By Eric Killough
Freelance Reporter
Special to the Tribune
ChildCare Aware Kansas Shared (CCAKS) Network Hub has partnered with Pratt Public Library to offer a free service to licensed early educators in Pratt County and surrounding areas. Resource kits are available at the Pratt Public Library and offer a variety of developmentally appropriate learning activities for infants, toddlers, and Pre-Kindergarten (PreK) children.
These kits offer educational materials to support early educators in reaching developmental milestones, support early literacy, and enhance child care provider’s programming without the extra cost so often associated with providing high quality care.
The following is a list of the kits available at the Pratt Public Library including contents.
Rhythm Set for Toddlers: Tambourine (1); wrist and ankle bells (1); triangle (1); sand blocks (2); cymbals (2); maracas (2); hand bell (1); Tom Tom drum with mallet (1); jingle tap (1); rhythm sticks (4); tone block with mallet (1); finger cymbals (1); wood rhythm sticks (2).
Choosy Kids Active PreK Learning Kit: Foods vocabulary development photo card library (1); 6-inch activity balls (6); small silly shapes sensory mats (5); large silly shapes sensory mats (5); activity scarves (12); soft and safe comet balls (6); parachute (1); activity guide (1); #5 kick ball (1).
Cultures of the World: Activity guide (1); around the world photo cards (40); maraca (1); stamps (4); paper fan (1); national flags (5); globe (1); plastic food pieces (12); African woven rattle (1); clogs (1); Chinese lantern (1).
From Caterpillar to Butterfly (Big Book Activity): Book “From Caterpillar to Butterfly” (1); picture cards (10); butterfly puppet (1); caterpillar puppet (1); activity card (1); caterpillar sorting mat (1); bean bags (6).
In the Tall, Tall Grass Storytelling Kit: Book “In the Tall Tall Grass” (1); wooden character paddle (12); rhythm activity cards (10); activity guide (1); real bugs discovery kit containing 12 real bugs (1); scoop a bug sorting kit with 4 scoops (1); sorting jars (4); sorting bugs with 10 grasshoppers, 10 spiders, 10 bees, and 10 ladybugs (40).
Infant Animals Theme Box: Books “Busy Barnyard”, “Moo Moo Brown Cow”, “My First Farm”, “My Farm Friends”, “Counting Farm” (5); there was an old lady storytelling kit (1); easy twist animal builders containing 1 zebra, 1 giraffe, 1 tiger, and 1 bear (1); farm animals with click sounds (6); hide and seek beehive (1).
Infant Toddler Sensory Discovery Kit: Book “Little Blue Truck” (1); washable cloth storytelling pieces (7); red discovery box containing 2 balls, 1 crayon, and 1 bird (5); green discovery box containing 1 crayon, 1 pear, 1 ball, and 1 turtle (8); yellow discovery box contains 1 duck, 1 ball, 1 crayon, and 1 banana (3); blue discovery box contains 1 ball, 1 blueberry, 1 fish, and 1 crayon (5); stacking blocks (1); see inside sensory blocks (4); small balls (4); building blocks (22).
Learn, Eat, Play and Thrive for PreK: Books “Gregory the Terrible Eater”, “Good Enough to Eat”, “Choose Good Food”, “Lunch”, “I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato” (5); hopscotch carpet containing 2 bean bags (3); game pieces in bag (20); food group spinner (1); my plate mats (4); instruction cart (1); assessment chart (1); rainbow parachute (1); let’s go shopping veggie basket (1); veggies (15); let’s go shopping fruit basket (1); fruit (15).
PreK sorting Kit: Comparing sizes activity box containing 25 manipulatives and 9 activity mats (1); category sorting activity box containing 24 manipulatives and 6 activity mats (1); building language lotto kit containing 6 double sided lotto cards and 36 mini-manipulatives (1); what goes together activity kit box containing 24 manipulatives and 8 activity mats (1).
Dinosaurs Dinosaurs: Book “Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs” big book (1); plastic dinosaurs (9); dinosaurs riddle activity cards (10); dinosaurs shadow cards (5); wooden card stand (1); activity card (1).
The Seals on the Bug Big Book Set: Book “The Seals on the Bus” (1); wooden character paddles (9); movement cards (10); activity card (1).
Each Kit has fun interactive items for children to learn and play with. To check the kits out visit the Pratt Public Library’s website. Early educators may check out one kit for 2 weeks at a time. Please notify the director of the Pratt Public Library at director@prattpubliclibrary.org to arrange check-out.
ChildCare Aware of Kansas strives to unite all stakeholders in childcare—including parents, childcare providers, businesses, community leaders, and policymakers—by providing the resources and insights necessary to inspire informed action with a mission statement of providing statewide leadership that builds a diverse, high-quality child care system.
For questions about ChildCare Aware of Kansas please reach out to donnya.swayden@childcareaware.org.
