Rain, Rain, GO AWAY!

Happy last week of October! How in the world is time going by so quickly! I know I say this all of the time, but I would like for time to slow it's roll! These kiddos are growing up way too quickly. We have had a really fun day today despite all of this rain. Our teachers were so creative in making the best of this situation and making sure that the children had as much gross motor activity as possible without being able to go outside! You would think that days like today would make everyone just a little bit sad, BUT not here at AoFC! Gross motor activities play an important part in physical development for our growing friends. Creating crafts and doing lots of drawing, playing with parachutes, learning our states and countries, and even having huge dance parties! Even though we missed being able to run around outside, we sure made the best of our rainy day!

Even our teachers had a blast with the dance party!

Check out those moves though....

The biggest dance party!

Look out y'all! They're coming through!

Toddler one listening so sweetly to a book!

Our toddler friends practicing their free art skills!

Some friends just looking at all of the rain!

Choo choo train!

Learning all about our country!

Keeping the ball on the parachute!

For more information about AoFC and the programs we offer, please click HERE

For more fun activities to do on a rainy day, please click HERE

Franklin Fire Dept. Visits!

We are nearly into the month of November and that is just CRAZY! This month has been full of so much fun and extra festivities. Our kiddos got to experience something super cool this past week that they have continued to talk about all throughout the days! The Franklin Fire Department stopped by the school to show all of our kiddos, including the babies their BIGGEST firetruck! That's right! They brought the biggest fire truck that they have and let me tell you, that thing was literally huge. The firemen were so kind, and they began with telling our little's a little bit about fire safety and they utilize the different tools on the truck. After speaking with the children, the firemen opened up the doors and let the kids go through the firetruck. They loved getting to step inside and really see up close and personal where the firemen sit while they're driving, and the uniforms that they have to put on! Once all of the kiddos went through the truck, the firemen turned on their lights for us! The children really loved getting to see the lights on. This was an awesome and very educational experience for our school and we are so very thankful for the Franklin Fire Department taking time out of their busy days to come and see us.

The little's checking out the inside of the firetruck!

 Crazy hair don't care!

 Our Prek One kiddo's posing in front of the firetruck!

The biggest truck they had!

Just in awe staring at the firetruck!

So big it couldn't all fit in the picture!

 High five's for the firefighter!

Speaking to the big kids!

Thank you so much to our Fire Department!

To learn more about fire safety and fun games to play, click HERE
For more info on AOFC and the programs we offer, please click HERE
For more firetruck visit pictures, please visit @aofckids

Creating a Fire Safety Plan for Your Family

October is Fire Safety Month

We wanted to help provide some tips on how to create a fire safety plan for you family. 

Parents.com give us some great advice on creating a fire safety plan for your family.

Plan a Family Fire Drill

Your first step: Create an escape plan based on your home's layout. Identify two ways out of every room, if possible. Then go over the plan with children ages 5 and older. Children younger than 5 children understand better by practicing, so walk around your home and show your children where the exits are and how they'll get out. 

Home drills can be scary for small kids, so it's important to reassure them. Kate Carr, president and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide says "Tell your child that it's your job to protect her. You can say something like, 'We don't expect to have a fire, but if it happens, this is what we'll do to be safe.'"

Make sure all doors and windows can be opened easily and that all adults know how to operate the emergency release devices on window guards in upstairs rooms.

Next, teach your kids to "get low and go." Have them practice escaping from each room by crouching down very low and crawling along the perimeter of the room to an exit. Make sure your child understands that this technique is different from "stop, drop, and roll," which is what kids should do only if their clothing catches fire. (Carr explains that during at-home drills, many children have tried to stop, drop, and roll their way out of rooms.) Coach your child to feel a closed door with the back of his hand before he opens it; if it's hot, he should quickly head to the second way out if there's one available.

If your family lives in an apartment or multi-unit building, review the building’s evacuation plan. Teach your children to always take the stairs if there’s a fire. 

Do your drill a couple of times each year, using a different exit each time. If you have a fire escape, make sure that it's clear. If you live in a home with a second or higher level and you don't already have a Ul-certified collapsible rescue ladder, consider getting one to stow near an exit window. Children should be a rung above you and stay between your body and the ladder as they climb down, so you can catch them in case they slip. The Fire Department of New York recommends attaching the ladder at least once soon after you get it, so that you know it works and you're familiar with it in an emergency.

Finally, work out which parent will oversee which child's removal. "This should reduce any confusion that can cost precious seconds," says Carr. Establish your family meeting spot outside the home so that you can quickly do a head count.

For More information on Fire Safety Visit here

For more information on AoFC and our Programs please click here

Fall Fest 2019

If there is one day out of every single year that the entire Forrest Crossing family looks forward too, it's Fall Fest! This year was our FOURTH one and it is just so crazy to think how fast time is truly going. We do our Fall Fest every year in the month of October on a Friday night and we not only invite all of our school families, but we also open it up to the public to come as well! Our families look forward to this day every year right along with us! Some of the festivities that we have every year are train rides, bounce houses, tattoos and face painting, bubbles and chalk, pumpkin painting, small games, a balloon artist, photo booth, and prizes! We also offer lots of delicious foods including a chili bar, popcorn bar with all of the goods to go in it, and cupcakes! The kiddos absolutely LOVE the train rides that take them all around our parking lot and up to the light thats at the end of our street! The parents get to ride along with them which makes it even more fun. Our balloon artist was absolutely hilarious this year! He had our kiddos and their families laughing hysterically throughout the night! Then there is the petting zoo, which let me tell you, it is one of the coolest things ever when you get to have your very own petting zoo in the parking lot of your school! The kiddos get the opportunity to go in the fences and feed the animals and pet them too :) All of our special guests were just incredible, and we were so grateful to all of them for coming out and making this night so memorable for everyone. We had the sweetest of women come and do a book fair for everyone as well! The best part for the parents would definitely be the guessing games! Whoever guesses the closest amount of pumpkins in the mason jar gets a FREE week of tuition!! This year we had two families guess the exact number of pumpkins!! Congrats to our winners! We had such a blast this year and it seems that every single year just gets better and better. Thank you to all of you who came out and enjoyed the night with us :)

Love!

This family has been here for all of our Fall Fest's!

Another family that has been here from the start!

We love those boys!

Could they be any more adorable!?

Sweet silly friends!

Pumpkins that were painted by our lil artists!

Our welcome table!

Trying to win those prizes!

Face painting!!

The most hilarious balloon artist!

Popcorn bar!

Say hello to our new friend!

of course ACE had to make an appearance!

For more info on AOFC and the programs we offer, please click HERE

To see more pictures from the fall fest, follow us on Instagram @aofckids 

IT'S FALL Y'ALL!

You guys, it is finally the best time of the year. I truly feel like October is the BEST month of the whole year, and then we move on to Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is such a magical time, especially for children! Here at the Academy we really enjoy making fall super exciting for our kiddos. The decorations and artwork are so much fun to look at and create. We had one of our incredible teacher's who is so talented when it comes to art, create a super cute truck with pumpkins and a basket of apples to go on the wall of our enrichment room! We have pumpkins, hay bails, mums, and other super cute decorations around the school and the parents and kiddos are LOVING them! Fall is such a fun time. Everyone always look so adorable in their fall clothing! We have our fourth annual Fall Fest this friday and we are so excited. I cannot wait to show everyone in next week's blog! We are just waiting for this weather to start recognizing that it's fall! Anyways, enjoy these sweet pictures of deco and children artwork! Happy Fall Y'al! 

The front desk is ready for fall!

Welcome to fall!

 Don't we LOVE it!

 Happy Fall Y'all!

Pumpkin Coffee Time!

But really....

How cute is this!!!

Pumpkins!!!


For more info on AOFC and the programs we offer, please click HERE
For fun fall activities and crafts to do with your littles, click HERE