NOVEMBER 2017
November is all about THE STUDY OF CLOTHES THE JOY OF
Reading Books and
Telling Stories
Welcome to PW’s Playhouse Lots of fun activities are planned at Playworks for the month of November, and we cannot wait to share our new curriculum highlights with you! We will be trying something new in our infant and toddler classrooms. As a more developmentally appropriate approach to learning, instead of doing a study, we will be focusing on experiences. The infant and toddler classrooms will be exploring stories and books through play and activities. Meanwhile, preschool and prekindergarten learners will dive into the study of clothing! Students will discover types of clothing, different fabrics and textures, and the specialized purposes of some garments. Remember to practice your best smile for Picture Day on November 3. Then join us for a slice of pie at the Parents and Pie social event on November 16! Playworks wishes you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving, and we will be closed on November 23 in honor of the holiday. With the
Suggested Reading
peak of autumn on our heels, it can be easy to get caught up in thinking about the December
Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons
holiday season. Amid the hustle and bustle, we encourage you to take a step back and join us in
by Eric Litwin
recognizing National Day of Giving on November
The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash
28. As a global movement, #GivingTuesday unites countries around the world by sharing our capacity to care for and empower one another.
November
Important Dates NOVEMBER 3: NOVEMBER 16: NOVEMBER 23: NOVEMBER 28:
by Trinka Hakes Noble
NOVEMBER
#GivingTues28d ay
Celebrated on the Tuesday Thanksgiving following , people togeth #GivingTuesday brings er and is cente values of servi re ce and encour d on the Whether you ages giving. co family, your co me together with your mm or your organiz unity, your company, give back. Vis ation, find a way to it givingtues day.org to search for local events.
Picture Day! Parents and Pie, 4-6pm Playworks LINK Event Center Playworks Closed Happy Thanksgiving! National Day of Giving
No Clean Clothes by Robert Munsch
Caps for Sale
by Esphyr Slobodkina
Llama Llama Red Pajama
by Anna Dewdney
Playworks Staff Spotlight: Brooke Scanlon How long have you worked at Playworks? 9 months
Favorite board game: Rack-O
What is your position at Playworks? Educare Specialist
Favorite food: Sushi
Describe your personality in one word: Energetic
Favorite color: Purple – go Vikings!
Favorite children’s book: The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister
Favorite animal: Corgi puppies
Educare Early Learning Classrooms
Experiences with Stories and Books / Study of Clothes At Playworks, we love to learn! We aim to make learning both a fun and enjoyable experience. Speaking of experiences, this month we are trying something new! Instead of doing a study in our infant and toddler rooms, we will be focusing on experiences—specifically experiences with stories and books. This curriculum-based approach will be safe yet stimulating, and promotes functional play through carefully planned lessons that will interest children and inspire them to explore through sensorimotor activity. Research shows infants and toddlers learn through their senses and through physical activity. While exploring stories and books through activities and materials, children develop independence, practice decision-making skills, and are involved in a hands-on way in their own learning. While our infants and toddlers explore stories and books, our older kids will be learning about clothes. From babies tugging on their socks to toddlers learning how to use buttons and zippers, children are interested in clothing at a very young age. Our preschool and prekindergarten classrooms will be learning about clothes! Children try to dress themselves (or play dress-up) around this age and develop preferences in what they want to wear—colors, fabrics, and styles. We believe that a child’s interest in clothing
can be the foundation for studying different types of clothes and fabrics, not to mention the many functions of clothing in our daily lives. Clothing can also help encourage your child to continuously grow and learn as individuals. In the morning, try laying out some options for clothing and allow them to practice decision-making by picking out their outfit for the day. Then at bedtime, read a story aloud together. Reading is a wonderful way to bond, and your child will discover that books and stories are fun!
Head to Toe:
WHAT ARE YOU WEARING?
In the busyness of everyday life, we rarely stop to think about what our clothes are made of and why we wear them. Everyone in the world wears clothing to cover and protect themselves. The clothing we wear often changes too! People wear certain types of clothing at different times, such as at their jobs, while on vacation, for sports games, and during the seasons. All items of clothing have names. When you go to bed, you probably wear pajamas. During hockey practice, you might wear ice skates and a helmet. In the winter, you should wear a coat to stay warm! What are some clothes you wear to school every day?
Your T-shirt is probably made from cotton. This fluffy fiber grows in the seedpod of a cotton plant. The small fibers are spun and woven into fabric. Almost every piece of clothing you have has cotton in it—shirts, jeans, jackets, and even your underpants!
Your baseball cap is partly made of wool, which is a natural fiber that comes from sheep fleece. Wool is also used to make warm clothing, such as socks and hats.
Tennis shoes are a combination of leather and canvas. The bottom of a tennis shoe is made of rubber, making it durable and supportive. Shoes can be made from many types of other materials too, like cotton and plastic.
You Didn’t Know About
zippers
1 Each year enough
zippers are made to wrap around the world 50 times. That’s 1.2 million miles of zippers!
2 The earliest known
use of the word “zip” was in 1875 when it was used to mimic the noise mosquitoes make.
3 A zipper has four parts:
the top stop, the slider, the tape (the cloth and teeth), and the bottom stop.
Your blue jeans are a tightly woven fabric, made from a cotton plant. Woven fabric does not stretch very easily. A denim jacket or corduroy pants are examples of woven fabric.
Source: Marketplace.org and chicagonow.com/quilting-sewing-creating.
Think about It!
What are some of the different clothes you wear in the winter versus the summer? Why? What is more comfortable to wear—denim jeans or pajamas? Why do you think that? What would you wear if you were going to meet the President of the United States?
WAYS
to Give Back this Season
Donate clothes, books, board games, and/or food items— encourage your kids to pick out some of their belongings that they don’t use anymore and drop them off at a local donation center.
Volunteer—look into contributing your family’s time to help out at a soup kitchen, hospital, animal shelter, donation center, or other nonprofit organization in need of extra hands.
While you’re enjoying the festivities of the season, take some time to lend a helping hand to those less fortunate. Even small acts of kindness can help instill the values of compassion and generosity in children, helping them to understand the power of giving. Here are five ideas to get you started:
Send a get-well card—ask your child to write a get-well card or draw a picture for someone in the hospital. A heartfelt card—even from a stranger—can help lift the spirits of sick or recovering patients.
Enjoying Stories andBooks
Clean up a community—grab some trash bags and hit the local park, neighborhood, church, or school to pick up litter.
Read and tell stories to your child every day. The words and pictures are important, but most of all, spending time together as you read aloud and tell stories lets your child know how much you value these activities. Whether you make it part of your child’s bedtime routine or mix it in as a relaxed daytime activity, reading is a wonderful way to be together. Plus, it has innumerable benefits for children, including:
Building stronger relationships with parents and caregivers Learning basic speech skills Developing communication skills Learning about new experiences Discovering that reading is fun!
Lend a hand to the elderly—stop by and visit with nursing home residents, or offer to help an elderly neighbor with lawn care or household chores. These small kindnesses are easy to accomplish, helpful, and very appreciated.
Craft:
Old T-Shirt
NO-SEW PILLOW
It’s that time of year again—the air is cooler, fall and winter clothes are making their first appearance, and summer clothes are being stashed away. Before you throw out all those old T-shirts, try turning your kiddo’s favorite summer tee into a memorable pillow. This fun throw pillow is easy to do and requires zero sewing!
Supplies: OLD T-SHIRT | SCISSORS | PILLOW STUFFING
1
2
3
4
Lay the T-shirt on a flat surface, graphic side up. Cut a square around the graphic through both layers of the shirt.
Cut a 2-inch square from each corner through both layers of fabric. Then, cut strips ¾ inches wide and 2 inches long through both layers, all the way around the square.
Tie the strips together by knotting each pair of fringe all the way around. Make sure to leave a few strips unknotted so you can stuff the pillow.
Stuff the pillow with the stuffing, and tie the remaining strips to close up the pillow.
EMPOWERING KIDS TO Self-Regulate their Behavior
Everyone has their moments and meltdowns, especially if your age is in the single digits. It can be difficult for many children to keep their emotions in check and respond appropriately. To help give children practical skills to better manage their thoughts, feelings, and actions, teachers at Playworks have been employing principles from the Conscious Discipline methodology. Conscious Discipline empowers people to understand their brain-body states (survival state, emotional state, and executive state) in order to respond consciously to the needs of a given moment. For example, one of the techniques that the teachers and children have been using lately is STAR breathing, which stands for:
Try this technique out with your child at home and see what a difference it can make!
Smile Take a deep breath in through your nose And pause before Relaxing as you blow the air out of your mouth Teaching young children how to STAR breathe helps them maintain their composure and practice self-regulation. By fully filling their lungs and exhaling completely, the children disengage the stress response and are able to keep calm.
Family-Friendly SMSC
Events
november 4-5
great train show
10am-4pm Saturday: $10, Sunday: $9, Kids 11 & Under: FREE Canterbury Park (1100 Canterbury Road, Shakopee)
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Bring the whole family down to the nation’s only coastto-coast model train expo. Featuring over 50 exhibitors from across the country, massive model train displays, free door prize giveaways, free workshops, and more, this event is perfect for train enthusiasts, curious onlookers, and everyone in between.
november 11
taste of the holidays
Noon-4pm FREE Mazopiya (2571 Credit Union Drive, Prior Lake)
Get in the holiday spirit this fall at Mazopiya’s Taste of the Holidays event. Showcasing local vendor sampling, free classes, giveaways, and coloring sheets for the kids, this is the perfect opportunity to get inspired for the festive season ahead.
november 16
educare parents & pie
4pm-6pm FREE Playworks LINK Event Center (2200 Trail of Dreams, Prior Lake)
Keep calm and have dessert. Parents—bring the kids and join Playworks for a slice of pie and some fun activities, including making a fall craft! No RSVP required.
november 18
turkey trot 5k and kids fun run
8am 5K: $25, Kids Fun Run: $10 The Meadows at Mystic Lake (2400 Trail of Dreams, Prior Lake)
Get in some pre-Thanksgiving exercise at the annual Dakotah! Sport and Fitness Turkey Trot 5K and Kids Fun Run. This is an excellent course for first-time 5K participants, groups, and families. Post-race refreshments and awards with follow the race. Register today at dakotahsport.com/turkeytrot.
952.445.PLAY (7529) | playworksfun.com 2200 Trail of Dreams, Prior Lake, MN |
Recipe:
Groovy Button Grahams Here’s a simple snack that pairs perfectly with one of this month’s recommended reads, Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons. All you need is a few ingredients, and your child will be ready to read about Pete’s buttons while snacking on an edible version of their own!
Ingredients: □□ 4 graham crackers □□ 4 tablespoons yellow buttercream frosting □□ 16 M&M's®
E R CA
U D E
Directions:
1. Spread each graham cracker with 1 tablespoon of frosting. 2. Arrange 4 M&M’s® down the center of each graham cracker to resemble buttons.
Nov 16 4-6pm
it can’t be.
Playworks LINK Event Center
Join us for some plain & simple family fun! Enjoy a slice of pie, create art projects & listen to stories read by a teacher.
it is!
No RSVP required. Contact Teresa Wessel-Taylor with any questions at 952-496-6809 or teresa.wessel-taylor@playworksfun.com.
952.445.PLAY (7529) | playworksfun.com 2200 Trail of Dreams, Prior Lake, MN | Owned and Operated by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community