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Strong community support provides YMCA new 'Naure Explorer' Playground
6/7/2011 (Archived)
As an important and
unresolved debate continues in the Iowa state legislature regarding support for
early childhood education, Scott County is proud to announce an addition to our
community’s tools for developing the spirits, minds and bodies of our youngest
children.
On June 1
at 3pm, the Scott County Family Y’s Palmer Learning Center will introduce their
new “Nature Explorer” playground. Funded by Scott County Kids – Early Childhood
Iowa, the opening event will feature children-in-action, staff and volunteers
from the United Way Women’s Leadership Council, which recently “adopted” the
YMCA Child Care program.
“Anxiety and fear are running really high as we move
closer to decision-time in our legislature regarding funding of early childhood
programs,” said YMCA Child Care Executive Deb Gustafson. “This new playground,
and the area leadership involved in its support and funding, show that our
community feels strongly about providing these services to all children.”
The playground itself is
an innovative approach to learning, activity and play.
“In this environment,
play time becomes a tool for learning,” said Mrs. Gustafson. “While kids are
hearing a story from a puppet, they are learning reading skills; when they bang
on the music center, they are learning rhythm and spatial relationships; as they
weed the garden and grow vegetables, they are learning nutrition and
agriculture. The bug collection, painting areas, mud box and water table are all
awesome attractions to kids, and they learn explosively as they play.”
Similar Nature
Explorer enhancements were made to the existing playgrounds at the YMCA Learning
Center playground at the Davenport Family YMCA and at the YMCA Preschool Center
at Bettendorf Christian Church.