Scientists and researchers will tell you that children who have hands-on, real-world activities better understand concepts and processes. At Dani’s Dreams empowering children and giving them innovative opportunities to grow, to explore and to discover is the heart of our mission.
This Thursday from 3:30-5 p.m. children will be learning, growing, running, laughing and sharing those experiences with the most important people in their lives, parents and grandparents – simple basic enjoyment of the wonders of God’s creation.
Share your childhood story.
Plant a seed together and watch it grow over time.
Listen to the birds.
Feel the breeze.
Remember your roots.
All those families who complete the Nature Detective Quiz will be in a drawing to win an I Spy birdhouse. They can watch the birds in their backyard and also make reports on their activities and share that with others on Dani’s Dreams website and Facebook page.
Dani’s Dreams will sponsor free family activities that celebrate the roots of our lives – grandparents from 3:30-5 p.m. Thursday April 10.
Grandparents, parents and kids can share their stories, plant bulbs, start a mini-greenhouse, learn about seeds, roots and have a chance to win a special nature prize! Celebrate and learn about God’s wonderful creation and the people in our lives that ground us and give us the strength to reach for our dreams.
During this week, Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center will post activities and information for families. Come to the Earth Day Event April 10 and each family will receive a mini-greenhouse to get their seeds started and watch them grow!
TO ALL KIDS IN HANCOCK COUNTY:
Enter the Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center’s annual T-shirt design and essay contest.
The theme for this year’s event is “Remember Our Roots” and all Hancock County classrooms, Scout and youth groups are invited to bring a grandparent or parents and participate in environmental educational activities and crafts at Dani’s Dreams Earth Day Dedication Event April 10, 3:30-5 p.m. located at Zion Lutheran School in New Palestine.
There are now TWO WAYS for you to show your talents.
1. DRAW A PICTURE using the theme for the front of T-shirts. Your drawing could bring Dani’s Dreams to life on T-shirts for the seventh annual memorial walk/run Aug. 2. If your picture is chosen, you will receive a free T-shirt and $50 and your name will be on every shirt. You will be introduced Aug. 2 at the beginning of the walk/run at New Palestine High School.
2. WRITE AN ESSAY based on the theme “Remember Our Roots” Entries from all ages will be accepted. The winner will receive a free T-shirt and $25. Money raised at this event will go to fund the Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center, open to all students in Hancock County. Turn in your drawing or essay to your teacher by April 9 or bring it to Dani’s Dreams April 10, 3:30-5.
Entries will be picked up at each school April 9 or they can be dropped off at Zion Lutheran School. The best of the T-shirt designs and essays will be on display for voting during the Earth Day Dedication Event at Dani’s Dream Outdoor Education Center April 10 3:30-5 p.m. Keep up with all the Dani’s Dreams news at http://www.danisdreamsoutdooredcenter.wordpress.com. Email dgriffins96@gmail.com for more information.Here’s the entry form for the T-shirt design and essay contest:
Dani’s Dreams hosted so many memorable moments in 2013…check out these last five of our Top 10:
Teachers, Scout Leaders, and other community groups, contact Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center to schedule your specially designed educational opportunity. We’ll tailor your experience to your needs at NO CHARGE. Contact Donna Griffin, director, at dgriffins@netzero.com or 317-640-4430.
6. Celebrating Our Farmers
Southern Hancock students jumped on the haywagon when Dani’s Dreams honored the contributions of farmers Sept. 19. Nearly 40 children of all ages descended on Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center to “Celebrate Our Farmers.” Local farmer Brian Kleiman talked about the technology and science of farming and answered questions from the students. The competition began soon after and teams took off on a Nature Scavenger Hunt, returning with fuzzy wooly worms, sticks, leaves and lots of beautiful things. After a bountiful harvest of farmer’s market snacks, the afternoon event ended with a haywagon ride generously provided by local farmer Doug Schildmier.
7. Peace Bear Building
Dani’s Dreams Club members partnered with New Palestine Elementary fourth grader Emma Mann to build a dozen bears for her Peace Bear Project Fri. Oct 11 at the Castleton Build A Bear Workshop. Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center received a grant from the Hancock Regional Hospital Foundation to purchase the bears that will be given to patients at the new Hancock Regional Cancer Center. Build A Bear also donated 10 Peace Bears to be distributed at the Hancock Regional Cancer Center. In addition to building the white Peace Bears, the students, from Sugar Creek and New Palestine elementary schools, including Emma, her sister Kendall, brother Cameron, friends Sadie Miller and McKaylah Flagle, and Dani’s Dreams Club members Sarah, Emily and Sam Adam wrote letters to the patients and will be delivering the bears personally.
8. Trunk or Treat
Despite chilly autumn weather, Dani’s Dreams warmed up those who attended Zion Lutheran School PTL’s Trunk or Treat Oct. 26 with make-your-own smores, complete with a fire to roast marshmallows. Director Donna Griffin also treated the children to a storytime rendition of, “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”.
9. Dig It!
Discovery was the name of the day Nov. 25 when Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center took Zion Lutheran preschoolers on a special “Dig It” expedition. About 80 preschoolers became archaeologists and found “treasures” of the earth – rocks and minerals, gemstones, fossils and arrowheads. They then filed their collection reports and took home a favorite item to show their parents.
10. Get Ready for Winter
Ol’ Man Winter paid an early visit to Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center, arriving just in time for the “Get Ready for Winter” event Dec. 5 at Zion Lutheran School. Children of all ages made ornaments, strung popcorn, painted bird houses and enjoyed dessert pizza from Mama Nitas and hot chocolate before venturing outside to decorate the trees and fill bird feeders in the snow. These activities were the last of a busy 2013 for Dani’s Dreams.
Coming UP After our two month “hibernation,” an exciting year begins. . . Mark your calendars for Feb. 26, 6-8 p.m. – the annual Children’s Museum Night with this year’s theme, “National Geographic Treasures of the Earth.”
“No dream is too big, no dreamer too small,” says the movie, “Turbo.”At Dani’ Dreams, a lot of little hands plant the seeds of big dreams through innovative activities and events each year at Hancock County’s only outdoor education center.
Teachers, Scout Leaders, and other community groups, contact Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center to schedule your specially designed educational opportunity. We’ll tailor your experience to your needs at NO CHARGE. Contact Donna Griffin, director, at dgriffins@netzero.com or 317-640-4430.
Check out the first five of the Top 10 Dani’s Dreams memorable moments in 2013 (in chronological order):
1. April 12 Earth Day Dedication Event
The highlight of Dani’s Dreams Earth Day Event was a special presentation by Mrs. Deb Weiler’s fourth grade students at Sugar Creek Elementary in New Palestine. They are partnering with Dani’s Dreams on a composting project and are the perfect example of how young people can truly “Dream It – Do It” and share that knowledge with others. Thanks so much Mrs. Weiler and her smart and caring students – Sarah Adam, Sierra Patrick, Madison Schmitt, Mia Thomas, and Laney Scott.
2. Opening of Go Green Center
Dani’s Dreams is all about growing, discovering, becoming – little seeds are planted, take root and reach toward the sky. The Go Green Discovery Center opened April 12, 2013, is in the seedling stage, changing and morphing to meet the needs of Hancock County schoolchildren. Now it is the site of meaningful, environmental activities, crafts and demonstrations for all students in Hancock County. Watch it Grow!
3. Dream It – Do It! T-shirt Design and Essay Contest Winners Chosen
First Place – Ali Kinder
Hancock County students put their talents and creativity on display for the annual Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center T-shirt design and essay contest for 2013. Ali Kinder, a student at Zion Lutheran School is the winner of the T-shirt design contest. Kinder’s design was featured on T-shirts for the event. Second place went to Katie Taylor, a fifth grader at Zion Lutheran School and third place winner was Rylee Morris, sixth grader at Zion Lutheran School. The students’ interpretations of the “Dream It – Do It!” theme brought color and life to race T-shirts and even jump started a new organization that brought peace, comfort and hope to others – Emma Mann’s Peace Bear Project. Emma is the 2013 Essay Contest winner. Brock Turner, 2013 Lutheran High School graduate received the Dani Griffin Innovation in Education Memorial Scholarship.
4. Northern Night Concert kicks off Sixth Annual Dani’s Dreams Walk/Run
Up-and-coming band, Northern Nights set the stage Aug. 2 with a benefit concert at Zion Lutheran School. The next morning, more than 100 runners/walkers braved a damp summer morning to race/exercise on the cross country course and stadium track at New Palestine High School to raise funds for environmental education in Hancock County.
5. Dani’s Dreams Club Activities
Dani’s Dreams Club took root in 2013, as members filmed an informational video and environmental reports, planted and tended vegetables and flowers in the Community Garden and went on a bug expedition. Join Dani’s Dreams Club when it expands this year to include an online component as well as the popular after school events and activities. Be a part of our reporting team, which will be covering environmental issues in videos to be aired in the Go Green Center and also creating an online newsletter.
Check out the next post for the other five Top Memorable Moments at Dani’s Dreams in 2013!
The highlight of Dani’s Dreams Earth Day Event was a special presentation by Mrs. Deb Weiler’s fourth grade students at Sugar Creek Elementary in New Palestine. They are partnering with Dani’s Dreams on a composting project. Look for more information on this endeavor in the future. Thanks so much Mrs. Weiler and her smart and caring students who shared their knowledge – Sarah Adam, Sierra Patrick, Madison Schmitt, Mia Thomas, and Laney Scott.
Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center is a resource for Hancock County schools, teachers, Scouts and all community groups for hands-on, innovative environmental education opportunities and state standards-based activities and projects. We’ll design a one-of-a-kind tour, activity or project for YOUR CLASS, based on YOUR NEEDS at NO CHARGE. Email dgriffins@netzero.com or call 317-640-4430 – Dream It, Do It!
More than 30 students from Zion Lutheran Sugar Creek and New Palestine elementary schools became Nature Detectives, went digging for fossils, arrowheads and bones, learned about the water cycle and created bird feeders and other crafts April 12 at Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center’s Earth Day Dedication Event. The afternoon was topped off with Mama Nita’s pizza, a supporter of Dani’s Dreams, and a special Dani’s Dreams video report by Katie and Kara Morris and Sarah, Emily and Sam Adam. A special thanks goes to all of Dani’s family who helped to make the event happen and who are the heart of Dani’s Dreams — you are all fantastic people!
Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center is a resource for Hancock County schools, teachers, Scouts and all community groups for hands-on, innovative environmental education opportunities and state standards-based activities and projects. We’ll design a one-of-a-kind tour, activity or project for YOUR CLASS, based on YOUR NEEDS at NO CHARGE. Email dgriffins@netzero.com or call 317-640-4430 – Dream It, Do It!
Recycling and the water cycle became hands-on learning experiences for Zion Lutheran School students thanks to Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center. Dani’s Dreams partnered with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to bring special Earth Day presentations to all grades on April 12.
Preschool through grade four students learned how to recycle and saw the products made from recycled materials. Students in grades 5-8 became water drops and traveled through the phases of the water cycle, picking up beads for their water cycle bracelets
Thanks to Stacy Jones, of IDEM who conducted the presentations.
Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center is a resource for Hancock County schools, teachers, Scouts and all community groups for hands-on, innovative environmental education opportunities and state standards-based activities and projects. We’ll design a one-of-a-kind tour, activity or project for YOUR CLASS, based on YOUR NEEDS at NO CHARGE. Email dgriffins@netzero.com or call 317-640-4430 – Dream It, Do It!
Dani’s Dreams is all about growing, discovering, becoming – little seeds are planted, take root and reach toward the sky. The Go Green Discovery Center is in the seedling stage, changing and morphing to meet the needs of Hancock County schoolchildren. Be a part of the process – meaningful, environmental activities, crafts and demonstrations are planned this Friday 3:30-5 p.m. We’ll end with a showing of “The Lorax” and snacks.
The deadline is fast approaching for the T-shirt design contest at Dani’s Dreams — April 10. Come to the Earth Day Dedication Event April 12, 3:30-6 p.m. and vote for your favorite design! Fun, food and lots of activities are planned – be a part of it!
Dani's Dreams Outdoor Education Programs 