Angela Dobbs
Home Child Care Provider
December 5, 2018
Angela Dobbs always felt her calling was in child care. She enjoys teaching and watching the children learn on a daily basis, picking up even the simplest of skills that we as adults take for granted. She is a dedicated child care professional that wants everyone in her care to learn and grow.
"The ultimate goal is to have everyone, even the babies, included in as many activities and experiences as we can while we shower them with love and attention.”
While the children are learning their foundations of letters, numbers and shapes, they also focus on nutritional experiences. Throughout the year, they tend the garden and harvest the produce. The children also help in the kitchen making recipes ranging from complex veggie meatballs to easier sandwiches on “make your own sub day.” Meals are served family style with everyone having their own small utensils and bowls to serve, while also practicing their manners passing plates and eating.
Angela goes above and beyond to expose the children to many different foods prepared in a variety of ways from kale to tofu. Although children may be hesitant to taste new foods, she finds success in simply renaming the food with a kid-approved name or introducing regular foods that are different because of color, like maybe a purple carrot. Everyone is included in taste tests and big cheers are given when someone takes a bite of something they are hesitant to try.
Angela takes on the new food guidelines as challenges she wants to master. She started trying different recipes to make whole grain bread, including whole grain pizza crusts and child-size sub rolls. Her goal is to have the children like the healthier, creditable food options.
From Cresca, Iowa, Angela has been a CACFP participant through Northeast Iowa Community Action since 2007.