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Greetings!
VALENTINES TO YOUR CHILD
We would once again like to carry on one of our favorite traditions. Parents, join in by creating a valentine for your child to hang in our front lobby. Have fun and use your imagination to design this special project!
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CLASSROOM VALENTINE PARTIES
The children will be having “Be My Valentine” parties on
Thursday, February 14. Children are welcome to bring cards to exchange with each other. Each class will have a class list available. It will also be dress up day!
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100TH DAY OF SCHOOL
On
Monday, February 4, we will celebrate the 100
th day of the school year. We will be making a “Friendship Mix”. Everyone is invited to bring in a snack item to add to our mix. Please bring the item in its original container and please do not bring any peanut containing items. The children will be counting them as part of their math activities that day.
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WHAT’S COOL IN SCHOOL
On
Friday, February 1, the children are invited to bring a flashlight to school. We will talk about Groundhog’s Day and shadows. Will the groundhog see his shadow and hide for six more weeks this year?
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DENTIST OFFICE VISIT
On
Tuesday, February 19, the preschool children will visit the dentist office. The theme of this week is Dental Health and we will learn all about taking care of our teeth.
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PRESCHOOL YOGA AND SMOOTHIE PARTY!
All preschool school parents are invited to join us for a yoga party. Please bring a mat and comfortable clothing to participate in a fun healthy yoga event. A fruit and veggie smoothie snack will be served after our yoga class. This event will take place on
Tuesday, February 19, from 4 to 5pm.
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STAR WELLNESS RECIPE
COOKING WITH CHILDREN: CHICKEN AVOCADO ROLL-UPS
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Ingredients
2 avocados, cubed
Juice of 1 lime
2 c. shredded chicken
1 bell peppers, seeds and cores removed, chopped
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1/2 c. shredded Monterey Jack
1/2 c. shredded Cheddar
2 tbsp. sour cream
2 tbsp. finely chopped chives
4 large flour tortillas
Directions
In a medium bowl, combine avocado and lime juice and mash until only small chunks of avocado remain. Add chicken, bell pepper, red onion, Monterey Jack, cheddar, sour cream and chives and stir until evenly combined.
Spread a thin layer of the chicken avocado mixture onto a large tortilla, leaving a small border around the edges. Roll the tortilla up tightly, then cut off the edges and slice into 1” rolls. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Serve cold or at room temperature.
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LITTLE CHEFS, BIG BENEFITS
Sundays are cooking days at our house. My husband loves to use the weekend as an excuse to simmer, roast or slow cook. With weeknight mealtimes often feeling a bit chaotic (serious understatement), we both relish the opportunity to slow down a bit. And mostly thanks to him, the results are usually pretty tasty.
But what I have come to love even more than the food is the opportunity to watch our 3-year-old in the kitchen. He is the ultimate helper. Loving to get involved, he is constantly asking me what jobs he can do. On busy weeknights, when there are onions to chop and tantrums to sooth, I sometimes find myself rushing through things on my own. My desire to include him butts up against my desire to get the food on the table before our 16-month-old implodes. But on the weekends, when things slow down, we make a point to find ways for him to help.
This often involves stirring, measuring, scooping, spilling (!) and pouring. And always, without fail, it involves several requests to taste each ingredient as it goes in. Even the baking soda - ew! That simple act of tasting is actually an incredibly important step in developing healthy eating habits. Tasting exposes kids to different flavors and textures, making them more likely to grow up as balanced eaters. For my son, there are times when he will taste something as we cook it, only to reject it once it is on his plate. But that’s ok with me, because I know that those little tastes build up to a lot of exposure over time.
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Last Sunday, I walked into the kitchen and saw his face beaming with pride. He and his dad were making pasta, and my littlest chef had chopped all the (soft) cheese on his own. With a butter knife. It was the most excited I have seen him in the kitchen. He felt a sense of accomplishment, knowing that he had done it all on his own. And when the time came to eat, he couldn’t wait to tell his cousins all about “his” pasta.
It was a good reminder to me that with just a little adjustment, kids can do many things alongside us in the kitchen. There are age appropriate ways to get all kids involved and help them grow their skills as they get older. The pride they feel in working alongside us helps them to develop confidence, coordination and patience – and as a bonus, the results are delicious.
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Allison Zomer
Director of Operations
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TWIN CITIES
FAMILY EVENTS
Now-2/23
Night Trains
, Twin City Model Railroad Museum, St. Paul
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Especially for Children
2 H South Pine Dr.
Circle Pines MN 55014
(763) 786-9410
Center Director:
Linda Burck
Center Assistant Director:
Kris Steffens
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