Centre of their world

On the outside, the only indication that the large green house in the centre of St. John's is more than a family unit is a round, yellow, orange, green and red sign which reads: The Children's Centre. The Centre of Their World!

A step into the building one recent Monday afternoon made it evident why the slogan is so fitting.

As toddlers and preschoolers arrive, they take off their winter hats, coats, boots and mitts and give their parent a quick hug before heading to the numerous play areas both upstairs and downstairs.

Downstairs, several young children take turns on a small but sturdy slide.

Upstairs, two-year-old Jane Williams and three-year-old Lauchlann Goodall busy themselves at the finger-painting table.

After using mostly blue paint to create her first masterpiece, Jane begins trying out the paint on her small fingers.

After Jane and Lauchlann have finished their artwork, each page is hung to dry on a line so that their work can be admired and celebrated by staff, parents and children.

Lauchlann and two-year-old Daryn Ambrozic make their way over to the dramatic play area where about a dozen stuffed animals are hibernating.

"Want to help us put them in their den?" Lauchlann asks, picking up a stuffed lynx and placing him into a small corner that's darkened by a sheet draped over its entrance.

In another upstairs room, two-year-old Robin Sullivan sits in a comfy blue child's chair listening as teacher Jennifer Walsh reads him a story.

There is also areas with a sandbox, water play, puzzles and blocks.

All activities are focused on play not only pleasurable but also necessary in the growth of all children, says recently retired long-time staff member Diane Angel.

"The children learn to love to do things, to be curious and to be interested in experimenting and trying new things, to be confident and to develop social skills as well as a love of reading," Angel says.

The children are also taught how to communicate in a kind and respectful manner.

"They learn to ask for things without being aggressive even on occasions when an adult isn't around," says Angel.

The Children's Centre is a small, non-profit, parent-run centre that offers nursery and preschool programs for children aged 2-5.

Now celebrating its 40th anniversary, the centre first opened its doors in 1968.

Known as the Pre-School Centre Association for the first five years, it operated from a number of different locations including portable classrooms, church basements and private homes.

In 1984, the centre moved to its present location at 40 Golf Ave.

In celebrating its milestone, the centre is hosting an evening of entertainment on April 12.

The event includes a silent auction and slide show and will honour the centre's founding mothers: Sharon Buehler, Pat Wright, Kay Matthews, June Mongar and Felicity O'Brien.

"We all met through the early version of WAMUN - a university group which was an important contact point for wives of new faculty," Buehler recalls.

"We had all come at about the same time (1966-68). All of us had small children. We were putting together an information booklet for incoming faculty about preschool opportunities in St. John's," she says.

In gathering information for the booklet, the women visited existing daycare/nursery schools in the area.

"To our eyes, at the time, most were fairly rigid compared to those we knew from elsewhere," Buehler says.

What was important to the women was that their preschoolers be exposed to art, music, storytelling and listening, as well as introduced to words and numbers.

Their determination to open such a centre began.

"We visited various people who might help us find a site and we settled on basement space in Cochrane Street church," Buehler says.

"We then applied for incorporation, shared the incorporation fee, got our seal, hired our teachers, set our fees and just began."

Carol Goodman is vice-chairwoman of the centre's board of directors and the parent of two children who attend the preschool.

One of the interesting things about the centre, she says, is that the teachers offer the children numerous theme-based activities every week.

Oftentimes, the ideas are those of the children rather than the teachers, she says.

"We consider this as much of a family as we do a preschool," Goodman says.

"The founders have left us an incredible legacy."

Alumni and others associated with the Children's Centre through the years are encouraged to attend the anniversary celebration which begins at 7 p.m. at Fort Pepperell Officers' Mess in Pleasantville.

Anyone who has photos of past years' activities is encouraged to submit them for the slide show that the centre is putting together for the celebration.

Those interested in more details on the event can e-mail thechildrenscentres40th@gmail.com or visit the centre online at www.thechildrenscentre.com.

danette@nl.rogers.com