Jungle Jac's

Taking Aim!

On Friday February 20th, we were able to enjoy the provincial wide pro-d day at Jungle Jac's. This was a new location for many of the children and staff members as well. After we got through the long bus ride to Pitt Meadows, the kids finally got a chance to run and explore all around the indoor playground. Some of the children mentioned the best part about the playground was the slides, whereas many of the other kids spent most of the day in the mini soccer arena and ball pit. Whether they were playing tag or just exploring throughout the tunnels, they all burnt a lot of energy at Jungle Jac's. Which led to some nice long naps on the bus ride back to West!

Collecting Ammo!

Thanks

Aislinn

Fun Art for Home!

On the note of art, I thought I'd offer you guys another art activity to try! I will admit, this is not an activity I've tried with the kids as it's trickier to modify with a large group of kids but it's too cool not to share.

 

I've included a picture from a link I found on Pinterest, but this is a popular project that you could find all over the internet. So what you would do is use either white glue or hot glue to stick the crayons side by side across the length of any size canvas. Let them dry. Then, as pictured, you could cut out any shape from contact paper or cardboard and stick it to the canvas to leave a print or you could leave the canvas as is. Next, you should place your canvas upright over a tray, cardboard platform or outside (anywhere, as long as you don't mind the potential of crayon wax spilling onto it) and use a hairdryer to slowly and gently melt the crayon wax. I would recommend pointing it towards the crayons in a downward motion, which will prevent it from potentially splattering. Continue to melt the wax until you reach your desired look. If you used a cut out, peel that off and let everything dry! 

 

If you happen to try it at home, come let me know how it turned out!

 

 

Enjoy,

 

Sara E

 

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What to Do on a Rainy Day

Hello everyone!

Last Monday, it was quite rainy and overcast so we went down to the gym to play some games with the kids. The excitement in the room was perfect for the energy that these games needed. They turned out very fun for kids and leaders alike! The children also suggested many other games they’d like to play in the future like Octopus and Four Corners so we will definitely keep these in mind.

The first game we played, and one of my personal favorites, was Freeze Dance. After the kids spread out around the gym, the leaders turned on some music and the dancing would start. Once the music stopped, the kids had to “freeze” in the exact position they were in. This resulted in some wobbly legs and funny poses. We were all able to show our own unique dance moves and shake off some energy. On that note, it’s no surprise that one of the more popular songs was “Shake it Off”!

Katie’s idea for the next game required more thinking and cooperation. It was called The Human Knot and the object of the activity was to untangle your arms and create a circle. Everyone would reach into the circle to grab another friend’s hand. Then the untangling process began. It was great to see the kids giving tips to help, such as asking someone to lift their arm and spin around, or switch places with another. I’m happy to say that we were all able to untangle our arms successfully!

As by popular request from the kids, we finished off our gym session with some free time with hula hoops, bouncy balls, and soccer nets. On rainy days like these, playing games can be the perfect way to get some recreation and exercise together.

Cheers,

Katrina

Outside is the Best Side

The best way to get physical activity here at West Richmond Jr. OSC is by far the playground. It’s an activity that never goes out of style. When its time to sign up for activities there are always a group of kids ready to go outside, even at times when the weather gives us light drizzles of rain or near blinding fog. We have been very lucky with our winter weather this year, but be sure to keep bringing those warm winter jackets because the weatherman isn’t always right. The park has come to be a great place where the kids get to have fun and be physically active. It always amazes me how creative the kids are at inventing games to play outside. Ideas flow through their brains with such ease making it effortless to construct new games. A group of boys became superheroes with superpowers, with plans to defeat bad guys and defend their home (playground). Another popular game is called "Restaurant," were they make pretend food out of whatever they can find at the park like twigs, leaves, rocks and sand. Everyday there is something new being created and it’s wonderful to see these kids using their imagination.

Corey

 

 

Skating with Dixons

This week we decided to go skating with our Dixons, they got a chance to enjoy a nice long weekend thanks to their Pro D Day. We had both our Sr. & Jr. programs combine for an amazing day. For some of our kids it was their first time on the big ice, but they didn't let that stop them from joining the fun. After a few falls and with the help of some training bars everyone was having a blast. Before I knew it I was starting to witness future figure skaters, speed skaters and hockey players.

Enjoy a few sights and sounds from our day!




He Shoots! He Scores!



Just recovering from a small tumble.



A little help form the training bars.

PLAY SNOW!

Back in full swing! I don't know if it's just me, but since coming back to school, OSC has felt a busyness that just won't quit! The time has flown by. That being said, the grade two's are looking forward to spending their Tuesdays at Senior OSC at Gilmore Elementary starting February 17th. I (Sara) will be joining the grade two's at Gilmore every Tuesday to help them make the transition smooth and comfortable. 

 

At Jr OSC, this past week I did an activity with the kids that seems to turn out differently every time. PLAY SNOW! It's a super simple recipe and you can tweak to get different textures. Just TWO ingredients: Baking soda and any brand hair conditioner. For a group of about 10 kids I used about 2 -2 1/2 boxes of baking soda, about half a bottle of hair conditioner, a big bowl, and a wooden spoon. If you'd like to try this at home I would recommend starting with small squirts of conditioner, while stirring, adding more depending on the texture you'd like for your play snow. The less conditioner, the more fluffy and mouldable it will be. If you get your ratio just right, it will resemble the texture and moldability of moon sand. I admit that the best part about this activity is that there are no measurements so the kids can just dump the ingredients in a stir. I do apologize, though, for the lack of photos to show you how easy and fun this activity was but unfortunately my hands were just as messy as the kids'. 

 

Give it a try and let me know how it works! 

 

Until next time, 

 

Sara E

 

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Welcome back!

Welcome back everyone!

 

Last week we all began our regular routines again- school, OSC, work, etc.  However, with a new year come some changes or resolutions.  We said good-bye to Gina, who went on maternity leave, and we said hello to Katie, who joined us from SR OSC.  A few other changes we saw included Dustin stepping-in for Gina, and Jason replacing Dustin. 

 

Not only did the New Year bring in some changes, it also brought fog!  Going outside with the kids this week was interesting.  Usually, the lightest times are earlier in the day, especially in winter, but last week it was almost the opposite.  The later it got the brighter it got.  Since the playground is so close to the community centre and tennis courts, it was lit up by the fog and their lights.  This was awesome because the kids were excited to stay outside longer on these foggy days.  Of course, we can only stay out as long as fingers and ears stay warm, gloves and toques are always more than welcome to help encourage the kids to head outside.

Check back for next week’s blog!