Free Fishing Weekend

June 5-6, 2010

It's reel fun with a catch!

Youth, age 17 and younger, do not need a fishing license to fish in Indiana waters. Additionally, during Free Fishing Weekend (June 5-6, 2010), all Indiana residents do not need a fishing license or a trout/salmon stamp to fish Indiana waters.

Load up the car with friends, family and fishing poles and enjoy a FREE weekend of fishing. Check out a new lake or river, or introduce friends and family to a favorite fishing spot.

Fishing can be enjoyed alone on a bank or shared among a boat load of people on the lake. It can be quiet and relaxing or fun and exciting. Fishing can also provide tasty meals, but don’t forget: fishing is not always “catching” fish, but it’s “trying to catch” fish.

To help kids and adults celebrate Free Fishing Weekend, recreation areas located across Indiana are planning fun fishing derbies, knot tying demonstrations, casting clinics and fish cleaning and cooking classes. Some properties require pre-registration. Call your favorite property for details.
Individuals who need reasonable modifications for effective participation in Free Fishing Weekend events at DNR properties should contact the property at least 72 hours before the event. Or call the DNR ADA Coordinator at 317-232-4145.

Properties hosting activities for Free Fishing Weekend

■Brookville Reservoir, Brookville, 765-458-5565
■Buffalo Trace Park, Palmyra, 812-364-6112
■Cagles Mill Lake (Lieber SRA), Cloverdale, 765-795-3552
■Cecil M. Harden Lake (Raccoon SRA), Rockville, 765-344-1412
■Cedar Lake, Cedar Lake, 219-374-6157
■Chain O’Lakes State Park, 260-636-2654
■Dobbs Park Nature Center, Terre Haute, 812-877-1095
■Eagle Creek Park, Indianapolis, 317-327-7110
■Falls of the Ohio State Park, Jeffersonville, 812-280-9970
■Ferrettie/Baugo Creek County Park, Osceola, 574-277-4828
■Hot Pond Park, Lebanon, 765-482-8860
■Hoosier National Forest, Bedford, 812-275-5987
■J. Edward Roush Lake, Huntington, 260-468-2127
■Mississinewa Lake, Peru, 260-468-2127
■Monroe Lake, Bloomington, 812-837-9546
■Mounds State Park, Anderson, 765-649-8128
■O'Bannon Woods State Park, Corydon, 812-738-8234
■Ouabache State Park, Bluffton, 260-824-0926
■Ox Bow Park, Goshen, 574-535-6458
■Patoka Lake, Birdseye, 812-685-2464
■Prairie Creek Reservoir, Selma, 765-747-4776
■River Preserve Park, Goshen, 574-535-6458
■Salamonie Lake, Andrews, 260-468-2127
■St. Patrick County Park, South Bend, 219-277-4828
■Shakamak State Park, Jasonville, 812-665-2158
■Starve Hollow State Recreation Area, Vallonia, 812-358-3464
■Summit Lake State Park, New Castle, 765-766-5873
■Tippecanoe River State Park, Winamac, 574-946-3213
■Versailles State Park, Versailles, 812-689-6424
■Whitewater Memorial State Park, Liberty, 765-458-5565
■Williams Dam Public Fishing Area, Williams, 812-388-5564
■Willow Slough FWA, Morocco, 219-285-2704

Providers we need your input!

It is that time of the year again that we need to hear from you! Please click on the link to go to survey monkey and complete our annual training needs assessment. Please complete the survey no later than May 31, 2010.

IT is vital that we hear from you and your staff. This assessment helps us plan the trainings offered for our next fiscal year. Our fiscal year is from October to September.

Thank you for taking time to complete the 2010-2011 Training Needs Assessment! Please contact Joslyn Sullivan at (317) 636-5727 ext. 257 for any questions.

Mother's Day Gift

Mother's Day Herb Garden Kit

Tools and Materials

Sterile soil seed-starting mix
Plastic bag with zipper seal
Burlap
Rubber band
Raffia
Plant-tag template
Copper plant tags
Double-sided tape
Cork board
Push pins
Herb-garden-instruction template
Card stock
Scissors
Terra-cotta pot
Herb seed packets
Osmocote plant food
Gloves
Shovel
Japanese floral shears
Watering can
Garden stones

Herb Garden Kit How-To
1. Place sterile soil seed-starting mix in a sealed plastic bag. Gather burlap around plastic bag and secure with a rubber band. Add a raffia tie around the rubber band.

2. Download, print, and cut the copper plant-tag template. Place a copper tag on cork board and affix the tag template over it with double-sided tape. Using a push pin, pierce through the marked dots on the template into the copper plant tag.

3. Print the herb-garden instructions on heavy card stock and cut out.

4. Assemble the herb garden elements in a terra-cotta pot: add herb garden instructions, seed-starting mix, copper plant tags, herb seed packets, osmocote plant food, gloves, shovel, Japanese floral shears, watering can, and garden stones.

Resources
Copper tags are available at Jamali Garden. Seed packets are available at John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds. Terra-cotta pots are available at grdnbklyn.com. Don't worry about packing up this gift -- just take it to the UPS Store, where their certified packing experts can pack and ship your gifts. For more great gift ideas, check out our Mother's Day gifts photo gallery.

From The Martha Stewart Show, May 2008

Summer Reading Program

Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library will host a kick off event for the 2010 Summer Reading Program on Sunday May 23rd at the Central library starting at 1pm. For more information on the summer reading program check out the IMCPL website.

How to teach poison prevention programs to children

• Do you teach injury prevention programs for preschool/elementary school children?

• Are you looking for a new injury prevention topic?

• Would you like to promote poison safety in your own community?

If you answered “yes” - the Indiana Poison Center can help you teach poison safety.

Who? Anyone who teaches injury prevention programs for preschool and/or
elementary school children.

How long? 3 hours.

How much? The workshop is FREE

Where? 1812 N. Capitol, Wile Hall, 3rd Floor, Room W310, Methodist Hospital,
Indianapolis

When? Wednesday, May 26th from 9:00 a.m.–12 p.m. OR Tuesday June 8th from
12:30-3:30 p.m.

What? Training provides poison prevention background for the instructor,
activity ideas and materials to teach children poison safety and a way
to get the poison safety message home to parents and other adults.

To register contact:
Barbara Cole
(317) 962-9248
bcole@clarian.org

Registration is limited to 20
per session

May brings lots of great family fun at the Eiteljorg Museum!

May offers great family fun opportunities at the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art. On May 1, the month starts with the Indiana State Yo-Yo Contest. On Mother’s Day May 9 bring mom in for a uniue brunch experience. Then, on May 15, the museum will host the Leon Jett Celebration for Families followed by, on May 22, the opening day of the museum’s next special exhibition, Generations: The Helen Cox Kersting Collection of Southwestern Cultural Arts.

Yo-yo contest to attract more than 50 competitors

The museum will host the Indiana State Yo-Yo Contest, welcoming more than 50 competitors showcasing their talents in five different class divisions. Registration is 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. and the competition begins at 10 a.m. and will run through 4 p.m.

The Indiana State Yo-Yo Contest has long been respected as one of the best state contests in the U.S., with top-notch talent in attendance. According to event organizer [insert Takeshi’s name], yo-yos are more popular now than ever, with sales up 1000% from this time last year. Interest in this age-old toy has increased worldwide and some of the finest competitors in the United States will gather in Indianapolis to test their skill, swap tricks, and pick up the latest gear from sponsors and vendors.

The public is invited to watch yo-yo competitors in action and experience demonstrations, free beginner’s workshops and opportunities to learn about the past and future of yo-yoing from members of the National Yo-Yo League. Museum admission includes admission to view the contest.

Bring mom in for a unique cultural experience on Mother’s Day

The Eiteljorg Museum will be hosting its annual Mother’s Day Brunch on May 9, featuring a delicious buffet from Kahn’s Catering featuring grilled, Atlantic salmon with fresh tomato concasse and pesto cream; roasted, rosemary-rubbed pork loin with garlic mushroom demi-glace. There are two seatings available at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. The cost is $39 for adult members; $49 for adult non-members; $19 all children 4-12; and children 3 and under free. The fee includes the buffet, a champagne toast, taxes, gratuity, museum admission and parking. Cash bar will be available. Call Autumn Souert at (317) 275-1310 to make your reservation.

Museum celebrates life of longtime programs manager

On May 15, the Eiteljorg Museum will host the Leon Jett Celebration for Families. Guests will hear the story of The Three Sisters (corn, beans and squash) and will receive seeds to plant their own gardens at home. Visitors will also enjoy special performances and family activities celebrating the life of former public programs manager, Leon Jett.

The day features performances by Freetown Village Children’s Ensemble, Kumbaa Youth Theater and others. Guests can also learn about Native cultures through cultural representatives and enjoy pony rides and other family-friendly activities.

This event is co-hosted by the Friends of Leon. Guests are asked to bring a canned food donation for Gleaners Food Bank.

Exhibition opens featuring nearly 800 recently-donated cultural objects

On Saturday, May 22, the exhibit Generations: The Helen Cox Kersting Collection of Southwestern Cultural Arts will open. The museum will celebrate the opening of the exhibit with activities surrounding the subject of collecting. There will be experts on hand to discuss the collection of jewelry, pottery and other items..

The museum is encouraging guests to show off their personal collections at the museum on this day. Buttons…trading cards…fine art—interested parties should visit www.eiteljorg.org for details.

Visit www.eiteljorg.org for more information on any of these events.

Feds recall Simplicity and Graco cribs

Feds recall Simplicity and Graco cribs
Associated Press
Posted: April 29, 2010

WASHINGTON -- The government recalled thousands of Simplicity and Graco cribs Thursday, warning that babies could suffocate or strangle in them.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission said the Simplicity recall was linked to at least one death and involved thousands of cribs, possibly hundreds of thousands, though many had previously been recalled for other defects. The agency said about 217,000 Graco dropside cribs made by LaJobi were also being recalled.

The problem with both types of cribs stems from hardware failures.
In the case of the Graco-branded wood cribs, the side that moves up and down -- the dropside -- can break or detach, creating a dangerous gap between the crib mattress and dropped side. A baby can become trapped and suffocate or strangle. CPSC and LaJobi have received 99 complaints of dropside problems with the cribs. None involved serious injuries.

The Simplicity recall is for all full-sized cribs with tubular metal mattress-support frames. Those frames can bend or detach, causing the mattress to collapse and creating a space that a baby can roll into, become trapped in and suffocate.

A one-year-old boy in North Attleboro, Mass., became trapped in his Simplicity crib and suffocated in 2008, according to the commission.
"CPSC urges all parents and caregivers to not attempt to resell any Simplicity crib to a thrift store, at a yard sale or online," said agency spokesman Scott Wolfson. "These recalled cribs have killed far too many babies and need to be kept out of homes and daycare centers."
Simplicity has been the subject of almost a dozen recalls since 2005 and its cribs have been linked to 13 deaths.

The commission had previously recalled all Simplicity dropside cribs. With the latest recall, nearly all Simplicity cribs have now been recalled, possibly hundreds of thousands of cribs. Simplicity and its successor company, SFCA Inc., are no longer in business, so the agency doesn't know exactly how many cribs were sold.

On the Net: Consumer Product Safety Commission: http://www.cpsc.gov

Resource Library

We now have a Resource Library open to providers!

CHILDCARE ANSWERS
CHILD CARE RESOURCE AND REFERRAL AGENCY

RESOURCE LIBRARY

317-926-3401 ext. 312

PURPOSE: The purpose of Child Care Answers Resource Library is to provide Parents, Child Care Providers and Early Childhood Agencies in Marion, Hendricks, Hamilton, and Johnson Counties with information and resources that will enhance the lives of children they serve.

LOCATION: The Resource Library is located at 3522 N. Central Avenue, Indianapolis 46205

HOURS:
• 12:00- 5:30 p.m. ~ Monday - Thursday
• Closed Friday
• 9:30-12:30 p.m. ~ every 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month
• Open ½ hour before trainings that are held at 3522 N. Central

MEMBERSHIP:
• An annual membership fee is payable by credit, debit, check, or money order
1. Family Child Care Providers, Parents and Individual fee is $20- includes a $5 resource credit 2. Center, Ministry and School-age sites fee is $30 and includes a $5 resource credit
3. Membership includes checking out resource kits, books, videos; and use of laminating machine, copier computer/Internet/printer and dye cut machine. Please contact about fees for usage.

Make and Take Workshop

Make and Take Workshop
Ideas and material to take back to your child care facility or classroom


Day Nursery Lilly Center
3522 N. Central Avenue

Cost $5.00

1st and 3rd Saturdays: Instruction and Learning 9:30 - 10:30 am (Required for certificate/workshop credit**) Question and answer/help with materials 10:30 - 12:30 pm)

May 1st & 15th theme is Recycling. Discover how to use everyday materials to meet the physical education and science foundations.


To register: call 317-636-5727 ext. 257 or online at http://www.childcareanswers.com/


**Recieve a certificate for training hours (not CEU's)**

Eagle Creek fishing derby set for June 5

Kids can learn how to bait a hook and catch fish during the ninth annual Eagle Creek Park Kids' Fishing Derby.

The June 5 event put on by the Eagle Creek Park Foundation is open to 400 children ages 4 to 14 and is one of the nation's largest fishing derbies, said Allison Frane, event spokeswoman.

Registration for the free event starts Monday. Families will not be charged park or event admission, and no fishing license is required. Volunteers will demonstrate fishing techniques during the catch and release event, and the foundation will provide hot dogs, chips and drinks.

Participants who own fishing equipment are asked to bring it, but the foundation has rods and reels for those without it, Frane said. An adult must accompany all children.

Preregistration is required. Forms are available at the Eagle Creek Park office, 7840 W. 56th St., or through June 1 at www.eaglecreekpark.org. For more information call (317) 327-7116.

Free Teacher Professional Development

Join The Children’s Museum for an educator professional development opportunity that focuses on ways to use the Take Me There: Egypt exhibit to enhance student learning in science, social studies, language arts, and visual arts. Each participant will receive a Unit of Study.

Explore present-day Egypt, where the past and the present meet, at The Children’s Museum’s newest permanent exhibit, Take Me There – Egypt.

Learn about the geography, natural environment, home life, language, and arts Egypt today.

Savor a taste of Egyptian cuisine and learn about Egyptian American life in Indiana. Become immersed in cultural experiences specially designed for student groups, the sebou and the maglis-al-suh.

Register by June 15 for Egypt: Beyond the Past

Teachers of Grades 3–8

Tuesday–Thursday, June 29–July 1, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

Fee: *FREE** (a $75 value)! A $25 deposit will be taken at the time of registration. After completion of the institute, your $25 will be refunded.

To register call (800) 820-6214

Letter to the Editor

I came across this letter to the editor in the Indianapolis Star. It speaks volumes to the amazing mentors working with ministries at Child Care Answers. Its always good to know that what we do touches so many people.


United Way makes good thing even better
Michael W. Bowling
Posted: April 21, 2010

Every day I see the hope-filled sight of bright-eyed young children skipping through the doors of our building anticipating another day of playing with friends and exploring the many intriguing aspects of the world in which we are blessed to live.

A caring staff receives them with an excitement characteristic of a separation of weeks instead of the few short hours since the previous day. They are followed by parents who expect at the very least their children will be safe and sound for the next few hours.

Many of these families face daunting challenges. They are worn down by the constant threat of unemployment or the unexpected illness that could so easily become a domino effect with one crisis after another.

However, most of these families share a common hope: the success of their children. Our child-care ministry pushes beyond the essential minimum of "safe and sound" to provide the kind of care that, in partnership with the family, moves each child toward school readiness and the possibility of a better future. We see our work as an essential expression of encouragement to our community's families.

To do our work well requires a dedicated staff, a supportive church and a safe and welcoming facility. Sometimes, we get tired and discouraged. But always there comes some form of encouragement that bolsters our efforts.

This encouragement may be as simple as a note of thanks from a grateful parent or as significant as a major breakthrough with a child. Recently, it came with surprising magnitude from an unexpected source: United Way of Central Indiana.

We are not a member agency, but we received a first-hand experience of the encouragement a member agency gets from the competent and committed folks at United Way. Our inclusion in their Success By Six program resulted in a significant upgrade to our Daystar Childcare space, mentors for our staff and benefits too numerous to name.

The results were immediately recognized by the families we serve, and our staff began to pursue continuing education like a runner getting a second wind. United Way of Central Indiana and the Success By Six program demonstrate the visionary thinking critically needed in our day.

They recognize the best investment for a better tomorrow is the children of today. They know what most well-informed educators have been saying for years: The most dynamic benefits come from investing in early-childhood development.
They made the astute observation that one of the most overlooked providers of care for preschool children is registered child-care ministries. Success By Six has come alongside participating child-care ministries with the resources and expertise that are already producing dramatic results.

United Way funds a myriad essential services throughout the nation, but Success By Six demonstrates the compassion and the wisdom found in the old adage, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

Thanks to United Way of Central Indiana for the encouragement, and thanks to the thousands of donors who fund such priorities. A better future is on its way.


Bowling is pastor of Englewood Christian Church in Indianapolis.

April Showers Bring May Flowers

This gloomy, rainy weather we have had the past few days has made it impossible to get the children outside. Below are some great ways to incorporate April weather into your day!


April Showers song(to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot")
Pitter patter rain drops (wiggle fingers to imitate rain)
Falling from the sky (wiggle fingers downward)
Here's my umbrella (action of opening an umbrella)
Hold it high! (hands over head)
When the rain is over (bring hands down slowly)
and the sun begins to glow (make sun with arms)
Little flowers start to bud (Kneel down)
then grow, grow, grow!!! (slowly stand up)

Talk to your children about the rain. Older children can learn about the water cycle with great information on the water link. You can do a bit of math/graphing practice by providing the child with the rain/sun template below. Each day during the month of April, have them color one of the squares on either the rain or the sun side (depending on what the weather is like).

Some great spring craft ideas such as muffin cup flowers can be found here.

Conner Prairie plans picnic for families of autism

Conner Prairie is hosting an Autism Awareness Day on Saturday for families affected by autism and those interested in learning more about the disorder.
Families affected by autism can share their experiences during a picnic from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. People can bring their own food or buy lunch at Conner Prairie, according to a press release.

Quiet rooms will be identified throughout the living history park. Those who have autism sometimes have trouble processing sensory information and need a place to relax.

Conner Prairie decided to host the day because April is Autism Awareness Month. It also offered an autism awareness training event for Indiana museums and attractions in March.

Autism affects more than 1,300 families in Hamilton County, said Jane Grimes, director of the Hamilton County Autism Support Group, which is partnering with Conner Prairie for the event.

El Día de los Niños at The Children's Museum

Sunday April 25th The Indianapolis Children's Museum is having it's annual El Día de los Niños, a free day to the public celebrating the Hispanic and Latino cultures.

This year El Día de los Niños will be on Sunday, April 25th, from 10a.m. to 3p.m. Celebrate Hispanic and Latino culture with live musical performances,hands-on art activities, and storytelling!The day will feature appearances from Maya and Miguel, the PBS series twins. This free day is usually a big success; we would really like to stress that it is a great way for students and families to learn more about the Hispanic and Latino cultures.

Call out for furniture

In support of United Way's Kindergarten readiness initiative on the Eastside of Indianapolis. United Way is in need of furniture. Below is the information if you are able to assist.

We’re looking for furniture! United Way’s Kindergarten Countdown program is moving into a new location and needs help outfitting rooms for a kindergarten orientation program this summer. If you have pre-K / Kindergarten-sized tables, chairs, and other classroom equipment available for loan from mid-June to early August, let us know! Please contact Heather Girton at 317-921-1339 or heather.girton@uwci.org for more information.

Safe Sleeping Practices Class

All of our Marion county SIDS classes are currently full. The next available classes will begin in July when the new training calendar comes out. If you are in need of taking the classes please check out Early Childhood meeting place website. It list all the available classes for the state of Indiana.

Go fly a kite Saturday in Avon

AVON -- Residents can celebrate national kite flying month during a family event behind Town Hall on Saturday.
The Avon Town Hall Park Family Fun Fly will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in the park behind Town Hall, 6570 E. U.S. 36.

The first 25 children will receive free kite kits, and volunteers will be available from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. to teach children how to build their own kites.
Members of the Hoosier Kitefliers Society will be on hand to demonstrate professional kite-flying maneuvers.
In addition, the Indy Admirals will hosts their Spring Fling Model Boat Regatta on Town Hall Lake from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Spanking and Kids' Aggression: 3 Alternatives to Spanking That Work for Parents and Kids

By Nancy Shute
US News and World Report

Does spanking your child make him behave better, or set the stage for bigger trouble? A new study says that spanking children at age 3 makes them more likely to become bullies by age 5. But the news has sparked ire from parents who say they were spanked as children, but have turned out just fine, thank you.

The study, by Catherine Taylor, an assistant professor of community health sciences at Tulane University in New Orleans, analyzed survey data in which about 2,500 mothers reported how often they had spanked their 3-year-old in the past month. Almost half of the mothers (45.6 percent) hadn't spanked at all, while 27.9 percent had spanked their child once or twice. One quarter of the mothers said they spanked the child frequently. The mothers who spanked were more likely to report aggressive behavior when the child was 5, including:

•Arguing or screaming a lot
•Bullying
•Being mean to other kids
•Getting into fights
•Teasing or threatening others
This isn't the first study to say that spanking young children is counterproductive, but earlier studies were less reliable because they didn't account for other factors such as stress and depression in mothers, and child abuse, which also might make children more aggressive. "This study is not saying that children don't need discipline," Taylor told me today. "Kids need discipline. But we really encourage parents to focus on positive, non-physical types of discipline such as time out, instead of spanking." And, of course, not every kid who is spanked turns into a bully. But Taylor says it's clear that spanking is a risk factor for increased aggressive behavior in children. "If you're trying to improve behavior, this is counterproductive."

Clearly there's a big disconnect between parents and pediatricians on spanking: As many as 90 percent of parents think it's OK to spank young children, and the fierce debate over spanking involves religion (James Dobson is pro-spanking), pediatricians (the American Academy of Pediatrics says no corporal punishment, ever), and outliers like pediatrician Lawrence Diller, who says spanking may be better for some children than Ritalin. People feel more passionately about spanking than they do about any other child-discipline issue, and that's saying a lot.

Add to that the fact that most parents were themselves spanked as children, and it's a hard lesson to unlearn. And most of us (myself included) haven't mastered the intricacies of the "positive discipline" techniques that the pediatricians recommend to the point that we can confidently deploy them when faced with a surly or screaming child.

So what's a parent of a misbehaving preschooler to do? There's a solid body of evidence showing that positive discipline techniques, when done right, are much more effective than spanking, nagging, or arguing. Three key points:

•Focus on rewarding positive behavior rather than punishing bad deeds. Check out this video with Alan Kazdin, director of the Yale Child Study Center, showing how to praise a child right, with immediate, focused praise rather than the bland "good job!"
•Time outs work, but they have to be done right to serve as effective punishment. A good time out is short, focused, and doesn't involve lectures after the fact.
•Be consistent in how you discipline your children. This one's tough for all parents—hey, we're humans too!—but will go a long way towards making your home a haven rather than a battlefield.
Most pediatricians can give solid advice on discipline, and the AAP website healthychoices.org also provides options. For more on proven methods for effective discipline (and how we parents often mess them up), check out my story "Good Parents, Bad Results." I've also written about the controversy over earlier research on spanking and aggression.

What discipline techniques work with your family? Please share them with us here.

Spring Time Activites with Children

A question posted on our facebook page this week was "What is your favorite activity to do with children in the spring time", go to our facebook page to check out the great responses we got and give us your spring time activity ideas.