Since birth, your child has been soaking up a lot of knowledge. Much of this knowledge isn’t taught in schools. Though we may not think of it in these terms, something as seemingly simple as learning to crawl and then taking those first steps requires both a tremendous amount of biological development, growth and cognitive acquisition.

Preschool Programs help prepare your child for kindergarten.

By the time a your child reaches three years of age, they are likely talking and interacting with the world and others in ways that are going to have profound effects later in life. At around this stage, you may start thinking about the exciting day that they start their first day of kindergarten. But you may have some concerns about kindergarten readiness. Is your child ready for kindergarten? Below we will examine some of the kindergarten readiness indicators.

Is My Child Ready for Kindergarten?

The question can cause many parents anxiety, especially if they are sending their first child off to kindergarten. There are both social and cognitive benchmarks that indicate kindergarten readiness. The social indicators include the ability to play and interact with other children in an appropriate way, an awareness of sharing and taking turns, handling toys and other materials properly and putting them in their proper place. Other behavior indicators include an understanding of basic safety and asking for help when it is needed.

Cognitive and intellectual indicators of kindergarten readiness include the ability to sustain engagement with an activity and a genuine interest in learning. The ability to follow along with the words of a song, form complete sentences most of the time, and has little difficulty with simple puzzles are also good signs that your child is ready for kindergarten learning.

For a detailed list of kindergarten readiness indicators, check out this great kindergarten readiness checklist. It will help you track and document your child’s progress towards that first day of school!

Kindergarten Readiness Programs

Kindergarten preparation programs are a great way to ensure that any gaps in our child’s readiness are filled.

Kindergarten Readiness Programs help prepare your child for school!

Preschool is a great way to prepare your child for kindergarten. Preschool programs have been shown to give kids the social and intellectual skills they need to have a successful kindergarten experience.

Choosing a preschool is not an easy task and it is important that you ensure that you are enrolling your little scholar in a quality preschool experience. Make sure you consider the things that indicate a quality kindergarten readiness program. Here is an article that can help you to choose a good preschool or kindergarten readiness program.

Kindergarten Readiness at Noah’s Ark Child Center

At Noah’s Ark Reno, our preschool programs are developed with the goal of ensuring that your child is ready for kindergarten. Preschool is the first step towards a successful kindergarten experience and we at Noah’s Ark would love to help you start your child’s journey off right. The friendly and nurturing staff at Noah’s Ark Child Center is dedicated to making learning a fun and engaging adventure! Come by and visit us or contact us online today!

When we talk about children and creativity, some minds go straight to artistic creativity and the age-old finger painting fun. Creativity has a larger impact on a child’s development than finger painting alone. Creativity also refers to imagination and original ideas, which are the tenets of innovation and problem solving.

Why Creativity is Important

At its basic root, the term creativity describes the human ability for one to express herself or think about things in a different way. A good sense of self-expression in a child can lead to a more communicative adult who has a stronger sense of self.

Creative thinking leads to better problem solvers. Your child’s creativity can lead her to being the doctor who finds a cure for cancer or fighting hunger. As parents and caretakers, we can equip our children with the tools to handle any problems they may face in the future by developing their creativity.

Creativity Time During Free Play

A child’s creativity muscle gets a lot of exercise during unstructured free play time. Since there is no requirement for exactly what a child should be doing, she can let her mind explore the limitless possibilities! If you are looking to help your child build her creativity, carve out some time for supervised free play time.

Creativity During Art Time

Art projects can be a perfect opportunity for children to develop creativity and self-expression. One of the roadblocks in developing a child’s creativity is placing an expectation on the end product. A child could be disheartened when she realizes her masterpiece looks nothing like what it is “supposed” to look like. Taking out the “supposed to” aspect of art projects makes a significant impact on fostering a child’s creativity.

Instead of making sure all of the children have instruction to attempt to repeat an image they see, focus on the process instead of the product. As long as the children are utilizing the different tools and materials in a safe manner, let their brains run wild to build their creativity without fear of judgment.

Encouraging Your Child’s Creativity

Many parents have experienced that awkward moment when a child brings home an art project that looks unrecognizable. Take those opportunities to learn about your child’s inventions free of judgment! Discussing a child’s art work with them is an excellent way to begin discussion of the day’s activities.

We suggest that a parent not ask, “What’s that?” because to a child very often they were not drawing a particular thing. Instead, perhaps ask your child to tell you about the picture she brought home, which will often encourage them to talk about their creation.

Creativity at Noah’s Ark Child Center

At Noah’s Ark Child Center in Reno, creativity is an integral part of our curriculum. We foster your child’s creativity through activities like dance, music, block building, dramatic play, mud play to challenge your child’s imagination and ability.

Our childcare professionals at Noah’s Ark Child Center strive to create a safe environment that supports creativity and self-expression of all the children.

Stop by for a tour and visit Noah’s Ark Child Center in Reno today!

On a hot summer day or when it is pouring cats and dogs outside, children can end up stuck inside with no structured activities planned. Few things can ruin a day faster than a bored child. Combat boredom with fun games for the kids and creating free play time!

Games Help A Child’s Development

Playing games with your children can not only bring your family closer together, but a “family game night” could set a child up for a more successful future. Recent studies reveal that a child’s executive function may have more to do with successful learning than a high IQ or sheer talent.

Unlike structured activities like team sports, free play and board games have a strong influence on improving a child’s executive function to make a child more self-sufficient in the future. Playing board games or card games with school age children can help foster their attention, concentration, visual-spatial processing, impulse control, and problem solving skills.

What better way to work on a terrifying muscle like impulse control than while playing a fun game? Even in the high stakes of a game, there may be less tears and fighting than if a caretaker were to teach impulse control in other scenarios.

Building Connections

Games offer kids a great environment for children to learn the fundamentals of teamwork, which is extremely important as they grow up. If children can learn how to work together at an early age, that skill will propel them to fostering meaningful relationships and a great work environment as adults.

Playing games as a family can bring your family closer together. If you have children that are a few years apart, a common entertaining activity like your family’s favorite game can keep siblings connected. Having a game night or board game time also allows you as a parent quality time with your children to learn about what is going on in their lives. In the demanding landscape of lessons, sports, and extracurricular activities, creating that time as a family can become very precious.

Outdoor Play

When the weather permits, outdoor games can help children’s cardiovascular health and teamwork skills. Outdoor games are especially helpful for children to improve coordination and get outside with nature!

Outdoor games with kids can sometimes lead to more ouchies than indoor games, so make sure your child center or caretaker is equipped to prevent and treat any child’s injuries.

Noah’s Ark Child Center

At Noah’s Ark Child Center in Reno, we offer preschool programs as well as before and after school programs to take care of your children. The child care programs at Noah’s Ark Child Center help children develop learning skills and socialization in order to expand a child’s education beyond time in the classroom.

Activities are diverse within our child care programs. Crafts, computers, games, stories, science, cooking, visitors and outdoor activities are included in the children’s time, so there are great learning opportunities across the board.

Visit us today to enter your child into a child care program in Reno at Noah’s Ark Child Center!

The time has come for your child to go to school! You have been preparing for this day, and there may be a question lingering as a parent or caretaker: “what next?” There are many school age programs and activities that can supplement your child’s education in the classroom.

At Noah’s Ark Child Center in Reno, we have come up with a few school age program activities for kids to continue learning and having fun at the same time!

Indoor Activities

Arts and crafts are a great way to improve a child’s fine motor skills and self-expression. Strengthening these skills in a school age child will help him learn and grow in the classroom. One fun and creative arts and crafts activity for school age children is to make a rain stick. By filling a tube with rice and seeds, your child can replicate the sound of rain — how cool!

Outdoor Activities

School age programs are a chance for kids to explore!

Activate the kids’ brains and hearts with an interactive scavenger hunt! Create clues that are based on what the children have been learning in school to reinforce their education. With proper supervision, you can get the little ones running around for aerobic exercise and practicing logic or other educational skills!

Summer Activities

At Noah’s Ark Child Center, our summer school age program activities include field trips  centered around a weekly theme. Assigning a theme to each week gives the children a focus to help children learn and grow.

During our programs we take children on enriching field trips throughout the community. We visit Museums, the University of Nevada-Reno, and other places where kids can learn about the community. We also have field trips to Wild Island Family Adventure Park, Reno Aces Ballpark, and a fun bowling alley! No matter where we go, we make sure your kids are having fun!

Fall Activities

Do you have a lot of spare containers lying around your Reno home or daycare center? Repurpose them by using the old milk cartons and cans to help kids build their very own robot. This is a fun arts and crafts activity that can also involve some math by having children measure. Be sure there are no sharp objects included in the recycled products, since tiny fingers on something sharp is not a fun ending to a day building a robot!

School Age Programs at Noah’s Ark Child Center

Noah’s Ark Child Center offers school age programs!

At Noah’s Ark Child Center in Reno, we offer school age programs during the summer and for before and after school! The Noah’s Ark Child Center Summer School Age Program is open for children who have completed the first grade through children who are thirteen years old. School Age Programs during the summer help children keep their minds sharp between school years.

The Before and After School Programs for school age children are also helpful to expand a child’s education beyond time in the classroom. The School Age Program at Noah’s Ark Child Center is under the guidance of a School Age Supervisor and experienced staff.

Activities are planned for the morning and afternoon sessions, which allow the children free time to play and interact with their friends. Crafts, computers, games, stories, science, cooking, visitors and outdoor activities are included in the children’s time.
Visit us today to enter your child into a School Age Program in Reno at Noah’s Ark Child Center!

At Noah’s Ark Child Center, we want to make sure your child has a safe and fun experience while expanding his learning! If you are looking for some fun activities with your child or for a sitter to create, here are some exciting before and after school program activities that you can try at home.

Outdoor Before and After School Program Activities

Hopscotch is a fun pastime and before and after school programs!

The Society of Health and Physical Educators, aka SHAPE America, advises that school-aged children have an hour cumulatively of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day. Before and after school programs can help ensure your child is getting enough physical activity by including outdoor play time.

The Care.com team offers fun and safe ideas for children in before and after school programs, including playing with sidewalk chalk. Playing with sidewalk chalk can create opportunities for art projects, hopscotch, and even reviewing some math problems with adults!

If you’re looking for fun and creative before and after school program activities that get kids moving and playing outdoors, try an obstacle course or scavenger hunt. These activities will be fun, physical, and creative for kids to have a great time.

Indoor Before and After School Program Activities

Before and after school programs are a great time to integrate a child’s curriculum with fun applications to help them understand what they learn in the classroom. One delicious learning opportunity is making ice cream in a plastic bag with the kids! Both a fun and delicious before and after school program activity, making ice cream in a bag teaches kids about chemistry!

Another great before and after school program activity is making rainbow soap foam for kids to play. It only takes about 10 minutes to create some soap foam, and you can choose primary colors to teach children about color mixing, and playing with soap foam is a safe sensory activity. Make sure to use liquid watercolors, as they are washable and won’t cause stains.

Before and after school program activities can be colorful and educational. Want to teach children about how plants absorb water? Fill cups with water and different colors of food coloring, and add cabbage or white flowers. The kids will love watching the flowers take on a new color as they absorb the water!

Noah’s Ark Child Center’s Before and After School Programs

Noah’s Ark Child Center’s Before and After School Program has lots of fun activities!

Noah’s Ark Child Center provides a Before and After School Program for children in kindergarten through sixth grade on traditional school schedules. Our Before and After School Program includes students from Peavine Elementary School, Mamie Towles Elementary School, Elmcrest Elementary School, and Roland Melton Elementary School.

On “early release” days or days off school, the children at Noah’s Ark Before and After School Program have supervised field trips and fun activities away from the Ark.

About Noah’s Ark Child Center

Noah’s Ark is a non-profit out-reach mission of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church. Our childcare program has been in operation since 1972. Noah’s Ark began in a small space with only 15 children and over the years has grown to encompass 115 children and an expanded faculty.

In 1987 the “educational wing” of the church was built by St. Paul’s with the Ark, to accommodate youth programs of the church and the growing child care population. St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, hand in hand with Noah’s Ark Child Center, reaffirms daily their commitment to the needs of the community, childcare and childcare excellence. We welcome you to our Noah’s Ark family.