SEPTEMBER 2019
Craft:
Apple Popsicle Stick Frame Department Spotlight:
Drop-In Care
Chairs and Things to Sit On
This Month at Playworks… As we wrapped up another successful, fun summer at Xtreme Summer Camp, it’s time to welcome the new school year this month. The beginning of the school year is an exciting time for children and parents! During September, our pre-K students are experiencing an important time of transition with learning to say goodbye to their families and familiarizing themselves with their classroom routines. Our hope here at Playworks is that they will learn to find comfort in being a member of their new classroom communities while maintaining a secure connection to home. September is Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, and there is no better time to shed light on the importance of preventing childhood obesity. Children who may be at risk of being overweight are more prone to serious health complications, such as asthma and diabetes. Take steps toward prevention as a family. Prepare healthy, nutritious snacks for after school, and cook nutritious meals for dinner together. Get outside and be active—hit the bike trails, walk the dog, or rake leaves. Making it a family affair can help prevent childhood obesity, protecting your child’s health now and for the future. Also, mark your calendars! Educare families are invited to a free spaghetti dinner on September 19 at 4:30-6:30pm in the Playworks LINK Event Center. Bring the whole crew for some spaghetti, salad, garlic bread, and dessert. No RSVP is necessary—we hope to see you there!
Thank you to all of those who joined us for 2019 Xtreme Summer Camp!
Suggested reading There’s a Bear on My Chair
A Letter to My Teacher
by Ross Collins
by Deborah Hopkinson
Peter’s Chair
Down the Back of the Chair
by Ezra Jack Keats
by Margaret Mahy
First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg
IMPORTANT DATES September 2
Playworks closed Happy Labor Day!
September 19 Educare Spaghetti Dinner 4:30-6:30pm Playworks LINK Event Center
I Love You Ritual:
Jelly Bean Toes Educare Early Learning Classrooms
Chairs and Things to Sit On/Beginning of the School Year+ Enjoying Stories and Book Here at Playworks, we strive to make learning fun! We implement engaging, practical curriculum and activities while allowing young learners to dig deeper into the topics themselves. This month, we’re exploring chairs and things to sit on, as well as the beginning of the school year, with activities and lesson plans that encourage your child to cultivate their skills in math, literacy, technology, and the arts. Playworks classrooms are filled with modern furnishings, all designed to aid creativity and development. Things we sit on, like desk chairs, couches, and even exercise balls, all vary in shape, size, and purpose, and our Educare students will be excited
to share with you new perspectives of these objects. Studying things to sit on offers young learners an important opportunity to investigate objects from different perspectives and the role these objects play in the real world. Playworks’ infant and toddler classrooms will focus on enjoying books and stories. Reading plays an integral role in a child’s development and education. Books and stories can help children develop empathy skills, improve their vocabulary, and even aid in stress relief. And don’t forget—Playworks’ Lending Library allows students and their families to borrow a variety of high-quality books to read at home.
This is a wonderful Conscious Discipline game to play while taking off children’s shoes and socks. Start by sitting with your child comfortably in front of you or in a chair. Grasp one of the child’s feet and begin to feel around inside the shoe. As you come to the toes, say, “I think there are jelly bean toes in here. I love jelly beans. Yum, yum!” Proceed to take off the child’s shoes while you continue to talk about jelly beans and how you can’t wait to see them, taste them, and so on. After the shoes are off, continue the same process with the socks. You may say, “Now I know they are jelly beans. But wait, they are moving! Maybe they are jumping beans instead of jelly beans.” Be sure your facial expressions are exaggerated. Pull off the socks, and say with delight, “Well, they are toes! Wonderful, beautiful, perfect toes!” Pretend to nibble the “jelly beans.”
Highlighted Learning Objective:
Demonstrating Phonological Awareness Phonological awareness—or the general ability to recognize the sound structure of different words when spoken—forms the basis of a child’s ability to read and spell. Here’s how you can recognize and encourage this awareness in your child!
What this Looks Like: The child hums along and joins in random words in rhyme
He/she chants rhyming words spontaneously, such as “Me, fee, kee, tee, lee, bee”
The child is able to match rhyming picture cards
He/she says “Bat, sat, lat,” when asked “What words rhyme with cat?”
Ways to Assist with this Development: Encourage your child to listen to different sounds in the environment, or see if they can identify recorded sounds. Encourage them to play with words and make up their own rhymes. Clap or tap rhythm sticks to mark the syllables of different children’s names as you say them. Plan activities with older children that focus on word games, such as having children group words by their beginning sounds (e.g., rake, rat, rose) or ending sounds (e.g., ring, sing, king).
Focused Experience:
Enjoying Stories and Books
This month, Playworks’ focused experience is enjoying stories and books! It’s important to read and tell stories with your child on a daily basis. The words and pictures are important, but, most of all, spending time with you as you read aloud and talk about stories lets your child know how much you value these activities. Reading is a wonderful way to be together, whether it’s during your kiddo’s bedtime routine or on a weekend afternoon. □□ A stronger relationship with parents and caregivers
Benefits of Reading to Infants, □□ □□ Toddlers, and Two-Year-Olds: □□□□
Learn basic speech skills Develop communication skills Exposure to the basic mechanics of a book Learn about new experiences
□□ Instill the idea that reading is fun!
HOLD ON TO YOUR SEATS!
All About Chairs and Things to Sit On
Between highchairs, car seats, desk chairs, and sofas, children encounter many different types of chairs on a daily basis. More than simply a place to sit, chairs offer entertaining and educational opportunities for kids of all ages. Read on to learn more about the history of these everyday objects and how you can use them in a fun way with your child!
Did you Know?
The word chair originates from the Latin word “cathedra,” which means “sit down.” The first known chairs date back about 5,000 years to ancient Egypt. The first rocking chair was invented in 1710. The first known game of musical chairs dates back to 1877. A chair designed by Eileen Gray sold for $28 million at an auction in 2009.
Musical Chairs!
Grab some chairs, music, a few friends or family members, and that’s it! No fancy gear or equipment needed. Setup: Make sure you have enough chairs for all players. Line the chairs up in a side-by-side row, and alternate the direction each seat is facing. For instance, if the first chair faces the front of the room, the chair next to it should face the back of the room, the third chair in line will face the front, and the fourth chair will face the back. Continue this pattern until you have placed all of the chairs. How to Play:
1. Select someone to control the music player during the game. Start the music.
2. Line everyone up at one end of the chairs and have them walk in a circle, around the chairs, as the music is playing.
3. The person controlling the music should remove one chair at this time. This person also stops the music at random intervals.
4. Any time the music stops, all players must sit in a chair. Because there is one less chair than there are players, try to hurry to find a seat!
5. When all the seats have been claimed, one player is left standing without a chair. That player is now eliminated from the game.
6. Take away another chair, start the music, and play as many rounds as it takes until you are left with one chair and two players.
7. The player who claims the last chair when the music stops, wins! Source: thespruce.com
Playworks Department Spotlight Pod 6/Drop-Off
Classroom The Drop-Off Classroom, located above the Playworks Atrium, is a designated space for children ages 6 weeks to 4 years old. The Drop-Off Classroom contains separate areas with developmentally appropriate environments and activities in each area for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.
Toddlers The toddler area is set up to provide a fun time for our active learners. Toddlers keep busy playing with friends in our sensory, art, dramatic play, fine motor, and book centers.
Infants
3- and 4-Year-Olds
The infant area welcomes our littlest friends to a day of play with qualified teachers. We provide individual feedings along with a sleeping area for each child, and we follow each child’s individual schedule during their time with us.
Children who are 3 and 4 years of age can enjoy playing in a large area filled with physical activities that promote growth, interactive games, art, sensory objects, blocks, and dramatic play centers.
Recipe: Fruit Leather Celebrate back to school with these tasty after-school treats!
directions: 1. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat chocolate on high for 25 seconds and then stir. 2. Allow chocolate to cool to about 90˚F. (Tip: If you don’t have a thermometer, test the temperature by putting a small drop on your lip. If the chocolate doesn’t feel cool, allow it to sit a little longer.) 3. Once chocolate has cooled, add the honey and stir until the mixture becomes thick. Pour the mixture on the countertop, and knead until shiny and smooth. 4. Using a rolling pin dusted with powdered sugar, roll the chocolate mixture until it is ¼-inch thick. 5. Cut the chocolate into small rectangles the same width as the fruit leather strips. 6. With the fruit leather strips sticky side up, place one rectangle of the chocolate on the right side of the strip and fold the left side over while pushing down firmly. 7. Wrap the books in plastic wrap, and place a baking sheet on top for an hour to ensure that the books hold together.
School Books
ingredients: □□ 8 ounces white chocolate □□ ¼ cup honey
□□ Powdered sugar □□ 12 fruit leather strips
Family-Friendly EVENTS
September 14
Free YUM-me Bowl Day
9am-6pm Mazopiya (2571 Credit Union Drive, Prior Lake) Stop by Mazopiya on Saturday, September 14, for a free mini YUM-me bowl! Featuring a base of wild rice, fresh veggies, and your choice of bison, chicken, or beans, these wholesome, healthy bowls are a treat for the whole family.
952.233.5533 • GOlFTHEMEADOWS.com 2400 mystic lake blvd, PRIOR LAKE, MN
September 13–November 3
FILL UP ON FRESH
Sever’s Fall Festival
Fridays: 1-8pm | Saturdays: 10am-8pm Sundays: 10am-6pm $17 (Free for children under 3) 3121 W 159th Street, Shakopee Now in its 22nd year, Sever’s Fall Festival is the place to be for a fun family outing this fall! Check out the pumpkin patch, obstacle course, corn maze, corn pit, petting zoo, live music, and more. Visit seversfallfestival.com for more information or to buy tickets.
Quick and healthy food options, featuring items made by our neighbor Mazopiya, a natural food market. Now that’s simple. Available at Shakopee Dakota Convenience Store #1
952.445.5520 • sdcstores.com SDCS #1 | 15035 mystic lake dr, Prior Lake, Mn
Makin g mealtime memories ...
September 19
Educare Spaghetti Dinner
4:30-6:30pm Playworks LINK Event Center (2200 Trail of Dreams, Prior Lake) Calling all Educare families! Join fellow Educare families and teachers for a free spaghetti dinner on Thursday, September 19, from 4:30-6:30pm. No RSVP necessary!
One
simapltleh, y t hegredient a i n i m e. at
Shop Mazopiya Good, wholesome food for the whole family 952.233.9140 • mazopiya.com 2571 CREDIT UNION DRIve, PRIOR LAKE, MN
ENTERPRISES OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
Craft:
Apple Popsicle StickFrame Cherish the start of a new school year with your child by creating a homemade apple-shaped picture frame to hold their back-to-school photo!
directions: 1
Place six popsicle sticks in a row.
2
Glue two popsicle sticks to each end of the frame to hold the popsicle sticks together.
3
Flip the glued popsicle sticks over and paint the frame red. Let dry.
4
Cut out a green leaf and a brown rectangle for the apple’s stem.
5
Use the hot glue to attach the leaf and stem to the top of the frame.
□□ Green and brown heavy construction paper
6
Attach the magnets to the back of the frame.
□□ Adhesive magnets
7
Tape or glue your child’s photo in the center of the frame.
Materials: □□ 8 large popsicle sticks □□ Hot glue gun □□ Red acrylic paint □□ Paintbrush
• Arcade • Cupcakes • Fun!
BiRTHDAYS Host your next birthday party at Playworks! If you’re looking for an exciting place to host your child’s party, look no further than the Playworks Atrium. Our birthday package will make your child’s day unforgettable.
BOOK TODAY! 952.445.PLAY (7529) • playworksfun.com 2200 trail of dreams, PRIOR LAKE, MN
enterprises owned and operated by the shakopee mdewakanton sioux community