Creative Discovery Museum invites all area rising kindergartners to register for Countdown to Kindergarten, a free program that will help prepare for the first year of “Big School.”
"According to a study by Chattanooga 2.0, only 40 percent of Hamilton County kindergarteners arrive on the first day of school prepared with the skills needed to succeed. Beginning kindergarten is a monumental transition for both children and parents. Many factors contribute to kindergarten readiness outside of a child’s ability to say the ABC’s and count. In an effort to ensure that rising kindergartners and their caregivers have access to free resources and fun activities, the Museum will seek to enroll more than 2,000 children as part of a broader community-wide effort to improve school readiness throughout the region," officials said.
Countdown to Kindergarten is sponsored by United Way of Greater Chattanooga and BlueCross BlueSheild of Tennessee.
“Children who enter kindergarten with the emotional, social, physical and intellectual skills needed to be ready for school are more likely to be successful during all of their school years,” said Jayne Griffin, Ed.D, director of Education at Creative Discovery Museum. “Creative Discovery Museum is proud to partner with other community organizations that support parents and children as they prepare for this meaningful milestone.”
Rising kindergarteners can register at the ticket desk at Creative Discovery Museum through June 30 (no admission required). Registration is available April 16-27 at cdmfun.org/kindergarten while supplies last. Registration has also taken place at Chattanooga Head Start and Hamilton County Pre-K for preschoolers currently enrolled in those programs. Chattanooga Public Libraries will also register participants from April 16-26.
All Countdown Kids will receive a book full of tips to help prepare them and their parents for kindergarten while supplies last. Children registered for the club will also receive a Countdown Kids t-shirt while supplies last.
The Kick-off Celebration will be held on April 28 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Children enrolled in the club and wearing their shirt (and one adult) will receive free admission to the Countdown to Kindergarten Kick-off Celebration at Creative Discovery Museum. "This fun-filled event will allow children to develop skills needed to start school through a variety of hands-on activities in a fun environment," officials said.
Scheduled activities include: simulated school experiences, readiness activities and Kids on the Block puppet shows. At 2 p.m. there will be a blast off countdown party complete with balloons, cake and ice cream. Children not previously enrolled in the club can sign-up for free at the event to receive free admission.
“Kindergarten officially marks the beginning of a child's formal education, and we want all children to be ready to learn and succeed in school,” said Erin Townley, Early Childhood manager at Creative Discovery Museum. “This event will be the official kickoff celebration to create momentum for school readiness throughout the spring and summer, including Discovery Mobile days at the Southside Library.”
Children wearing their Countdown to Kindergarten t-shirt receive free admission to the Chattanooga Zoo from June 1 through Aug. 1 and free admission to the Tennessee Aquarium on June 23. In addition, Countdown to Kindergarten Club members will receive free admission to the Lookouts Countdown to Kindergarten Day home game June 24. The Lookouts Countdown to Kindergarten Day will provide another opportunity for children to register for the program on the Lookouts Plaza which allows the children free admission to the game June 24.
Creative Discovery Museum is leading this effort in collaboration with many partners in the Chattanooga area including: Hamilton County Department of Education, Chattanooga Public Library, United Way’s Project Ready for School, First Things First, Chattanooga Child Care Resource and Referral, Chattanooga Head Start, Baby University, Signal Centers, Chattanooga’s Kids On The Block, Chattanooga Association for Children’s Early Education, Early Matters, Tennessee Aquarium, Read 20, Youth and Family Development, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC), Chambliss Center for Children, Chattanooga State Community College, Chattanooga Zoo and Chattanooga Lookouts.
For more information on Countdown to Kindergarten and how to participate, visit www.cdmfun.org.