DIY Snack Mix: Heart Day Edition!

Happy VERY belated Valentine’s Day, friends and families! I always enjoy watching the kids get so excited for Valentine’s Day activities: inspecting their ‘mailboxes’ to see which friends or crushes left them a card, sneaking 1, 2 or 3 treats, and sucking on the cinnamon hearts to see who can last the longest with the spicy treats on their tongues. That said, I could definitely do without the simultaneous sugar crashes that come with the lollipop binge.

My art activity day happened to land on the day after Valentine’s Day, but that didn’t stop me from continuing the celebration! As a super simple, festive treat we popped some popcorn and made our own snack mix! To jazz up our kernels, we threw in some Smarties, sprinkles, melted the brightest pink wafers (white chocolate that’s been food-dyed PINK) and shook it all up until it looked marbled. The kids personalized a paper bag and filled it up – I love doing DIY snack mixes with the kids because it looks like a treat and tastes like a treat but it’s not nearly as sugary as your regular Valentine’s giveaway.

Upon finishing our activity, I briefly spoke with a group of girls about crushes – most of them kept mum on who their crushes were, if they had one at all. We talked about how Valentine’s Day is also about showing our friends and family how much we love them too.

Onto the next big holiday – spring break and Easter!

Hasta luego,

Sara

Grade 2 Integration

Hey parents! This is a friendly reminder that every Thursday, starting on March 1st, will be Grade 2 Integration. This is where the Grade 2s join our Senior Out-of-School Care program, where they slowly start transitioning into the Senior group. This means a new room, new staff team and new experiences.

This new space is located at Gilmore Elementary School in the multi-purpose room. We have printed out directions and are happy to help you easily find your way. There are some changes when you first arrive at the Senior location that differ from the Junior program. Some of those differences start right as you arrive at Gilmore. Instead of parents signing in, we like to teach the children the responsibility of signing themselves in. As well as an adjustment in the routine, there is a noticeable change in the setup of the room- bigger chairs, comfortable seating area, pool table, and a variety of older-age games and toys for the children to play and explore. We understand that getting comfortable with this transition takes time for some, and we want to make things as accommodating and easy-going for everyone.

To aid in the Grade 2s transition period, we have asked Alicia from Jr OSC to assist them. We want to ensure they have a smooth and exciting time experiencing the "senior life." Along with Alicia, we have our (awesome/amazing) Senior staff team who are more than capable to support and teach the Grade 2s to develop the skills needed for positive growth.

Being given the opportunity to help shape each of our Grade 2s and to soon watch them start a new chapter in their life is truly an exciting time. I hope each child continues to learn and grow and strive to be the best version of themselves.

If you need any further information about Grade 2 Integration, please do not hesitate to ask one of our staff members :)


Thank you,

Corey