Kids Korner

Oh the weather outside is frightful

But JR OSC is so delightful

And since we've no place to go

Let's Play In Snow! Play In Snow! Play In Snow!

With the change in weather I decided to ask our kids;

What is your favorite thing about the snow?

Savannah- "having fun with friends"

Theodora- "it's...playing in it"

Max G- "throwing snowballs"

Isaac- "building snowmen, catching snowflakes on your tongue, almost anything you can do with the snow"

Vinson- "doing a snowball fight and doing an igloo"

Matthew- "I like going sledding"

George- "I have no idea... fine, playing in the snow is fun"

Isabel- "having snowball fight with my dad and building snowmen"

Our OSC juniors never let a little snow get in the way of having some fun!

Thanks,

Jason

Winter Wonderland at OSC

Getting all bundled up and heading outside in -4 degree weather isn't all bad...especially when you have garbage bags.

Garbage bags?

You are probably quite confused right now! Well, let me tell you what I mean. As we stared out the window from the top floor at West Richmond, we wondered what we could do outside that would make this Friday the best day ever. Then we had an idea! We looked to the field and saw that there was a hill which made us think, 

"Wouldn't it be so much fun if we could sled down that hill? But we haven't got any sleds, so what do we do?"

"We will use garbage bags!"

So our amazing custodian let us borrow 6 large city garbage bags (unused, of course). They were perfect! They could fit 2 kids on one bag and they went down the hill like lightning! The day was filled with laughter and smiles and an amazing display of sharing. The kids had so much fun, as well as all the leaders. We all felt like kids again, running up and down the hill, screaming with joy as we slid down so fast into a pile of snow, with a smile from ear to ear on our face.

As we were sledding, we noticed that more and more families from across the street started coming with their own sleds, so we asked them if they had been sledding on this hill before. They said they hadn't, but they saw us having such a wonderful time and heard all the laughter that they thought it was an amazing idea and grabbed their kids and sleds and headed over.

It ended up turning into a massive gathering of people from the community sledding down this hill. Even our OSC parents were joining in on the fun when they came to pick up their kids! Overall, it was the best day of the year and a beautiful display of how one small hill and a creative idea can bring a community together and make it a day to remember forever.

Tegan

Winter is Coming...

Winter is coming, OSC families!

It's getting chilly outside so make sure your little yetis are all bundled up for some winter wonderland fun! Make sure to pack mittens! There are two functions to a good pair of mittens. One, they'll keep your kid's fingers toasty warm, and two, they'll save your little acrobats from getting blisters on the monkey bars!

It's become a right of passage for the kids to successfully complete the two monkey bar challenges. If they're seasoned monkey bar masters, they will level up to completing the challenges one handed, or even backwards!

With the grinchy weather, we are taking every opportunity to get the kids active, please make sure your little ones have snugly shoes and jackets so they can enjoy the great outdoors! We are all looking forward to the magic of winter break, and we are almost there, so hold out for a little longer!

Balancing on ice

Winter landscaping

Sweeping up

Shovelling ice

 

Mackenzie

Family Fun Night

Hello OSC Families!

Last Friday, OSC hosted a Family Fun Night at West Richmond Community Centre. Families joined us for a fun evening of candy house building, a hot chocolate bar, and a slideshow of last school year’s photos that we weren't able to show at the cancelled Family BBQ in June.

It was so much fun seeing all the families working hard together to build the candy houses. They were all so creative, and it was interesting to see how all the houses had the same ingredients but they all turned out to be so different from each other. Some houses ended up with all the ingredients placed, and some with only a few because we all know how hard it is to control ourselves when it comes to sugar.

 

The hot chocolate bar was definitely a hit. So many delicious hot chocolate creations were going around, I definitely needed to visit that station.

We had an amazing gift basket that was donated to us by UNFI Canada – Grocery West. Families who brought food items for the Food Bank were entered into a draw to win the gift basket, so thank you to anyone who brought an item and congratulations to the family that won!

It was great seeing so many families show up to our Family Fun Night. I am looking forward to many more events with our amazing OSC families!


Erin

Funky Pro D

I hope everyone had a great weekend following the Pro D day last Friday!

The kids and our staff definitely had a fun time at one of our favourite out trip spots - Funky Monkey. It’s an indoor playground that features a ton of mazes, obstacles and 50ft slide. One of the most popular areas for the kids was the ball arena with hundreds of foam balls everywhere. They had ball blasters that shoot foam balls across the room, and somehow like to find their way to a leader. 

Another great attraction there is the ball dump. We had kids spend lots of time searching to collect balls to build up the dump basket. Seeing their faces when it all came showering over them was so enjoyable. One of the best parts for us as staff is the fact that the indoor playground is big enough for us to get in the action with the kids - without breaking our backs. So parents, you can join in too!

I wanted to find out what some kids thought about our out trip so I asked them this question...

What was your favourite Part about Funky Monkey?:

Nick: The Games room, because I found 10 cents.

Savannah: Tag with Tegan and because I scared her.

George: The ropes that I swung on and trying to land on the circle cushions.

James: The slides, because they were really fast.

Noah: The Jurassic games, they were really fun!

Samantha: The big slides.

Kris: Putting balls in the gun and shooting them.

Reilly: Probably the huge slides that are yellow and 2 greens.

Lily: Every part!

The battleground

Big slides!

Ball dump!

Overall all the answers were very positive and I could tell all the kids had a great time. We always look forward to these out trips where we can take time off from our regular routines and do different great activities! If you want a place to have fun check it out with your family!


Corey

Flipping Out

Are you ready to FLIP!!

As one social trend leaves another arrives, the internet following that has all our kids flipping out is... "Bottle Flipping." The objective of bottle flipping is flipping a bottle with one hand and have it land right side. If you succeed, you receive personal bragging rights. If you fail, try again. You will receive more cheers from your friends by finding harder or creative ways while making successful flips. When it comes to materials, you need your standard plastic water bottle filled 1/4 with water and a camera. Wondering why the camera? Well if you don't have proof of your amazing flips, then who is going to believe you. I decided to spend my entire time at playground the other day filming our little flippers as they tried to achieve OSC stardom. Here is some of the footage I captured, enjoy!







Take a look at some of our amazing attempts....

The Halloween Aftermath

Happy November everyone!

Christmas is just around the corner as we finish with our Halloween season. The kids had a blast this year with pumpkin carving, dressing up in costumes and all the trick or treat stories we heard last week.

Our Halloween Monday was full of new faces! At Junior OSC we had some superheroes in attendance like Batman, Supergirl and Ironman. We were also taken into new storybook worlds with our lovely Alice in Wonderland, Little Red Riding Hood, and Dory. Everyone’s costumes looked fantastic, as were the stories told the next day after trick or treating.

Some of our kids’ favourite memories of Halloween are pumpkin carving, treat or treating, the scary decorations on houses, getting candy and watching fireworks. Our program had a great experience buddying up with some of the Seniors from OSC to carve pumpkins during the last two weeks of October.

40 pumpkins awaiting carving

Our Assistant Leader Kevin was collecting candy after Halloween for an outreach program that his high school was participating in. The program helps the homeless in downtown Vancouver by distributing various necessities that people need. It was a great moment seeing some of the kids bring in candy donations for this cause.

I hope everyone had a fun Halloween and I can’t wait to see what the Christmas season brings us!


Pearlena

Happy Halloween

Hello OSC Families,

October is almost over and we are reaching our favourite part about this beautiful month...HALLOWEEN. The kids are very excited, chatting about their costumes and trick or treating, but most of all I think they are most excited about how much candy they are going to get!

This is my first Halloween with West Richmond as a Junior OSC leader and I must say that I am so amazed at how creative, enthusiastic, and imaginative these kids are with their games. I never thought that someone could be wonder woman's sister and that she was a superhero, or that I was capable of freezing someone with just the tip of my finger but they magically unfreeze when they get bored of standing still (which happens quite quickly). As we play each day, outside or inside or in the gym, these kids surprise me everyday with a new and creative way to make a simple household object into something extraordinary.

So put the finishing touches on your costumes this weekend and enjoy all the finger cookies and candy corn you can eat on the weekend! Looking forward to seeing everyone's amazing costumes! 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN,

Tegan

The Magic of October

Happy October OSC Families!

We're all super excited for the magic of October here at OSC! The fall decorations are out and the room is prepared for the spooky season with pumpkins and leaves!

The energy from the kids hasn't died just because it's chilly outside. With a snuggly jacket, they're aching to get out and get creative with sticks as wands and monsters lurking around every corner.

The kids have been pumped up because the leaves are falling and that means LEAF PILES! With a broom in hand they set to work on creating mounds of leaves to roll around and jump in. I discovered leaves apparently go by another name when I found myself being showered in "pepperoni?"

To get into the season, we have some pumpkin carving activities to look forward to soon, as well as the Lantern Festival! We're looking forward to a spooktacular October, so get your trick on families!


Mackenzie

Stress Ball for Fall

Hello OSC families!

It’s hard to believe we are already in our second week of October. September just flew by, but we have welcomed Fall with open arms. There is already lots of excitement and talk about Halloween costumes this year, and there seems to be lots of creative and fun ideas. I can’t wait to see them all! It was great seeing familiar faces in our program last month, and getting to know our new friends who have joined us for the first time. Everyone seems to have settled in quickly at school and in our OSC program.

No matter what the weather is outside, we will always have a long list of friends wanting to sign up for the daily art activity. This past week, Ryan led a fun craft. He chose to do ‘Make your own Stress Balls’. The kids really enjoyed making their own stress-relievers and a few even chose to decorate theirs and give them names. It was a great activity and one that you could easily make at home.

The supplies needed to make them are: balloons, scissors, flour, water, oil, a mixing bowl and spoon. Begin by mixing together 4 cups of flour, 2 Tbsp of oil and 1 1/2 cups of water.

Once it is all mixed, and it has a texture that is similar to play dough, you are ready to start on the balloon. You can cut the neck of the balloon and stretch the balloon so that the dough can fit inside.

Once the dough is inside, you are going to get another balloon, cut the neck and place this balloon over the other, but making sure that the opening of the first balloon is covered so that the dough does not come out. And that is it, you now have your own stress ball! It is a little difficult getting the dough inside the first balloon and then getting the second balloon on top, but it was great seeing the kids helping each other and working together.

I’m looking forward to the rest of this month's art activities!



Erin

The Legend of Sidewalk Scrubbers

In a world filled with filth and sand, slippery sidewalks pose the greatest threat to humanity. Their sandy surfaces incite a flailing of arms when children and adults alike skid across, while their unsightly messiness cause mass hysteria as townsfolk flee out of fear.

In this trying time of sidewalk chaos rose three heroes. The first to take up arms against the tyranny was George the Great. He had the courage to summon a bucket of water and a broom. Using his might and wit, he banished the sand to the perilous pit and vanquished the remaining filth.

Inspired by George the Great's efforts, Jason the Just and Kris the Conqueror joined the campaign. They, too, armed themselves with buckets and brooms. With this army of three, the sand and filth stood no chance.

Even the sanctimonious stairs proved no match for the bravery and solidarity of our three heroes. With swift swishes of their buckets and strong strokes of their brooms, victory was quick. Fortunately for our heroes, the battle's end coincided with their summons to a new battlefront - quiet free play.

Some say the sand and filth have lost all taste for further conflict. Others contend that tyranny is always lurking around the corner, waiting to strike when townsfolk least expect. If and when a threat returns, one can only hope that heroes, new or old, will rise to the occasion once again and fight for our safety and freedom.


Strength and Honour,

Dustin

Autumn Up!

Hey Junior OSC Families!

We are now in full swing into the new school year, and we've started to introduce more and more activities to our kids. With Autumn coming up, we decided to let the kids jump right into the new season with a "Fall" themed art activity. We made Autumn wreaths; the kids had a blast and the wreaths turned out really well!

First we took paper plates and cut a hole through the middle. After that, the kids had free reign over our Autumn coloured art supplies to decorate their wreaths. It was really great to see their imaginations and creativity come through, especially for our younger kids who might not have as much experience with things like cutting and gluing. The final touch was to hole-punch a small hole at the top and loop a string through, so that the kids could hang their wreaths.

Stay on the lookout for more awesome art activities!


Cheers,

Ryan

Welcome Back!

Hello Junior OSC families,

Welcome back to another school year here at Junior OSC. All of our staff are really excited about getting to know all of the new families, forming new and rekindling old relationships with the kids, and of course providing you with the highest quality childcare we possibly can.

This is an exciting time for all of the kids in our program. We have our new grade 2’s who are entering their last year of Junior OSC before they head off to Senior OSC. We have our new grade 1’s who now have a full year of school under their belts. And of course, we have our kindergarten children that are taking not only their first steps into elementary school, but also the fun environment that is our OSC program.

We have a large variety of activities, toys and games available to ensure that every child with every imaginable interest has fun while they are in our care. Through our first week, we have already found that a popular toy amongst a lot of the kids has been the big toy trucks that we have. Kids have been playing with them all around the room and it's great to see such enjoyment coming from a simple toy. Our “Clics” toys have also been very popular, where kids can use their imagination and click together square pieces to build whatever they can think of. Another popular area has been our quiet reading area. It is great to see the kids regulate themselves, and take a step away from the excitement of games and toys, to go sit and read a book. Another very popular activity has been our daily art activities. So far, kids have been able to use beads, clay, and other art supplies to make various projects that have been led by one of our leaders. Like I said, we have activities for kids with all types of different interests.

Again, welcome back to another school year. We are looking forward to a fun year! Don’t hesitate to ask any of our staff if you have any questions.



Cheers,


Ryan M

Imagination Station

Starting bid is $10!

With the school year coming to an end, I took it as an opportunity to clear up some art supplies. Last week I ran an activity with the kids called "Imagination Station." I brought out a bunch of random supplies and spread them around the room, then they had to use their creativity and let me know what they were going to create before getting started. Once the ideas came to mind they jumped right in, there were some interesting creations and the kids found supplies in bins that I didn't even know existed! Some of the most popular items that afternoon were the plastic cups, shaving cream and glow in the dark powder.

Jason

Sock Baby

Fun drinks

Aubrey's ant trap, I love it!

Rain or Shine

Hey Friends,

I hope everyone has been enjoying this amazing sunshine we have received the last few weeks, it is a great taste of what summer has in store for us. Every time we see the sun smiling down on us we waste no time rushing down to the playground after the kids get back from school. At the playground the kids can be found digging for water in the sand, chasing our neighbourhood squirrel, relaxing at the picnic benches or running around just playing and having fun with their peers.

There are times though when the weather is not on our side, but on one rainy afternoon we decided not to let the rain get in our way from having fun. It was just the perfect day to play, it was warm outside and the rain was mild. The kids were all reminded to grab their coats and once outside they were seen running, laughing and using their wild imagination with our wet surroundings. We had a water slide created, there were tribes of water people vs land dwellers interacting and of course hunting for our squirrel friend. I had a smile on my face the entire time, it was amazing for me to take this all in as it reminded me of my favourite childhood activity, playing in the rain!

We do our best to encourage play in any weather sun, rain, snow, and with the crazy weather changes in our city I just want to remind everyone to carry sunscreen or jackets depending on the day and lastly come prepared to play rain or shine.

Thanks
Jason

Sun Fun

Hey OSC Families!

 

Well, the sun is coming out and the temperatures are rising, so I figured I would ask the kids what their favourite part about warm weather is!

We got some great responses from some of the kids!

 

Lily: Playing with my friends!

Nyah: Running around outside!

Macy: Playing outside and going on the swings with my friends!

Camryn: Monkey bars!

 

For me, the warm weather reminds me of playing street hockey with all my friends when I was a kid.

 

We're looking forward to hearing more stories about what all the kids love about the warm weather. They are most definitely enjoying the weather though, as the park is filled with kids every single day it seems!

 

Cheers,

Ryan

Artistic Kindness in the air!

The beautiful warm weather outside has given the kids plenty of opportunities to play in the parks and fields to get their daily dose of exercise and vitamin D. Even when the sun is shining bright, we still need our down time to cool down and have a little indoor play with plenty of crafts and activities to keep busy!

 

Through all the iron art, rainbow looms and bracelet making, my favorite activities was our classical painting activity. Some of our amazing artists had the creative freedom to decorate and paint a canvas however they liked using beads, feathers, pipe cleaners, pompoms, tissue paper & paint. Their creations were one of a kind! Some of them made their canvas for friends of family to give to them as gifts which was super thoughtful! It was a peaceful afternoon listening to classical music while hard at work with their canvases.

 

Another thoughtful activity ran by Jason last week was making rainbow looms for other people. The kids could make anything they would like to make knowing that they were going to make it for someone else. Everyone enjoyed making gifts for each other and receiving them too. There is definitely kindness all around at JR OSC!

 

Pearlena

Perfect Production

Hey OSC Families!

Earlier this week, some of the kids took it upon themselves to set up a dance performance for the rest of the kids to spectate. They went above and beyond in terms of production, as they set up a lot of cool features that took their performance to the next level!

First of all, there was an "advertisement" that was made to attract attention and show the rest of the kids where the performance would take place. The advertisement stated that the dancers would "dance like nowean is woching" (dance like no one is watching). On top of that, they set up 5 rows of seating. The first row was for a reserved VIP section, with the following 3 rows for kinders, grade 1's and grade 2's. The last row was saved just for the leaders. To say the least, the whole production was well thought out and the kids put a lot of effort into it! They turned on the radio and they danced for everyone to see! 

 

We all had a great time and we are very proud of the kids' efforts, creativity, and enthusiasm!

 

Until next time,

Ryan

Playground Play

Hey everyone,

We've been so lucky to have such amazing weather the past few days, the kids have taken full advantage and have been eager to get out in the sun. In the theme of getting out side and getting healthy the kids enjoyed a delicious "banana bread" snack or so they thought, they later discovered that there was a secret ingredient, cauliflower! Fueled up with healthy goodness we enjoyed a few hours at the park where the kids got physically active and were able to unleash their imaginations. We had some great swing contests to see who get as high as the trees, a rock burying game where the kids morphed into rock people and tried to cover themselves with stones, and a game of "King of the forest" where some of the kids collected branches and whoever found the longest stick was king! It's always so inspiring to see the kids being creative and showcasing their individuality, they're not afraid to be themselves, they are strong and confident. This inspiration is what makes being a leader so rewarding, encouraging and validating their individuality is my favorite aspect of being in child care. We're hopeful for more great weather next week so we can keep the kids moving outside and having healthy happy fun! 

Hope you all have a beautiful day

Mackenzie H

WRCC

Patio Fun

Hey Junior OSC families,

The weather this past week has been fantastic, so we have been taking advantage of the warm and sunny conditions by participating in activities outside on our patio! Having fun on the patio isn't just for adults, as our kids have been just itching to get outside and take in the sunshine. One activity in particular that was extremely successful was yoga. Every once in a while we have yoga as an activity for the kids, so they can focus on flexibility, mobility, breathing, and relaxation. We usually do this indoors, but we couldn't resist doing some yoga under the sun on the patio! It was a big hit with the kids, and we will definitely be doing it again in the future. 

Another activity that the kids love to do is hair chalk. Hair chalk is basically chalk, but it is safe to put in anybody's hair as a temporary, colourful accessory. We sat out on the patio while the kids lined up to get some cool designs in their hair. We saw rainbows as well as abstract designs in the kids' hair, and the experience was definitely enhanced by the good vibes of being out in the sun!

Until next time,

Ryan M