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Kathy's Kids Home Child Care is a play based, nature inspired accredited early childhood program.
Kathy's Kids Home Child Care is a play based, nature inspired accredited early childhood program.
About Me
About Me
Hello and welcome to Kathy's Kids Home Child Care. I am Kathleen Wolfe, the owner and proud provider. I want to share a little about me. I am the youngest of 4 girls and grew up in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Even as a young girl, I knew I wanted to help others. I would babysit in the neighborhood, watch my cousins, and even worked in a childcare while in high school. I went to school and received my Associates in Arts. After I got married to my wonderful husband, Rodney who was in the US Air Force, I moved to Alaska. It was there that I realized how much I enjoyed being out in nature and appreciating what nature can do for your soul. In 2000 we moved to North Carolina, Pope Air Force Base to be exact. My husband got deployed after 9/11 and I was struggling to find someone to watch our 10 month old son while working evenings and weekends. It was then that I decided to become a home childcare provider. I started as a licensed military provider and earned my developmental license and my bachelors degree in business management. In 2004 we had another son and the military decided to send us to North Dakota. As soon as we settled in, I opened my first state licensed home child care. While in North Dakota, I earned my Child Development Certificate (CDA) and also my Masters degree in Education, specializing in early childhood education. I also was accredited by the National Association for Family child Care (NAFCC). I loved what I was doing and I was a mentor to other providers. My husband retired from the US Air Force in 2014 and in 2015 we made the decision to move back home to Wisconsin to be closer to family. I thought I was done with childcare but plans changed. Our family was growing! I had my daughter the end of 2016 and by April of 2017, I was back doing home childcare. I got licensed January of 2000 so I could help more children learn. I am currently licensed for 8 children. I earned accreditation through Satellite Family Child Care, I am 5 star rated through Youngstar, I won Terri Lynne Lokoff Teacher of the Year, and earned my Inclusion credential and Nature-Based Credential through the Wisconsin Registry.. I love what I get to do on a daily basis and I am always learning more ways to help children grow and develop.
What do children learn
while playing in nature?
Children learn a variety of skills
while playing in nature.
Cognitive skills such as
observation, concentration,
exploration, collecting, sorting,
experimenting and building are
used daily.
Natures constant changing
landscape offers stimulation for
children and an endless supply of
craft materials. It is said that
creative thinking skills is a better
predictor of lifetime
achievements.
Nature strengthens a child’s
balance and coordination,
improves muscular strength,
boosts immunity, and can
improve vision.
Working together in nature allows
children to respect other’s
opinions, work together towards
a shared goal, and develop
negotiation skills.
When in nature children stimulate
their sense of beauty,
appreciation, wonder, and awe.
Nature also teaches a child about
risk assessment, good judgement,
hazards, and safety.
(Sobel, 2016)
Discovertheforest.org
Children need at the minimum, three hours a day of outdoor free play.
• Toddlers (age 1-3) and Preschoolers (age 3-5)- need 5-8 hours a day of active play. They will do this naturally if given the opportunity
• School Age kids (ages 5- 13)- need 4-5 hours a day of outdoor play.
• Teenagers (13-19 years)- need 3-4 hours a day of physical activity. (Hanscom, 2016)
Play is central to the well-being, development and learning of the young child (Siolta)
Play is central to the well-being, development and learning of the young child (Siolta)
Children learn to develop their whole self through child-led play by promoting:
A love of learning
A sense of wonder
Creativity and imagination
Physical skills and coordination
Spontaneity
Resilience and coping skills
Empathy and compassion
Sense of touch and non-verbal socialization skills
Learning about the world
Speech and language
Concentration and perseverance
A sense of joy and well-being
Confidence and self-esteem
Healing
Increased brain development
Positive feelings towards others
(National Childhood Network)
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