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LEARNING TO GROW, GROWING TO LEARN
We are one month into our Learning to Grow, Growing to Learn summer adventures! We have learned so much about planting, gardening, animals and farms already. From planting grass seed, doing garden yoga to stamping fresh fruit & vegetables with paint for art, we have been very, very busy.
The children have been able to plant seeds in our school garden, examine them as they begin to sprout, and have even been able to smell and/or taste some herbs from our garden! They've enjoyed smelling the spearmint and tasting the radish sprouts. Using the fresh basil from our
garden to make a Watermelon/Basil Lemonade was a refreshingly fun activity.
Some children got the hands-on experience of seeing how irrigation ditches work by creating a lake and canal in the sandbox, while others explored a day in the life of a farmer. They were able to focus on the smaller operations of a farm & the responsibilities of a farmer, from sun up to sun down.
We are having a lot of fun while learning to grow & growing to learn! We are excited for this month's journey!
CONGRATULATIONS!
It's a boy! Congrats to the Hill family on the birth of their son, Lincoln. Michael, Alicea (Panda Room) and big brother Maxwell are doing well!
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Especially for Children will be closed on Monday, July 4, in honor of Independence Day. We hope you have a fun and safe Holiday weekend.
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SUMMER PARENTS' NIGHT OUT!
Hey parents...are you ready for a "night out"? On Friday, July 15, EFC will remain open until 9:00 pm to allow you to do some shopping or go out to dinner. We will have a picnic supper, do arts & crafts, and play games. The cost of this event is $25.00 for one child, $35.00 for two and $40.00 for three children. The money will be paid directly to the staff working that evening. This is open to all children, and siblings are welcome. If you are interested, please fill out the Parent's Night Out sheet, which will be located on the parent table. We will also send it out via email. If the weather cooperates, the teachers would like to allow the children some sprinkler time, so plan to bring a swimsuit & towel.
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VACATIONS & VACATION CREDITS
Please let us know about any vacation time you plan on taking this summer, by marking your days off in the vacation calendar at the sign-in tables. If you are gone for an entire week, have been with us for more than 6 months and your account is current at the time of your child's absence, you are eligible for a half-week tuition credit. There are adjustment slips located on the parent sign-in table, to be filled out after the vacation is complete.
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CHILDREN'S FILES
Throughout the next month, we will be updating all of the children's files. We ask for your help in returning completed forms in a timely manner. Thank you in advance for your cooperation!
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LOOKING AHEAD
EFC will be closed on Friday, September 2, and on Monday, September 5, for Labor Day.
Mark your calendars for our EFC 40th Anniversary Family Potluck Picnic on Thursday, August 18. More details to follow.
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FRUIT & YOGURT PATRIOTIC POPS
Layer 1: Chop strawberries finely. Put 1/2 TBL chopped strawberries in bottom of popsicle mold. Add enough water to barely cover the berries (Just a few drops at a time). Freeze for a min. of one hour
Layer 2: Spoon out 1/2 TBL plain or vanilla yogurt on top of strawberry layer. Return to freezer for min. of one hour.
Layer 3 and 4: Repeat steps one and two. Don't forget the sticks!
Layer 5: Fill top of popsicle mold with blueberries.Fill the rest of the mold with water to cover the blueberries. Return to freezer until popsicles are completely frozen.
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FAMILY FIELD TRIPS
Young children jump at every opportunity to experience summer in new ways. This past weekend Steve and I went with three of our grandchildren to Lake Harriet. The plan was to have a picnic and go on the paddleboats. But, after lunch we discovered that the windy day had put a halt to the paddleboats. No worries.
There were ducks to watch - and count, of course! We saw a young boy catch a fish. The wind was creating simple joy as wrappers from juice pops flew away and the children needed to catch them. A few sailboats were scooting across the lake. Many watercraft were on shore, so we talked about kayaks and canoes.
And then there was a new playground to explore. It was such fun to watch the children experience the play structure. At one point Abby was singing with abandon as she danced on the deck. Both of the four-year-olds conquered new climbing challenges and ventured down slides that seemed way too scary at first. The one-year-old watched all the activity and loved walking and falling in the sand.
We all came away with a sense of satisfaction that we had enjoyed a couple of hours of Minnesota summer at its best. Now we're inspired to go to a concert at the band shell. And those paddleboats are calling us to get on the lake next visit.
We know how much young children like adventure. And the way we as adults talk about what we do can make the simplest activity seem exciting. Take a "field trip" to a friend's garden to look at flowers. Or ask if your child can pick some lettuce from the neighbor's garden to take to school for his classmates to taste.
It's so easy to get into our routines and forget that with just a little planning we can create adventure. Take on the "family field trip" challenge. See if you can hit a new park, lake or nature center that you have never visited before.
But also remember that in your own yard or neighborhood there are adventures to be had. Even just throwing down a blanket under a shade tree to read books is a way to create a new experience. Infants and toddlers love to touch and manipulate objects found outdoors with their different textures and smells. Preschoolers might show you how they are learning to water plants and weed gardens.
And can you believe how exciting bugs are to children? It's so much fun to watch them examine and observe as bugs crawl on the sidewalk. An inchworm on your sleeve
provides so much to talk about!
What I especially love about summer activities is that they are often so unstructured. Children can make their own fun and are able to experience things on their own terms. And as adults we can also enjoy the feeling of freedom, the heightening of our senses and the relaxation that being outside allows us.
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TWIN CITIES
FAMILY EVENTS
Now-End of Summer
Big Back Yard
, Science Museum of MN, Saint Paul
7/15-8/14
Pinocchio
, Children's Theatre Company
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Lynn Livingston has worked for Especially for Children - Eden Prairie since November of 1989, making her one of our longest-term teaching staff! Read more about Lynn on the blog.
We launched a re-designed, mobile-friendly website in June:
EspeciallyforChildren.com. Now you can find links to your school's newsletter as well as the
Parent Blog right from the home page. And don't miss the
Parent Resources section for great articles on child development.
Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more resources for current EFC families on our website.
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