This post comes directly from our ECYD Student Club-

As some may or may not know, this week the Early Childhood and Youth Development Club is celebrating with the National Association of Education for Young Children (NAEYC) for the “Week of the Young Child”. This is a time for childhood professionals to advocate for young children, bringing awareness in different ways to parents on how they can educate and have fun with their children at home. Back in March, the club decided that we would do something for the community. We borrowed over 600 Cub Foods grocery bags, had children of all ages decorate them, and returned them to Cub Foods this week. Inside each bag was a flyer with activities for parents/caregivers to do with their children. 

On April 23, 2012, the ECYD CLUB hosted our very first “Week of the Young Child On Campus Awareness Project” at Dakota County Technical College! Being a new club and having a group of “early childhood professionals in the making,” we had lots of great ideas for how we should advocate this week for children.

We chose to do a book reading from the hours of 11am – 1pm. During those hours, every 20 minutes we had a new reader who read two to three different books. In addition to the book reading, there were parent kits on display. (A Parent Kit is exactly what it sounds like, a group of themed based items [five minimum], which would allow parents the opportunity to spend quality time with their child at home by reading a story that may help in a developmental area, games, art projects, puppets, music, and many other items.)

One parent wrote (during practicum May 25, 2011) “Zachary was very excited to check out all the activities in the bag and started taking them out in the car to see what was in the bag! He picked out the fishing game first and we raced to see who could get (catch) the most fish…and both ended up catching four fish! Next, we worked on the fish puzzle which was a little tricky at first, but we worked together and got it! We made rainbow fish by painting each others hands with the water colors and made hand fish prints!! Zachary and I really enjoyed all the activities in the bag; they were ready to go and we enjoyed spending the evening together as a family! Now we are off to bed and are going to cuddle and read The Rainbow Fish book!”

There were ECYD Program t-shirts for sale (as a fundraiser for the club) and cookies for onlookers. As we transitioned into our last hour, Ms. Jill Behnke, an ECYD Instructor, came out and read a few more stories. (Of course none of us were able to leave without having her sing!) So she sang a few preschool classics as we wrapped things up with our final reader. All of the ladies had a great time…we can’t wait until next year!

Thank you to our instructors and those who helped get the Cub Food bags out, colored, and delivered. Thank you to everyone who helped get the WOYC event approved, as well as everyone who helped decorate and setup. Thank you to all of our readers and singers!! Thank you for getting our new T-Shirts for our ECYD club. 

Thank you all ACTIVE members; your hard work helped make our event a huge success!!  Please take the ECYD survey today.

Thanks for all the support,
Jessica Jackson and Stacy Peterson
Co-Chairs Early Childhood and Youth Development Club