LIHU‘E — Austin Heiser, of the Department of Health Family Health Service, said on Friday that it’s been a long time since there’s been a sequenced transition to education program that prepares a young child to enter the world of education for the next 12 years or more.
Heiser is one of the leadership team for the Kaua‘i Parent &Child Fair, which will take over Kukui Grove Center on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
He is joined by Kathy Perez of the Department of Education, Alanna Bauman of the Keiki to Career, Kaua‘i Action and Planning Alliance, Melissa McFerrin Warrack of Kukui Grove, Lacie Corba of People Attentive to Children and Leimomi Cummings of Kamehameha Schools.
“This is a fair,” Bauman said. “It like the old STEPS program, but it’s not STEPS. We’ll have a lot of resources, free interactive keiki activities geared for young people from birth to 8 years old, entertainment all day. This is not a festival, it’s a fair with lots of prizes and giveaways.”
Presented through the collaborative efforts of the Department Of Education, PATCH, the state Department of Health, Keiki to Career and Kukui Grove, the event is sponsored by the Grove Farm Company Foundation, Holo Holo Charters, Kamehameha Schools and Costco for parents and keiki.
“Raising young children can be very stressful,” said Melissa McFerrin Warrack of Kukui Grove Center. “And to get them ready for school adds to that for both parents and children.”
The Kaua‘i Parent &Child Fair offers a range of resources, including more than 30 agencies and business organizations that can answer a variety of questions, such as safety precautions for infants, toddlers, preschool children, children with special needs, and kindergarten students living on Kaua‘i.
Preschools participating in the fair usually have free activities geared for young children that offer a preview of life in preschool.
Because the targeted audience is 0 to 8 years old, there will be a free car seat checkup set up in the driveway near Long’s Drugs, where parents and caregivers can learn the proper installation methods for a child’s car seat or booster seat. This program by licensed car seat inspectors is provided by the Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition.
