Weekly Newsletter April 28-29, 2009

Weekly Newsletter April 28-29, 2009

Last Week
We were so happy to hear the news of the birth of baby Nate! Glad to hear Emily is home with the baby and the family is doing well.

Unfortunately Audrey was ill on Tuesday, but Krista did a great job leading the group. Special thanks to Amanda for using her special teaching skills to fill in any gaps! The kids enjoyed reading "Going on a Bear Hunt" while acting out the adventure. We also started our spring planting projects as each kid filled a cup with soil and sprinkled grass seed. It was messy, but a lot of fun!

The kids were excited to have Audrey back on Wednesday! We celebrated Earth Day with our globe cut-outs that the children colored and decorated. They continued with their Yoga practice and did a construction art project with magic foam. Before heading out for some outdoor play, we also enjoyed some carrot cupcakes (a big hit)!

This Week
We will explore some real pea and green bean seeds and prepare them for planting. The kids will check in with our grass growing project and see that the grass is starting to sprout!

In continuation of our discussion of the planet earth, we will make special Earth necklaces, using our globes and our new sewing skills. Sewing and dress-up will be a choice activity.

We will read, "My Daddy is a Pretzel, Yoga for Parents and Kids", by Baron Baptiste and use some of the new positions in the book in their practice.

NOTE: This is our last week at April's house. Next week will be at Ali's house.

**Parents, when volunteering, please be sure to enforce our holding hands policy for our outdoor time. It is important for us to be consistant, even if you know your child is good about staying close to you. We want all kids to learn how important it is to be safe and hold hands when we are walking as a group. Thank you!

**Audrey would like to organize an end of the year get together with the groups she teaches. She is hoping to have it at the Society for Ethical Culture. Please email Audrey at akindred@gmail.com to let her know if you would prefer a Thursday afternoon/early evening (perhaps beginning around 4 pm), or a Saturday afternoon.

Important for this week:
*Please email me your jpg's of one baby picture and one recent picture of your child for our self-portrait project. I hope to get the last pictures in so the kids can do the project next week at Ali's. Please send to apriljenkinsnyc@gmail.com

*Drop off at 9:10 at April's house -- 332 Prospect Ave. Apt. 2. If you need to leave your stroller in the garage, just let me know and I can open the door.
*Pickup at 11:45 am.

This Month’s Volunteer Schedule
Volunteers please come to April's at 10:45 am to help get the kids dressed for outdoor time. Please contact me if you need to switch days: apriljenkinsnyc@gmail.com

Tues. April 28th -- Ted/Amber
Wed, April 29th -- Ali

Weekly Newsletter April 21-22, 2009

Breaking News....
Congratulations to Emily, Ben, and Abe! Emily gave birth tonight to a healthy 8 lb. baby boy. Apparently it was a 'ridiculously quick' labor. Glad to hear they are all well. Sending them lots of love!

Also, Audrey has been feeling ill and may not make it in tomorrow. I will speak with her in the morning to see how she is feeling, but know we WILL meet as planned. Krista will lead the group and we have lots of activities to keep us busy!

Last Week
Continuing with our garden/spring theme, the children created a beautiful garden mural using markers, crayons, dots, play-doh and collage. Yoga was a choice activity again followed by music and movement time. We continued to talk about things that grow in the garden and had peas and carrots for snack to go with the theme.

Audrey and Krista introduced a new activity this week -- sewing! The kids were able to use their fine motor skills, while weaving string in and out of holes cut out of colorful cardboard shapes. Some of the children continued on with this activity for a long period of time!

Audrey read, "Mortimer's First Garden", by Karma Wilson, a story about wonderful things that grow from seeds. After the story, the kids took turns pretending to be a seed that grows into a sunflower! Pretty adorable.

On Wednesday it rained, so we were not able to go outside, but the children were able to participate in the sharing and caring room here for the first time. Audrey read a very familiar story, "The Napping House", while the kids enjoyed some free play time.

This Week
In honor of Earth day (or Earth Week), the children will participate in a variety of 'green' activities. They will plant their first seeds as a group and watch as their pea plant grows over the coming weeks. We have a special clear container so the children will be able to see the roots beneath the soil.

We also will be potting and growing grass from grass seed. We'll talk about the Earth and make Earth necklaces in honor of Earth Day.

Yoga and movement will continue to be a part of our morning. Our 'choice' activities this week will be the sewing activity from last week and dress up.

NOTE: We still need some panty hose for our grass planting activity. If any of you have old "panty-hose" to recycle please bring this week.

Important for this week:
*Please email me your jpg's of one baby picture and one recent picture of your child for our self-portrait project. I am still missing quite a few. Please email to apriljenkinsnyc@gmail.com

*Drop off at 9:10 at April's house -- 332 Prospect Ave. Apt. 2. If you need to leave your stroller in the garage, just let me know and I can open the door.
*Pickup at 11:45 am.

This Month’s Volunteer Schedule
Volunteers please come to April's at 10:45 am to help get the kids dressed for outdoor time. Please contact me if you need to switch days: apriljenkinsnyc@gmail.com

Tues. April 21st --Krisztina
Wed, April 22nd -- Amanda

Things to Bring if you haven't already:
*Your check or cash for the monthly cost plus snack (checks made out to April Jenkins)
*Labeled sippy cup
*Diaper of change of clothes if we do not have them.

Weekly Newsletter April 14th - 15th, 2009

Last Week
The kids worked on a "carousel" art project, creating a mural of colorful carousel horses. They also read "Vegetable Garden", by Douglas Florian and created their own vegetables to add to the mural. We started learning a new finger song -- 5 little ducks.

After exercising their minds, it was time to focus on their bodies. Yoga was a big part of the week. The kids were able to choose if they wanted to participate. They concentrated on their breathing, positions and even experimented with Dinosaur yoga, inspired by Luka.

For outdoor time, we took a walk to the playground on 17th street between 5th and 6th.

This Week

Yoga will be a Choice Time like it was last week -- a very successful approach. We'll create our own "yoga coloring books" this week to deepen our connection to the practice of it.

We will add "dress up" to our play options so we will look at some pictures and stories about this *Parents, if you have any dress up clothes (hats, scarves, bandannas, etc.) or stories you'd like to pitch in, that would be great.

We will keep practicing a finger song we started last week about, 5 little ducks.

This week, we will start to create a garden mural by drawing and painting a bit together. We'll paint the soil (worms and bugs too), the sun, and rain.

NOTE: There's a great planting project I'd like to prepare us for if possible -- besides planting in pots. If any of you have old "panty-hose" to recycle. For it, we need "foam pages" if anyone knows where to get them, and grass seed.

Also big oval rocks to paint and put eyes on would be nifty. -- if anyone sees such an item in the dollar stores.

Important for this week:
*Please email me your jpg's of one baby picture and one recent picture of your child for our self-portrait project. I am still missing quite a few. Please email to apriljenkinsnyc@gmail.com

*Drop off at 9:10 at April's house -- 332 Prospect Ave. Apt. 2. If you need to leave your stroller in the garage, just let me know and I can open the door.
*Pickup at 11:45 am.

This Month’s Volunteer Schedule
Volunteers please come to April's at 10:45 am to help get the kids dressed for outdoor time. Please contact me if you need to switch days: apriljenkinsnyc@gmail.com

Tuesday April 14th -– John/Maya
Wednesday April 15th --Deepa
Tues. April 21st --Krisztina
Wed, April 22nd -- Amanda
Tues. April 28th -- Ted/Amber
Wed. April 29th -- Ali

Things to Bring/Supplies
*Your check or cash for the monthly cost plus snack (checks made out to April Jenkins)
*Labeled sippy cup
*Diaper of change of clothes if we do not have them.

Weekly Newsletter April 7th - 8th, 2009

Last Week
We were off for Spring Break. Home some of you actually got away! Thank you again Krisztina for pitching in and hosting for our last week in March. We're all very glad to hear baby Sam is home and feeling much better!

This Week
We will be doing a new "carousel" art project and circle game -- with expectations that our families are headed to the carousel soon, since opens this month!

The children will also begin to "create" a visual garden mural. We will be working on elements of it and adding them regularly. The group will continue working on yoga.

Important for this week:
*Drop off at 9:10 at April's house -- 332 Prospect Ave. Apt. 2. If you need to leave your stroller in the garage, just let me know and I can open the door.
*Pickup at 11:45 am.

This Month’s Volunteer Schedule
We are trying a new outdoor playtime at the end of our day. We'll see how it goes the first week and adjust if we need to. Outdoor playtime will be from 11:00 am until 11:30 am. We will head back to my house around 11:30 to get back in time for 11:45 pick up. (volunteers, please come upstairs at 11:00 to help us get ready.) Thanks! Please contact me if you need to switch days: apriljenkinsnyc@gmail.com

Tuesday April 7th--Emily
Wednesday April 8th--Alise
Tuesday April 14th -– John/Maya
Wednesday April 15th --Deepa
Tues. April 21st --Krisztina
Wed, April 22nd -- Amanda
Tues. April 28th -- Ted/Amber
Wed. April 29th -- Ali

Things to Bring/Supplies
*Your check or cash for the monthly cost plus snack (checks made out to April Jenkins)
*Labeled sippy cup

Weekly Newsletter March 24-25, 2009

This Week
Krisztina will host this week for Amanda, as Sam is sick. So the location will be 605 Vanderbilt Street, Apt 2. Since this is a last-minute arrangement, we'll have to make do without the supplies. Next week, we have our spring break, after that, we'll move to April's house. We can keep our outdoor play to our usual time, and play in the garden/in front of the house.

Important for tomorrow:
*Drop off at 9:10, please be careful as you come in as the screen door is broken.
*Leave strollers in front of the garage door, as needed.
*Pickup at 11:45

This Month’s Volunteer Schedule
Outdoor playtime will be 10: 15-10:45 (volunteers, please come upstairs to help us get ready.) Thanks!

Tuesday March 24th –Amber/Ted
Wednesday March 25th—Liz (Emily)

Things to Bring/Supplies
If we’ve used your extra diaper or clothes, please send a new ziplock baggie with a spare diaper and change of clothes. Please send your child with a drip-proof water cup labeled with his/her name. Label shoes (name on a piece of tape inside works), coat/sweaters and any other clothes they'll be taking on or off.

Red Balloon Co-op School Weekly Newsletter March 17-18, 2009

This week we’ll continue the new time for outdoor play—the kids will be playing outside for the first and last half hour of school—the play sessions are turning out to be a little shorter, so volunteers please note the times below.

Last Week
The group was busy this week with new things. The Tuesday group made pinecone birdfeeders and used sunflower seed butter (looks and tastes like peanut butter—I found it at Trader Joe’s) and rolled the pinecones in birdseed. Ours stayed out in the back area and looks like it was a popular dining option this week—the seeds are completely gone! On Wednesday the kids used paper bird shapes and attached feathers. They also tried yoga for the first time. It was a huge success (especially after Will was removed from the room—he decided yoga was a contact sport.) The children all carefully unrolled their mats, tried some breathing, poses and seemed to really like it. I took some pictures and video that I'll try to post. Krista and I spoke at the end of Wednesday's session and she noted how kids are really starting to use words to communicate with each other and sharing skills are growing each day!

This Week
We will play outside at the beginning of the morning and at the end of the day so you can drop off and pick up outside. The group will continue working on yoga. To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at the Crowley’s, Will helped me make green snickerdoodle cookies today which we will have for dessert tomorrow.

Important for tomorrow:
*Drop off at 9:10 in the driveway to the left of 540 Prospect Ave
* I’ll open the garage if you need to leave your stroller
*Pickup at 11:45 in the driveway.

This Month’s Volunteer Schedule
Outdoor playtime will be 9:15-9:40 and 11:25-11:45 (volunteers, please come upstairs at 11:15 to help us get ready.) Thanks! Please contact me if you need to switch days: amandapeel@yahoo.com

Tuesday March 17th -Deepa
Wednesday March 18th --Krisztina
Tuesday March 24th –Amber/Ted
Wednesday March 25th—Liz (Emily)

Things to Bring/Supplies
If we’ve used your extra diaper or clothes, please send a new ziplock baggie with a spare diaper and change of clothes. Please send your child with a drip-proof water cup labeled with his/her name. Label shoes (name on a piece of tape inside works), coat/sweaters and any other clothes they'll be taking on or off.

Red Balloon Co-op School Weekly Newsletter March 10-11, 2009

This week we’ll continue the new time for outdoor play—the kids will be playing outside for the first and last half hour of school and will need RAIN clothes! More below in the “This Week” section…

Last Week
We had a good first week here—everyone survived the ice skating rink driveway and the group had fun playing outside in the snow, in the surprisingly warm and sunny back part of the driveway. Thanks to parents who stayed to help supervise. Krista brought back postcards, coins and stories from Iceland! The kids loved hearing about the puffins and whales and the grownups loved hearing about how Krista got engaged! Congrats, Krista! To celebrate National Sleep Awareness Week, Audrey brought sleep stars for the kids to make. They practiced “sleeping” with their stars and sang Good Night Irene and Are You Sleeping Brother John. Each child brought home a sleep star—Audrey suggested they might work as “magic sleep wands” at home! Another activity last week involved the song Old MacDonald and barns with paper animals to play with. We had pineapple for snack and noticed how pineapples are prickly like porcupines, hedgehogs and pinecones (and noticed the word “pine” seems to be important!)

This Week
Audrey is planning to introduce yoga to the kids using new yoga mats! She’ll start with just rolling and unrolling the mats and talking about breathing and how yoga is different from dance time (it’s not wild playtime!) Audrey wanted to stress the three components of yoga. One is breathing—noticing your breath by “blowing out candles” or “smelling flowers.” Two is resting—practicing having eyes closed, not moving, and understanding personal space and gentle touch. Three is learning to make shapes with your body and the imagination behind that. I can’t wait to see the little yogis! Also this week the group will make pinecone birdfeeders using birdseed and soy nut butter to bring home and hang outside a window. Families can encourage noticing birds this week and help kids find a great place to hang their birdfeeder.

Important for tomorrow:
*Drop off at 9:10 in the driveway to the left of 540 Prospect Ave
* I’ll open the garage if you need to leave your stroller
*Please dress your child in rain boots, raincoats, hats and if you have one, a kid umbrella (and label them!)
*Pickup at 11:45 in the driveway.

This Month’s Volunteer Schedule
Outdoor playtime will be 9:15-9:45 and 11:15-11:45 (volunteers, please come upstairs at 11:15 to help us get ready.) Thanks! Please contact me if you need to switch days: amandapeel@yahoo.com

Tuesday March 10th --Maya/John
Wednesday March 11th--Alise
Tuesday March 17th --Deepa
Wednesday March 18th --Ali
Tuesday March 24th –Amber/Ted
Wednesday March 25th--Liz

Things to Bring/Supplies
If you haven't yet, please bring your check for the month made out to Amanda Crowley. Thanks!
If we’ve used your extra diaper or clothes, please send a new ziplock baggie with a spare diaper and change of clothes. Please send your child with a drip-proof water cup labeled with his/her name. Label shoes (name on a piece of tape inside works), coat/sweaters and any other clothes they'll be taking on or off.