Katie's Kids Mission Statement

To elevate child development to a new level by leading the social and emotional growth and education of young children by providing a safe, welcoming home-like environment with a caring, educated, and professional staff that promotes partnerships between parents children and other early childhood professionals. 
Upcoming Events

December 31                Closed for New Year's Eve
January 1                      Closed - New Year's Day
January 2,3,4 & 7         School Age Winter Break
January 12                    Saturday Night Live @ The Links
January 21                    No School Day Program


February 18                  KKLC Closed for 
                                                  Professional Development Day
Are you a Nurse/Nurse Practitioner?
Do you know someone who is?

Katie's Kids is currently looking for a nurse or nurse practitioner.
It is a DCFS regulation that Katie's Kids has a partnership with a Nurse Consultant to ensure that all health & safety regulations pertaining to Infants and Toddlers are being met.
The nurse consultant role includes a monthly visit to the both Katie's Kids locations to observe in classrooms, ensure immunization and physicals are up to date, and provide resources/education to our staff.
On average this takes less than 2 hours per month and the Nurse Consultant is compensated for their role with Katie's Kids.
If you are interested or know someone that might be, please stop by the front desk or email
Marissa - [email protected]


Saturday Night Live
Katie's Kids @ The Links
January 12
5:00 -10:00 p.m.


Need a night off? Can't find a babysitter? Check out Saturday Night Live @ Katie's Kids! Saturday Night Live is a Saturday evening full of fun for children while families go out. Children can enjoy playing, having dinner with friends, and snuggling in for a movie.  

            Winter Weather

In the event Katie's Kids is closed due to weather, please listen to WJBC, WBNQ, or WBWN for closure information.

KKLC works to create a healthy environment for all children.  The winter months pose a greater challenge with germs and illness.  We take extra precautions to sanitize the materials in the classroom.  
W e understand families need to work; we are asking that families be mindful of sending a sick child to KKLC.  
    

KKLC Illness Policy and Guidelines

Here at our learning center we take health and wellness very serious. As in all cases of wellness, prevention is the key to keeping adults and children safe from infection and disease. Our staff is expected to sanitize toys and classroom equipment daily with no exceptions! In addition, a professional cleaning crew arrives nightly to thoroughly clean the center from top to bottom.
     That being said, in a group setting of children it is extremely difficult to avoid viruses. As a general rule if a virus is being contracted in our local community, children at the center are likely to be exposed to it and possibly contract it. We will stay up to date and informed on the contagious and infectious viruses, but we are in no way health professionals. When it warrants, we will ask that you pick-up your child when they develop and display the signs and symptoms of illness. Please understand that this is for health and safety of not only your child, but all the adults and staff here at our center. After all, it is very difficult for everyone when our staff is out sick because of an illness that potentially could have been prevented, especially the children who need and deserve continuity of care.

The following guidelines will ensure the safety of everyone:
Children with diarrhea and those with a rash combined with fever (oral temperature of 100 degrees F or higher) shall not be admitted while those symptoms persist, and shall be removed as soon as possible should these symptoms develop while the child is in care.
 
Children need not be excluded for a minor illness unless any of the following exists, in which case exclusion from the Center is required: 
    1. Illness which prevents the child from participating comfortably in program activities;
    2. Illness which calls for greater care then staff can provide without compromising the health and safety of other children;
    3. Fever with behavior change or symptoms of illness;
    4. Unusual lethargy, irritability, persistent crying, difficulty breathing or other signs of possible severe illness;
    5. Diarrhea;
    6. Vomiting two or more times in the previous 24 hours, unless the vomiting is determined to be due to a non communicable condition and the child is not in danger of dehydration;
    7. Mouth sores associated with the child's inability to control his or her saliva, until the child's physician or the local health department states that the child is noninfectious;
    8. Rash with fever or behavior change, unless a physician has determined the illness to be noncommunicable;
    9. Purulent conjunctivitis (Pink Eye), until 24 hours after treatment has been initiated;
    10. Impetigo, until 24 hours after treatment has been initiated;
    11. Strep throat (streptococcal pharyngitis), until 24 hours after treatment has been initiated and until the child has been with out fever for 24 hours;
    12. Head lice, until morning after the first treatment;
    13. Scabies, until the morning after the first treatment;
    14. Chicken Pox (varicella), until at least six days after onset of rash;
    15. Whooping cough (pertussis), until five days of antibiotic treatment have been completed;
    16. Mumps, until nine days after onset of parotid gland swelling;
    17. Measles, until four days after disappearance of the rash; or
    18. Symptoms that may be indicative of one of the serious communicable diseases identified in the Illinois Department of Public Health Control of Communicable Diseases Code (77 Ill. Adm. Code 690).


In the case of good books, the point is not how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you.
Mortimer J. Adler

Early Childhood is Not School Readiness

Frances Wardle, in his popular new book, Oh Boy! writes...

"Many children who enter kindergarten are not ready for formal academic classes and the kinds of behaviors needed to pursue these activities.   This 'readiness concept' is an even greater issue with younger children, because developmentally, young children exhibit such a large range of maturity and experience. Early childhood programs-especially those serving children birth to kindergarten-should not be viewed as the first rung of the educational ladder (formal education should begin in the first grade)...

Instead, programs that serve children birth to age six should focus on the view of school readiness popular before the current focus on academics, and characterized by the idea of developing social competence as a major goal for preschool.  The foundation for this approach is the belief that each individual child's natural development and predispositions to learning should be at the center of everything we do. This should be supported and embraced by a nurturing environment with educated, sensitive, and well-trained staff. It's an approach that is directly guided by the developmental profile of each child.

The main purpose for this paradigm shift is to enable young boys who currently struggle in our programs to be viewed as successful children progressing though the normal and appropriate stages of growth, development, and learning...For young boys to thrive and succeed during these early years, programs should focus on play, exploration of the arts, creating a classroom community, extensive use of the outdoors, movement, and the use of integrated approaches to learning."


Healthy Corner...

Katie's Kids works to support nutrition & healthy eating at an early age.  


Fun winter time snack with a summer time flair.   
       
In a large mixing bowl, stir all ingredients well, and place in an ice cream cone.  Adjust the recipe for number of children.
      • 1 cup grated carrot
      • 1 cup chopped celery
      • 1 cup chopped apple
      • ½ cup raisins
      • 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
      • 1  teaspoon lemon juice
      • 4  ice cream cones
      • use any of your child's favorite fruits or veggies