Early Learning News:

Your monthly Dose of News and Updates in Child Development

April 2025

The Family Newsletter:

This newsletter is designed to provide you with clear and consistent updates across our entire organization, focusing on child development. As we continue to prioritize communication and partnerships with our families, this newsletter will serve as your go-to resource for important information, upcoming events, and insights into our programs.

Your child's growth and development are at the heart of everything we do.

As a reminder, we often have many students in our buildings obtaining much needed observations and hands-on experiences in our classrooms with our lead teachers and our students. We have High School students from Millstream Career Center, as well as college students from the University of Findlay for Early Childhood, Nursing as well as Occupational Therapy. These students enhance our program and we are so very thankful for these partnerships.

Thank you!!! We appreciate our YMCA families.

Kari Redman

Child Development District Director

kredman@findlayymca.com

Please note- ALL YMCA Child Development Programs be CLOSED on April 18th for Good Friday.

May 5th is Teacher Appreciation Week. If any family members would like to meet with us to help plan (or have any ideas to share), please email me at kredman@findlayymca.com

It's time to sign up for Camp!!!

A Note from Childcare Leaders

Stephanie Dawson: Early Learning Center Director,

Cory-Rawson

The YMCA Early Learning Center at Cory-Rawson recently hosted a lively Storytime session with the Hancock County Library, delighting young minds with tales and adventures. Adding to the excitement, representatives from the local park district visited, introducing children to the wonders of nature and outdoor exploration. Students from Ohio Northern University's psychology program also joined the fun, engaging the children with educational activities about the brain. Please note that the Early Learning Center will be closed on Good Friday, April 18th, and there will be no food service on April 21st due to the Cory-Rawson school closure. Parents should keep an eye on their child's cubby for sunscreen forms and summer planning forms.

Heather Moore: Child Development Center Director, Findlay

A huge thank you to everyone who supported our Book Fair! It was wonderful to see so many smiling faces and the excitement as children picked out new books to enjoy.

As the school year winds down, summer camp season is just around the corner! We have an amazing lineup of fun activities planned, so be sure to register your child to secure their spot.

Upcoming Picture Days:

April 17th – Infants & toddlers
April 16th – Preschoolers & younger siblings
Photos start at 8:00 AM and usually wrap up by 9:45 AM. Keep an eye out for more details!

Exciting Community Events:

Healthy Kids’ Day – April 11th, 5:00-8:00 PM at the Koehler Center, University of Findlay
YMCA Easter Egg Hunt – April 19th, 9:00 AM at Riverside

It’s going to be a fun-filled month, and we hope to see you all at these special events!

Thank you for being a part of our childcare family!

Administrative Director:

Nicole Gosche

School-age Coordinator:

Mr. Dewan

Our YABSS kids are thrilled for Spring! In March, we explored a variety of crafts inspired by St. Patrick’s Day and Dr. Seuss. Seeing their excitement and engagement, we plan to host a full Dr. Seuss Week next year to continue the fun. As we welcomed Spring, we introduced it as a season of renewal through creative, hands-on activities.

Looking ahead to April, we are excited to celebrate Easter with our kids. We have planned engaging arts and crafts activities centered around Easter traditions, helping them connect with the season and its cultural significance.

Additionally, we want to inform our families that the school schedule will be changing next academic year. YABSS, in collaboration with Findlay City Schools, will implement adjustments to better support our students and families. Our priority remains fostering a healthy, supportive, and collaborative environment for both children and parents. We will share final updates soon- stay tuned!

Occupational Therapist:

Mrs. Trisha

April Showers Bring Strong Fingers! 🌧️

This month, "splash" into fun with finger-strengthening activities! Just like April rain helps plants grow, daily hand exercises help little fingers develop the strength they need for writing, cutting, and classroom skills. Preschoolers can squeeze, pinch, and press their way through April with playful activities that build those important hand muscles!

Why Strong Fingers Matter: At preschool age, developing finger strength is essential! Strong fingers help children manage classroom tools independently, from buttoning jackets to using scissors. These skills promote confidence and self-sufficiency. The finger muscles used for squeezing and pinching are the same ones needed for proper pencil grip, manipulating small objects, and opening lunch containers. Building this foundation now supports learning success later!

Try These Rainy Day Hand Strengtheners:

"Umbrella open-close" practice with spray bottles to squirt water designs
"Puddle jumping" by squeezing water from sponges to make puddles
"Raindrop catching" using tweezers to pick up cotton balls or pom-poms
"Rainbow making" with clothespins to clip colored paper strips together
"Garden planting" by pressing seeds into play dough or soft soil

Just 5 minutes of these "finger-boosting" activities daily helps your little one develop the hand strength needed for preschool success! 🌈

Teacher Mentors:

Ms. Lynsie and Ms. Sandra:

With springtime upon us, we are excited to spend more time outdoors! To make sure your child is comfortable and ready for all the fun outdoor activities, please send them with appropriate clothes for outdoor play. We would love for them to have:

A light jacket or sweater
Comfortable shoes (preferably sneakers)
Weather-appropriate clothes (such as long sleeves for cooler days, or hats for sunny days)
A change of clothes just in case they get too messy!

Thank you for helping ensure that all the children can enjoy the season to the fullest.

Wishing you a joyful and fulfilling month ahead! 🌸

Summer Camp Supervisor: Ms. Delaney

Who’s ready for summer and discovery camp? I am so excited to kick off another amazing summer that will be filled with fun adventures, laughter, and new memories. We have tons of fun activities planned, from art to outdoor adventures and exciting field trips. We have been working hard to make sure this will be an awesome summer, and can’t wait to see all your smiling faces.

Let’s make this summer one to remember!!