NorthShore Health Centers kicked off summer with a day of family fun at their 3rd Annual Happy Birthday Baby! Celebration Thursday morning. The event celebrated new patients who are around one year of age with a carnival and refreshments.
The fun took place at the children's section of the Lake County Public Library in Merrillville. There were lots of fun games set up for the kids and informative booths for their parents. Kids were free to explore the ball pit, stack blocks, make play-dough, and play match-the-duck, among many other fun games and activities. A pizza luncheon was served, and the Culver's mascot Scoopy was there too, dispensing frozen custard and high-fives to all the kiddos.
The children's activities booths weren't just fun and games; each activity was specifically tailored to aid with stages in baby's development, including fine motor skills, cognition, and creativity skills.
“It's a little different than a regular carnival,” said Arielle Davis, organizer of the event. “It's a comprehensive playground for the kids.”
The youngsters were hooked on all the games and fun activities to explore. By letting their tots roam and explore the games, the parents who attended were able to see examples of activities that will aid the child's development in a positive way.
“Our family care is really good at making sure that the developmental stages of children are addressed, and that the families are educated on it,” said Denise Carpenter, Lead Community Outreach Coordinator at NorthShore Health Centers. “The kids just think they're having fun.”
Resources ranging from Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Early Learning Connections, Capitol City Scholars, Indiana Child Services, and Building Blocks to Better Babies all lent their time to set up a game, as well as to inform parents about the wealth of services that the Region has to offer for their young ones' health and well-being.
The event was free to attend for young NorthShore patients and their families and was a testament to the above and beyond care that NorthShore Health Centers offers to the community it serves.
To see how NorthShore Health Centers provides superior pediatric care, click here.
