Please make sure your child has had breakfast before arriving at school. We have a snack around 9:45 am. Graham crackers are provided by CDO or you can include a snack within your child’s lunch.
As your child develops, please begin sending finger food as soon as it is appropriate. This fosters eye-hand coordination and aids in the child’s development of a sense of independence.
It is very important that all food items, bottles, cups, spoons, containers, pacifiers, blankets and any other personal items be clearly labeled with your child’s name.
The nursery children are taken outside daily (weather permitting) so be sure your child has shoes and in the colder months a jacket and cap.
We make every effort to keep each child as close to his/her schedule as possible. However, babies are stimulated by a different environment and interaction with other babies and teachers. The children may eat or sleep on a more flexible schedule.
Please label and send any special blanket, stuffed animal or pacifier that your child uses for nap time. We have separate beds for each child and change the bedding and wash the laundry every day. We also provide bibs for the children and launder them daily.
Foods/drinks that we feel are best to send in your child’s lunch:
* small pieces of cut up fruit (grapes in half, strawberries, etc)
* 100% fruit juice diluted with water
* small pieces of cut up pasta
* frozen peas
* cut up cheese
Foods that we feel you should avoid sending:
* hot dogs
* peanuts
* marshmallows
* Lunchables
* food that needs to be heated or prepared
* soft drinks
* Gogurt yogurt
* candy
* chips
* popcorn
Ideas for celebrating special occasions:
* donut holes
* cupcakes with no icing
* teddy grahams
Some last thoughts:
* Sticking to a routine is key. Bring your child to school on time. Nap time at CDO begins around 12:30 pm. Begin practicing this nap routine at home. We rest in our quiet dark room and it helps to send a comfort item such as a pacifier, doll, pillow, etc. for your child to love at rest time.
* Don’t hang around when you bring your child to school. Long good-byes are hard on your child, the rest of the class, yourself and the teacher. Your child may cry for a short time when you leave, but it is quickly over and your child will have a great day after this transition is over.
* Please make sure you send a complete change of clothes everyday that are weather appropriate.
* If you are considering picking up your child before nap time please do so at or before 12:30 pm.
* If you are planning on leaving your child until pick up time at 2 pm, please help us establish that routine from the beginning of the school year.
oods/drinks that we feel are best to send in your child’s lunch:
* milk, water, junior sized juice boxes
* finger foods like chicken nuggets, carrot sticks, dry cereal, etc.
* some form of protein – meat, cheese, peanut butter, nuts, yogurt
* sandwiches – remember a half sandwich is a full portion for a 2 year old
* pretzels – 6 – 8 is a good size portion
* snack mix
* fruit is great – strawberries, apple slices, grapes cut in half, raisins, bananas, applesauce
Foods we feel you should avoid sending:
* soft drinks
* large juice boxes
* Capri Sun drinks
* Gogurt yogurt and jello
* foods that need to be heated
* tuna fish salad cups that need to be mixed
* Lunchables
* whole apples, grapes or oranges
* cookies
* candy
* full pre-packaged snack items – a whole bag of something is too big a portion for a 2 year old
Ideas for celebrating special occasions:
* plain cookies & icing (the children love to ice and decorate their own cookies)
* mini muffins
* donut holes
* popsicles
* cupcakes with no icing
* ice cream cups
* fun cups and napkins
* stickers, bubbles
Some last thoughts:
* Sticking to a routine is key. Bring your child to school on time. Nap time at CDO begins at around 12:30 pm. Begin practicing this nap routine at home. We rest in our quiet dark room and it helps to send a comfort item such as a pacifier, doll, pillow, etc. for your child to love at rest time.
* Don’t hang around when you bring your child to school. Long good-byes are hard on your child, the rest of the class, yourself and the teacher. Your child may cry for a short time when you leave, but it is quickly over and your child will have a great day after this transition is over.
* Please make sure you send a complete set of weather appropriate change of clothes everyday.
* Please use thick cloth training pants when you start potty training. Pull-ups prevent the child from knowing when he/she has urinated and prolongs potty training.
* If a child is wearing pullups for training purposes, please send at least one diaper for changes so that all the clothes and shoes don’t have to come off to put on another pullup.
Foods/drinks that we feel are best to send in your child’s lunch:
* sandwiches cut in 1/2 or 1/4
* cut up vegetables and fruits
* crackers
* cheese sticks or cubes
* yogurt eaten with a spoon
* juice boxes
* water in screw top bottles (the squeeze tops leak)
* items in baggies – easy for the kids and food can be sealed and sent home if not eaten
Foods we feel you should avoid sending:
* candy
* Lunchables
* fruit that needs to be cut or peeled
* marshmallows
* food that needs to be heated
* food that needs to be mixed (tuna salad cup)
* Gogurt yogurt
* soft drinks
Ideas for celebrating special occasions:
* cookies
* doughnuts
* doughnut holes
* mini muffins
Some last thoughts:
* Always send a complete change of weather appropriate clothes
* For drop off: the teachers will get the children out on the curb side – parents don’t need to get out of their car
* Children are working on self-help skills, so containers they can open (lunch boxes, plastic containers) are best. They have more success with baggies than tupperware! Please remember spoons and forks if needed.
* Remember to keep clothing simple – It’s hard to make it to the bathroom if there are too many buttons, belts, and bows in the way. Dress for active, sometimes messy activities. Dress for the weather.
* Children don’t need to bring too much! Cubbie space is limited and they carry their own things: don’t weigh them down! (3’s don’t really need adult sized backpacks!)
Foods/drinks that we feel are best to send in your child’s lunch:
* cut up vegetables and fruits
* cheese sticks or cubes
* yogurt eaten with a spoon
* sandwiches cut in 1/2 or 1/4
* juice boxes
* water in screw top bottles (the squeeze tops leak)
* lunch box thermos for your child’s drink
* No sippy cups
Foods we feel you should avoid sending:
* food that needs to be heated
* food that needs to be mixed (tuna salad cup)
* Gogurt yogurt and Gogurt applesauce
* Lunchables
Ideas for celebrating special occasions:
* cookies
* donut holes
Some last thoughts:
* Please always send a complete change of clothes that are weather appropriate.
* Please read all notes sent home!
* Wear clothes that can get dirty or have paint spills without worry.
CDO is a high quality half-day preschool that serves the families of Tarrytown United Methodist Church and the surrounding community