May 2005
Contact: Dorothy Wills-Raftery
(845) 255-1400 xt. 1209

Children Take a Magic Carpet Ride at Ulster BOCES Child Care Center

Somewhere over the rainbow children will be laughing, singing, and embarking upon a magic carpet ride at the Ulster BOCES Child Care Center’s annual Open House that will take place at the Career & Technical Center in Port Ewen on Friday, June 3. Children and their parents, Child Care Center staff, and Ulster BOCES Career & Technical Center Early Childhood Education program students will celebrate the end of the school year with a magical journey through the “Fairy Tale” kingdom from 10:00 AM until 1:00 PM. During this event, those children moving on to kindergarten will also be recognized during a small ceremony from 12-12:30 PM.

The day will feature hands-on learning activities designed around classic fairy tales, such as the Three Little Pigs, Jack and the Beanstalk, etc., including a make-your-own Three Little Pigs house, fix-your-own “just right” porridge, readings from various popular fairy tales, and even a magic carpet ride!

“It’s a very special day for everyone,” says Kristi Cusa, coordinator of the Ulster BOCES Child Care Center. “The day’s activities are designed to be self-directed so that parents can participate and have fun with their child.”

The Ulster BOCES Child Care Center, accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), provides high quality early education services for children from eight weeks to five years old. Clients include children of Ulster BOCES students enrolled in the Parenting Teen and Adult & Continuing Education programs, Ulster BOCES employees, and the general community.

The Center also serves as a hands-on learning environment for high school students interested in pursuing careers in the childcare field. In addition to studying early childhood education in the traditional classroom setting, students enrolled in the two-year program are given the opportunity to see the methods and techniques of professional childcare providers, as well as gain actual experience while working with the children themselves.