JULY 2017
JULY IS ALL ABOUT ROCKS AND SAND!
CRAFT DIY Moon Sand!
Celebrate TEDDY BEAR PICNIC DAY July 10
v
Welcome to PW’s Playhouse Playworks is offering tons of advice for enjoying your summer during the month of July. While you’re celebrating the Fourth of July, please be safe when enjoying fireworks. Read up on this month’s creative curriculum, how to celebrate your birthday with Playworks, and Teddy Bear Picnic Day! In Minnesota, summers are for beaches and sand boxes. This July, our Educare students will learn about rocks and sand. Students explore and examine different types of sand and rocks through hands-on activities. They’ll also have a chance to learn about where different sand and rocks come from, as well as how they’re used in everyday life. Dive into this month’s issue of PW’s Playhouse and learn how to make the most of your summer. Thank you for being a part of Playworks!
JULY Important Dates JULY 3: Sand and Rock Study Begins JULY 4: Playworks Closed, Happy Fourth of July! JULY 10: Teddy Bear Picnic, 11:30am-12:30pm at Playworks—all Educare families are invited!
FOR A LIST OF SUMMER CAMP EVENTS, VISIT PLAYWORKSFUN.COM.
It’s not too la te to sign up for
XTREME SUMMER CAM P!
If your child is in hands-on exp terested in eriences, such as outdoor p lay, field trips, and entertaining programs, sig n them up today .
Playworks Staff Spotlight: Anna Effertz How long have you worked at Playworks? 11 years
Favorite children’s book: The Napping House by Audrey Wood
What is your position at Playworks? Educare Coordinator
Favorite board game: Sorry!
Favorite part of working at Playworks? I love seeing the kids and staff every day!
Favorite food: Sushi
Describe your personality in one word: Fun!
Favorite color: Pink! Favorite animal: Sloth
Suggested Reading Sea, Sand, Me!
by Patricia Hubbell
Beach Day
Educare Early Learning Classrooms
by Karen Roosa
Rocks and Minerals: A Gem of a Book
Sand and Rocks At Playworks, we make learning fun through engaging, real-world curriculum and activities—all designed to allow the kids to dig deeper into the subject matter themselves. Children learn best by doing, so this provides them with the ideal learning environment. This month, we’re learning about sand and rocks with activities and a lesson plan that encourage your child to examine and explore. Children are fascinated by how sand feels, how it moves, and how it’s used. This month’s creative curriculum will have your kiddo learning about sand and rocks through hands-on experiences. They will learn about the different types of sand and their physical properties, as well as how
by Simon Basher
sand is created, where it’s found, and how it’s used in everyday life. Like sand, rocks are also appealing to children. Kids love to pick them up, sort them, throw them (even when told not to!), and examine their weight, sparkles, colors, shapes, and patterns. Studying sand and rocks will build on your child’s interest in the natural world. They will learn that sand and rocks are all unique and can be found everywhere. Next time you’re at a beach or playing in a sandbox, ask your child what they know about the sand and rocks around them. You’ll be amazed by how much your child has learned about the earth!
The Pebble in My Pocket by Meredith Cooper
Salamander Rock by Matt Mitter
ExploringEarth:
Rocks and Minerals
The earth is made up of so much stuff! From your own backyard, you can see trees, flowers, rocks, dirt, grass, and maybe even water. All of these things make up the planet that we know—however, most of the planet is actually unseen. On the outside, the earth is made up of land and water, but on the inside, it’s made up of many different rocks, minerals, and even magma.
The earth is made up of five layers: The Crust
Earth’s crust is the topmost layer of the planet, and it’s also the thinnest. It’s made up of both continental crust (the land) and oceanic crust (the water).
Upper Mantle
The upper part of this layer is made of colder rock, while the lower part of this layer is made of both solid and liquid rock.
Lower Mantle
The lower mantle is made of solid rock. It’s hot enough to melt, but the pressure around it keeps it solid. Like the upper mantle, this layer is made up of iron, oxygen, silicon, magnesium, and aluminum.
Outer Core
The liquid layer surrounding the core is made up of an iron and nickel magma. The flow of this layer is what creates the planet’s magnetic field!
Inner Core
?
Literally the hottest place on Earth, the inner core is a huge metal ball that stays solid due to the pressure around it.
Mineral Fun Facts ALUMINUM is the metal that your baseball bat might be made out of.
GRAPHITE is the mineral inside of your pencils!
DIAMONDS are the hardest natural material on earth. And they’re so pretty, too!
TALC is a white mineral that comes from fossilized aquatic life. It’s just like the chalk you would use on the sidewalk or in a classroom.
GOLD comes from meteorites that bombarded the planet millions of years ago.
Rocks and Minerals, What’s the Difference? Minerals are made up of the same chemicals throughout. Rocks are composed of many different minerals and are never the same. Minerals tend to be more valuable and more useful than rocks!
Staying Safe Around Fireworks The beginning of July marks the celebration of one of the most exciting national holidays, the Fourth of July! With the Fourth of July comes barbecues, patriotism, parades, and family fun. Most importantly, people, especially kids, look forward to the fireworks that cap off the day’s celebrations.
Teach your kiddo how to be safe around fireworks this Fourth of July! Never allow your child to hold or light any type of fireworks, including sparklers
Use ear protection when lighting loud fireworks
Children should always be supervised around fireworks
34% of all firework-related injuries happen to kids 15 years of age and younger
CE
TO WIN
July 10
CE
F
T
11:30am-12:30pm
R® EA
BUI
CH
-A LD -B
GI
T
eddy B e ar Picnic
AN
Teach your children to stand at a safe distance when fireworks are being lit
E RTIFICAT
Every July 10, Teddy Bear Picnic Day is celebrated by families across the country. If your child is enrolled in Educare, you and your family are invited to bring your teddies and celebrate Teddy Bear Picnic Day with Playworks! However, if you can’t make it to Playworks, set up your own Teddy Bear Picnic during the month of July!
Here are some ideas to get you started: •
Remember your teddy bear!
•
•
PB&J sandwiches, cookies, and juice will do
If your picnic is outside, bring a blanket to sit on
•
Try playing games like best-dressed bear, best-named bear, and bear hide-and-seek
d n a S n o Mo DIY
CRAFT:
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE YOUR OWN MOON SAND • 8 cups flour • 1 cup baby oil • Small containers for storage
Moon Sand is a fun way to play in the sand without getting all messy. Unfortunately, Moon Sand can be expensive, especially when your kid is playing with it so much that you are replacing it often. Luckily, DIY Moon Sand can be made with two common ingredients! Build, play, and let your child’s imagination run wild with this interactive craft.
DIRECTIONS: 1
2 3 4
Add oil to flour in a large mixing bowl. Mix until the consistency of the sand is the same throughout. Build castles, mountains, cakes, and more with your DIY Moon Sand! Store your DIY Moon Sand in small containers for future enjoyment. *Try to keep play time in one place when enjoying your DIY Moon Sand. This version holds its shape very well; however, it can get oily! The oiliness isn’t noticeable during play time, but you’ll notice it during cleanup.
Family-Friendly SMSC
Events
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
GRAND ENTRY
FRIDAY 7PM | SATURDAY 1PM & 7PM SUNDAY 1PM
FREE meal Saturday with admission 4:30-6:30pm
1O ADMISSION
$
July 8 | Bees for Kids
5:30-6:30pm • $20 for family with 2 children; $5/add’l child Wozupi Tribal Gardens (2041 140th Street NW, Prior Lake)
entire weekend
TO W I N
LD
BUI
-A- B
Kids Program
T R T I FI C A
E
CE
F
T
952.445.8900 | smscwacipi.org
3212 Dakotah Parkway • Shakopee
®
GI
11:30am-12:30pm • Picnic lunch is provided Playworks (2200 Trail of Dreams, Prior Lake)
CE
FREE admission for 10 years and under & 60+ years
E AR
July 10 | Teddy Bear Picnic
N
CH
A
Encourage children’s natural curiosity about bees. See inside a busy honeybee observation hive (without the risk of getting stung). Visit flowers and see the diversity of bee pollinators in our area; honeybees and bumblebees are just a small fraction of the bees in Minnesota. Learn the difference between bees and their aggressive relatives— wasps, hornets, and yellow jackets. Plant a flower for bees to get nectar and pollen from.
Join us for Teddy Bear Picnic Day and a chance to win a BUILD-A-BEAR® gift certificate! If your child is enrolled in Educare, you, your family, and your teddy bears are invited to Playworks to celebrate this fun holiday. It is recommended to bring a blanket to sit on. A picnic lunch will be provided.
August 18-20 | Wacipi
Friday 7pm | Saturday 11pm & 7pm | Sunday 1pm $10 for the entire weekend Wacipi Grounds (3212 Dakotah Parkway, Shakopee) The Wacipi, or Pow Wow, was once an event used to celebrate a good hunt, the end of a season, or to recognize a positive event. Today, the Wacipi is a celebration of life that brings people together. Take the whole family to the 2017 Wacipi for a weekend of Native American food, dancing, and culture! All ages are welcome.
Bees Kids for
July 8 | 10-11:30cham ildren.
ing 2 $20 for a family, includ $5 for additional child.
Register online!
2041 140th St. NW • Prior Lake
Recipe
Beach Scene Vanilla Pudding Cups Combine some of your kiddo’s favorite snacks for a fun, tasty treat that will get them excited about the summer sun! These treats are perfect for a picnic, snack time, or dessert.
Ingredients: Directions:
• Vanilla pudding cups • Graham crackers • Teddy Grahams 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
• Life Saver Gummies • Airhead Xtreme Bites • Drink umbrellas
Crush your graham crackers until it resembles sand. Pull the tops off of your pudding cups and fill them with the crushed graham crackers. Place one Teddy Graham on an Airhead Xtreme Bite and put it in the “sand” for each cup. Stick an umbrella into the “sand” in each cup. Put a Life Saver Gummy next to each umbrella. Enjoy these sweet beach treats in the sun!
If vanilla pudding isn’t your child’s favorite, don’t be afraid to try chocolate, butterscotch, or even tapioca!
Party here!
Group Trips & Parties Playworks is the ultimate site for your next party. We offer food and entertainment, so you can focus on having fun! Book your next birthday party or group trip package today.
952.445.PLAY (7529) | playworksfun.com 2200 Trail of Dreams, Prior Lake, MN | Owned and Operated by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community