Weekday Program Web site: www.fumcplanoweekday.org
Weekday Update
March 2007
|
Weekday Program Web site: www.fumcplanoweekday.org Weekday Update March 2007 |
|
Director's Report |
|
|
Dear Parents- As spring weather arrives, we will be taking every opportunity possible to get outside. Kids love to play outside and teachers love outdoor time, too! It’s a relaxing, stress-reducing part of the day and a time when much development takes place. Physical development is evident outdoors as children learn about their bodies in space, practice important physical skills and exercise and strengthen muscles. Children also learn social skills-cooperation, taking turns and being on a team. And children learn about the world around them: they observe changes in plants and differences in seasons; they watch living things such as worms and crickets; and they learn about the earth by collecting items they find like rocks and leaves. The outdoor environment in an extension of the classroom. We plan for this part of the day just as we do other parts of the day. The outdoor environment includes equipment that helps encourage learning. For example climbing equipment helps children develop their motor skills and judgment about what they can safely do; trikes and other riding toys develop balance and coordination; the sand area is used for creating cities and harbors and for exploring properties of dry and wet sand. This sand play is vital for many of the math skills and science experiments that will come later. We hope that you, too, will take advantage of this beautiful time of year to go for walks, spend time at the park, explore the outdoors, go on picnics and fly kites. The time spent outside is a valuable part of growing up and learning for little ones. Happy Spring!
|
|
|
This article from www.parents.com has lots of great ideas on how to enjoy nature with your child.
Nuts About Nature
In a world dominated by computers and TV, it's easy to overlook the most wondrous classroom of all: the great outdoors. By Winifred Yu
Educational opportunities abound in nature, from the magical transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly to the roar of the ocean tucked inside a seashell. An appreciation of nature helps kids understand that they're part of a larger universe and that all living things serve a purpose, says Susan Buttross, M.D., chief of child development and behavioral pediatrics at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, in Jackson. Try these ten fun family activities to spark a lifelong passion for the natural world and to build your child's imagination, inquisitiveness, and compassion.
1. Go Bird-Watching "Once kids are introduced to this activity, a love of nature evolves naturally," says Jane Kirkland, author of the children's book Take a Backyard Bird Walk (Stillwater, 2002). "Watching birds requires that kids look from the sky to the ground and everywhere in between." Get to know the birds in your region. The next time you head outdoors with your child, bring a pair of binoculars. Survey trees, bushes, telephone poles, and grass for feathered friends. Observe a bird's colors, size, and behavior. Listen to its song, and watch how it flies. Younger kids will need you to tell them what they're seeing, but older kids can make notes and later identify the birds in books or online. Attract birds to your yard with a bird feeder, a birdbath, or a nest box.
2. Stroll With Your Senses Teach your kids to explore the woods with eyes, ears, nose, and fingers on high alert. Bring a magnifying glass or binoculars for a close-up look at plants, flowers, and trees. Peer under logs and rocks for salamanders and insects. Sniff the pine trees. Feel the rough bark or the sticky sap. Then silently listen to the sounds of birds, water, and small animals. It's best to go without an agenda to spot specific plants or animals, says Hank Art, author of WoodsWalk (Storey, February 2003). "Part of the joy of being in the woods is never knowing what you're going to discover."
3. Gather Nature's Collectibles Help your child turn nature's debris into a fun hobby. Young kids can gather acorns, pinecones, and colorful autumn leaves. Older children can look for deer antlers, snake-skin sheddings, and bird feathers. At the beach, scour for pretty rocks, bleached-out sand dollars, and shells. Store items in a shoe box or a plastic display case, or showcase them in craft projects. Glue seashells onto a wooden frame, for instance, or seal fall leaves between sheets of wax paper using an iron.
4. Bring the Outdoors In Continue the lessons with books and magazines or trips to museums, aquariums, and nature centers. Many of these places allow children to touch natural objects and study plants and animals up close. Also look for local nature classes, workshops, and activities just for kids.
5. Catch a Critter Choose an insect that fascinates your child, suggests Connie Zakowski, author of The Insect Book: A Basic Guide to the Collection and Care of Common Insects for Young Children (Rainbow, 1996). Ladybugs, grasshoppers, and fireflies make kid-friendly specimens. Using an insect net, help your child capture the bug, and place it in a plastic jar along with a small twig and a few fresh leaves. Cover the jar, but make sure to punch several tiny holes in the lid for air. Kids can spritz the lid with water each day, supply new leaves, and clean the jar every three days. Some insects, like ladybugs or butterflies, are tough to feed, so it's best to release them after a day.
6. Pick Fruit A trip to a berry farm, an apple orchard, or a pumpkin patch teaches kids that produce doesn't come from the supermarket. Ripened blueberries and raspberries are edible right off the branch. Be careful picking blackberries, which often grow on thorny stems. If your child likes to eat apples off the tree, make sure they're organically grown. When you get home, make a pie, a cake, or jam to show how nature's bounty can be put to good use.
7. Gaze at the Stars Check out astronomy books, or visit an observatory or a planetarium to learn what different constellations and planets look like. On a clear night, go outside with binoculars or a telescope, and look for Orion or the Big Dipper. Even toddlers will enjoy gazing up at the moon. As your kids get older, they might spot a galaxy, a shooting star, or a planet. When a comet, a meteor shower, or a lunar eclipse comes around, gather the family to watch and learn.
8. Enjoy the Weather Look at the clouds, and ask your child what shapes and images he sees. Older kids can identify different types of clouds, from puffy cumulus to wispy cirrus. On a windy day, watch how quickly clouds sail across the horizon. And while we all love sunny days, bad weather can be fun too, says Mchael E. Ross, a naturalist who leads tours at Yosemite National Park, in California. Watch a thunderstorm from a cozy window. Take wind chimes, kites, or flags outdoors to illustrate how a blustery wind can set objects in motion. Dress your kids in the right gear, and let them stomp in the rain or snow.
9. Get Growing Give your child her own patch of garden or pot of soil, and have her plant a flower, vegetable, or herb of her choice (quick-to-sprout plants such as marigolds, basil, or tomatoes can offer fast, rewarding results). Invest in small but sturdy gardening tools, and let your child dig a hole and plant the seeds. Teach her to water her plant regularly and in proper amounts. But try not to overdirect her early gardening efforts, says Kathy Bond Borie, codirector of educational media for the National Gardening Association. "Relax your standards. It's okay for your child to have crooked rows or a few pampered weeds."
10. Celebrate the Sunrise and Sunset It happens every day, yet few of us take the time to catch the changing hues of the morning or evening sky. If your kids are early risers, take them outside to listen to birdcalls and note the flurry of activity shortly after sunrise. Budding artists can draw what they see. Older kids can record the moment the sun appears on the horizon and note how it changes as the days pass. At sunset, enjoy the sky's multicolor show, and look and listen for nocturnal creatures.
|
|
|
Parent/Teacher Conferences
Any parent may request a conference with his/her child's teacher at any time. We too, will schedule a conference if we feel that there is an area of concern that needs to be addressed. Formal Conferences for parents of threes and pre-kindergarteners will be held between March 12 and March 19. Please see the calendar below to determine what day your parent/teacher conference will be held. Your child's teacher will contact you with more specific details (times, room numbers, etc.) soon. We look forward to this time to discuss your child's progress and development.
|
|
|
Summer Click here for more information and applications for the Summer Programs. |
|
|
Preschool Summer Programs
Summer Fun
Summer Fun is a part-time children’s day out for 2-month olds through 5-year olds. Children may sign up for one, two or three sessions. Summer Fun is open form 9:00-2:00 each day. The enrollment fee for the summer is $25.
Summer Fun is closed May 28, June 11-15, July 4 and July 16-20.
Little Friends’ Place Summer Camp
Two-month olds through 5-year olds who need full-time care, may sign up by the week for Little Friends’ Place Summer Camp from May 14th-September 5th. Little friends’ Place Summer Camp is open 7:00-6:30 each day. The enrollment fee for the summer is $25. Weekly tuition is $160. LFP Summer Camp is closed May 28th and July 4th.
**Preschool children will be placed in classes with other children close to their age. We cannot guarantee that children will have the same teacher during the summer that they had (or will have) during the school year. While we strive to maintain as much consistency as possible, many of our staff members take vacation time during the summer and our space is limited.
School-age Summer Program
My Friends’ Place Summer Camp
Children entering Kindergarten-7th grade who need full-time care, may sign up by the week for My Friends’ Place Summer Camp from May 25th-August 24th. Activities will include weekly field trips, swimming (twice a week), art, science, indoor and outdoor play, cooking, reading, and lots of fun!!! My Friends’ Place is open from 7:00-6:30 each day. The enrollment fee for the summer is $25. Weekly tuition is $175. Children may enroll on a daily basis for $50/day. MFP Summer Camp is closed May 28th and July 4th.
Limited space is available for all programs. Children will be enrolled on a first-come-first-served basis.
|
|
|
Mark your Calendars Items in bold have been added or changed. |
|
|
March 2007:
13 - Vonda, Dorota and Ramona Parent
Conferences
16 - Preschool Early Release-11:30 **
20 - School Pictures (Class and Individual) |
April 2007: 16-Scholastic Book Fair 17-Scholastic Book Fair 18-Scholastic Book Fair 19-Scholastic Book Fair 20-Scholastic Book Fair
May 2007: 11- Last day of preschool 14-Summer programs begin
September 2007: 4-Preschool open houses 5-Preschool open houses 6-First day of preschool |
|
|
|
|
First United Methodist Church Weekday Program * 3160 E. Spring Creek Parkway Plano, TX 75074 phone 972.423.4910 * fax 972.633.9126 |
