Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall's Army Community Service Family Advocacy Program held toddler time Jan. 19 at the Fort Myer Fitness Center.
Parents and children between the ages of one and five took part in developmental games and activities, which included the red light, green light game, parachute games, playing with balls, balloons and a tunnel.
This is the first time toddler time has been held in the fitness center, Gale Malone, community educator for Family Advocacy said.
Toddler time is a program designed to educate both parents and children through the early years, Malone said.
"The program is geared towards one-through five-year-olds and has been going on for years," she added.
"Toddler time is geared towards increasing the parent-child bond and encouraging positive physical and mental growth and development," Malone said.
The program is split into two different parts, Malone said. One part is craft and story hour, which is held in the JBM-HH Library.
"I always try to make a craft related to the story. It helps with creativity, connected to fine motor skills, to hold scissors, buttons, color in the lines," she said.
The second part of toddler time is developmental play.
Even though toddler time has been around for years, the program changes annually, Malone said. In previous years, the program, under a different name, featured outings and "activities with children, such as painting pumpkins in the park, trips to the swimming pool and bowling," she said.
"We do things there that will enhance the development of growth, motor skills, large muscles, legs and arms that would incorporate play, running, kicking balls, tumbling on mats, tunnels, etc," Malone said. "It doesn't hurt the kids, and they get a good nap after that."
"It's great. We love it. Alexander loves it. For us it's the best place to play," parent Victoria Korns said. Alexander is 23 months old. This year Malone moved developmental play inside. Years before it had been an outdoor activity. She intends to carry developmental play into 2012, she said.
Along with helping parents through the programs offered at toddler time, Malone also hands out parenting literature and advice.
"I look for different parenting literature that is current that can help them come up with activities, and other parenting issues," she said. "We are so thankful to the JBM-HH Library, Fitness Center and Cody Child Development Center for supporting our programs, and in helping us help our Families," Malone said.
Story time and Craft hour in the library is the next Toddler Time to be held, Feb. 2 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Another developmental play session is scheduled for Feb. 16, although the place is still being determined. For more information, contact Gale Malone, 703-696-3511 or Karen St. Pierre, 703-696-3512.
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