By Sherry F. Pruitt

JONESBORO — Fun, activity and learning might be the best words to describe a pre-kindergarten learning system, The InvestiGator Club, developed by Jonesboro and Evanston, Ill., companies.

The system uses colorful characters, led by Cordelia “Dilly” Gator, and hands-on activities to attract young children’s attention.

The InvestiGator Club was developed by the Robert-Leslie Publishing and the Early Childhood Co. of Evanston, Ill., a sister company of Rainbow Educational Concepts, a Jonesboro educational consulting company since 1985. Judi Coffey of Jonesboro is the founder and chief executive officer of both companies.

The InvestiGator system was developed during 2005-06, but this is the first full school year for it to be used in the classroom.

The company will share the activities with students at the Jonesboro School District Pre-K Center on the final day of Arkansas Children’s Week, celebrated today through Friday.

Children learn basic readiness skills, but they also are guided to appreciate classic art and literature, sing and dance, build structures and conduct experiments. The program is designed to spark creativity, problem-solving and communication. It focuses on social, emotional and physical development.

Areas of instruction include language development, literacy, math, science, creative arts, social and emotional development, approaches to learning, physical health and development, social studies and technology.

“Language development and pre-reading skills prepare children for kindergarten and prepare them for beyond kindergarten, which was really our goal,” Coffey said. “It’s not a rote program.”

Children will listen to stories and sing songs with Dilly Gator and her friends: Rosalita Sausalita, Manny Salamander, Great Auntie Lu, Chuck Wood, Bruno Buzzbee and J.T. Gator, said Susan Light, senior editor at Rainbow Educational Concepts. The children follow the characters through a series of escapades and adventures that lead to investigations of the world around them, according to a news release.

Coffey and Light said children have been very receptive to the program.

“They love it,” Coffey said. “They go crazy when they see the program. They’re so motivated, so excited. We take their curiosity and build; they’re learning off that. It’s exciting when there’s something interesting attached to the characters. The characters help make strong connections to fun and things to explore about the real world. It’s such a wonder to watch them. They just light up.”

“We want them to have a lot of fun and learn in the process,” Light added.

At the end of the 30- to 35-minute program, the Pre-K students will become members of the club, she added.

sherry@jonesborosun.com