Spotlight on August

 Hello Friends!

     Summer Program is in the books and we’ve circled back around to preparing for After School Program. August gives the opportunity for a (brief) respite before we have friends in the building once again. Personally, we have two days of downtime before we dive deep into quick planning sessions this year with less than two weeks between the end of our Summer Program and the first day of school. I encourage everyone who works with youth to take some down time where you can, our jobs are so rewarding, but also so taxing.

    I've created the Spotlight On page for August filled with fun things to make your month extra special. August brings with it so many things to celebrate, even if it doesn’t have any commonly recognized holidays.  Whether you’re looking for fun learning opportunities like World Lizard Day or Vesuvius Day or you’re wanting to share some fun food ideas for Chocolate Chip Cookie Day or Watermelon Day, August has something perfect for you. There are also fun field trip ideas (American Adventures Month, anyone) and some great craft and hobby inspired activities for those who prefer something cozier. And, don’t forget La Tomatina, where Spain has the world’s largest tomato fight every year, that’s definitely something new and different!

To download the Spotlight, simply click on it then you can save the image to your device

    What do you do with the Spotlights once you download them? I personally print and put them into my monthly idea binders because I'm old school and prefer having a paper copy of everything. I also have a digital file for each month where I keep them. I use them as a reference when planning activities at the Club, and for fun ways to add some excitement in my downtime. 

    How will you choose to celebrate this month? Whatever you choose I wish you the very best that late summer has to offer!

The Twelve Days of Christmas Break: The 7th Day - Door Decorating

 On the seventh day of Christmas Break encourage your kids to spend some creative time decorating their bedroom doors. 

Supplies You Will Need

large piece of butcher or art paper the size of your kid's bedroom doors OR wrapping paper to cover the door
construction paper
fabric scraps
glitter
novelty items
string
paints
makers
glue or tape
scissors
notepad and pencil

Here's a fun way to give kids free reign to their artistic impulses while adding a holiday touch to your home. With a door-sized piece of paper and a few art supplies, your kids will keep busy an entire afternoon completing this project.

Lay paper flat across your work surface. If your children share a room, you may divide the paper into parts with a pencil line so each child has a "space," or the kids may wish to work together to create a design. Use construction paper, glitter, paints and other available art supplies to make a colorful holiday picture. For extra fun, add a "mailbox" to the lower portion of the paper by attaching a large envelope and a notepad with a pencil on a string. Throughout the holiday season, family members and guests can write greetings to the child. Kids always love to get note, especially those that praise them for accomplishments, compliment them for kindness to others, and communicate to them how much they are loved. When the project is finished and dry, hang the decorated paper on the bedroom door with masking tape or small nails. You might string mini lights around the doorway to draw attention to the door.

The Twelve Days of Christmas Break: The 4th Day - Homemade Gift Wrap

On the fourth day of Christmas Break, make some personalized homemade gift wrap.

You Will Need

large roll of craft or butcher paper
markers, crayons, paint, etc
items unique to the person receiving the gift

Ask your kids what trait they think of when they reflect on a certain friend or family member and you'll have the beginnings of a gift wrap idea! Here are some examples just to get you started: 

If the person loves shopping, wrap the gift with a map of your local shopping mall. Instead of a ribbon, use a long cash register receipt or several taped together.

For a sports enthusiast, wrap the gift with a page from a sports magazine and tie it up with a a new headband or a pair of socks.

If the recipient enjoys gardening, wrap the gift in floral design fabric and top with bunches of seed packets tied together for a clever bow.

Wrap a gift for someone with a great sense of humor in the comic section from the Sunday newspaper. Write your own joke in the gift enclosure. 

For the person who loves to cook, print a special recipe on the wrapping paper. Fill the packages with ingredients called for in the recipe. Attach a kitchen utensil or gadget to the bow.

The Twelve Days of Christmas Break: The 3rd Day - Holiday Card Mapping

On the third day of Christmas Break, try this fun and educational activity with your kiddos.

Supplies you will need

Map of the United States, North America, or the World
Scissors
tape or thumbtacks
envelopes from incoming holiday cards

Whether you or your kids are brushing up on your geography or learning the locations of states, capitals, and countries for the first time, this activity will be educational and fun to do each day through the month of December.

Post the mail where it seen readily. Then as holiday greetings arrive in your mailbox each day, share the messages with your kids and save the envelopes the cards came in. Cut off the postmark from each envelope. Read the location of the postmark (or return address if you have multiple coming through the same sorting facility), locate it on your map, and tack or tape the postmark to the correct spot. If the location happens to be a small town that is not printed on the map, use the closest major city as a reference point.

In addition, older children may enjoy calculating the distance the card traveled to get to you. And, save the postage stamps - your kids can start a new hobby that can last a lifetime.

If you're like a lot of families, you may not have a map of the United States lying around to use for this project. I've made a printable map that you can download and use on a smaller scale. Just click on the image above and you can see it full size and save to your device.

The Twelve Days of Christmas Break: The 2nd Day - Yule

 On the second day of Christmas Break, spend some time learning about the holiday of Yule.

Yule began in Germanic countries as a midwinter celebration lasting for twelve days (and is the origin for the twelve days of Christmas). It begins on the eve of the Winter Solstice and continues through December 31. 

Yule is about celebrating light and the beginning of  the lengthening of the days after the longest night of the year (Winter Solstice). 

Modern lore tells the story of the battle of the Oak King and the Holly King. The Oak King represents the light of the new year while the Holly King represents the darkness of the year that has passed.

Yule logs are often decorated and then burned in the hearth while telling stories and sharing time with loved ones. 

An easy craft to do with your kiddos to celebrate the return of the sun (and one that makes your house smell lovely) is a pomander. 

Supplies you will need

Orange for each child
Whole Cloves
Ribbon (optional)
Large headed straight pin for each child (optional)

Use cloves to pierce the skin of the orange and insert them to create festive designs. If you would like decorate your pomander with ribbon, use a straight pin to secure it to the orange. These can hang (using the ribbon) or can be placed in a bowl. If you choose to display them in a bowl, rotate them daily so they dry evenly and prevent mold.

The Twelve Days of Christmas Break: The 1st Day - Homemade Ornaments

 

On the first day of Christmas Break make some homemade ornaments to decorate your tree.

You Will Need

fresh cranberries
mini marshmallows
thin florists write
holiday ribbon
pieces of orange rind (optional)

Young children who enjoy threading buttons and beads will be adept at making this ornament. It makes a colorful addition to the tree and when the holidays are over, you can hang it outside on a tree branch for a treat for the birds!

Cut the wire into 16-inch lengths. Begin by threading a cranberry on the wire, leaving about 1 1/2 inches of wire at the end. Alternate cranberries, marshmallows, and orange ride pieces (optional). When the wire is almost covered, twist it into a wreath shape. Twist end pieces of wire together. Attach a ribbon to the wire and hang it on the tree.

Celebrate August

   When working with kids, one of the things I've quickly discovered is that they love a good party. While it would be more chaos than I could cover to celebrate every single day, that doesn't mean that there isn't something worth celebrating everyday so that you can easily find what works best for you and your kiddos.

Monthly Observations

International Pirate Month
Family Fun Month
American Adventures Month
American Art Appreciation Month
National Language Month
Summer Sun Safety Month
Dog Days of Summer (July 3 - August 11)

Weekly Observations

August 1-7
    International Clown Week

August 3-10
    Ottawa County Free Fair

Week 1

    National Simplify Your Life Week
    National Farmer's Market Week

Week 2
    National Smile Week
    National Science Week

Week 3
    National Friendship Week

Week 4
    Be Kind to Humankind Week

Daily Observations

August 1:  Women Astronomers Day, National Planner Day, Lughnasadh

August  2:  National Coloring Book Day, National Water Balloon Day, Find a Four Leaf Clover Day

August 3:  Sandcastle Day, National Campfire Day

August 4:  National Friendship Day, National Sisters' Day, National Hooray for Kids Day

August 5: National Blogger Day, Festival Day (UK)

August 6: National Wiggle Your Toes Day, National Root Beer Float Day

August 7: National Sea Serpent Day, Regatta Day (Canada), Professional Speakers Day

August 8: Happiness Happens Day, International Cat Day, National Perler Day
August 9: Book Lovers' Day, National Kool Aid Day

August 10: National S'mores Day, National Bowling Day, World Lion Day

August 11: Mountain Day, Son & Daughter Day, National Face Mask Day, Summer Olympics Closing

August 12: Perseid Meteor Shower, World Elephant Day, National Vinyl Record Day, Middle Child Day, National Milkman Day

August 13: Left Hander Day

August 14: Navajo Code Talker Day, World Calligraphy Day, World Lizard Day

August 15: Chant at the Moon Day, World Greatness Day

August 16: National Roller Coaster Day, Hawaiian Shirt Day

August 17: National Honeybee Day, Black Cat Appreciation Day, International Geocaching Day, National Nonprofit Day
August 18: Serendipity Day, Green Man Festival

August 19: Aviation Day, World Photography Day, International Orangutang Day, National Potato Day

August 20: National Radio Day, World Mosquito Day

August 21: National Poet's Day, National Spumoni Day

August 22: Folklore Day (Brazil), National Tooth Fairy Day

August 23: Find Your Inner Nerd Day, National Ride the Wind Day

August 24: Vesuvius Day, National Waffle Day, International Bat Night

August 25: National Park Service Day, National Banana Split Day, Burning Man Festival

August 26: National Dog Day, National Spark the World Day

August 27: National Petroleum Day, International Lottery Day

August 28: Power Rangers Day

August 29: National Sports Day, Individual Rights Day

August 30: Frankenstein Day, National Beach Day, National Toasted Marshmallow Day
August 31: National Zoo Awareness Day

With so many great options in August there's sure to be lots of ways you and yours can celebrate the season!

Graphics used in this post have been purchased from EduClips and Thistle Girl Designs (now closed)

December Doings - Holidays and Celebrations

 

December really is the most wonderful time of the year, it seems there is magic surrounding us from the first snowfall to the twinkling lights. December also brings with it so many reasons to celebrate. Each year we try to celebrate at least one lesser known holiday and try out a new cultural experience. I hope this list encourages you to try something new as well.

Monthly Celebrations

• Advent - December 3-24
• Art & Architecture Month
• Handwashing Awareness Month
• Learn a Foreign Language Month
• Read a New Book Month
• Universal Human Rights Month
• National Fruitcake Month
• Eggnog Month

Weekly Celebrations

National Cookie Cutter Week - 1st week
National Handwashing Awareness Week - 1st Week
Tolerance Week - 1st Full Week
Human Rights Week - 2nd Full Week
Hanukkah - December 7-15
Las Posadas - December 16-24
Yule - December 21-January 1
Kwanzaa - December 26-January 1

Daily Celebrations

December 01 - National Christmas Lights Day
December 02 - Christmas Parade Day
December 03 - Make a Gift Day
December 04 - Santa's List Day
December 04 - National Cookie Day
December 05 - Krampusnacht
December 06 - Saint Nicholas Day
December 07 - Walt Disney Day
December 08 - National Christmas Tree Day
December 09 - Christmas Card Day
December 10 - Hanukkah Begins
December 12 - National Poinsettia Day
December 12 - Gingerbread House Day
December 13 - National Cocoa Day
December 13 - Saint Lucia Day
December 14 - Roast Chestnuts Day
December 15 - National Cupcake Day
December 16 - Chocolate Covered Anything Day
December 16 - Las Posadas Begins
December 17 - National Maple Syrup Day
December 18 - Bake Cookies Day
December 18 - National Ugly Sweater Day
December 18 - National Twin Day
December 19 - Holly Day
December 19 - National Hard Candy Day
December 19 - Look for an Evergreen Day
December 20 - Go Caroling Day
December 20 - Games Day
December 21 - Winter Solstice
December 21 - Yule Begins
December 22 - National Cookie Exchange Day
December 23 - Christmas Eve Eve
December 23 - Pfeffernüsse Day
December 24 - Christmas Eve
December 25 - Christmas
December 26 - Kwanzaa Begins
December 26 - Boxing Day
December 26 - National Candy Cane Day
December 27 - National Fruitcake Day
December 27 - Make Cut-Out Snowflakes Day
December 28 - National Chocolate Candy Day
December 29 - Pepper Pot Day
December 30 - National Bicarbonate of Soda Day
December 30 - Bacon Day
December 31 - New Year's Eve

The information gathered in my monthly doings posts comes from a variety of sources. Some of my favorite celebration sources are Punch Bowl, The Spruce, and Apples 4 the Teacher.

September Celebrations

   When working with kids, one of the things I've quickly discovered is that they love a good party. While it would be more chaos than I could cover to celebrate every single day, that doesn't mean that there isn't something worth celebrating everyday so that you can easily find what works best for you and your kiddos.

Monthly Observations

Classical Music Month
Women of Achievement Month
Library Card Sign Up Month
Better Breakfast Month
Hispanic Heritage Month (Begins September 15)

Weekly Observations

Week 2
    National Arts in Education Week

Week 3
    National Keep Kids Creative Week
    National Farm Animals Week
    Tolkien Week

Week 4
    National Fall Foliage Week
    Banned Books Week

Daily Observations

September  1:  Cherokee National Holiday, American Chess Day, College Colors Day

September  2:  Calendar Adjustment Day, World Beard Day, National Hummingbird Day

September  3:  National Doodle Day, Skyscraper Day

September  4:  Labor Day, National Wildlife Day, Newspaper Carrier Day

September  5: National Cheese Pizza Day

September  6: National Read a Book Day

September  7: Grandma Moses Day

September  8: International Literacy Day, Actors Day
September  9: Wonderful Weirdos Day, Teddy Bear Day

September 10: Harvest Moon Festival; Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, Grandparents' Day

September 11: National Day of Service & Remembrance, Hot Cross Buns Day

September 12: National Video Games Day

September 13: Roald Dahl Day; International Chocolate Day

September 14: National Coloring Day, National Live Creative Day

September 15: Make a Hat Day; Batman Day; Greenpeace Day, Rosh Hashanah begins

September 16: Oktoberfest, National Play-Doh Day, Collect Rocks Day, Mayflower Day

September 17: Constitution Day, Citizenship Day
September 18: Smithsonian Day

September 19: International Talk Like a Pirate Day

September 20: German World Children's Day, National Fried Rice Day, National IT Professionals Day

September 21: International Day of Peace, National Chai Day, Miniature Golf Day

September 22: Autumnal Equinox, Elephant Appreciation Day, Hobbit Day

September 23: National Checkers Day, Native American Day, Redhead Appreciation Day

September 24: World Rivers Day, International Kite Festival

September 25: National Daughters Day, Math Storytelling Day, National Comic Book Day

September 26: Johnny Appleseed Day, National Dumpling Day

September 27: World Tourism Day, Ancestor Appreciation Day

September 28: National Sons Day

September 29: National Coffee Day, Michaelmas, Sukkot begins

September 30: National Ghost Hunting Day, Orange Shirt Day

With so many great options in September there's sure to be lots of ways you and yours can celebrate the season!

Graphics used in this post have been purchased from EduClips and Thistle Girl Designs (now closed)

Girl Scout Fun - March Edition

I've worked with Girl Scouts for nearly two decades (it really doesn't feel like that long!) and one of the things I loved most about having a Girl Scout troop was our holiday and seasonal activities. The ideas I share in these monthly posts are from a New Leader Booklet that was shared with me when I started leading Girl Scout troops in the early 2000s. Since our council (and as far as I know any other) no longer shares this information, I want to make it accessible on the internet. Enjoy!

Have a cookie booth sale! Be sure to contact your association booth manager to schedule the place and time. Plan for potty breaks, and rotate the girls if you have more than one location. The girls usually have a great time working at booths, and you can have a treat for them afterward like pizza, ice cream, or whatever they have voted on. If you have younger girls, you might consider letting them bring their own money and going for fast food and letting them order their own food. Many young girls may not have had that experience before!

Learn knife safety. Practice on soap bars or peel carrots for snack.

Tie some knots. It's fun to practice with licorice ropes.

Make plans to celebrate the Girl Scout birthday with another troop. Make and decorate cupcakes to share. If you have candles, remember fire safety (put hair up or down the back of the shirt; stop, drop, and roll demonstration; etc. They can't hear this stuff enough!) Make friendship bracelets - two identical: one to keep and one to give to a friend. You can have the five colors of their worlds of Girl Scouting (World of the Arts - Violet, World of the Out of Doors - Gold, World of of People - Blue, World of Today and Tomorrow - Orange, World of Well-Being - Red) plus green and then use three colors at a time. The bracelets could be braided or just knotted at intervals depending on their ages. When they exchange bracelets, have them describe why they chose those colors (my favorite World of Girl Scouts, or my favorite colors, etc).

Make a time line of events in the Girl Scout Movement on a piece of big butcher paper. You can get all of the dates in the handbook. Then let the girls add in their birthdays. Have the girls make their own life-lines with major events in their lives.

On March 3, Japanese Children's Day and Doll Day are celebrated. Fifteen special dolls are arranged in a ceremonial fashion with the Emperor and the Empress in a place of honor. Artificial cherry and orange trees and household utensils are included. Girls dress in formal kimonos and serve tea and cakes to friends. Perhaps you could sample some Japanese food or do origami.

St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17. Have a green meeting where you make green/shamrock crafts or eat green food. Eat potato soup, Irish stew, or make Irish soda bread or even baked potatoes. Have a potato toss.

Learn about snakes. (St. Patrick allegedly chased them out of Ireland.) [Note that in this myth "snakes" were a derogatory term for Pagans living in Ireland at the time. If any families in your troop are practicing Pagans, this could be a touchy holiday for them.] How many kinds of snakes are there? How many are poisonous and how many are beneficial?

Have a shamrock relay by making two large shamrocks out of green paper. Divide into two teams of equal players. Each team receives two shamrocks. At a signal, the team moves forward by stepping on the shamrocks. While standing on one, they must move the other one forward  for their next step. If you take a step off the shamrock before getting to the finish line, that player must start over. The first team with all the players across the finish line wins. 

Have a potato relay. Make a a line on the floor with masking tape for each team. The object is to roll the potato down the line with a a shillelagh (or a fairly thick, knotted stick). The player then runs the potato back to his team for the next player to use. The first team to get their potato over the finish line wins.

Beginning on March 21, Iranians celebrate the twelve day festival of No-ruz (Noh-rooz). This Muslim festival is symbolic of new life and growth, and the goodness of Allah. The festival table is spread with seven foods, all beginning with the letter "s" plus symbolic items. There is a legend that the earth trembles as the new year begins, so an egg is placed on a mirror and when cannons are shot, the egg trembles. Gardens of Adonis are grown with quick-growing seeds such as lentils and wheat. 

Plant some seeds and watch them grow, or plant some seedlings or plants. you could do some beautification at a local park or open space, or even join an effort to rid an area of non-native plants.

Passover is celebrated, which commemorates the Israelites' departure from Egypt and the first barley harvest. This is a family feast of Thanksgiving and freedom, with unleavened bread and many other traditional foods. Sample some of these foods and learn about the traditions.

Talk about good outdoor manners and conservation skills. Know how to protect and appreciate the natural world.

Take part in a conservation service project such as planting seedlings on a hillside to prevent erosion, repair trails, clean fire circles at a park, organize a newspaper or aluminum can recycling project at the girls' schools. Trim bushes to keep paths open, adopt a highway, take down old yard sale signs or flyers posted in the neighborhood. The possibilities are endless!

Hold a "Baby Shower" to benefit babies born to mothers in shelter or jail.

"Adopt" a grandparent at an eldercare home.

Make and fly a kite.

Go on a nature scavenger hunt. Have the girls find (but not pick - just show somebody else [or take a photo]) a smooth edged leaf, a Y shaped twig, something alive, a smooth rock, a pebble smaller than a pea, a pebble as big as a grain of rice, something that looks like something else, something prickly, somebody's food, a dark green and a light green leaf, a pinch of dust, a pretty thing besides a flower, something with more than four legs, something you pick things up with, a leaf with symmetrical veins, something dead, something yucky, something bumpy, a seed that travels by wind, something soft, and something furry.