Special Occasions 2011, Downtown Hampton Child Development Center

Special Occasions
Winter to Spring 2011

From special things that happen every day to once-in-a-childhood excitement, these are the events that shape the preschool experience for children at DHCDC

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"Snowball" Fight in Miss Harrison's Class

Because snow was the week's learning theme, our 3-year-old class staged a snowball fight... using marshmallows!	The jumbo-size marshmallows one of our parents spotted in a local store and donated for the occasion.

"I'm hit!"	"Miss Harrison, can't I eat just one?"
Stockpiling "snowballs" for a winning throw.	The scent and squishy goodness of marshmallows... er, snow.
"Sledding" with the Infant Class
A happy baby girl gets pulled on a "sled" down the hallway at Mary Peake. One 4-year-old she passed asked, "Why did they put that baby in a box?"	Ms. Middleton gives an infant boy from her class a ride too... just one of the many creative and fun experiences for which this class is known!
Groundhog Day at Lincoln Street
The children in Ms. Brylewski's class made their own groundhogs for February 2, and then tested them outside.	The groundhogs did NOT see their shadows on this cloudy day, which told our delighted children spring would be early in 2011.

Mayor's Book Club City Councilman Chris Stuart reads to our children
Chris Stuart, a Hampton city councilman and member of our Board of Directors, reads the book My Truck is Stuck to 4-year-olds at our Mary Peake Center site.	The children became very engaged with both the book and the reader, who has four children of his own at home.

Chris Stuart talks with children at our Lincoln Street site before reading them the same book.	Each child received a copy of the book to keep, which is part of what makes the Mayor's Book Club so special.
(Secular) Easter Fun Caring members of the Peninsula community treated our children to stuffed bunnies, baskets of goodies and a lot of love!
Representatives from the Hampton Sheriff's Office surprise a class of 4-year-olds with a visit from the Easter Bunny!	Expressions of the 3-year-olds in Ms. Dryden's class as they saw the Easter Bunny come through their door.
Hampton Sheriff's Office representatives hand out stuffed bunnies to every child at our Mary Peake Center site.	Little girls were especially enamored with the Easter Bunny, whom one girl described as "very comfortable" after a hug.
Gleeful faces of children as they receive their toys.	A 3-year-old class brandishing their new bunnies while gathered around the biggest bunny in the room.
One of the two carloads of handmade Easter baskets donated to our children by the Junior Woman's Club of Newport News	One of the club members helps unload handfuls of beautifully decorated (and filled!) baskets
Sherri Fleck, the club member who coordinated this wonderful gift, separates out the special baskets for children under 2.	The two Junior Woman's Club members who made the delivery pose with the grand total, before the baskets were given out.
Learning about Stranger Danger A visit from Officer Rhone and McGruff the Crime Dog
Officer Rhone works with two student volunteers, while impersonating a stranger during her lesson.	The children are instructed to cover their eyes while a surprise guest enters the room.
McGruff the Crime Dog himself appears, to the delight of many little faces.	McGruff helps Officer Rhone teach the children about safety, as they endeavor to "take a bite out of crime."