Playworks PW's Playhouse August 2017

AUGUST 2017

August is all about

TUBES, TUNNELS & WATER PIPES!

HAVE FUN

(and stay safe)

on the Playground

: T F A CRi Water

Min all W

Welcome to

PW’s Playhouse

Join us in recognizing National Immunization Awareness Month.

This month we want to highlight the importance of vaccination for people of all ages. Communities continue to use this month each year to raise awareness about the important role vaccines play in preventing serious, and sometimes deadly, diseases.

This month our Educare students will explore tubes, tunnels, and water pipes! Kids often enjoy playing with tubes and climbing inside tunnels. Through hands-on activities, students will have many opportunities to investigate tubes and tunnels firsthand and learn how they’re used by people for work and play every day.

Playworks is getting ready for a fun August filled with special events!

Read up on this month’s creative curriculum, playground fun and games, and Playworks’ Family Play in the Atrium. Thank you for being a part of Playworks!

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August Important Dates AUG 1: National Night Out

NATIONAL NIGHT OUT

AUG 17: Advanced Explorers Graduation

August 1

AUG 18-20: Wacipi

National Night Out is an annual communitybuilding campaign, promoting and enhancing the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement. Visit natw.org to locate an event in your community!

AUG 31: Educare Open House 4:30-6:30pm at Playworks

Playworks Staff Spotlight: Shannon Zila How long have you worked at Playworks?

3 months What is your position at Playworks?

Educare Coordinator Favorite part of working at Playworks?

I enjoy the interaction with staff, families, and kids.

Describe your personality in one word: Energetic

Favorite children’s book: The Monster at the End of the Book by Jon Stone Favorite board game: Monopoly Favorite food: Thai coconut curry chicken Favorite color: Favorite animal: Blue Manatee

SUGGESTED

READING Just a Day at the Pond

by Mercer Mayer

Educare Early Learning Classrooms

underGROUND

by Denise Fleming

Tubes, Tunnels & Water Pipes Children learn best by doing, using their senses, and exploring their environment.

At Playworks, we provide fun learning experiences using real-world curriculum and activities. This month, we’re learning about tubes, tunnels, and water pipes with activities and lesson plans that encourage your child to develop their skills in literacy, math, technology, and the arts as they gather information. They will also explore science and social studies concepts as they modify and create tubes and tunnels.

Tubes, tunnels, and water pipes are all around us. Children use them all the time in both practical and playful ways. A child might squeeze toothpaste onto a toothbrush from a tube, drink from a straw, or enjoy spraying water from a hose.

Your kiddo will learn firsthand about the tubes and tunnels they use every day, and identify key features that characterize a tube or tunnel, and use tubes and tunnels in new and interesting ways. They will learn hands-on ways to build tunnels, move materials through different types of tubes, and use tubes of glue and paint to channel their inner creativity.

Next time you’re at a playground or the park, ask your child to point to some of the tubes and tunnels around them. Can they explain the difference between the two?

You’ll be happy to see how much your child has learned about tubes, tunnels, and water pipes!

The Tunnel

by Anthony Browne

Fatou, Fetch the Water

by Neil Griffiths

Water Can Be

by Laura Purdie Salas

d n MANIA! u o r g y a l P With its maze of tunnels, slides, and swings, the modern playground is a world of discovery and delights for children of all ages. It’s no secret that these structures offer a fun play experience, but they also provide an excellent opportunity for kids to get some exercise and develop essential motor skills. Here are some exciting facts to help your child have a safe and rewarding time on the playground.

Benefits of Play Tubes EXERCISE—Crawling or climbing through tunnels is a great way for kids to boost their physical activity level.

MOTOR SKILL DEVELOPMENT—As kids navigate different tunnel shapes and sizes, they gain invaluable motor skills.

SOCIAL SKILLS—Group play provides opportunities for social development, such as sharing, cooperation, and teamwork.

FUN—Tunnels make the whole playground more exciting for children, helping them get the most out of their playtime!

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FAMILY FUN

at the Playworks Atrium

For children 4+ the Playworks Atrium is the place to be! Our enormous play space includes a state-of-theart indoor play structure, an arcade, an interactive dance floor, and more. Families can spend hours of endless fun during Family Play exploring the maze of tunnels and slides, playing games, and relaxing over pizza at Pixie’s café. Have little ones? Not to worry – the Atrium has a separate toddler’s corner that will delight even the smallest of children with a variety of toys and activities. There’s no place your kids would rather be!

The Atrium also hosts Playtime, Playworks’ hourly child care program for children ages 6 weeks to 12 years old.

Family Play Hours

Monday - Friday 8am - 7pm Saturday - Sunday 9am - 7pm

Playtime Hours

Monday - Friday 7:30am - 7pm Saturday - Sunday 9am - 7pm

Prices available at playworksfun.com.

Stay Safe!

Always actively supervise kids on playgrounds Check the surroundings for potential hazards, like broken equipment Make sure kids use age-appropriate equipment – keep children under 5 in separate play area To minimize the risk of injuries from falls, choose playgrounds with shock-absorbing surfaces such as rubber, mulch, or wood chips

CRAFT

l l a W r e t a W i n i M

With a few simple mater ials, you can encourage your kid’s cre ativit y and problem-solving skills with this hands-on craft. Allow them to think lik e an engineer as they create and design a water wall to control water flow through straw tubes.

Get ready to make a splash this summer— and have a very easy clean-up when doing this activity outside!

Materials: • • • • • • •

5 plastic straws scissors self-adhesive magnet strip metal cookie sheet large metal baking pan several 1-inch round magnets water

Directions:

1. Cut each straw in half, and attach a small magnet strip to one side of each straw piece.

2. Place the cookie sheet vertically inside the baking pan so it’s standing up. Use the round magnets to secure the cookie sheet inside the baking pan.

3. Place the straw magnets vertically onto the cookie sheet in a pattern you think water will flow.

4. Play time! See if you can pour water into the straws to create a mini water wall!

Family-Friendly

Events

August 7 | Brown Bag Lunch Series: Healthy Back to School Lunches & Snacks Noon-1pm • $10 (includes lunch) Mazopiya (2571 Credit Union Drive, Prior Lake) Join us at Mazopiya on the first Monday of each month for our Brown Bag Lunch Series where we provide lunch and share some educational knowledge on a specific health topic. This month it is all about back to school! We know how challenging it is to come up with healthy choices that our kids will eat. Let the health and wellness experts at Mazopiya show you how to create kid-friendly lunch and snack options that are filling, fast, and don’t require much cooking or prep time.

August 18-20 | Wacipi Grand Entries: Friday 7pm | Saturday 1pm & 7pm Sunday 1pm • $10 for the entire weekend Wacipi Grounds (3212 Dakotah Parkway, Shakopee) Wacipi means “they all dance” in the Dakota language. Visitors are welcome to enjoy the whirl of colors, sights, and sounds of the annual Wacipi. From the inspiring rhythms of the drum groups to Native American dancers in full regalia, we invite you to share in our culture. All ages are welcome, so bring the whole family!

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

GRAND ENTRY

FRIDAY 7PM | SATURDAY 1PM & 7PM SUNDAY 1PM

FREE meal Saturday with admission 4:30-6:30pm

1O ADMISSION

$

entire weekend

FREE admission for 10 years and under & 60+ years

952.445.8900 | smscwacipi.org

3212 Dakotah Parkway • Shakopee

Kids Program

August 24-26 | Indian Horse Relay and Mystic Lake Derby Indian Horse Relay: Thursday, Friday 6:30pm* | Saturday 6pm* Mystic Lake Derby: Saturday 6pm* Canterbury Park (1100 Canterbury Road, Shakopee) Bring the kids down to Canterbury Park for a weekend of excitement! Watch Native American riders display skill and precision in high-speed races at the Indian Horse Relay, then attend the richest race of the season, the Mystic Lake Derby, that Saturday. Both events are sponsored by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community and will feature handmade Native American arts and crafts. *Times are approximate.

August 31 | Educare Back to School Open House 4:30-6:30pm • Playworks Join us in gearing up for back to school! Meet your teachers and explore the classroom. We’re here to answer all of your questions. At Playworks, learning and fun go hand-in-hand.

Educare is a high-quality, developmentally appropriate child care program for ages 6 weeks to 12 years. Full-time and parttime options are available.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 24 AT 6:30 PM* FRIDAY, AUGUST 25 AT 6:30 PM* SATURDAY, AUGUST 26 AT 6 PM*

Bees Kids EXPERIENCErAMERICA’S fo FIRST EXTREME SPORT.

CANTERBURY PARK • SHAKOPEE July 8 | 10-11:30am . children ing * TIMES ARE2APPROXIMATE $20 for a family, includ $5 for additional child.

Register online!

2041 140th St. NW • Prior Lake

RECIPE

DIYYogurt Tubes

Fruit-flavored yogurt is a convenient and well-liked snack for kids on the go, but most store-bought varieties are laden with extra sugar, preservatives, and other not-so-healthy additives. The good news? It’s surprisingly easy to whip together your own fruit yogurt tubes, complete with hidden veggies for an extra boost of healthy goodness.

Directions:

For each flavor, place ingredients in a blender, and pulse together until well-blended. Refrigerate until desired.

Banana-Lime with Spinach 1 cup plain yogurt ½ cup fresh spinach 1 banana Juice and zest of one lime

TUBE IT!

Take your yogurt to go! Using a small funnel, pour the blended yogurt into a disposable ice pop pouch.

Apricot-Carrot 1 ½ cups plain yogurt 1 carrot, peeled and grated 2 apricots 1 tablespoon honey

StrawberryBlueberry Banana with Spinach 1 cup plain yogurt ½ cup fresh spinach ¾ cup strawberries and blueberries 1 banana

Group trips Bring your group to Playworks for two hours of non-stop fun and adventure!

We offer food, entertainment, and excitement — all you have to focus on is having a good time.

BOOK TODAY! 952.445.PLAY (7529) | playworksfun.com 2200 Trail of Dreams, Prior Lake, MN | Owned and Operated by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community