Learning Adventures Childcare plans culturally diverse summer curriculum
Last year's school-age summer program was a hit, and Learning Adventures has plans for growth. Among students participating last year in Lexington were, from left, Jaxson Neben, Aspen Urban, Nicklin Monter, Jameson Ansbach, Alex Hunke, Meredith Caraway, Maddie Monter, Matheo Garcia, Isael Gomez, Brody Reynolds (back), Angel Gomez and Hunter Krzycki.
With only two months left in the school year, Learning Adventures Childcare is in full-blown planning mode for its summer program.
This year the staff aims to present students with a curriculum based on cultural diversity, allowing kids to explore cultures outside of their own.
Directors Halie Thaden and Arlie Herrick are excited for this year's summer programs.
"I think that (kids) learning throughout the summer is very important," said Thaden, the director of Cozad's Learning Adventures Childcare. "Especially how we're doing it, they're learning about different things. So, it's not like they're not doing their math and stuff like that. They're learning about different cultures."
This year's summer programs in Cozad and Lexington are using the same curriculum, focusing on a different country each week for themed lessons.Â
Lexington Director Arlie Herrick explained that math, reading, sensory exploration and science all still will be taught this summer, but teachers are theming their lessons around the different countries.
Kids will do lessons that explore each country's flags and population, and even have cooking classes where they can make cuisine from each country.Â
"Learning about different cultures is what America is," Herrick said. "You can't respect somebody's background and where they come from unless you try to understand it, and we have a very diverse community."
One of Herrick's favorite parts of her job is watching kids interact with each other and just seeing people as people.
She's excited to expand on this naturally occurring event by teaching them about different cultures.
In both Cozad and Lexington, the directors are eager to expand attendance this summer.
Thaden moved to her current position in Cozad after leaving Gothenburg's Learning Adventures location, which has since closed.
Casey Madsen, who owns the Cozad and Lexington Learning Adventures locations, used to own the Gothenburg location as well, but contracted to merge with the Gothenburg Impact Center when it was under construction.
Once the Impact Center opened, the staff and children from the Gothenburg Learning Adventure's location moved there.
Last year was the first year that Cozad had the summer program, Thaden believes, but she has years of experience with summer programs via Gothenburg and has been watching this year's numbers grow rapidly compared to last year's.
"Last year we only had three kids enrolled" in Cozad, Thaden said.
This year Cozad only has two spots still open, but Thaden said she has an extra teacher on standby to open another classroom for the summer if more kids are signed up.
Herrick echoed Thaden, saying that even though Lexington currently has only six open spots, she would love to see demand so strong that she'd need to bring on an extra teacher.
Madsen said, "We are working hard on expanding our school age program as we truly love this program."
Along with the basic lessons and themed curriculum, both sites are making a point of getting the kids out and about, not only in their hometowns but also in neighboring ones.
Students will visit their local pools, go to the movies, tour local businesses and take field trips out of town.Â
The program is open to school-age children from kindergarten through 12 years old.
Tuition is $165 a week, which averages to $33 per day.
The program will go from the time school ends to when it starts up again, allowing students to have a place to go immediately after the school year ends so parents don't have to scramble for child care.Â
"Child care is in demand right now," Herrick said. She said that with several in-home day cares closing over the last year in Lexington, even her school program has expanded.Â
If families are struggling to make ends meet due to Tyson's closing but need child care this summer, Herrick recommends they reach out to the Lexington Community Foundation, which has a fund to help families displaced due to the Tyson closure.Â
Cozad families interested in the Learning Adventures summer program can contact Thaden at learningadcozad@gmail.com or 308-405-1005. The child care center is at 1208 E. Ninth St. in Cozad.
For Lexington residents, Herrick can be reached at learningadventureslex@gmail.com or 308-746-7009. She also encourages people to follow their local Learning Adventures Facebook pages.
