Cook County’s Early Childhood Family Education is a great resource for local families. One of the favorite programs for children from birth to five years is Open Gym, held twice a week. Open Gym allows families and childcare providers to gather in an open, safe environment to burn off energy, develop large motor skills and social skills. Proceeds from the ECFE pancake breakfast support the Open Gym program.
The 2012-2013 ECFE (Early Childhood Family Education) year was full of fun and learning for local families with children ages birth to 5 years old. The program is made successful by the strong community involvement and volunteer efforts of community members as well as our ECFE staff members.
ECFE classes had numerous guest speakers featuring topics such as passenger safety, nutrition, gardening, stress management and post partum depression, as well as visiting a local hobby farm and the school’s book fairs.
Another outreach of the ECFE program is the Open Gym program which is held twice a week and allows families and childcare providers to gather their children in an open, safe environment to burn off some energy, develop their large motor skills and social skills. In our long and cold winters this is a benefit for many families.
In order to help keep Open Gym affordable for families the annual ECFE pancake breakfast will be held during Friday and Saturday of Fisherman’s Picnic. ECFE parents and staff will be serving all-you-caneat pancakes, along with sausage, juice and coffee beginning at 7 a.m. at the Cook County Community Center on Aug. 2 and 3. Costs of the breakfast are $4 for kids 12 and under, $6 for adults. Proceeds from the fundraiser are used by the ECFE Advisory Council to help supplement Open Gym operating costs.
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