By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
A parent called Mindy Kuhn "the best of the best" when she nominated her for the September Child Care Champion award.
Katelyn Schmidt added, "We hit the jackpot when we found her to be our boys’ day care provider. She brings in so many community aspects to her day care.
"She is constantly teaching them something new every week and is always going above and beyond. I dread the day that my boys are out of day care, and that's something that you don't hear lately anymore. Everybody needs a Mindy in their families' lives!"
Schmidt also noted Kuhn's philanthropic activities with the children, such as the annual summer ARC Park lemonade stand and summer field trips.
She said Kuhn always finds the best opportunities to fill kids' time while parents work.
"She's researched and implemented learning curriculums to get them ready for preschool and follow a learning schedule," Schmidt said. "My boys love every second of being at Mindy's, and it's such a heartwarming feeling knowing they spend their days with somebody who loves them like they are her own!"
Mindy Gabel also nominated Kuhn for the child care champion award.
"Mindy goes above and beyond for her day care kids," she said. "She truly treats them like her own children. She works hard with them on learning curriculum as well."
Kuhn, 36, of Hays, has been a child care provider for 12 years. She opened Little Explorers, her in-home child care when her son was young so she could stay home and spend time with him.
Kuhn's daughter is now 4 and is part of her day care.
"I just love to watch them grow," she said of her child care children. "You get to see a lot of their firsts. You get to be there for every milestone and share it with families. You are like their second home."
Kuhn said she focuses primarily on play at her child care.
However, the children have circle time during which the children learn colors, days of the week and the alphabet, or Kuhn reads the children books.
The children learn the "Pledge of Allegiance" as well as songs.
The 4-year-olds in her child care are trying to learn to write their names.
Every two weeks, Kuhn has a theme accompanied by experiments or crafts.
Last week, the kids were making fall-themed crafts, such as candy corn men and scarecrows.
"We just like to have fun all of the time," she said.
The children in her child care have also been fascinated with treasure maps. She draws maps for them and then hides items in the house or in the yard.
"We have chairs, and they make those into a ship. We have blankets for the babies, and they have me tie them around their heads so they get into full character," Kuhn said.
Kuhn said the most challenging aspect of operating in-home child care is balancing home and child care life.
"Over the years, I have been able to make my child care program fit better to our home life," she said.
She has a dedicated room for her child care, and she matches her calendar with the K-12 public school calendar.
Kuhn organizes field trips and activities involving parents. The child care children take a trip to the Salina zoo every summer.
Other activities have included trips to local museums, the pumpkin patch, the splash pad and Easter egg hunts.
The children also host a lemonade stand to raise funds for the ARC Park.
"That is their favorite activity. That is probably their favorite memory is serving lemonade," Kuhn said.
"They get so excited when people they know come, and they get to serve them," she said. "It is pretty fun to see their faces and interactions with friends and family members."
Miss May comes from the library once a month.
"Last month, they were pretending to be here. They would sit in the chair, and they would pretend taking turns reading stories. We would have to refer to them as Miss May," Kuhn said.
Monique Koerner from K-State Research and Extension also visits every other month to lead the children on story walks or in different activities.
"I like having the kids involved with community members and taking them out into the community because they get to learn," Kuhn said. "Kids learn by doing."
Nominate your favorite child care provider for the monthly Child Care Champion award HERE.