Hats off to Kiskadee Kids

THEIR love for cartoon characters like Superman, Mickey Mouse, Elsa and Anna or even their dreams to become nurses, doctors and soldiers came alive at least for a day when Kiskadee Kids Daycare and Pre-school hosted its Annual Twin Day.

Days ahead of the much-talked about event, parents pooled their ideas and resources together to make their pre-schoolers’ dreams a reality, and they did not disappoint. On March 8, 2018, the same day the world celebrated International Women’s Day, excitement filled the air not only because of the celebration of womanhood but because one daycare, that provides more than just a service, gave its toddlers an opportunity to dream big.

Mimicking the cartoon characters of `Cinderella’ and `Frozen’ several of the girls who were “twinned” for the day arrived at the school’s Queen Street, Kitty location decked in their royal dresses sweeping the floor with their crowns neatly affixed on their heads while holding on to their magic wands.

The well-dressed military boys, the many supermen and superwomen, the Mickey Mouse characters, the nurses and doctors, and those that sported African wear in honour of the movie Black Panther, captivated the attention of many parents, the teachers, and even passersby.

Director and owner of the school, Ivor Thompson told the Pepperpot Magazine that Kiskadee Kids is more than just a daycare and pre-school – it is an educational facility that is big on care and socialisation, creating a lifetime of friends and memories.
“I think any parent could have their children home and teach them the same thing that we are doing here, but without interaction, they wouldn’t have the confidence as they grow up in life,” Thompson said.

Explaining the concept behind Twin Day, the school’s Director said it allows the pre-schoolers to understand they are not alone, and there are twins of different types be it identical or fraternal (or even those paired for a day). In some scenarios, parents give birth to triplets and even quadruplets and the children are taught about those realities.
“It also helps them to identify that you could be a twin not only two boys or two girls but it could be a twin that is a boy and girl…it brings more interaction and love among them and their parents,” he explained.

Thompson noted too that when the children are grouped together a bond is often times created at both levels. “When you have these parents interact and exchange ideas for Twin Day, they become friends, and their children become friends, so instead of having two parents you have four parents,” he further explained.

From a class of 70 children, 66 of them participated in the Annual Twin Day. Thompson noted that Twin Day was just one of the many activities the school facilitates annually.
The Kiskadee Kids Mashramani Costume and Float Parade, the Easter Hat Show, Independence Dress-up, the Father and Son Fishing Expedition, Pajama Day and a fair are among activities the pre-schoolers engaged in year-round, in addition to the dancing and swimming classes which are done on a weekly basis.

“We have a swimming programme. The boys swim. We have a professional coach that comes over and teach them to swim, it helps to strengthen their muscles and so on and build their coordination. We also have a hat show during the Easter season. It is not a hat show that they compete in, but one that allows them to have interaction with their parents when they sit with their parents and create their own hats,” he explained.

Complementing the social activities are a wide range of educational activities that focus on the recital of the alphabet and the identification of letters and numbers, counting, spelling of their names, colouring, drawing and identification of places and things. The administrator pointed out that the school utilises the Basic Phonics Reading Programme. They are also taught etiquette among other life tools. It was noted that the teachers and care providers at the school undergo constant training.

Thompson told the Pepperpot Magazine that the daycare and pre-school was opened on May 2, 2008 – approximately 10 years ago but the idea of establishing such a facility came about approximately 19 years ago.

“My experience was that the earlier daycare that my kids went to had the same timings with my work. So 16:30hrs I have to pick up my kids and it is up to 16:30hrs I work, so I was always asking the proprietors of the school if you are caring for me and my kids, you have to care for the time when I am not there. So about 19 years ago, I thought to myself and said I will have a daycare, a daycare that could help the parents even when they are studying in the afternoon or even the attendants at the pump stations, the security,” he explained.

In making good on his promise and goal, Kiskadee Kids is opened from 07:00hrs to 19:00hrs from Monday-Friday, in addition to Saturdays.