columbus child care

By Alaina (a proud mom of a Little Dreamers, Big Believers toddler).

When I started looking for a day care in Columbus I ventured online, hunting for the perfect day care for my little man - who at the time was just 16 months old. He had been in the care of a nanny, someone who I trusted more than anyone. So I started looking… and it was horrible.

The day cares and pre-schools I found were dirty. The staff barely greeted me with a smile, let alone the children in their care. Desperate for the right day care I put an ad up on Craigslist and that’s when Sarah Delay found me, the director of Little Dreamers, Big Believers Day Care. Her e-mail was very encouraging, promising that this day care was different because she had created it to be different, to be exceptional. So I went to meet her and see Little Dreamers.

When I walked in my eyes welled up with tears. The facility, not even a facility - more like a home away from home - was clean, the child care providers were all full of life and smiles. And then Sarah told me about their 70% organic food menu. They also provide diapers for the children and above all, fill their days with mentally and physically stimulating activities.

Thank you so much to all of the staff at Little Dreamers, Big Believers. My son is now two and a half and he is as happy as can be - and so am I!

P.S. I snapped this picture the other day when I picked Benjamin up. I think it sums everything up!

If you’ll be in Columbus over this Memorial Day Weekend, don’t miss the Asian Festival at Franklin Park Conservatory. The kids, no matter what their age, will be mesmerized by the costumes, performances and dragons!

This year’s Asian Fest highlight:

A performance by the Mongols, descendants of Genghis Khan. They’ll be a concert along with a costume show.

The Mongols will be performing:

Sat. May 24, 2:45-3:00pm
Sun. May 25, 1:40-2:00pm; 3:20-3:40pm

Find out more about the Columbus Asian Festival and have a great Memorial Day Weekend.

Mark your calendars…

When: Saturday, June 7th

Time: 6:00p.m.-10:00p.m.

Where: Little Dreamers Big Believers Day Care

Who: This event is open to all children enrolled at Little Dreamers and their siblings!

Why: Because you deserve a night out!

Cost: $40.00 for the first child + $10.00 for each additional child

This will be the big kickoff for the new water slide! Parents be sure to bring your child’s swim suit and a towl. We’ll be swimming from 6:00p.m.-8:00p.m., and then we’ll settle the children down for a movie - Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium! Pizza, snacks and drinks will be provided.

Please notify Sarah ASAP if you plan on your child attending so we can plan accordingly!

At Little Dreamers, Big Believers our mission is to touch the future, one child at a time. We believe we offer the highest quality of child care available in Columbus, Ohio. It’s because we help your child grow mentally, physically and emotionally. Please contact us to enroll your child at 614-294-2922.

In honor of central Ohio’s rainy and wet Mother’s Day, we thought we’d pass one of our favorite craft activities from Kaboose.com.

Baby Food Jar Garden

What you’ll need:

• Baby food jar with lid
• Small silk flowers
• Rolling pin
• White craft glue or hot glue gun
• Green play dough or green modeling clay (you can use our homemade play dough below)

How to make it:

1. If using the homemade play dough, follow recipe instructions below.
2. Roll out the play dough or clay with rolling pin.
3. Using the mouth of the jar as a cookie cutter, cut out a circle. If you use the lid as the cookie cutter you will not be able to close your jar when the time comes.
4. Glue the play dough or clay into the lid.
5. Stick flowers into the dough or clay. If using play dough, set lids aside to dry and harden over night.
6. Screw the lid onto the jar, carefully inserting the flowers into the jar.
7. Decorate the lid however you like. (We used a scrap of felt then tied a piece of ribbon on.)

Find even more creative indoor activites on Kaboose.com’s Spring crafts page.

At Little Dreamers, Big Believers our mission is to touch the future, one child at a time. We believe we offer the highest quality of child care available in Columbus, Ohio. It’s because we help your child grow mentally, physically and emotionally. Please contact us to enroll your child at 614-294-2922.

It’s spring in Columbus. And you know what that means…the kids will be begging for some quality outdoor time. The fresh air does wonders for their health and yours. And these outdoor games can turn that outdoor time into quality developmental time too!

Wondertime Magazine tested dozens of outdoor games with three sets of kids. Their mission: to find games that were rowdy enough but fun for everyone.

Here’s one of the Wondertime game suggestions that we really love!

1. Shark!

Put hula hoops or beach towels on the ground to serve as dens for all the “fish.” One child gets to be the shark. When the shark calls, “Fishie, fishie, cross my ocean,” the fish have to move to a different den. If, while out of a den, the shark tags them, they get to be sharks as well. The last remaining fish becomes the first shark next time. Adults can also remove dens, forcing kids to stand together on one.

Tip: For extra fun, the shark can tickle the fish.
Variations: The shark can be a T. rex, and the fish can be vegetarian brachiosaurs. Bird lovers can be hawks and mice. Construction buffs can be loaders and boulders, and so on.
Optimal age: 3 and up
Number of players: 4 or more
A parent observes“There’s nothing like a shark-empowered 4-year-old to keep three big kids huddled in a hula hoop.”

To read the rest of their suggestions, click here. Do you have any fantastic outdoor game ideas? Leave a comment and pass it on!

This Thursday, April 3rd, Little Dreamers Big Believers is holding a bake sale to raise funds for a new water slide!

We’ll have coffee, muffins and other baked goods. Yummy treats for a refreshing summer water slide. Makes senses? Well, the kids think so…this entire thing was their idea. They’re so smart!

And here’s a picture of the slide - or should we say, the Super Splash Water Park…can you imagine the fun and laughs this will bring?