Family Fun Night to celebrate quality child care, practitioners

By Kirk Starratt

kstarratt@kentvilleadvertiser.ca

NovaNewsNow.com

They say we learn more during our first five years than at any other point in life, so it’s essential that children receive quality early childhood education.

In recognition of Child Care Awareness Days, a free Family Fun Night will take place at the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) Kingstec Campus in Kentville Friday, June 6 from 6-8 p.m. This is the eighth year for the event.

There will be lots of fun, free activities for children and there will be information on quality child care providers and organizations to help raise awareness.

Meaghan Forster, coordinator of the NSCC Kingstec Campus Early Childhood Development Support Centre, and Wendy Carty, co-owner and director of Love Your Child Children’s Centre, Cambridge, are regional co-chairs for the event and say they hope to see another great turnout for the fun night this year. They had about 250 children in attendance last year.

“We encourage everybody to come out. We have a wonderful evening, learn more about quality care and have fun, which we always do,” Carty said.

She said it’s important to her to raise awareness about quality child care and quality practitioners in our area. Carty has had her centre for about 10 years now and sees the fun night as a great opportunity to show families that they care about all their children. She sees taking on the organization of the event with Forster as her way to pitch-in.

ECE makes a difference

Carty said it’s important as well for families to have an opportunity to come out and show their appreciation for early childhood educators who provide for children every day. “Early childhood education makes a difference,” she said. “It makes learning fun.”

Carty said it’s important to send that message and awareness is the biggest component.

Forster said the event would consist of free food, including a barbecue, apple slices, juice boxes and more, as well as fun activities for children. There will be opportunities to network and interact with local early childhood educators and community organizations with a vested interest in children. She said they usually have an excellent turnout from the community and they appreciate the family support.

“We’re really excited to be celebrating quality child care in the Valley and making this an annual event,” she said. “Quality child care promotes healthy child development and child care is an integral part of the social and economic fabric of society. All families should have the right to affordable, quality child care.”

Forster said the early years are the learning years and early childhood educators have a responsibility to help guide that learning everyday.

“Early childhood educators work with families to support children,” Forster said.

Every local child care centre represented will have an activity area for children, there will be a water play activity area and some special surprise guests will drop in. Forster said children would be sure to recognize these characters.

There will be a variety of information kiosks, representing programs such as Grow With Art and Snap, Buckle and Drive, and the Department of Community Services will have information on quality, licensed child care. There will be an early screening clinic for three-year-olds as well. Carty said it’s important to screen for potential problems that could impact learning early so they can be corrected as soon as possible.