OCTOBER 2020
HAPPY HALLOWEEN! explore
trees AND shadows
recipe: tree snack
THIS MONTH AT
T
Playworks
he 2020-2021 academic school year is here! We are in weeks 4-6, depending on the school district that your child attends, and our distance learning classroom is running at full force. Playworks is working to accommodate a wide variety of schedules to suit the needs of all of our students. We are committed to staying in continuous communication with the schools that the students are attending, as well as with our Playworks families, in order to do what’s best for our students.
Dakota Value WĂłksape Wisdom Practice with knowledge comes wisdom.
As we enter into October, the weeks ahead bring plenty of activities to enjoy and worthy causes to commemorate. Playworks will be participating in National Fire Prevention Week on October 4-10 to learn more about the importance of fire prevention and how to stay safe. October is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and we will be recognizing Indigenous Pink Day on October 15. Playworks is also bringing attention to National Bullying Prevention Month, and we will be celebrating Unity Day on October 21 as a day to help bring awareness and prevent bullying in all forms.
Suggested Reading The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein We Planted a Tree by Diane E. Muldrow The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle
We are continuing with our health and safety guidelines and constantly assessing what we can do to address any new recommendations around COVID-19. The health and safety of our families continues to be the top priority at Playworks. We wish you and your family health and happiness!
important dates OCTOBER 12 Indigenous Peoples Day OCTOBER 15 Indigenous Pink Day OCTOBER 21 Unity Day OCTOBER 29 Picture Day OCTOBER 30 Halloween Fun at Playworks OCTOBER 31 Halloween
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PLAYHOUSE / OCTOBER 2020
I LOVE YOU RITUAL: EDUCARE EARLY LEARNING CLASSROOMS: CREATIVE CURRICULUM
studying trees and shadows
T
rees and shadows fascinate children and spark their curiosity and wonder. This month’s study builds upon children’s interest in trees to help them explore science and social studies. Rather than focus on naming different trees, we will focus on helping children develop an understanding of a tree’s individual characteristics and its role in both our natural and man-made world. Children will also learn about the creatures that inhabit trees and the foods that trees produce. During the study, children will use skills in literacy, math, technology, and the arts to investigate and represent their knowledge about trees. When we have trees, we also have shadows. Studying shadows enables children to investigate a familiar phenomenon, including concepts about the earth’s position in the solar system, and how night and day relate to the sun are very complex and abstract. In order to understand these ideas when they are older, young children need direct experiences with the earth and space, such as with dirt, rocks, rain, clouds, wind, and shadows.
WONDERFUL WOMAN Use this ritual to demonstrate the gentleness and love between a child and parent or guardian. PREPARATION AND INSTRUCTIONS: This ritual is customizable. Choose the actions (and pronouns) that best demonstrate a wonderful woman (or man) in your child’s home. SAY THE VERSE:
A wonderful woman who Lived in a shoe, She had so many children She knew exactly what to do. She held them. She rocked them, And tucked them in bed. “I love you, I love you,” Is what she said.
PLAYWORKSFUN.COM / PLAYHOUSE
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distance learning resources: HELPFUL TIPS AND APPS Distance learning is a type of education that many of us are unfamiliar with or have little to no experience in managing. Right now, almost all students in the United States are transitioning to online coursework—so it is especially important to understand and utilize different practices for distance learning. Although fostering unity and companionship in the classroom will look very different this fall, creating teacher-student and student-student connections is still as important as ever. To help ensure a smooth transition from learning in a classroom to learning at home, we have curated a collection of tips and resources to help Playworks families and students navigate remote learning:
HELPFUL TIPS
HELPFUL APPS
“NORMALIZE” A ROUTINE Treat the virtual classroom as a regular classroom—wake up at the same time you would for an in-person class, get dressed, and eat a nutritious breakfast. Daily structure can help manage feelings of anxiety and isolation, while making sure you are productive.
FLIPGRID info.flipgrid.com Flipgrid is a free online app that allows students and teachers to record short online videos. Teachers can easily create accounts and then, within accounts, create “classrooms.”
SEPARATE WORK AND PLAY Designate a specific spot in the house for online coursework. Having a space that feels like a “classroom” will help make other places in the house still feel like home. Plus, it helps students stay organized and on schedule. TURN OFF UNNECESSARY MEDIA To minimize distractions, keep all phones, tablets, and TVs in a different room than the “classroom” space. The only media outlet that should be in this space are ones necessary for online coursework. TAKE BREAKS To help with circulation, retention, motivation, and focus, stand up and move around for at least five minutes every hour. ASK FOR HELP Navigating this new norm can raise questions, so don’t hesitate to ask for assistance when it comes to virtual learning. We’re all in this together!
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PLAYHOUSE / OCTOBER 2020
GOOGLE FORMS google.com/forms This app is often used to gather information in a variety of contexts (surveys, quizzes, etc.). Its quiz feature can be enabled to block users from opening other windows, and it also offers auto-grading for multiple-choice tests. GOOGLE MEET meet.google.com During distance learning or a hybrid model, educators can use Google Meet for virtual learning. WeVideo wevideo.com WeVideo is the cloud-based video creation platform that encourages student creativity, storytelling, engagement, and multimodal learning—offering both free and paid accounts. Source: colwell.ucsc.edu
Craft:
tree shadow art
Creativity doesn't require a ton of art supplies. In fact, some days, all you need is the sun, a shadow, and a way of capturing that shadow. Grab your kiddos and head outside to capture nature with shadow art!
MATERIALS: • White construction paper (the bigger, the better!) • Drawing utensils (e.g., markers, pencils, crayons)
DIRECTIONS: 1. Lay out a long piece of paper in the shadow of a tree on a sunny day. 2. Ask your child to create tree shapes by tracing the shadow with various drawing utensils.
is your child's car seat installed
correctly? The proper use of car seats is one of the simplest, most effective methods available for protecting the lives of young children in the event of a motor vehicle crash. However, according to Safe Kids Worldwide, 3 out of 4 car seats aren’t installed properly. So, we want to know—is your child’s car seat installed correctly? In the state of Minnesota, all children must be in a federally approved car seat or booster seat until they are 4’9” tall, or at least 8 years old, whichever comes first. We recommend our Playworks families call one of the organizations below to schedule a free car seat check:
SHAKOPEE POLICE DEPARTMENT: 952.233.9400 Call Michelle Schmidt or Jaclyn Yzermans to schedule an appointment. Shakopee residents only please. additional resources: • EVERY DAY MIRACLES provides car seats to families with Medical Assistance health plans. Visit everyday-miracles.org to learn more. • Visit the MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY’S website to locate a car seat check nearest you: dps.mn.gov/divisions/ots/child-passenger-safety and type "Car Seat Check" in the search bar.
new prague ems: arty appelhof, 952.758.2530 Car seats and booster seats are available for purchase/ donation (if needed).
• CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL CONSULTATION helps provide resources for car seats for children with special needs—call 612.813.6395.
scott county sheriff's office: 952.445.1411
Call Amy Lueck to schedule an appointment. shakopee fire department: 952.233.9400 Call to schedule an appointment.
Sources: dps.mn.gov, Safe Kids Worldwide, and Scott County Public Health
STAFF SPOTLIGHT:
brittany brezinski
How long have you worked at Playworks?
Describe yourself in one word:
6 years
Trusting
What is your position at Playworks?
Favorite board game:
Customer Care Representative
Monopoly Favorite food:
Favorite part of working at Playworks:
Tacos
Seeing the students learn and grow
Favorite color:
Favorite children’s book:
The Napping House by Audrey Wood
Yellow Favorite animal:
Dolphin
PLAYWORKSFUN.COM / PLAYHOUSE
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Playworks UPDATE: HEALTH AND SAFETY As we continue to navigate our way through the public health crisis, we want to provide all Playworks families and visitors with an update on our COVID-19 precautions and protocols. In addition to the guidelines highlighted below, we ask that adults and children adhere to all social distancing signage and markers located in the lobby area.
HIGHLIGHTED LEARNING OBJECTIVE:
promoting solitary and parallel play
S
olitary play, when a child plays independently, and parallel play, when a child plays adjacent to other students but does not try to influence their behavior, are just as important for children to learn as cooperative play (working together to achieve a common goal). Solitary and parallel play allow for students to use their own imaginations, creating without the confines of traditional uses for items or the influence of another child’s ideas. WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE:
1. Students are given individualized activities where they can be creative on how to accomplish the set goal or create a new goal for themselves. 2. Identical or similar activities are provided to students to work on independently, but near other children. WAYS PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS CAN HELP ENHANCE THESE SKILLS:
1. Provide or suggest an activity that a child can work on independently, such as building blocks or cooking in a toy kitchen, that promotes the use of his/her imagination. 2. During a play date or with a sibling, provide an activity, such as coloring a picture or sculpting with play dough, that each child has the opportunity to create his/her own work of art. 6
PLAYHOUSE / OCTOBER 2020
Upon entering Playworks:
Upon entering Playworks, all adults (including staff, caregivers, vendors, parents, etc.) and children must: • Wear a cloth face covering* • Practice social distancing and remain six feet away from each others • Have their temperature taken and must be under 100°F to check in • Wash or sanitize hands • Remain at home if he/she is sick (or anyone in the same household) *Children are exempt
Temperature Policy: If an individual’s temperature reads 100°F or higher, he/she will not be allowed entry at Playworks until he/she has gone 24 hours fever-less without the aid of fever-reducing medication. In addition, any other persons that live in the same household must remain at home for the same timeframe. Playworks requires a doctor or medical provider’s note clearing all persons to return to Playworks. Staff will work with the SMSC’s Tribal Public Health Department to determine protocol for each situation that arises.
Child Drop-Off (Arrival Only): Playworks staff will contact the child’s classroom and have a teacher meet the child and parent/guardian in the lobby. The child and teacher will then proceed to the classroom.
Child Pickup (Departure Only): Playworks staff will contact the child’s classroom, and a teacher will bring the child to the lobby to meet the adult. Adults will remain in the lobby. No visitors or pets are allowed at Playworks during this time. In addition to these updated health and safety policies, Playworks has implemented the following: • Staff members are screened daily before they are able to work. • Random temperature checks are taken throughout the day. • Staff are remaining six feet apart from each other, and students are encouraged (and assisted) to remain socially distanced and utilize small groups when necessary. • No more than 10 children are allowed in a group setting. The teacher-to-child ratios will remain the same based on the age of the children. • All students and staff must wash their hands upon entering classrooms. Hand-washing is required every 15 minutes for staff and students. Staff and students must also wash their hands during every transition or use hand sanitizer if hand-washing is not available. • Individual activities are provided to students, and Playworks is spreading students out as much as possible. When a child leaves an activity, that activity is removed until sanitized. Sensory tables are closed. If students play with play dough or other sensory items, they will be kept in individually labeled bags with their names on them or thrown away after each use. • Sanitizing is conducted every hour. Toys are rotated throughout the day so that they can be cleaned after each use. These measures are in no way meant to be punitive. The continued health and safety of our Playworks family is our top priority—our goal is to ensure that all children, staff, and families stay healthy. Our hours of operation are Monday–Friday, 6:30am-6:30pm, and closed weekends.
FAMILY-FRIENDLY LITTLE STAR
events
OCTOBER 2-NOVEMBER 1 sever's fall festival Fridays: 1-8pm | Saturdays: 10am-8pm | Sundays: 10am-6pm $17 (Free for children under 3) Sever's Farm (3121 150th Street W, Shakopee)
Come celebrate Sever’s Fall Festival’s 24th season and navigate paths in one of the largest corn mazes in Minnesota! Activities and attractions include the corn maze, jumping pillows, straw bale maze, obstacle course, Safari North exotic petting zoo, wildlife shows, magic shows, pig races, Tire Mountain, zip lines, live music, and more! Plus, Sever’s Fall Festival will be open during MEA weekend on Thursday, October 15, from 10am-6pm. Visit seversfallfestival.com to purchase tickets. Events and activities subject to change. Please call ahead to confirm, or visit the website for the latest scheduling updates.
952.233.9140 • mazopiya.com 2571 CREDIT UNION DRIve, PRIOR LAKE, MN
FOCUSED EXPERIENCE:
enjoying stories and books
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eading is a wonderful way to spend time together, whether used as part of your child’s bedtime routine or as a relaxed daytime activity. Words and pictures are themselves important learning tools, but most of all, spending time together reading aloud and practicing storytelling lets your child know how much you value these enriching activities. Check out the following benefits of reading to infants, toddlers, and kids: • Develop a stronger relationship with parents and caregivers • Learn basic speech skills • Develop communication skills • Explore the basics on the mechanics of a book • Learn about new experiences • Discover that reading is FUN!
pk R e c yc l e yo u r p u m
in
FREE PUMPKIN DROP-OFF NOVEMBER 2-7 monday-friday 7am-5pm saturday 8am-2pm
open to the public
VE CANDLES O M E R E S A E L P ORATIONS AND ANY DEC
SMSC
Organics Recycling Facility
Recipe:
tree snack
Fall in love with this fun snack to make with the kids! Create a multicolored tree using different colored grapes to celebrate the turn of the season as you explore different trees.
INGREDIENTS: • Pretzel sticks • Green, black, and red grapes
DIRECTIONS: Use the pretzel sticks to create a tree trunk and branches. Decorate the branches with different colored grapes to fill the tree and create colorful fall leaves.
enjoy!
Learn Play Party here. 2200 Trail of Dreams, Prior Lake, MN 952.445.PLAY (7529) • playworksfun.com