DAVIS • MORGAN • WEBER │ J U N E 2 0 1 6
TOP Star N EWSLETTER Time is flying by fast, and we are loving the warm weather! In this June issue, we help you mark the calendars with fun days to celebrate. We also introduce you to a great melon recipe, provide a handout of fun activities for dads to do with their babies and toddlers in celebration of Father’s Day, and more! Look further for details.
Days to CELEBRATE! June 18:
International Picnic Day Contents: Days to Celebrate ........................... 1 Introducing: Melons........................ 2 Healthier Options for Father’s Day ............................... 3 Outdoor Play with Chalk ............. 4
June 21:
International Yoga Day
Saturday, June 18, is International Picnic Day! Most child care facilities are not open on the weekends, but plan early and celebrate sometime during the week before or after. Take your kids outside to enjoy the warm sunshine during snack or meal time. They’ll enjoy the extra time outside!
Tuesday, June 21, is International Yoga Day! Take the time today to introduce your kids to yoga during a transition time. Incorporate games, storytelling, and songs to gain your youngsters’ interest. To find ideas for poses, check out Kids Yoga Stories or Namaste Kid. Page 1
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Introducing: MELONS Summer is the perfect time to introduce melons! Watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew—they’re all in their peak seasons packed with fresh, juicy, mouth-watering flavors. Melons are usually eaten raw, but did you know they could be grilled, too? Grilling intensifies a melon’s sweetness while adding a great smoky flavor—delicious! Have your kids try multiple ways to eat their fruit—whether it’s freshly cut, grilled, or blended in a smoothie. You can even add the fruit to a savory salad or freeze up some popsicles! Any way you prepare them, melons are a delicious and healthy sweet treat to share with the children in your care. To find a free lesson plan for introducing melons, go to Harvest for Healthy Kids.org.
Strawberry-Melon Summer Salad 1 cup lemon yogurt
2 cups watermelon balls
1 T brown sugar
2 cups canteloupe balls
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 cups halved fresh strawberries
1. Wash strawberries and remove tops. Cut them into halves. 2. Slice open the melons and cut them into cubes or use a melon baller to scoop out balls of melon. 3. Combine the melons and strawberries in large bowl. 4. In a separate bowl, combine the lemon yogurt, brown sugar, and lemon juice. 5. Fold the sauce into the strawberry-melon mixture, being careful not to mash the fruit. 6. Serve directly after tossing. The fruit salad can get a little watery if it sits out too long. Brought to you by: Harvest for Healthy Kids
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Here are some fun and active bonding activities for dads to do with their kids this Father’s Day—or any day! Cut out copies of this card and send one home with each of your kiddos to encourage important family interaction at home.
Celebrate
FATHER’S DAY!
More ideas from: Child Development Institute Babies & Toddlers
DAVIS • MORGAN • WEBER │ J U N E 2 0 1 6
FATHER’S DAY ACTIVITIES With Your Babies & Toddlers
You’re my superhero! - Hand & Foot Print Craft Sometimes dads need a little help coming up with things to do with their kids! But the time you spend bonding can go a long way in your relationship together. Here are some fun activities dads can do to get started.
Supplies
Canvas/Construction Paper Scrapbook Stickers/ Markers, Crayons, Colored Pencils, etc. Blue, Red, Tan Paint Paint Brushes (or just your fingers!) Mod Podge (if you want a great seal for the artwork) Black Sharpie Paper Plate & Baby Wipes (for easy cleanup)
DADS & BABIES
Instructions: 1. First, do the “body” (a footprint) in blue, and then the “cape” (a handprint) in red. 2. Paint a circle on the canvas for the head and a line coming from the “foot/body” as arms. Let the paint dry completely. 3. Use the Sharpie to draw a face on the painted circle. 4. Add the scrapbook stickers to spell out “You Are My Superhero”. Or just write them on. 5. Have the kids paint some clouds or add any other personal touches they want to the paper/canvas. 6. Once done, cover with Mod Podge to seal in the stickers and paint (if you want). 7. Don’t forget to write the child’s name/age to the back! Craft Idea From: Glued To My Crafts Blog
1. Super Baby—Lie down and hold your baby up over your chest and face. Move him back and forth while making funny noises and faces. 2. Dancing—Babies love to move even if it’s not on their own. Turn the music on, hold them, and get dancing! 3. Take a Walk—It’s great to get babies out in nature at a young age. Let them enjoy the fresh air with you! 4. Patting—When holding your baby, walk around and pat him/her! Babies love rhythmic patting.
DADS & TODDLERS 1. Water Play—Take your kids to the splash pad, swimming pool, or simply pull out the kiddie pool, slip n’ slide, or sprinklers at home. 2. Walk in the Park—Take your toddler for a walk. Point out the bugs, leaves, colors, sounds, etc. They love to learn about the world around them. 3. Playground—Push your toddler on the swing or take him/her down the slide. 4. Games—Patty Cake, Dancing, Building Blocks ...the possibilities are endless. Be creative , and have fun!
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OUTDOOR PLAYCHALK WITH
This month, summer will finally OFFICIALLY be here! We have found three great outdoor activities to do with your child care kids, all of them involving a great, inexpensive resource— chalk. The first activity is so simple, but it helps kids work on tracing and keeps them up and moving! All you have to do is draw lines all over a cement area—have some variety with lots of swirls, overlap, and an array of colors. Assign a line to a child, give them a paintbrush, and place small buckets of water in two or three
locations. Then have the children “paint/erase” the lines with the wet paintbrushes! When their paintbrushes get too dry, they must go to a bucket to dunk the brush again. You could have them skip, run, walk, or dance to the buckets. It’s up to you! Make the activity more of a learning experience by adding capital letters at the beginning of a line and the correlating lower case letter at the end of the line. To check out this activity and others visit Hands On As We Grow.com. Check out the other two chalk activity ideas below.
Outdoor Chalk
Color Recognition Children learn best when you combine movement with fun and learning, and they get involved when you start playing something yourself! So grab some chalk, draw circles of colors, and as you hop onto dots, shout out the color. Younger children might not be able to yell out the colors, but they will enjoy jumping and moving.
Brought to you by: Learn, Play, Imagine
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2D Obstacle
Hopscotch
Change up hopscotch by using words and different actions and drawings like these! Brought to you by: Life As Mama