Feb 26
Eco-Families
Feburary, 2008 Photos courtesy of Imago Eco-Families (nee Eco-Babies), is a monthly potluck for families and their young children, hosted by Imago. For parents, it is a way to learn more about ecological subjects and to hang out with other parents who share similar values. Children take part in songs, stories and hikes. Afterwards, it's dinnertime! Led by Dr. Amy Murdoch, a school psychologist specializing in early education and Chris Clements, Executive Director of Imago, each month features a theme and several activities revolving around that theme. Recent programs have included composting, birds, making gifts for wildlife, family yoga,…
Feb 26
Nocturnal Adventures at the Cincinnati Zoo
Article by Michelle Balz Photos courtesy of the Cincinnati Zoo Twenty Girl Scouts stand in the Nocturnal House kitchen, an area of the Cincinnati Zoo most visitors never see. It is 8:30 p.m., three hours past closing. All eyes are intently on the zoo instructor as she reaches into a bucket of live mealworms and, grinning, pops one in her mouth. "Remember when you eat these for breakfast in the morning to make sure you chew them really well or they will crawl back up!" she teases. This is not a local "Fear Factor" episode and these children are…
Feb 26
A Local Success Story – Early Education
Below is a letter from Sally Wehby, Executive Director of the UC Child Care Center, Inc. with their solution to providing today’s kids with the same unstructured play opportunities that many of us took for granted. "A group of administrators and teachers from the UC Child Care Center, Inc. formed a committee during the summer of 2006 to discuss the use of a large piece of land in back of our child care facility. The Center already had traditional playgrounds for both infants and toddlers, as well as for our preschool age children. After sharing each other’s outdoor experiences as…
Feb 26
Leave No Child Inside – Greater Cincinnati supports the Ohio Physical Activity Plan
Feburary, 2008 On February 13, 2008, Ohio's Physical Activity Plan was released. This plan, created by a consortium including the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association and the Ohio Parks and Recreation Association, is a statewide plan of action to address the epidemic of physical inactivity and its consequences. It incorporates strategies to influence behaviors and lifestyles, focusing on Community, School, Transportation, and Worksite. This report addresses health issues not only for Ohio's children, but for the population in general. Leave No Child Inside – Greater Cincinnati has endorsed the plan. Click here to view either the Executive Summary or the complete…
Feb 21
The Importance of Unstructured Play
Although this piece from National Public Radio does not deal specifically with play outdoors, it supports the importance of unstructured play to healthy childhood development. Click here for information on how unstructured play affects a child's cognitive and emotional development, including self-discipline.