TROY – The Early Childcare Center at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church had an exciting summer program this year, especially when firefighters and police officers stopped by to say hello and give them the grand tour of their vehicles.
The summer program is for kids ages 2–12. Earlier this month, the kids learned about what to do in an emergency by meeting firefighters and police officers.
“For the Fourth of July, that [week’s theme] was ‘Red, White and Blue.’ So we asked the community helpers to come and see our kiddos,” Lindsey Strong, the director of the Early Childhood Center, said. “They got to go inside the fire trucks and see the police cars. Then they got to talk to the kids and our kiddos asked them whatever questions they had.”
These interactions often make police officers and firefighters feel less intimidating to young kids. Strong explained that the Center paired the visit with stories about calling 911 and other similar lessons. The goal was to teach the kids what to do if they need help and who to look for if they were ever lost or hurt.
But the kids especially enjoyed learning about the police car and fire truck. They were able to explore both vehicles and, as Strong noted, had a lot of fun doing it.
“A lot of them wanted to be inside the fire truck or police car, rolling around in the seats,” she laughed. “They asked what the buttons are and what they do. They were really excited when they turned on their lights or their sirens.”
To thank the Troy Police and Fire Departments, the Early Childhood Center bought lunch for the departments and had all the children sign a card. It was an exciting way to wrap up their summer program.
The Center’s after-school programs will begin on Aug. 7. For more information, including how to enroll your child, visit the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church official website or contact Strong at [email protected].
