May 2015
BANANAgram!
News, Notes, & What's Happenings

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It's National
Physical Fitness & Sports Month!
With summer fast approaching and warmer weather on its way, May is a wonderful time to get kids outdoors to celebrate National Physical Fitness and Sports Month! This is a great opportunity to teach young children the value of staying healthy and living an active lifestyle. Getting kids to exercise can be as simple as giving them room to run, taking them to a playground, or leading them in a movement game. If you are looking for kid-friendly fitness ideas, be sure to visit us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn all month long. See you online!
Tips for Parents
Get kids moving with with playful activities that involve action.  Traffic Light  is a classic game that teaches color recognition and encourages gross motor development while keeping little ones on their feet. You can either create simple signs in different colors or you can call out the color of the light your child should respond to. If it's green, the child should run toward you; if it's yellow, their movements should become slow. At red, see if they can stop entirely. Whether they're running or standing still, children will enjoy the recreational part of this game and not even realize they're learning at the same time! 
Tips for Providers
Incorporating movement activities into your daily routine can be as simple as stretching at circle time or dancing during free play. If children will be indoors for movement games, be sure to set clear boundaries for them about how to safely move their bodies around one another (other tips here). If you want to do a lesson on listening and following directions, consider leading your class in guided movements. Something as simple as having them pretend to swim through a river or climb up a ladder will get them moving and smiling.You'll find lots more ideas for active classroom fun on our Pinterest board: Movement for Fun and Fitness

Parent Resources
Online Child Care Referrals BANANAS is excited to announce that parents can now search for child care referrals on our website! Click here to begin your search today. FREE. 

Kids Eat FREE! Every Monday through Friday until May 22, kids under 18 are invited to a free meal or snack at the Eastmont Library Branch . Food is served between 3:30pm and 4:30pm. FREE. 

Little Performers If you've got a budding star at home, head to the Octopus Literary Salon for Children's Open Mic Brunch. A stage, piano, and PA system are provided. Sundays from 11am to 3pm. FREE.  

LGBTQ Parent-Child Playgroup Families are invited to a weekly interactive playgroup and circle time with Our Family Coalition. Singing, stories, movement, and healthy snacks included! Tuesdays from 9am to 10:30am. FREE.  
Provider Resources
Play and Early Learning Come and learn how play supports both cognitive and social development in children under five at a training from First 5 Alameda County . Friday, June 5 from 9am to 12pm. FREE. 

Caregiver Cafe Providers, you can gain support and meet other caregivers at Habitot Children's Museum on the second Monday of every month. Bring the kids along and after the cafe, enjoy free admission to the museum! Monday, June 8 from 10am to 11am. $10 requested donation; FREE admission. 

Directors' Roundtable Center directors, you are invited to a special resource fair to learn about all the different facets of the child care field, including the Quality Rating Improvement System, greening programs, and inclusion in early learning! A light lunch will be provided. Thursday, July 9 from 1pm to 3pm. FREE. 
Out & About
Weekend Festival Introduce kids to the rich traditions of Himalayan culture at Berkeley's Himalayan Fair where there will be Bollywood dance performances, a children's craft table, authentic cuisine, and more than 100 vendors. Saturday and Sunday, May 16 and 17 starting at 10am. FREE.  

To the Races! Little ones will enjoy watching horses in action at a Golden Gate Fields Dollar Day event. Sunday, May 17 from 10am to 4:30pm. Parking, food, and adult admission are $1; children are FREE. 

Baby Sign Language Come and learn about pre-verbal communication and spend time bonding with your little one at a workshop at the Piedmont Avenue Branch Library. Saturday, May 23 at 10:30am. FREE. 

Ice Cream Tour Children of all ages will be delighted by this one-hour tour through Rockridge to visit three ice cream parlors and learn all about this favorite sweet treat. Adults are $15; children $7.50. Sunday, May 31 at 3pm. 
Leg Snips
Stand for Children Day On Thursday, May 6, BANANAS staff members traveled to the State Capitol along with Parent Voices and hundreds of others to rally for investments in early childhood education and working families. It was a great event that provided an opportunity to tell legislators we must #InvestinKids. #WallofPoverty #ChildCare #ParentVoices #StandforChildren

Assembly Democrats 2015-2016 Major Budget  Democrats released their budget priorities and included early care and education as a top concern. The California Child Care Resource and Referral Network issued a press release supporting the budget priorities. 

Child Care Legislation There are a number of bills making their way through the legislature that relate to early childhood education and child care. For a comprehensive list of every bill, see this detailed document provided by The California Child Care Resource and Referral Network. 

Sign the Petition The Legislative Women's Caucus submitted a proposal for $600 million to be evenly distributed between modernizing rates and increasing slots to continue the state's commitment to ensuring children have access to quality child care and early learning. To show support for this proposal and urge the Assembly Budget and Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committees to invest in early learning, sign this petition today!