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Meal prep and delivery makes dinner easier

By
Bridget Adams
-

Feeding your family is one of the most important things parents do, and sitting at the dinner table is a habit worth keeping. Studies have shown that families who are able to eat dinner together at home produce healthier kids with better grades, who are less likely to use drugs and experience other social difficulties. But constraints of time, budget, allergies, and preferences make it even tougher on busy parents. Takeout and fast food end up on the menu more often than you’d like, as do processed foods. Meal prep kits and delivery services aim to streamline the process and help you get a hot dinner on the table with as little hassle as possible. We tried some of the services to give you the lowdown.

If one of your goals for this year is to gather around the dinner table and enjoy a family meal, these meal services can make it easier in today’s busy world. Dinner is served!

Keep it local

First on the list is the local Super Suppers, a “take and bake studio kitchen” in Perrysburg. What started as a franchise is now entirely independent and locally-owned by Cassie Egli, who wanted to help people save time and money, while getting healthy meals on the table. Super Suppers warm and comfortable kitchen is available for walk-ins or by appointment, so that you can prep your own meals using their recipes and ingredients. All are freezable and portioned for three or six (USDA portions are smaller than typical restaurant portions). Price per serving for Super Suppers was less than $5…about $4.83 for what we made. We prepped two meals for ourselves, a cranberry stuffed pork roast and chicken marsala. The process was speedy and fun, the ingredients good, and the finished meals, cooked later at home, were tasty, if not fancy. Their menus are more family-friendly than the delivery services we tried, and meals take significantly less time to put together at home. You also avoid a lot of the mess by prepping in their kitchen. Saturdays are family days, when kids are welcome to come help you prep. You can also choose to have someone else prep your meals. Egli says most of her customers order ahead and pick up meals at the store, but she also offers delivery. “You can save twenty to thirty hours per month using us three times a week. Spend it with your child catching up on homework or just seeing how their day was. We are real food fast, not fast food.”

Dinner on your doorstep

Another way to get a healthy dinner on the table fast is
to have it delivered. Services like Door to Door
Organics deliver “fresh organic produce… milk and dairy foods, humanely raised meats and chicken, sustainable fish and seafood and more local, natural foods right
to your doorstep.” They deliver to the Toledo area on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays, and you’ll need to sign up for a box of fruit, veggies, or both, for a minimum of $25. For a family of four, they suggest a small box of fruits and vegetables for $35 to use throughout the week. You can set preferences ahead of time, and substitute fruits and veggies to customize your box. It is a subscription, however, not a grocery delivery service. In addition to your regular box, you can add an impressive array of grocery items. Prices and quality are significantly higher than at your neighborhood grocery, more in line with specialty grocery stores.

When we tried it out, the delivery service was reliable, items were well-chosen and of good quality, and customer service was excellent and quick to resolve issues (one bad apple led to a speedy refund and extra apples in the next delivery). The subscription box model may encourage you to try some new things, and the website offers recipes and meal ideas.

Door to Door Organics | 877-711-3636
greatlakes.doortodoororganics.com

Blue Apron is a subscription service that delivers all of the fresh ingredients to create your own meal at home. Like competitors Hello Fresh and Plated, Blue Apron gives you a choice of meals and recipe cards. Delivery is on Fridays, and you can choose three meals with two servings each for just under $60, or two meals with four servings for $70, with shipping included. You can avoid certain proteins and choose between limited weekly menus. We tried two family meals (bucatini bolognese with pecorino and Brussels sprouts and pan-seared cod with lemon sauce and fall vegetables) and found the ingredients well-packed and the meals restaurant-quality, as advertised. They include exactly what you need to make your meals, pre-measured and clearly labeled. So you may receive one egg in a tiny carton, or two tablespoons of rice flour. Meals took a solid 30-60 minutes to put together, which didn’t save us time, but the planning and prep was a convenience. We tried some new things, gained some new skills, and enjoyed the results. If your kids are adventurous eaters, Blue Apron may be a great fit. If your toddler only wants chicken nuggets, look elsewhere, or get yourself the two-person plan. Meals work out to $8.74 per serving, and those servings are generous.

Blue Apron | 646-891-4349
blueapron.com

Hula Hooping Happiness

By
Emily Remaklus
-

When was the last time you hula hooped? For most of us it was probably back in elementary school. This staple of the American toy industry, around since the 1950s, has the same unchanged simplistic design. Sure the colors might be a little different from when you were a kid, and some light-up or glow-in-the-dark but overall, the hula hoop is still a way to create fun.

A passion for teaching

Colleen Bell stumbled upon hooping a few years back. “I found a YouTube tutorial on how to customize a hula hoop,” she explained. Her interest piqued, she watched videos on hooping tricks. Now she performs regularly in parades and at Maumee’s Buster Brown’s Lounge.

Though Bell enjoys performing, her real passion is teaching. Now a fully certified hoop dance instructor, she owns Mae C Rae Hoops, which meets at the Perrysburg Gymnastic Center, where she teaches hoop dance and hoop fitness to children and adults.

“Our younger kids’ classes are typically more game related, and as you get older the classes become more focused on the fitness and dance of hooping,” Bell stated.

A standard kids’ class involves a history of hoop dance, learning tricks and playing games, ending with a dance party. A “hoopsmith” workshop is also available, allowing kids to make their own hoops to take home.

Bell currently offers weekly classes, and has recently begun booking birthday parties and Girl Scout troops. Each class can be tailored to benefit the participating group. “I’ve helped Girl Scout troops earn badges in fitness, and fairness. For the fairness badge we teach the idea of being fair through different games.”

Be Authentically You!

Although the educational aspect can be tailored towards the particular group, Bell insists on one important theme in all of her classes — “celebrating who you uniquely are’ — which provides her business motto “Dance, Hoop,
Play – Be Authentically YOU!”

Bell explains, many people, especially adults, come to class uncomfortable with hooping and dancing in front of others. “I get students who are super shy, but over time they just love it [hooping], and showing off what they can do.”

Hooping Health Benefits

That confidence boost leads Bell to marvel at the mental benefits of hooping. “I used to be very shy when I was young, and now I’m hooping, teaching hooping, and performing. It’s really helped me open-up as a person.”

Hooping offers proven physical benefits. A recent American Council on Exercise (ACE) study shows that hooping has similar cardio results to kickboxing while developing flexibility, and helping with weight management. One hour of hooping can burn 400-600 calories.

Regardless of age or experience, the childlike fun of hooping is the perfect way to exercise and let loose. To learn about upcoming classes, visit Facebook.com/maecrae, or email Bell at [email protected]

Q&A with Colleen Bell

1. What’s your favorite activity to do with your family/kids?
Lately, because of the winter weather, we’ve started doing workouts together in the living room.
2. Best Holiday memory you have from when you were a kid?
Being at my grandma’s house on Thanksgiving. She had ten kids and they all came with their kids, so there were a lot of cousins and family. It was always great being together.
3. What’s your go-to activity when you finally have a few minutes to yourself?
Hula hooping
4. Name one thing you swore you’d never do as a mom, but totally do.
Saying “because I said so.”
5. Describe your life in five words.
Fun, challenging, rewarding, interesting, evolving.

Figuring out if your child has colic or acid reflux

By
Heidi Borst
-

Your baby’s fists are clenched, her arms and legs flailing with her face scrunched up in pain, with unrelenting screams. Nothing you do seems to help. It’s heartbreaking to watch your baby suffer. Before you think “colic,” and assume there’s no cure, consider a treatable condition: acid reflux. Dr. Marianne Black of Toledo’s Franklin Park Pediatrics clues parents in on what to watch for while providing tips to help your infant feel better.

Distinguishing Colic from Acid Reflux

Common in the evening and most often appearing in infants from 6-12 weeks, colic is often diagnosed with the rule of threes: crying for 3 hours at a time, at least 3 days a week, for 3 weeks in a row.

“I define colic as excessive crying for no apparent reason that usually resolves on its own within the first 2 to 3 months,” said Dr. Black. “It may be caused by excess gas, exhaustion, fighting sleep, excessive stimulation, not quite being adjusted to life outside the cozy uterus, or even just as a means to relieve stress.”

Often, crying from colic is inconsolable, but limiting the baby’s stimuli and responding quickly to her crying with soothing touches can help.

Acid reflux, often mistaken as colic, usually appears in the first month of life “and is a medical condition that has a remedy. All infants have a very loose junction between the esophagus and stomach, and spitting up milk is very common. But (with reflux) …stomach acid instead of just milk comes up to the back of the throat, or perhaps the nose, causing pain,” Black offers, adding that some babies with acid reflux might never spit up milk at all. In such cases, “Signs of distress and crying usually occur when the stomach is empty and (the baby) has gnawing pain from a raw, irritated stomach lining. Watching your baby closely can give you clues regarding which is which.”

Dr. Christine Stahle of Promedica Physicians Arrowhead Pediatrics in Maumee clues parents in on what to watch for in cases of silent reflux. “Look for fussiness during and after feeds with arching, stiffening, or grimacing. Some babies will overeat for comfort and gain too much weight. Others dislike feeding and are slow to gain. Reflux is always potentially a contributing factor to colic or excessive crying. Another sign of reflux is loving to be upright after feeds and hating to be flat.”

Easing the Pain of Acid Reflux

For babies that spit up frequently, Dr. Black recommends parents try small, frequent feedings (two ounces every two hours instead of four ounces every four hours, etc.), and advises keeping your baby upright during and after meals. Probiotics may be taken by breast-feeding mothers or given directly to the baby to promote healthier digestion.
“If bottle-feedings may be thickened with 1 to 2 tablespoons of a multi grain cereal as heavier contents stay in the stomach longer,” Dr. Black advises.
If the above suggestions do not offer relief, prescription antacid medications can be obtained through your child’s pediatrician.

Acid Reflux Checklist

If you answer yes to one or more of the below, there’s a good chance your baby is suffering from acid reflux:

  • Does your baby arch backwards or stiffen his body?
  • Does your baby make a sour face or a chewy face that looks like she’s continually swallowing something, even between feedings?
  • Does your baby cough, gag or choke with feedings or between feedings?
  • Is your baby constantly hungry and gaining excessive weight? (Often babies try to remedy themselves with milk to soothe the pain in the stomach).
  • Does your baby often take a few sucks at the nipple, pull his or her head off, and then start again? (This often means the
    acid splash has caused a sensitive raw spot).
  • Does anyone in your family
    have acid reflux?

Fake news vs. Real news

By
Carolyn Jabs
-

How do you make a good decision or form a sound opinion? For most adults, the answer is obvious. Find the best information you can from sources that have proven reliable in the past. For young people, things may not be as clear. By age 18, it’s estimated that 88% get much of their news from what’s shared on Facebook and other social media.

Unfortunately, according to a highly publicized Stanford University study, many kids aren’t able to evaluate what they find. “Many assume that because young people are fluent in social media they are equally savvy about what they find there,” notes Professor Sam Wineburg, lead author of the report. “Our work shows the opposite.”

Middle schoolers didn’t understand t he difference between reported news and “sponsored content.” High school students assumed that an unattributed photo proved the truth of a story. And college students couldn’t detect the bias in a tweet.

So what should parents do? Social media means that children—and adults–are becoming information sources for each other, so we need to take on some of the tasks that used to be done by editors. Start by talking to your children about what deserves to be shared online.

Point out that false and biased information comes from many sources—deceptive advertising, satirical websites or organizations with an agenda. And then there’s “click bait”—tidbits so astonishing, outrageous or implausible that people click and share without thinking. These so-called stories are created simply to generate revenue.

No one, including kids, likes to be duped by bad information. To help your child develop the savvy to evaluate what they find online, talk regularly about how important it is to be skeptical and ask the following questions:

Is it worth reading?
According to a study at Columbia University, 59 percent of links shared on Twitter have never actually been clicked. Kids show respect for their friends by sharing only things that they were willing to read or watch. Fake news sites in particular count on mindless sharing.

Who stands behind it?

Encourage kids to track stories back to the website where they originated. Check the “About Us” page and scroll down the home page to find out who owns the copyright to the material. Look at the URL. Some fake news sites reel in the unsuspecting with addresses that are deceptively close to legitimate sites. Point out extensions—.gov is a government agency, .edu is colleges and universities and .ru is a site that originates in Russia. (A complete extension list is available at Webopedia, tinyurl.com/48t5r).

What’s the source?

Help children understand sources by talking about who they trust at school. Some kids are genuine authorities in different areas—they know the stats for the sports team or can tell you when assignments are due. Others have a reputation for spreading rumors or even telling lies. The same thing is true online. A story is worth sharing only if it comes from reliable sources. The sources should be named and, in most cases, there should be more than one. They should be people who are qualified to have an opinion because they’ve studied the topic, done research, or have relevant experience.

Can the story be confirmed?

Anyone can say anything online. Teach kids to Google stories and authors to find out whether anyone else finds them credible. A story that appears in one place or is based on a single tweet should be discounted. You can also point older kids to websites that help differentiate good information from bogus claims. Healthnewsreview.org evaluates stories about medical research. Politifact.com and Factcheck.org try to verify claims by politicians. Tineye.com helps users track down photographs to see if they’ve been manipulated.

What’s the tone?

Many online stories are designed to trigger strong feelings such as fear, anger or even hatred. Encourage your child to pay attention to words that manipulate or inflame emotions. Point out that people should be especially careful about sharing stories of this kind. The question should always be: will sharing this make the world a better place?
Much of what’s shared on social media isn’t serious, and kids don’t need to apply this level of scrutiny to animal videos or other playful posts. At the same time, we all should be aware that we are using information we get through social media to make decisions about social, political and health issues. As the Stanford researchers put it, “Never have we had so much information at our fingertips. Whether this bounty will make us smarter and better informed or more ignorant and narrow-minded will depend on our awareness of this problem and our educational response to it.”

By age 18, it’s estimated that 88% get much of their news from what’s shared on Facebook and other social media.

Carolyn Jabs, M.A., has been writing Growing Up Online for ten years. She is also the author of Cooperative Wisdom: Bringing People Together When Things Fall Apart.
Visit cooperativewisdom.org for more information.

Random Drug Testing in Schools

By
Christine A. Holliday
-

There’s more than just reading, writing and arithmetic in schools today. For some in the area, random drug testing is also part of the agenda. Most recently, Maumee Schools joined other schools in the Northern Lakes League in requiring random drug testing for students who participate in sports and extracurricular activities (grades 7-12) and for Maumee High School students who request a parking pass. The School Board voted 4-0 to install the policy beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, as an effort to reflect community norms and beliefs, including promoting a healthy, drug-free lifestyle. The testing program will support anti-drug programming already in place in Maumee schools—DARE in 5th and 7th grade, Red Ribbon Week in all grades, activities sponsored by the Maumee Substance Abuse Intervention League for all grades, and the district’s curriculum in health and life skills.

Tom Hosler, Superintendent Perrysburg School.
Tom Hosler, Superintendent Perrysburg School.

A closer look

The hope is that no student will test positive for drug use, but if a test is positive, immediate treatment of the student is the priority. Confidentiality is of the utmost importance and, while there will be penalties outlined in the Code of Conduct, there will be no academic consequences for a positive result. The district is still deciding on which vendor will administer the tests, and exactly how and when students will be tested, but officials believe, “Programs like these give students one more reason to say ‘no’ to trying or using drugs, alcohol and tobacco. Research shows that experimentation with drug/alcohol/tobacco begins during young adolescence. Having a random drug testing program is a deterrent for many.”

This ruling, and those made earlier in Anthony Wayne and Perrysburg schools, among other local school districts, takes its legal weight from a 2002 U.S. Supreme Court ruling giving schools the right to test students who participate in athletics, extra-curricular activities, obtain a parking permit and/or participate in activities that do not involve a grade. Currently, the list of Maumee students who can be tested includes all athletic teams, cheer, dance, marching band, guard, winterguard, drumline, speech & debate, Quiz Bowl, DECA and Jets Club. Parents of students not in those organizations may include their children in the random testing by registering them online with back-to-school forms provided at the beginning of the school year, and students may “self-report” for testing.

Tom Hosler, Superintendent Perrysburg Schools, has been pleased with the policy enacted by his district almost eight years ago. “Our policy has several purposes,” he explains,“including ‘To provide solutions for the student athlete who does use drugs and alcohol,’ ‘To reflect the Perrysburg community’s desire to have its youth live drug- and alcohol-free lives,’ and ‘To discourage all student athletes from using drugs and alcohol so students will assume all responsibility for regulating their personal lives in ways that will result in their becoming healthful members of a team and worthy representatives of the school and community.”

Hosler continues, “We have realistic expectations. We know this isn’t a ‘magic bullet’ and we recognize this is a preventive measure. It will not stop all kids who want to use, but it gives them one more tool to say ‘no’ if their friends suggest it.”

Athletes are tested at the beginning of each season, and then on a random basis during the off-season, and, as with the Maumee policy, there are no academic penalties for positive testing results. “Taking a student out of the helpful environment of the school and support staff isn’t very helpful,” Hosler insists. “The testing is not meant as a ‘gotcha.’ It is meant to identify kids who need help and encourage them to do so.”

Concerns and challenges

Former Perrysburg football coach and Athletic Director Ray Pohlman notes the decision to adopt a policy in Perrysburg was not without its challenges. “We had concerns voiced about the privacy of testing, and several parents, including attorneys, worried the rights of students were ignored or weren’t aware of the rights of students. They had to be aware of what the Supreme Court rules calls for and why rules were mentioned for students. Some in the community were worried about our not being able to test for the right drugs or punishing the athlete whose test reveals a drug that he has been prescribed.”

The policy discussion counted comments from parents, board members, students, and administrations. Some parents wanted drug tests for all the administrators to be fair if students have the same requirement. Others suggested there would be no athletes involved in any sports because of the possibility of being caught. Some parents thought penalties were too strict or it would be too easy to sneak tests or give false results. Several parents and students expressed concern for students (especially juniors and seniors) whose true reports for drug use would have serious effects on their college plans. Students were not allowed to drive if they were found guilty for positive results, which made it difficult to get to school or to their jobs.

Pohlman said they listened to all concerned voices and won over the naysayers by reminding the students involved they could use the policy as an excuse to say ‘no’ to their friends.

“Blame the policy,” Pohlman said. “We assured students that any results stay in the Athletic Department. We want to help, and we want to encourage you to take care of your friends and teammates. Most of the kids and their parents responded to that.”

There is no question that drug abuse is a serious problem in all communities. But, as Hosler notes, “Communities have to make their own decisions about what will work with their students and their families. Random testing has worked for us, and Maumee has made a similar decision. Every district has the goal of helping kids. That’s why we are there.”

Former Perrysburg football coach and Athletic Director Ray Pohlman.
Former Perrysburg football coach and Athletic Director Ray Pohlman.

Childcare & preschool guide

By
Erin Schoen Marsh
-

Leaving your baby-whether your baby is 6 weeks old or
3 years old-with another caregiver can be incredibly tough (or a big relief!).
We compiled a list of some of the best local centers and schools that will
allow your child to learn independence and flourish in a school setting.

THINGS TO CONSIDER

Is the school play-based or curriculum-based?
Does the school provide support for children with special needs?
Does the center have early drop off and/or late pick up for working parents?
Is the location and program a good fit for your child and family?
What is the adult to child ratio?

Children’s Discovery Center

Downtown: 338 North St. Clair St., 419.255.4890
Franklin Park: 3839 Talmadge Rd., 419.474.8303
Holland: 1640 Timberwolf Dr., 419.861.1060
Perrysburg: 11090 Avenue Rd., 419.874.8203
Perrysburg: 7033 Lighthouse Way, 419.872.4510
Waterville: 8011 Dutch Rd., 419.878.8689
childrensdiscoverycenters.com
Hours vary by location
Infant to school age
Children’s Discover Center emphasizes the importance of integrating science, technology, engineering, arts and math (S.T.E.A.M.) into an early childhood education program. CDC “teachers encourage children in science exploration to engage, explain and evaluate. Laying the foundation for these skills helps children become successful as they enter kindergarten and first grade.” Additionally, CDC follows the state of Ohio requirements for staff/child ratio, and the infant classroom has a ratio of 1:5 with a maximum group size of 12. Preschoolers are only slightly higher at 1:12 with a maximum group size of 24.

Little Sprouts Academy

4014 Elmhurst Rd.
419.754.1057 | littlesproutsacademy.com
7am-6pm, Monday-Friday
Infant to preschool age
Little Sprouts Academy (LSA) is “more than a daycare.” LSA believes that a strong educational focus in conjunction with attentive childcare is important for all age groups. Each classroom, from infants to preschoolers, has a specially devised curriculum, and LSA offers a wide variety of classes, from Spanish and American Sign Language to yoga. The educationally diverse curriculum of LSA prepares students cognitively, socially, and emotionally for kindergarten. For those parents who would like to virtually visit their little ones, parents and caregivers can sign in to a secure web hosting site to view their child anytime via webcams.

Maumee Valley Country Day School

1715 S. Reynolds Rd.
419.381.1313 | mvcds.org
30 months-12th Grade
Preschool (starting at 30 months)– Three program options:
Tuesday-Thursday 8am-11:15am; Monday-Friday 8am-11:15am;
or Monday-Friday 8am-3pm
Prekindergarten: Monday-Friday 8am-3pm
Junior Kindergarten: Monday-Friday 8am-3pm
Kindergarten: Monday-Friday 8am-3pm
Maumee Valley’s Early Learning Center (ELC) allows the interests of the children to drive their dynamic educational program, and this child-centered curriculum “engages, nurtures, and supports young children in their pursuit of knowledge.” ELC offers mixed-age classrooms to allow students to be placed in the environment that best suits their individual needs, and as students learn by doing, ELC offers a plethora of hands-on experiences while “carefully documenting the progress of each child.” Additionally, preschoolers and kindergarteners will get a head start in their education with music, art, spanish, and physical education lessons throughout the week.

Sensational Kids Daycare & Learning Center

6060 Merger Dr.
419.724.5434 | sensationalkidsdaycare.com
6:30am-6pm, Monday-Friday
Infant to preschool age
Sensational Kids (SK) “strives to make sure that every family feels welcome and that we are meeting the individual needs of our families” and treats each child as an individual with individual needs. SK maintains high staff ratios with 1 teacher/aid for every 5 children in a classroom. SK also has special education teachers as well as an intervention specialist for those children with special needs in order to make progress on IEP goals. Therapy programs are also available from their Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapists, which means students can receive their weekly therapy within a structured school setting during work hours.

West Side Montessori

Toledo Campus: 7115 W. Bancroft | 419.866.1931
Perrysburg Campus: 13587 Roachton Rd. | 419.874.9385
montessoritoledo.org
13 months-8th grade
Half Day: 8:30-11:30am. Full Day: 8:30am-3:30pm. Extended: 11:30-3:30am.
Little House (13-40 months): Full or Half Day, with the following day combinations: Monday & Tuesday, Wednesday-Friday, Monday-Friday. Extended Day (11:30-3:30am) also available.
Children’s House (3 years old-Kindergarten): Full or Half Day, Monday-Friday. Afternoon Enrichment (11:30-3:30pm) also available.
Child Care for all ages is also available from 7-8:15am and 3:30-6pm at both campuses.

West Side Montessori provides children with a play-based learning environment in which students can pursue their individual interests at their own pace. In Little House, individual education focuses on Practical Life, Grace & Courtesy, Sensorial experiences, Mathematics, Language and Art. Cultural Experiences (Art, Music, Geography, Earth Science, History, Botany, and Zoology) and a foreign language (Spanish or French) are added to the Children’s House curriculum. The Little House teacher to student ratio is 5:1 to 7:1, and the Children’s House is 12:1.

Childcare Adventures Early

Learning Center
3544 Glendale Ave.
419.385.5880 | childcareadventures.com
Infant to 12 years
6:30am-6pm
The newly remodeled Childcare Adventures Early Learning Center, formerly known as Heatherdowns Early Learning Center, offers challenging, academic-based programs
for children up to 12 years of age.
The school is also implementing live FaceTime opportunities so that parents can see and interact with children. The center believes that transparency in education helps unite families and educators.

Gateway School

4650 W. Bancroft
419.536.6503 | gatewaypre-k.com
2.5 years to 6 years
Monday-Friday, 7:30am-4:30pm
Gateway School encourages learning and independence through the use of learning centers, which are designed based on the interests of the children. Each school day includes time for small group, music, snack, outdoor play, large group and individualized activities.
Gateway stimulates creativity and curiosity, teaches self-control,
fosters social intelligence, and fosters gratitude.

St. Kateri Catholic Academy

3225 Pickle Road
419.693.0465 | www.katerischools.org
3 to 5 years
Monday-Friday, 7am-6pm
The preschool at St. Kateri Catholic Academy offers structured developmental opportunities to stimulate and encourage learning. The pre-k program is designed to help children develop mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, and socially, with teachers encouraging independence and providing opportunities for both quiet and active play. Simple academic concepts are covered throughout the years, and large and small motor skills are fine-tuned on a daily basis.

Little Wonders Child Care Center

2534 Woodville Road, Nothwood
419.691.3783 | littlewonderschildcarecenter.com
Infant to 12 years
5:30a-10:30pm Monday- Friday
The goal at Little Wonders Child Care Center is to help your child grow as a person emotionally, socially, intellectually and physically. The center follows the Ohio Early Learning Content Standards. Little Wonders is a 4 Star-Rated program, meaning that along with state licensing, the center follows Ohio’s Step Up to Quality Guidelines.

Fairgreen Parent Co-Op Preschool

3220 W. Laskey Road
419.475.5367 | fairgreenchurch.net
3 to 5 years
9-11:30 and 12:15-2:45
Fairgreen Parent Co-Op
Preschool offers a curriculum
that is designed to meet the diverse needs of children through creative play experiences.
Patience, understanding, and the devotion of teachers is crucial to promoting the physical, social and intellectual development
of children.

Hand in Hand Early
Learning Center

412 Illinois Avenue, Maumee
419.893.0623 | handinhandearlylearningcenter.com
6 weeks-12 years
6:30am-6pm Monday-Friday
Hand in Hand Early Learning Center provides a safe and engaging environment where children’s thoughts and work are valued. Because every child is viewed as an individual, the center individualizes planning to meet the needs and interests of each child. Locally owned and operated, Hand in Hand Early Learning Center is certified by the Ohio Healthy Programs.

Concordia Lutheran Church

Preschool and Daycare
3636 South Detroit Avenue
419.382.0410 | concordiatoledo.org/daycare
Toddler daycare 18-36 months
Preschool and daycare 3-5 years
7am-6pm Monday-Friday
Serving Toledo for more than 40 years, Concordia Lutheran Preschool and Daycare offers a Christ-centered environment for toddlers 18 to 36 months and for preschoolers ages three to five. A stimulating environment encourages children to grow spiritually, socially, cognitively and spiritually, setting a strong foundation for faith and learning.

Maria Early Learning Center

4651 Monroe Street
419.471.0170 | mariaelc.org
Six weeks to 5 years
6:30a-6pm Monday-Friday
Sponsored by the Sisters of Notre Dame, Maria Early Learning Center offers care, love and education while recognizing the importance of supporting a child’s spiritual development. Children experience prayer and Christian values daily, along with opportunities to nurture their imagination, creativity and social skills. The State of Ohio has awarded Maria Early Learning Center the Five Star Rating for meeting quality standards over and above Ohio’s health and licensing standards.

Educare Academy

Toledo: 806 Starr Ave
419.540.4449
10 locations to serve you.
Log on for more information: educareacademy.org
6am-6pm Monday- Friday
6 weeks – 12 years
6am-10pm Monday-Friday at Starr Ave location

Educare Academy Child Development centers know what it takes to offer high quality early education programs for children ages six weeks to 12 years. Teachers encourage and engage children in purposeful and meaningful activities and experiences. Educare Academy has ten locations throughout the area and all have earned a Five Star Step Up to Quality rating. They also offer extended hours and transportation to meet the needs of busy families.

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