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For Children Only
Classroom Materials
Live Programs
About Children's Kindness Network
CKN in the News
Importance of the CKN Mission
Building a Culture of Kindness
Make a Difference
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About Children’s Kindness Network Building a Culture of Kindness — Beginning with Pre-K. The Children's Kindness Network (CKN) has brought new programs and materials on kindness to help busy preschool teachers. Bringing kindness teaching to at-risk children is especially critical in their early brain wiring — some middle TN counties have 64% of their 4-year-olds considered economically at risk putting many low income, minority children behind in brain development. Social emotional learning, kindness, effects cognitive learning as well.
Our Ambassodor — Moozie the Cow
(Photos courtesy Franklin Head Start - Franklin, TN) Moozie is a robotic cow, strong and durable. She comes with a series of pre-programmed messages and songs that coordinate with her life-like movements. From a keypad, her operator can select the desired program. (Kindness presentations are age-appropriate and can be tailored to fit Moozie's surroundings-a preschool or a church or a hospital, for example.) Programs can take 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the amount of discussion the leader wishes to include beyond the scope of Moozie's programmed message. Moozie, with fence, requires a 7 x 7-foot stall space. She's ready to take up residence in classrooms, libraries, or lobbies. Here's how she looks at home in a Children's Kindness Center - Loma Vista farm in Vallejo, California.
Moozie's Children's Kindness Center is located at the Loma Vista Teaching Farm in Vallejo, California. The first Moozie's Children's Kindness Center was opened on September 28, 2002. Over 20,000 children visit me every year at this three-acre teaching farm. To explore the possibilities of having a Moozie for your own Kindness Center, please contact Tom at Tom@Moozie.com.
Our Story and Background Statement What was launched by Moozie the talking robotic cow, has now become a nonprofit dedicated to teaching children about kindness. Moozie started as a simple garage project for founder Ted Dreier, who grew up on a dairy farm. But, when it was discovered that the children loved Moozie, that they paid close attention to what she was saying about kindness, and remembered what she said, Moozie became more than a garage project. Seeing the impact that Moozie had on children, Ted stepped back from his corporate life as a public speaker and decide at age 60, (1998), to start "paying rent for being on the planet". CKN was formed with Moozie the cow becoming the mascot and ambassador of kindness for teaching kindness. With the launching of CKN in 1998, additional Moozie kindness supporting materials have been developed for teaching kindness in the classroom.
Statement from Executive Director & Founder — Ted Dreier As founder and executive director of The Chidren's Kindness Network (CKN), I know we are having a positive impact on preschool children. With Gov. Bredesen's current initative of expanding the state's pre-kindergarten program, CKN's preschool focus is very timely. Gov. Bredeson recognizes that for every dollar spent, there is a $3-$17 benefit to society. The social/emotional impact of kindness teaching is a very important part of cognitive learning in preschool. When children show more kindness behavior and respect, it is easier for the teacher to teach. Our mascot and ambassador of kindness, Moozie the cow, is loveable and impactful. Children love Moozie and they try to please her. Parents tell the teachers how their children are telling them about Moozie and how kindness makes Moozie happy. One Head Start parent told of their five year old daugher telling their seven year old son, when the son had said something that wasn't kind, "Moozie wouldn't like it that you said that". Teachers who have taught other character development programs have said that they see more behavior change with the Moozie kindness curricullum than with others they have used. Children love the cow image. Guess it was lucky that I grew up on dairy farm and not a goat farm. Based on past experiences with at risk children, there is no doubt that the Moozie Icon has a significant impact on these children. This year in Charlotte, NC, Moozie Robotic cow presentations were given to over 2600 preschool children, with over 1000 of them being 4 year olds at risk. Teachers saw Moozie with her message making a difference. 2007 has been a significant year for me and the longevity of CKN. As the founder, who has put a lot of money and time in CKN, launching MTK was very important. The President of MTK, Tom Easton, and his wife Mary, have the same passion for CKN and Moozie that my wife and I have and would manage CKN if I was no longer able.
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