Greetings!
WELCOME TO EFC, SW MINNEAPOLIS!
We are absolutely thrilled to be welcoming families and teaching staff to our new EFC community here in SW Minneapolis. As we open this center, we want to thank you for choosing Especially for Children. We can’t wait for all the good things to come as your children learn and grow. And we hope families have many opportunities to get to know one another during this special time of life. Please stay tuned for planned center events in the near future!
As we move through the first weeks of the program, please know we are here to answer your questions. Communication is key, so reach out at any time. In addition to Alma (director) and Rachel (assistant director), EFC administrative staff will be working to support the center during these early days.
You can reach our center by emailing:
center17@especiallyforchildren.com or calling (612) 588-9700. (It is helpful to save this number in your phone since the number published online is our enrollment number.)
|
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
You will receive this newsletter in print, along with the calendar of meals, each month. If you did not receive this newsletter via email as well, please let us know so that we can update your preferred contact information in our system. You may also need to check your Other or Spam folders and make any email rule changes to ensure you receive our emails in your Inbox. Thank you!
|
|
|
|
|
LOOKING AHEAD
Especially for Children will be closed on Monday, July 3, and Tuesday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day. Enjoy your long weekend!
|
|
|
|
JUNETEENTH COMMUNITY CELEBRATION
Minneapolis Park and Rec is hosting a Juneteenth celebration for the whole community.
|
|
|
|
NATIONAL POLLINATOR WEEK
National Pollinator Week is an annual event celebrated internationally in support of pollinator health. It is a time to celebrate pollinators and spread the word about what we can do to protect them. Fourteen years ago, the U.S. Senate’s unanimous approval and designation of a week in June as “National Pollinator Week” marked a necessary step toward addressing the urgent issue of declining pollinator populations.
Did you know:
- Pollinators play an important role in the production of more than 150 food crops in the U.S, such as apples, alfalfa, almonds, blueberries, cranberries, kiwis, melons, pears, plums, and squash?
- Bees are the primary pollinators. However, about 200,000 invertebrate species, (bees, moths, butterflies, beetles, and flies) serve as pollinators, as well as about 1,000 species of vertebrates (birds, mammals, and reptiles).
- With no pollination at all, many of the foods we eat would no longer be available. The plants that many wild creatures rely on for food or shelter would also disappear.
What we can do to protect pollinators:
- Be kind to your pollinator friends. Pollinators like bugs and birds are small and fragile. It’s easy for people to hurt them. Be gentle and quiet when they are near!
- Look, but don’t touch! When you see a butterfly, bee, beetle, or hummingbird outside, look, but don’t touch! Pollinators won’t hurt you if you leave them alone and are nice to them.
- Keep pollinators’ homes safe. And help make habitat for pollinators. Take care of a garden. Plant some flowers. When you find a bug in your house, gently take it outside to its natural habitat.
- Support local bees and beekeepers by buying local honey.
|
|
|
|
WATERMELON PIZZA
This watermelon pizza is a fun little treat that everyone can enjoy! It’s healthy, easy to make and when we think of summer, we think of watermelon!
Instructions:
- Using a sharp knife, cut off a slice of watermelon right down the middle about 2-3 inches thick.
- Using a spatula, spread an even layer of your yogurt around the watermelon, leaving a bit of empty space at the top. (where your “pizza crust” is.)
- Layer your fresh fruit on top as you please. You can add as little of as many toppings as you like!
- Drizzle with honey or maple syrup for a little extra sweetness if desired.
|
|
This article was written by Priscilla Williams in 2016. The characters in it are a bit older today, but they still love their local adventures! |
|
|
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 water-craft 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.
|
|
TWIN CITIES
FAMILY EVENTS
|
Especially for Children
3908 Stevens Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55409
Center Director
Alma Guzmán
Center Assistant Director
Rachel McGill
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
