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Little Ducklings Daycare, Alta Vista, Alta Vista, KS (2026)

10/26/2021

I’ve received a few inquiries recently regarding openings at Little Ducklings. I closed this business about 3 years ago so I am sorry to report that there is no availability at Little Ducklings. Unfortunately, Facebook does not give me the option to delete this page entirely so I’m leaving this post for anyone who is looking for childcare. Thank you for the love and support I was shown while I was open!

02/02/2018

The Ducklings and I are wishing everyone a very happy Groundhog Day!

08/22/2017

This is an excellent event for your little ones, too!!! We'd love to see you there!

08/16/2017

Looking for a rainbow 🌈 after today's gloomy weather? Then look no further than this colorful lunch we are having today!
This meal was so easy to prepare, so inexpensive, so yummy, and so colorful! Prepare this when you're at a lunchtime loss and you're sure to have a duckling pleaser! Here we have hard boiled eggs-loaded with protein which is great for growing bodies. Grilled cheese made on whole wheat bread, and blueberries which are just so full of antioxidants and vitamins! Last but not least, we have the beloved sweet potato. Tons of vitamin A for growing bones and healthy eyes!
This meal is sure to brighten any gloomy day and provide much needed nutrients for your little ones!

08/14/2017

"Start each day with a grateful heart."
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Let's celebrate Monday today!
I am thorough enjoying the time I get to spend with my Ducklings this week!

08/14/2017

LITTLE DUCKLINGS SURPRISE BAG DRAWING 🤗🐥🤗🐥🤗🐥🤗🐥
I owe everyone a HUGE apology for being so late with the results of the drawing. Your patience is much appreciated!
I would also like to extend a huge THANK YOU to everyone who participated in sharing Little Ducklings' mini blogs!! The amount of support that the community has shown towards Little Ducklings has been overwhelming in the best possible way.
🐥🤗🐥

The winner is.....
*drumroll please*
Shelbie Eisenhut!!!
Shelbie, you can claim your prize tomorrow morning 🤗
Again, thank you to everyone who shared Little Ducklings' posts and I look forward to continuing service within the community 💜
(Side note: I mentioned last week that this would be a live drawing. As I tried to do a live video of the drawing, my phone battery died so we will be improvising with a standard post. Sorry!)

08/06/2017

Tomorrow, this classroom will be open for business!!! I want to thank everyone for their love and support. 💜 I was feeling like this day would never get here! We've still got some decorating to do, but the brunt of the work is out of the way 🤗 now, let's all give a big round of applause to my husband, Richard, for working tirelessly around the clock to provide these kids with a safe, well constructed environment. Without his hard work, Little Ducklings simply would not have been possible. I can't wait to see all of my Ducklings bright and early tomorrow!!! 🤗🐥🤗🐥🤗🐥🤗🐥🤗🐥🤗🐥

08/01/2017

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I am so sorry to be a day late with this week's post! We have had a busy weekend full of celebrating and getting stuff done. Keep an eye out for pictures of our newly remodeled classroom! 🤗 *insert squeal of excitement*
But anyway, today let's talk about something very dear to my heart in honor of Little Ducklings being open in 6 DAYS!!!!!!
I want to talk about reactive versus responsive childcare and conscious discipline.
Imagine this: Your child knocks over her cup of milk for the 6th time today after you have told her at least 116 times (not that you're counting or anything) to mind her elbows at the table. What is your gut reaction?
Your gut reaction is probably to shout, "that is it! No more milk for you if you can't sit still!"
That is a normal reaction.
But the thing is, as your child's care taker, it is so imperative that you keep a level head so as not to add more chaos to her little mind.
I'd like to offer an alternative response in this situation. The next time you are tempted to shout and lose your cool (which we all do at one point or another) take a breath. Accept your gut reaction for what it is: temporary frustration. Choose not to allow your temporary frustration to make you say something permanently hurtful. Then, choose to say, "Because you are having a hard time at the table, I will sit next to you after we clean up this mess and I help your body stay still."
What about when your child wants to hit, bite, and kick when he is angry?
If you, as his parent, react to these behaviors with aggression and shouting, you are showing by example that aggression is an acceptable way to show frustration. Your child is still learning how to process emotions and you are the person he observes in this area. So how can you respond to damaging behaviors like this?
The best way that I have discovered is to calmly say, "We do not use our hands/mouth/feet to hurt our friends. We use them to hug/say kind words/run with our friends. I want you to sit out and cool down while you try to remember nice ways to treat your friends." Then after their brief "cool down" time has finished, discuss with your child (calmly) different words to use when he is frustrated so that he doesn't have to use his hands.
Another situation we might experience every day is if your child claims that she isn't tired at nap or bedtime. You lay her down when it's time to sleep and before you know it, she's running in circles around the coffee table! It can be so easy to scoop her up, storm off to her room, lay her down and shout, "go night night!"
But do you really want the last words your child hears before falling asleep to be full of anger and frustration?
I'd like to suggest that in this situation, you would pop a lullaby disk in your CD player, gently lay your sweet baby down, turn off the lights, and rub her back as she falls asleep. If you notice she is tapping her fingers or kicking around on the bed, take your hand and gently apply pressure to her hand/leg as a calm reminder to stop moving and fall asleep.
Before you know it, she'll be out like a light!
I know a lot of these are easier said than done, but with some time and practice (and maybe a few sessions of banging your head against a wall in private 🤷🏻‍♀️) this kind of communication can become second nature and you may even find yourself telling your spouse in the middle of the night, "I would like for you to please stop snoring. Remember, this is time for us to be quiet and sleep, it is not time to snore."
I definitely have not done this.
Anyway, stay tuned next week when I go LIVE to announce the winner of Little Ducklings' drawing. Until then, SHARE!!!!!
🤗🐥🤗🐥🤗🐥🤗🐥

07/24/2017

🐥🐥🐥**Time for our weekly post! No, I didn't forget about you guys! **🐥🐥🐥
Today we are going to talk about FOOD! Anyone who knows me personally, knows that this had to be coming soon 🤷🏻‍♀️
I may not have children of my own, but I know as well as anyone else that when you have a hungry kiddo and you're headed out the door, it can be so easy to hand them a popsicle and call it good. Now, I'm not saying that is necessarily bad (I have enjoyed my fair share of cupcakes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner 🤗) but I just want to provide some alternatives for those days when you are on the run, but want to provide an extra boost of nutrients for your little one!
1. Dehydrated fruit.
This can be a great option to give in place of dry cereal because it gives a healthy amount of carbs, but it also provides a wonderful boost of vitamin c, as well as many other vitamins! Plus it has a longer shelf life than fresh fruit and is less messy for on the go snacks.
2. Hard Boiled eggs.
"The incredible, edible egg"
Oh man I could go on for days about eggs! Give your child a powerful punch of protein and healthy fats just by handing them a peeled, hard boiled egg. These can be stored for up to a week in your refrigerator so just grab on and give it to your little one and be on your way! However, eggs can be considered a choking hazard for younger kids so you may want to cut it up and keep an eye on your little littles.
3. Cheese sticks.
Cheese ranks right up there on my "happy list" with eggs. Cheese is another food that gives a great balance of protein and fat. Good fats that your child needs for proper brain development. Bonus! It also is a good source of calcium which is wonderful for their growing bones!
4. Homemade popsicles
Make popsicles at home out of coconut water and fresh fruit! This option is lower in refined sugars than store-bought, and provides a small amount of electrolytes that get sweated out during these hot summer days.
Snack foods don't have to be full of processed, empty calories! Most vitamins are water soluble, and get sweated out; especially when it's this hot! So this summer, I encourage you mommies and daddies to incorporate more vitamin rich foods into your child's diet! I also challenge you to share this post so your name can be entered into Little Ducklings' drawing!!!

07/17/2017

🐥🐥** Here we have installment #3, don't forget to SHARE Little Ducklings posts to be entered in our drawing!**🐥🐥
EASY DROP-OFFS....
Are not "easy."
I'm sorry, mommies and daddies. However, the good news is that with some time and patience, they can *become* easy 🤗.
As a childcare provider who has witnessed many-a-meltdown, I can promise that within 10 minutes of you leaving, your child will be smiling, laughing, and playing with his friends. But how could you leave your child when he is in a moment of distress? Well, that's where I'm here to help 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
1. Pain is temporary.
I don't mean that to sound heartless, but it is a good reminder that, while this isn't a fun experience, it won't last forever. When your child begins to cry because mom or dad is leaving, he is experiencing anxiety. He feels scared that he will be left at daycare forever and he will never see mom and dad again. I can guarantee that the longer you stick around and cater to your child's anxiety, the more anxious he will feel. By coming back for extra hugs, apologizing, and hanging around, you are showing your child that there is something to fear because you, too, are anxious about leaving. However, if you make the process just a quick goodbye and leave in confidence, your child will feel more confident that there is nothing to worry about. Eventually, he will jump out of the car on his own and run inside to play with just a simple, "Bye, mom!"
2. Remind your child that you are coming back.
As I stated earlier, these "tantrums" that get thrown at drop-off are anxiety attacks stemmed from a fear of abandonment. If you, as a parent, do not reinforce to your sweet babe that you are coming back at the end of the day, they will continue to fear that you are leaving forever. This idea will frighten your provider as well, so be sure to remind her that you are coming back, too 😉
3. Trust your provider.
The idea of leaving a child while they are upset can tie a parent's heart in knots. I have consoled many crying mommies who feel guilty for leaving their crying babies and before you know it, I'm in tears too and it's just a mess all around. But the fact of the matter is, unless you feel that your provider is not good for your child, (in which case I highly recommend seeking a new provider) you should try to exude confidence that she knows the proper way to console your fearful little one. By handing your kiddo right into the arms of the lady/gentleman who you trust to take excellent care for the next several hours, you are showing your child that this person is trustworthy. After you leave, your provider will give extra love and attention to your child and remind him that he is in a safe place. There is no replacement for a mother or fathers consolation, but this is a special situation that, in your absence, only your provider should handle. Before you know it, you'll receive a text with a picture of your baby's happy, smiling face reminding you that everything is great and you can stop beating yourself up.
At the end of the day, your little one will run and jump into your arms telling you how much fun he had, and how he wants to show you a cool new thing he learned and everything else that happened that day.
Have a wonderful week, all! I will see you again next Monday with another installment. Let me know in the comments what kind of tips you'd like! Any suggestions are appreciated!

07/17/2017

I am very pleased to announce that Little Ducklings Daycare has an official start date! Beginning Monday, August 7th we will be open for business!
I am booked solid for infants, but I am happy to add more names to my waiting list. However, I still have openings for 18 months and up! These spots are filling up fast, though, so you'll want to enroll asap! Get a hold of me at (785)307-2994 or shoot me a message through Facebook for more information! 🤗🐥🤗🐥🤗🐥

07/10/2017

🐥🐥**Welcome to round 2! Be sure to share this post and have your name entered into the drawing for our special surprise bag!!**🐥🐥
Potty training little ones can be such a tricky task. It will push the limits of your patience, your creativity, and often times...even your wallet.
Because our little tots still need the guidance of Mommy and Daddy, it can be so hard for parents to draw the line between being the gentle, encouraging leader that children need, and being the bathroom drill sergeant that they fear.
Today, I'm going to share a few "tricks of the trade" I've learned over the years in hopes that this process can be a little easier for you!
1. Positive reinforcement.
I can't stress how important this is, so turn on your listening ears (or eyes, in this case. 💁🏻) Children respond to punishment with fear and they respond to praise with an eagerness to please. Rewarding good potty habits with things like stickers, treats, or fun activities will leave your child wanting to potty in the toilet again! However, punishment for accidents (And believe me, there will be accidents. Lots of them.) will make your child fear the bathroom, and this fear can extend the potty training process even longer, and we don't want that.
2. Speaking of the lengthy potty training process, don't get discouraged!
We see the blog posts and articles every day, "How to potty train in 3 days!" The truth is, some kids are just *ready* to potty train. They grasp the concept quickly and before you know it, boom. No more accidents. The other truth is, those kids only make up a small fraction of the population. Darn over achievers. There are developmental indicators that can let you know when your child is ready (see #3) and when you notice those, it's time to get cracking! But still, some children just need some extra encouragement and time to learn. Hovering over a big bowl of water is not only uncomfortable, but also a little scary for our tiny friends. Try to understand that they want to do what you are asking, but this is such a time of confusion and anxiety for them. They need you to stay level-headed and show them they are safe.
3. Watch for developmental indicators!
If your child is able to tell you, "Daddy, I pooped"
"Mommy, I'm wet"
Or worse, "why does everyone else in 1st grade use that weird toilet thingy, but I don't?"
My friends, your child is ready. Invest in some pull-ups and some "big-kid un**es" and get to work! I highly encourage that once your child is old enough to safely sit in a chair, start practicing sitting on a toilet. They may not be ready to potty train just yet, but it can relieve a lot of the initial stress if your child recognizes that big scary white chair thing as a safe place instead of a danger.
The fact of the matter is, no parent enjoys potty training. If you do, you're probably also one of those parents who enjoys the "why? Why? Why? Why?" stage that Toddlers go through. But just because it isn't as fun as watching your baby take his first steps or say his first words, doesn't mean that it has to be a horrible, "we are never having another child" kind of experience. And guess what? This is *just as important* as all of those fun milestones, too.
Well, that's it for today. I hope that these tips can be useful to you and I wish you all the best of luck with this exciting, frustrating, crazy, new stage in your child's development! Happy potty-ing!

Little Ducklings Daycare, Alta Vista

10/26/2021

02/02/2018

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08/14/2017

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