Playroom Restoration for Education

The purpose of the Playroom Restoration for Education project is to restore the current toddler playroom at Zelie's Home to make it more conducive to learning. The objective of the project is to purchase new bookshelves to fill with educational books and sensory toys for babies and toddlers. This will accommodate the average age of children living in the home. Zelie’s Home serves a demographic that has experienced a high amount of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). The CDC defines ACEs as potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood. The mothers at Zelie’s Home have a score of 5 or more ACEs on average. This predisposes their children to ACEs, thus lowering their ability to have access to educational books and toys that are crucial for their development. As early as 6 months babies begin to explore their toys and learn important motor skills. By 9 months babies begin to use verbal skills and can begin to speak. These skills are aided by educational toys and parents reading to their children. By including sensory toys and educational books in the toddler playroom, Zelie’s Home toddlers will be able to develop critical skills and mothers will interact with their children and be encouraged to help foster these skills.

Fondos becados por Cleveland, OH (December 2022)