Flint-area parents and children celebrated the serenity and beauty of fall during the ECDC’s 8th Annual Fall Festival held Oct. 9 in the classrooms and lobby. The center accepted non-perishable food items for the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan while families, students and community members relaxed and enjoyed food and fun activities.
Parents played alongside their kids while learning more about each classroom’s offerings. Chris Wilder’s two-year-old daughter Scarlett attends the ECDC. He was impressed with the ECDC’s nurturing approach toward the children in the center. “You have a sense of security here, but when you walk in the classroom, you also have a sense of comfort,” he said. “The atmosphere is relaxed and you feel a sense of compassion.”
The atmosphere Friday evening was filled with creativity as young children played with different textures like coffee grounds and dried flowers, enjoyed abstract line compositions and light displays, made leaf collages, and decorated cookies. They also wrapped sticks with fancy string, played with colored rice, participated in pumpkin bowling, a duck pond, a maze, henna art and mask decorating, and explored an exciting glow room.
Families voted on their favorite mixed media decorated ceiling tile with each unique tile inspired by a favorite story. Family members and ECDC staff enjoyed interacting with the children as they explored each activity at their own pace. The Chemistry Club and Early Childhood Education Club also joined in the fun with pumpkin-inspired chemistry demonstrations and apple baseball. Welcome fall!