Repurpose your old crib!
Staff from the St. Ignace Early Head Start program repurposed a part of their old crib to use as the daily schedule bulletin board! You can do this too by taking an old crib end and painting chalkboard paint on it (you may have to attach a thin sheet of plywood inside the frame if your old crib has slats). What a great idea to save the old crib parts from a landfill! Way to go St. Ignace Early Head Start! We love GREEN ideas!
More ideas can be found by clicking the links below:
30 Ideas for Old Cribs
Make a Kid-sized Desk out of an Old Crib
Make an Art Easel out of an Old Crib
More Ideas for Recycling an Old Crib
More ideas can be found by clicking the links below:
30 Ideas for Old Cribs
Make a Kid-sized Desk out of an Old Crib
Make an Art Easel out of an Old Crib
More Ideas for Recycling an Old Crib
Early Childhood Investment Corporation gives away 3,500 free cribs to increase infant
safety in early learning and care facilities cross the state
LANSING-- More than 900 licensed child care providers will have the opportunity to trade in old cribs for new federally-approved cribs as part of a free crib
exchange from January 7 to 14. The exchange is the second of two such events made possible by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds and involving ECIC and Lowes.
The first crib exchange in August issued 2,000 new cribs that met federal safety guidelines to early learning and development programs that accept children whose
families receive subsidized child care payments from the Michigan Department of Human Services, as well as Early Head Start sites/locations.
This week 3,500 cribs will be issued to early learning and development programs that are caring for infants under 1-year old whose families receive subsidized child
care payments from the Michigan Department of Human Services. Crib exchanges are taking place at 18 Lowe’s stores throughout the state of Michigan. Providers who received a certificate for the exchange will be able to contact their local Regional Resource Center to identify the Lowe’s store where they can pick up their cribs.
Lowe’s partnered with the Early Childhood Investment Corp. after they heard of the first Michigan crib exchange. The national home improvement store does not sell
cribs, but had partnered in a similar crib exchange, also funded by ARRA dollars, in Indiana.
“Because of their buying power, Lowe’s was able to get us a good deal and offered their stores for storage and delivery,” said Mary Luchies, coordinator of the crib
exchange for the Early Childhood Investment Corp.
The exchanges serve a licensing requirement for licensed and registered providers serving infants. Infants in care under 1 year of age are required to sleep in a crib, and National Consumer Product Safety Commission requires all cribs manufactured prior to June 30, 2011 to be replaced with cribs meeting new
stricter safety requirements.
Karen Roback, director of Early Learning Innovation for the Early Childhood Investment Corporation, said cribs were targeted to the early learning and development
programs serving the most vulnerable children.
“The purpose of the funds is to improve the quality of care for the most vulnerable children. Safe cribs improve the quality of the early learning and development setting and we know that quality is critical for childhood development,” Roback said.
The Early Childhood Investment Corporation is a public/private organization working to implement a high quality early learning and development system
for Michigan as part of its work to restructure the state’s investment in children from birth to five through state and local community efforts. ECIC supports local Great Start Collaboratives and Parent Coalitions covering the state.
NOTE: The crib exchanges are only for licensed early learning and care providers who received a certificate and reserved a crib.
For more information about the crib exchange program, call Mary Luchies, coordinator of the crib exchange, at (231) 679-2670. For more information about the Early Childhood Investment Corporation and its efforts, go to www.greatstartforkids.org
exchange from January 7 to 14. The exchange is the second of two such events made possible by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds and involving ECIC and Lowes.
The first crib exchange in August issued 2,000 new cribs that met federal safety guidelines to early learning and development programs that accept children whose
families receive subsidized child care payments from the Michigan Department of Human Services, as well as Early Head Start sites/locations.
This week 3,500 cribs will be issued to early learning and development programs that are caring for infants under 1-year old whose families receive subsidized child
care payments from the Michigan Department of Human Services. Crib exchanges are taking place at 18 Lowe’s stores throughout the state of Michigan. Providers who received a certificate for the exchange will be able to contact their local Regional Resource Center to identify the Lowe’s store where they can pick up their cribs.
Lowe’s partnered with the Early Childhood Investment Corp. after they heard of the first Michigan crib exchange. The national home improvement store does not sell
cribs, but had partnered in a similar crib exchange, also funded by ARRA dollars, in Indiana.
“Because of their buying power, Lowe’s was able to get us a good deal and offered their stores for storage and delivery,” said Mary Luchies, coordinator of the crib
exchange for the Early Childhood Investment Corp.
The exchanges serve a licensing requirement for licensed and registered providers serving infants. Infants in care under 1 year of age are required to sleep in a crib, and National Consumer Product Safety Commission requires all cribs manufactured prior to June 30, 2011 to be replaced with cribs meeting new
stricter safety requirements.
Karen Roback, director of Early Learning Innovation for the Early Childhood Investment Corporation, said cribs were targeted to the early learning and development
programs serving the most vulnerable children.
“The purpose of the funds is to improve the quality of care for the most vulnerable children. Safe cribs improve the quality of the early learning and development setting and we know that quality is critical for childhood development,” Roback said.
The Early Childhood Investment Corporation is a public/private organization working to implement a high quality early learning and development system
for Michigan as part of its work to restructure the state’s investment in children from birth to five through state and local community efforts. ECIC supports local Great Start Collaboratives and Parent Coalitions covering the state.
NOTE: The crib exchanges are only for licensed early learning and care providers who received a certificate and reserved a crib.
For more information about the crib exchange program, call Mary Luchies, coordinator of the crib exchange, at (231) 679-2670. For more information about the Early Childhood Investment Corporation and its efforts, go to www.greatstartforkids.org
Check out our newsletter for providers and early learning programs!
Learning and Resource Kits Available for Parents and Providers!
Click HERE to see a photo index of the learning kits.
Child care providers, center staff, parents, and anyone working with young children can access learning and resource kits to gain information, have additional materials for children, and encourage growth and development. A sample of a kit is shown below! Call your local child care educator to get details on borrowing a kit! Many are available!
Child care provider a finalist in national foundation contest
By Teri Banas
INDIAN RIVER – Kim Stahl is forever mindful that each day is “a learning experience” for young children. As a result, she’s constantly searching for new ways to inspire their development.
It was with this thought in mind that Stahl entered a national contest for child care providers that required applicants to describe how they would improve learning for the youngsters in their care.
Her submission – built around “the benefits of water play” – caught the attention of the Terri Lynne Lokoff Child Care Foundation and the makers of Children’s Tylenol.
This month, Stahl, 34, was notified that she is among 10 national finalists for the foundation’s Helene Marks Award, created to recognize the need to raise the status of child care educators and the need for high quality care. Commitment and dedication to the children she serves are among criteria for her naming, according to the foundation’s announcement.
“I’m just a small town girl and to achieve this is just overwhelming,” said Stahl, a licensed child care provider from Indian River near Burt Lake in rural Northern Michigan. “I can’t believe it. I wanted to cry.”
The distinction carries special meaning for Stahl because unlike eight of the finalists – all center-based facilities – she operates a small home-based business. Her eight-year operation is now open around-the-clock to better serve families in the area who struggle to find quality care in the off-hours.
“I’m the only one in the area that I know of that’s 24-7,” she said. “There was one in (nearby) Gaylord but it shut down when the economy went kaput.”
Stahl, who has an associate’s degree in early childhood education, credits the staff of the Great Start Regional Child Care Center for Northeast Michigan for resources and expert advice that’s help her grow as a provider. Additionally, her contact with Melinda Hambleton, coordinator for the Cheboygan-Otsego-Presque Isle Counties Great Start Collaborative, gave her the nudge to apply for the Lokoff Child Care Foundation award.
“Children’s minds are like sponges; they’re so impressionable,” Stahl said. “When children are educated, they thrive and do so well. It creates a better future for them and a better world for all of us. And it all starts right here.”
Robin Benson, program director for the Northeast Michigan regional office, said Stahl has a well-earned reputation for not only working hard to improve the quality of her own care but also taking a role in advocating for changes that benefit children locally and statewide.
Stahl has worked with the area’s improvement team, presenting a child care provider’s perspective on quality improvements and program implementations, Benson said.
“She’s influenced other providers through her involvement, and has worked to advocate for licensing and subsidy program rules that benefit children. She holds so many of the qualities we love to see in providers – professional, nurturing, forward-thinking, creative and proactive in her methods of working with children and in supporting her community, especially for its youngest children.”
Karen Roback, director of the statewide Great Start Child Care Quality Program, said providers like Stahl are important community leaders in the drive to improve the quality of child care and early learning in Michigan.
“All our efforts are connected. The Great Start System is working with providers like Kim Stahl to boost their work with young children and in the process providers like Kim are becoming advocates for the change we seek.”
In April, Stahl will be recognized for the work she loves when she flies to Philadelphia on an expense-paid trip for the final rung of the contest.
As one of 50 original winners from across the country, she receives a $1,000 prize that she will put toward replacing the old bathtub and leaky faucet in her home’s main bathroom. The tub gets plenty of use from her own two children, Vincent, 4, and Gabriella, 2, along with the eight other children she cares for at various times throughout the week.
While it would be nice to win the top prize – which comes with an additional $1,000 award – Stahl said she’s honored just to be counted as a finalist.
“I love teaching the children. I love that I get paid to have fun.”
By Teri Banas
INDIAN RIVER – Kim Stahl is forever mindful that each day is “a learning experience” for young children. As a result, she’s constantly searching for new ways to inspire their development.
It was with this thought in mind that Stahl entered a national contest for child care providers that required applicants to describe how they would improve learning for the youngsters in their care.
Her submission – built around “the benefits of water play” – caught the attention of the Terri Lynne Lokoff Child Care Foundation and the makers of Children’s Tylenol.
This month, Stahl, 34, was notified that she is among 10 national finalists for the foundation’s Helene Marks Award, created to recognize the need to raise the status of child care educators and the need for high quality care. Commitment and dedication to the children she serves are among criteria for her naming, according to the foundation’s announcement.
“I’m just a small town girl and to achieve this is just overwhelming,” said Stahl, a licensed child care provider from Indian River near Burt Lake in rural Northern Michigan. “I can’t believe it. I wanted to cry.”
The distinction carries special meaning for Stahl because unlike eight of the finalists – all center-based facilities – she operates a small home-based business. Her eight-year operation is now open around-the-clock to better serve families in the area who struggle to find quality care in the off-hours.
“I’m the only one in the area that I know of that’s 24-7,” she said. “There was one in (nearby) Gaylord but it shut down when the economy went kaput.”
Stahl, who has an associate’s degree in early childhood education, credits the staff of the Great Start Regional Child Care Center for Northeast Michigan for resources and expert advice that’s help her grow as a provider. Additionally, her contact with Melinda Hambleton, coordinator for the Cheboygan-Otsego-Presque Isle Counties Great Start Collaborative, gave her the nudge to apply for the Lokoff Child Care Foundation award.
“Children’s minds are like sponges; they’re so impressionable,” Stahl said. “When children are educated, they thrive and do so well. It creates a better future for them and a better world for all of us. And it all starts right here.”
Robin Benson, program director for the Northeast Michigan regional office, said Stahl has a well-earned reputation for not only working hard to improve the quality of her own care but also taking a role in advocating for changes that benefit children locally and statewide.
Stahl has worked with the area’s improvement team, presenting a child care provider’s perspective on quality improvements and program implementations, Benson said.
“She’s influenced other providers through her involvement, and has worked to advocate for licensing and subsidy program rules that benefit children. She holds so many of the qualities we love to see in providers – professional, nurturing, forward-thinking, creative and proactive in her methods of working with children and in supporting her community, especially for its youngest children.”
Karen Roback, director of the statewide Great Start Child Care Quality Program, said providers like Stahl are important community leaders in the drive to improve the quality of child care and early learning in Michigan.
“All our efforts are connected. The Great Start System is working with providers like Kim Stahl to boost their work with young children and in the process providers like Kim are becoming advocates for the change we seek.”
In April, Stahl will be recognized for the work she loves when she flies to Philadelphia on an expense-paid trip for the final rung of the contest.
As one of 50 original winners from across the country, she receives a $1,000 prize that she will put toward replacing the old bathtub and leaky faucet in her home’s main bathroom. The tub gets plenty of use from her own two children, Vincent, 4, and Gabriella, 2, along with the eight other children she cares for at various times throughout the week.
While it would be nice to win the top prize – which comes with an additional $1,000 award – Stahl said she’s honored just to be counted as a finalist.
“I love teaching the children. I love that I get paid to have fun.”
