Change of Seasons for YWCA of Minneapolis Early Childhood Education Students

The children and staff of the Children’s Centers wanted to share a bit of what they’ve been up to over the last few months.Walrus (Midtown): Why should grownups have all the fun? These preschoolers enjoyed an Olympics of their own, right along with theLondon Games. Children participated in several events on the playground, in the pool and in the classroom, by standing atop podiums, wearing medals and cheering for each other. Thank you to Walrus Room teachers for the energy, planning, and creativity to make it happen -- and to introducing kids to "events" they may not have known existed.

Starfish (Downtown): Late summer and early autumn is harvest time. The Starfish were hard at work all summer on their rooftop garden, learning how to  plant a seed to enjoying the fruits of their labor. Wonderful smells have filled the center as the kids learned different ways to prepare these fresh goodies, from homemade garlic butter to bruschetta with fresh basil. Kudos to the Starfish Teachers for getting down and dirty, and for expanding the palates of their students.

Angelfish and Sunfish (Midtown): Midtown's toddlers have been getting in on the change-of-season action, exploring colors and textures as they create fall-themed art projects. They also enjoy exuberantly spilling out of their classrooms to the connected "Big Room," a large indoor play space with climbers, balls, slides, trikes, and huge windows to observe the changing colors outside.The Downtown Children's Center also recently enjoyed a fun-filled trip to the apple orchard, complete with a hayride!

Finally, our oldest classes of preschoolers at all three Children's Centers celebrated graduation in late August. Many children had been with us since infancy, and it's always bittersweet to see them proudly prepared for kindergarten, but leaving the staff and friends they've grown with for years. Some of our graduates are still with the YWCA for before/after school care, and others have moved on to new adventures. We're proud of them all!

YWCA of Minneapolis Child Care currently has openings for Preschool-age children (3 to 5 years). If you're interested in our child-care services, complete our online interest form.