KIDS TAKE A DAY OUT IN THE PARK

photo 2: Quade Townsend and Hannah McArthy learn to paint using fruits as the brushes.

photo 3: Adam Montgomery, 3, gets help with his sand sculpture from Angela McArthy. Caleb Elam, 4, is also making a sand sculpture.

photo 4: Hannah McArthy enjoys painting with her feet.

The Kids Day Out program offered by New McKendree United Methodist Church gave 21 kids a chance to play, make crafts and play in water at the Jackson City Park on Wednesday.

The morning was filled with crafts, bike riding and fun with water.

Among the different crafts the children participated in making, sand sculpturing was the most fun for the children, Lin Lohse, a co-teacher of the program for 2-5 year-old children, said.

Other crafts involved painting T-shirts, fruit painting and painting by foot.

"One of the boys said he always wanted to paint with his feet, so we made this an activity," Lohse said.

The children got a chance to be creative at each station before a break where the kids were allowed to ride their bikes, trikes and other wheeled vehicles around Safety City at the park.

After lunch the children played in a wading pool and a sprinkler.

"They really enjoyed it," Lohse said.

The program meets every Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. It is normally held at the church, according to Lohse.

The church saw a need in the community for a program to give stay-at-home mothers some time away from their children to do other things. They came up with Kids Day Out and the program began last year, according to Lohse.

The children benefit from the program because it gives them a chance to interact with their peers. The program is focused more on the social environment than the academic environment.

Although, some learning is involved with the program, Lohse added.

"Hopefully, we can develop their self-esteem and to feel good about being away from mom once in awhile."

The program which goes throughout the year has a higher enrollment in the summer with children from Cape Girardeau enrolling.

During the fall and spring the program is limited to 15 children due to only having two teachers in Lohse and Angela McArthy.

At Wednesday's day in the park there was plenty of help on hand. Julie, Danny and Katie Lohse helped out alongside Adam Hoft, Chelsea Walker and Julie Walker.

Next week is the last week for the program during the summer. The fall course begins the first Wednesday in September.

Plans for the fall program include visits from Main Street Fitness with the Romp 'N' Stomp fitness session that helps to keep the children in shape with fun exercises. The Romp 'N' Stomp will be held twice a month. Field trips will be taken once a month and the rest of the time the children will learn to make crafts, sing songs and learn the alphabet along the way.

"We let them get good and messy away from their home," Lohse said.

"The kids really enjoy coming to Kids Day Out and maybe the moms are better for having some time away from their children."