreciate donations for the Prize Shop.  Items would be little gifts and gadgets (ex: stickers, unopened Happy Meal toys, etc.).
• We will be spending a lot of time outdoors, so please send a water bottle and sunscreen, labeled, with your child’s name.
• Sunscreen should be applied before your child arrives especially field trip days.
• Please bring a bottle of sunscreen, labeled with your child’s name.
• During outdoor excursions sunscreen will be reapplied every 2 hours.  If your child is very sensitive to the sun please consider providing a hat and possibly a

T-shirt for them to wear over their swim suit/trunks.

• Some activities start at 8:45/9:00 a.m. (check your calendar), please have your child here in time for the bus.
• If your child will be absent please call by 8:30 a.m.
• No Heelies (Tennis shoes with wheels built into the soles).
• Parents should send their older children dressed in play clothes that the child can manage alone. Shoes without slippery soles or heels and sleeves that will roll up will cause fewer problems. Please NO flip flops and avoid clothes with drawstrings. Please clearly label all clothing and school bags with your child’s full name.

 

•  Label everything brought into the center.
• Open Door Policy:  Children’s House has an open door policy for our families. We welcome any and all parents and grandparents to join us in our daily activities. The more the merrier.