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 1                     
Join Katie's Kids in walking in the 
Jaycee's Christmas Parade
Parade starts at 10 line up at 9:30



December 8                  Saturday Night Live 5-10 pm 
                                                  Katie's Kids @ Fort Jesse
December 16                Sunday Afternoon Live 12-4
                                                  Katie's Kids @ The Links

December 24 & 25        Closed for Winter Holiday
December 31                 Closed for New Year's Eve
January 1                      Closed - New Year's Day

                                     
School Age Winter Break
December 26,27,28 and  January 2,3,4, & 7

December 8
Saturday Night Live
Katie's Kids @ Fort Jesse
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.  

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December 18
Sunday Afternoon Live
Katie's Kids @ The Links
12 - 4 pm


Need to get some Holiday Shopping Done?  Check out Sunday Afternoon Live!  Sunday Afternoon will be full of fun activities and a snack.  

            Winter Weather

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


Nurse's Notes from Amy

Stomach "Flu" vs The "Flu"

Often times there is confusion around the differences between the flu and the stomach flu. The flu is caused by the influenza virus. Influenza is an extremely contagious respiratory illness that most frequently appears in the winter and early spring. Gastroenteritis or commonly called the stomach flu can be caused by a variety of different viruses and cause gastrointestinal symptoms, vomiting and diarrhea. Prevention is the best medicine. Frequent hand washing is the best defense against spreading viruses.
 


The Mitten Tree
 


In the past couple of years, the families of Katie's Kids have held a tradition of collecting and donating items to a local organization. This idea of giving is introduced to the children through the book The Mitten Tree. The book holds a great story about helping out others who may be without. In the book, a woman notices a child who has no mittens at the bus stop so she begins to knit mittens for children and leaves them hang on the tree for the children.
This year Katie's Kids will be collecting hats, mittens & scarves to benefit Home Sweet Home Ministries. Home Sweet Home Ministries has been serving the homeless and hungry in Bloomington, Illinois since 1917 by providing case management and other supportive services to the homeless such as shelter, hot meals, clothing and toiletries, and children's programming .
The Mitten Tree will be located in the entrance of Katie's Kids from Nov. 26 - Dec. 12 Please place the donated items on the tree before Dec. 12. We will be taking all donated items to Home Sweet Home Ministries that week.
We thank you for your support in helping us teach the children how to give.
Wellness Lessons from Toddlers

"The average three-year old expresses qualities we have long since abandoned due to overwhelming 'busy'-ness," asserts Danielle Brooker in a Forbes magazine article. She outlines the five ways young children naturally practice wellness and asks, "Which lessons will you be adopting today?" Here are the five:

1. Presence.
When toddlers are coloring, chasing butterflies, jumping on trampolines, or swinging on swings it's like that is the only thing they want to be doing. The thought of being anywhere else is unfathomable.   As we grow older, presence is something that slips away. Practices such as meditation and mindfulness are all tools that support being more in the 'now' (i.e. present)...

2. Be Spontaneous
Toddlers don't sit around waiting for the right decision to come to them. They make decisions fast. And, as it turns out, so do successful people...

3. Color Outside the Lines
Another way to put this one: embrace imperfection...

4. Be Curious.
  • Ask stacks of questions.        
  • But whhhhyyyyy???
  • Remember being that interested in something? 
  • Wanting to know everything about it and then waking up the next day and wanting to learn all over again?...
5. For give Quickly.
Finally, toddlers move on so quickly. Tantrum one minute, running around gleefully the next. No hard feelings. It seems to be that it's us adults that 'hold on' to those feelings and grudges. Forgiveness, letting go, and moving on quickly lead to less stress and anxiety and other long-term health benefits too."

by Danielle Brooker 
Forbes Magazine 
October 15, 2018

Healthy Corner...


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

 

Holidays are a great time to spend with friends and family. Food-focused holidays, like Thanksgiving, Christmas,  Chanukah, Chinese New Year and other winter holiday celebrations, can create added stress for parents of children with food allergies. Try some of these ideas to take the precautions to avoid  food allergy reactions during family meals and parties.

1. Use foods from allergy-aware companies. For peace of mind, use products from companies that you trust for their labeling and manufacturing processes. Avoid trying new foods during the holidays. If you want to introduce a new food, do it well before the actual holiday.

2. Freeze dishes ahead of time. Save yourself some time on the day of your holiday meal by preparing safe dishes ahead of time and freezing them. Holidays are a flurry of activity in the kitchen. Shop for and prepare dishes when you have lots of time to  read labels. Stick them in the oven when you're ready to bake them. Be sure to plan some extra cooking time if you bake them from frozen.

3. Pack a special meal just for your child. If you are  going to someone else's home, pack a special holiday meal for your child. Make it festive and holiday themed. Consider calling the host ahead of time to find out what will be served so you can make a similar meal for your child. Pack it in a microwavable-safe plate or in an insulated bag with hot packs to keep it warm.

4. Educate others to prevent cross contamination.  The best way to prevent food allergy reactions is to avoid accidental contact with your child's food allergens. Even traces can cause a severe allergic reaction, known as anaphylaxis (anna-fih-LACK-sis). Make sure everyone who prepares, handles and serves food that your child will eat knows how to prevent cross contamination.

5. Practice new recipes or substitutes ahead of time.  If you're new to food allergies, or are trying new recipes or  substitutes , test them out before your holiday event. This will help you know ahead of time if your dish will be a success or if it needs tweaks. Visit our  Safe Eats® database for allergy-friendly recipes. You can search to meet your child's dietary needs or browse by category.