After 5 years of planning, we are finally going to move forward on remodeling our third playground area. As many of you know, when the church was built there were 3 playgrounds installed: one for toddlers, one for preschoolers, and one for school-age children. The third playground was falling apart from the time it was installed but the company that sold it to us was GONE! Then In September 2003, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services updated minimum standard and changed many of the playground regulations. We had to dismantle several of the items on this play area to meet the standards.

Two years ago we began to raise funds for a new play structure that was priced at $55000, but due to the economy we have not raised the funds needed to move forward with that plan. Since then, several of our teachers have been to conferences where we have learned about Natural Playgrounds and decided that this type of area is more inline with our program philosophy. What we learned is that "natural play contributes to the overall physical, cognitive, and emotional development of children, helps them score higher on tests for concentration and self-discipline, helps them experience more diverse play, and helps them exhibit less aggressive behavior, strive toward advanced motor fitness, and become healthier" (www.naturalplaygrounds.com). This type of play area:

• meets all safety and licensing standards
• is developmentally appropriate, cognitively challenging, physically demanding, and fully curriculum integrated
• optimizes the use of every square inch of your outdoor space
• is designed and built to reduce anxiety, create delightful interchanges, form lasting memories, and improve overall well-being
• is less costly than traditional, manufactured, equipment playgrounds
• and that is beautiful, indigenous, sustainable, wildlife attractive, green, and environmentally friendly with a very low carbon footprint...(www.naturalplaygrounds.com)

So in addition to being an optimal play area for the children this play area helps the church and preschool to be more "green".

Land Creations has designed a play space that incorporates bike paths where the children can take multiple routes and have many opportunities to turn around, and ride next to and past their friends. There will be raised planter boxes that will be assigned to each of the threes and pre-k classes for planting. Other areas will have plants that are delightfully scented and attract butterflies and lady bugs, but not stinging insects. There will be a 30 inch hill that the children can climb that has a slide and stone steps built in.

We are thrilled to have come up with such a fun and inviting play space that is appropriate for infants-school age children and hope to have it completed before the end of the school year.

Book Fair

We sold $3980.80

worth of books!

• If you attended the Easter EGGstravaganza and would like to print pictures from that event, go to:

  www.FocusedOnFun.com

  "View Your Photo's"

  Sports and Family Section

  Password - Egg

• NEW RESOURCES FOR PARENTS: Please go to the following link for early childhood websites, community resources, etc. http://www.fumcplanoweekday.org/links.shtml
• WEEKDAY PROGRAM BOARD: If you are interested in serving on the Weekday Program Board, we have the following positions available:  At-large member (3 year term, must be church member), CDO Representative (1 year term, must have child in the infants', ones' or twos' class), My Friends' Place Representative (1 year term, must have child enrolled in My Friend's Place)
• PICTURES: All the pictures your child's teacher takes are available to print at www.weekdayprogram.shutterfly.com. Please stop in the office to get the password for our account.

Kitchen Repair

We are currently getting bids for the remodel of out kitchen and hope that it is completed soon. Thank you all so much for contributing to our "restock the kitchen shower". We have received many contributions that will help us so much once the remodel is completed.