FOR THE KIDS : Park’s the Place : Cities and recreation districts throughout the Ventura County plan activities to celebrate the ‘Week of the Young Child.’

You may not have marked this on your calendar, but this is officially designated “Week of the Young Child.”

Don’t worry.

You don’t need to rush out and buy a gift or take your kid to lunch. It’s not that sort of celebration.

It’s a reminder of how precious children are, and how important quality child care is for working parents.

What better way to celebrate all this than a day in the park?

How about several “Days in the Park” all over the county?

This Saturday, “Days in the Park” are scheduled in Oxnard, Santa Paula and Simi Valley.

Ventura had its celebration last Saturday, and Camarillo is doing it April 25.

Thousand Oaks is including its celebration within a larger event this Saturday.

The celebrations are kind of trade fairs for children.

They offer fun, games and entertainment provided by the local child-care councils and other sponsors, such as local park and recreation districts and Child Development Resources of Ventura County.

Day-care centers and home-based child-care providers will be represented, along with other services and activities for children.

Why do all this?

“We need to continue to reiterate that child care is a pressing issue facing the county and society,” said Anita Garaway, who directs the child care program at Patagonia, a Ventura-based manufacturer of outdoor wear.

Ventura County has a lot of licensed child care available--about 1,300 day-care homes and another 240 centers. But many parents cannot afford it. They end up with unlicensed care, which is often substandard.

Plus, infant care is scarce at all levels.

In the last four years, advances have been made in child care, Garaway said, “but we can’t let it die just because of what’s happened.”

In fact, beginning last year, Patagonia led the effort to encourage national certification of local centers and providers.

So far, six day-care homes and seven centers have been certified.

Tonight, the Ventura County Assn. for the Education of Young Children is holding its awards banquet in Oxnard.

Awards will go to home-based provider Pam Waldron, Easter Seal teacher Marge Davidson, team child-care providers Sunday McCrory and Gina Mink, Head Start teacher Mary Ann Walker, day-care center Administrator Kathleen Smith and county Licensing Supervisor Dennis Trenten.

DAYS IN THE PARK

Oxnard: Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Oxnard State Beach Park, 1601 S. Harbor Blvd. Day-care operators will operate booths for such children’s activities as face painting, bubble blowing, necklace making, sculpting from plastic foam, kite making, clay construction and games. Jones Intercable will do free videotapes of children for identification. Local dance groups will perform. Other features include storytelling, clowns, magic and a bike safety check.

Simi Valley: Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Rancho Tapo Community Park, 3700 Avenida Simi, behind Simi Valley City Hall. The featured attraction is the Sunshine Band, which will play children’s and traditional folk music beginning at noon. California Sun Gymnastics, Rosalie’s School of Dance, Simi Dance Center and the Junior Music Academy will give demonstrations. A children’s show about safety will be presented by Brite Music. Police will provide fingerprinting information. Hospital and ambulance personnel will be on hand. Pony rides will be available for a fee. Games and arts and crafts will be offered.

Santa Paula: Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park, across from City Hall. The event will kick off with an Easter egg hunt. Other events will include a puppet show, dance and tumbling demonstrations and storytelling. Children’s activities will include face painting, coloring eggs, spin art and mural painting.

Thousand Oaks: The Conejo Valley Employers’ Child Care Task Force will have a large booth at the 1992 Eggstravaganza sponsored by the Kiwanis Club. The event will be Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. at Conejo Creek Playfields, on Janss Road across from the Thousand Oaks Library. The task force will have gift bags for children and coloring books and crayons. A new child-care directory covering Thousand Oaks, Camarillo and Moorpark will be available. During the Eggstravaganza, egg hunts will run every five minutes from noon to 2 p.m. Entertainment is provided by the Fresh Chances for America and Caren Glasser. Other activities include arts and crafts, a petting zoo, hayrides and pony rides.

Camarillo: April 25, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Pleasant Valley Park, Temple and Ponderosa streets. Gymnastics, dance and karate demonstrations are planned. Storytelling and games will be offered. Fifteen preschools will be represented, each offering an activity for children, such as making puppets, bird feeders, macaroni necklaces and salt and sand paintings.