Wednesday, December 9, 2009

PAT Dinner with Santa


December is such a busy month for families! We’d love to extend the opportunity to spend some time as a family and to engage with our families in our PAT community!

Tuesday, December 15th, we will be hosting our PAT Dinner w/ Santa from 5:30-7:00 in the Munson multi-purpose room. The PAT Parent Educators will be providing soups and chili for everyone, and we ask that each family bring a side dish or dessert to share!

Santa will be available for the children to visit and take pictures with, so don’t forget to bring your camera! We will also have a camera set up to take pictures, just in case.

We ask that each family RSVP’s with the number of adults attending, as well as the names and ages of the children attending. Please also state what you will be bringing to share- we want to make sure we have a nice variety of side dishes and treats, and we may request to have the gaps filled in at the end, if need be.

We request that you RSVP by this Saturday, 12/12. A special Parent Educator “Elf” will be selecting an age-appropriate treat for each PAT child so that they may receive a PERSONALIZED gift from Santa. This shopping will take place Sunday. We will, of course, have some extras, but PLEASE try to RSVP by this Saturday if you can.

Thanks!

Monday, November 30, 2009

PAT Announcements

Our district email system has been down for the entire day. If you have emailed questions or sent an RSVP for tomorrow evening's parent meeting, I apologize for not replying. I will do so as soon as I am able- in the meanwhile, feel free to call me at home (my number is listed on the emailed calendars) this evening or tomorrow.

Also, I will be emailing the December calendar once the system is back up. Grins & Squiggles has been cancelled for the month of December (originally planned for 12/2 at 10:00 am) due to the new preschool class in session. We will be modifying some of our times to fit the room availability. Thank you for your patience.

Happy Monday!

Parent Meeting Tomorrow, 12/1 @ 6:00 PM

Please consider joining us for a parent meeting tomorrow evening, 12/1, from 6:00-7:30. We will meet in the Munson library and we will be providing FREE pizza for adults and kids and FREE childcare!

Our topics of discussion will be family/holiday traditions and age-appropriate toys for the holiday season. Please RSVP to Heather (hleggett@usd263.k12.ks.us) by Tuesday morning to ensure that we order the correct amount of food. Please include the number of adults attending, plus the names and ages of children that will be attending. Infants may stay with you during the meeting if you wish.

We have 7 PAT families signed up so far- we would love to see that number increase!

We will also be holding a toy/book swap. If you wish to participate, please bring toys or books with all parts in good, clean working condition. Perhaps you may have some toys or books that are no longer age appropriate for your children. Once everyone arrives, we will have an opportunity to swap toys and books in hopes of finding something more suitable for your children at this time.

Contact us with any questions you may have, and we hope to see many of you tomorrow evening!

Monday, November 16, 2009

Wiggle.

Our PAT program kicked off Kansas reads to Preschoolers Week with a bang wiggle and a s-t-r-e-t-c-h!

Our fearless leader, Miss Debbie, prepared an evening filled with fun activities as we gathered for a pajama party in the Munson library. The kids began by making headbands so that they could each sport a set of ears that rivaled the book's main character. There were plenty of great ears constructed:











There was a station to decorate and stuff a lunch bag ball, a station to learn the importance of covering your cough, a station where the little ones could practice hand-washing the "glitter germs" away, and a puzzle/slicing station focusing on healthy fruits and vegetables.





Miss Debbie then read the selected book for the year- Wiggle by Doreen Cronin. Each child received a homemade rhythm wand with ribbons to exercise with! After the story time and exercise session, the kids were invited to climb, jump, and crawl through our obstacle course!









It wouldn't be a pajama party without a bedtime snack, so there were plenty of milk & cookies:





At the conclusion, each family was invited to choose a book to take home and continue practicing the message--- Read, Read, Read to your wee ones!

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Kansas Reads to Preschoolers Week...

... is upon us!!!

Kansas Reads to Preschoolers Week begins today and runs through November 21st. The book selection this year is Wiggle by Doreen Cronin.



Please take a moment to visit the website- there is some wonderful information on family involvement here.

Stay tuned for a recap of our KS Reads to Preschoolers event... coming soon!

Catching Up...

I apologize for the lack of updates on the PAT blog- I vow to do a better job! :)

Here are some photos from our Move 'N' Groove Costume Event:





















Didn't all the kids (and Moms and Dads and Grandmas and Grandpas and...) do a fantastic job with choosing costumes?!? So fun!!


On November 3rd, we held Grins & Squiggles- Thanksgiving, Turkeys, and all things "T". We had a great turnout, and I was very thankful Miss Debbie helped plan for some hallway activities- they definitely eased the "crowded" feeling!

The children did a fantastic job making finger puppets, lunch bag turkeys, and rings of thanks. They also stuffed the turkey and turkey trotted the night away!













As always, a HUGE thank you goes out to our families for participating! It means a lot to our program and even more to your precious kiddos! Keep it up!

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Upcoming Fall/Halloween Activities

UPDATED TO INCLUDE:
Saturday, October 24th, the Mulvane Rec Center will host a Halloween Carnival from 6:00-8:00 pm. All ages welcome. $2 per child, pay at the door. Wear your costume. Reservations requested- 777.0858


Mulvane's Safe Treat Night will be held Saturday, October 31st from 5:00-8:00 pm. Many downtown businesses participate, and it's great for the younger ghouls!


Preschool Story Time and Wee Read at the Mulvane Library will feature holiday/seasonal stories this month. Kids are welcome to wear their costumes the week prior to Halloween (10/27 & 10/30).

ORIGINAL POST:
I thought I would take a moment to share some of the family events coming up over the next few eeks in our area! Please feel free to add any additional activities that you know of to the comments section, or email me and I will update the post!


Trick or Treat Street at The Wichita Children's Theatre & Dance Center. "Trick or Treat Street," musical, trick-or-treating, games, activities and The Bubble Man for ages 10 and under, 6:15 p.m. Oct. 23; 10 a.m., 12:30 and 3 p.m. Oct. 24; 2 p.m. Oct. 25, Wichita Children's Theatre & Dance Center, 201 Lulu. Tickets $5.50, $7 with pizza. Reservations, 316-262-2282.


Night of the Living Zoo at the Sedgwick County Zoo:
October 23, 24 & 25, 2009: 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Bring your ghouls and goblins for a night of not-too-scary Halloween fun at the Sedgwick County Zoo! Several ghoulish activities, like pumpkin bowling and beanbag tosses, can be found throughout the Zoo. Take a stroll down jack-o-lantern lane, creep up to candy stations and let your spirit come alive!
Advance tickets: $5 at area QuikTrip stores, starting Oct. 1
Tickets purchased at gate the night of:
$5 for Zoo members
$7 for non Zoo members
Children 2 and under do not need a ticket.


Wicked Halloween at Exploration Place:
Wicked Halloween @ EP
October 31
Halloween finally falls on a Saturday and we’re ready to celebrate with these special activities.

-Meet the cast of Theater League’s WICKED in the morning. Located in EP’s Main Lobby.
-All-Day Activities, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
•Face Painting Become your favorite monster. Located in Kids Explore.
•Lions and Tigers and…Bats? Oh my! Make cutouts of bats using construction paper. Then fold them so they will fly like small paper planes. Located in Exploring Flight and Design.
•Witch Kit Construction “Conjure up” a witch’s hat and wand. Located in the Grand Hall.
•Make Your Own Monster Become a mad scientist as you invent your own creepy creature. Located in How to Make a Monster Traveling Exhibition.

-Scheduled Activities
•11:30 a.m.: Take a look at what’s in Grandma’s Closet (we promise it’s not too scary) and read during a special Monster Story time. Located in Discovery Room A.
•1 p.m.: Listen to presentation about author Edgar Allan Poe and read from one of his stories. Located in the Kemper Creative Learning Studio.
•2 p.m.: Calling all witches, monsters and ghouls! Win special gift from the Explore Store if you are voted to have the best Halloween costume. Judging begins at 2:15 p.m. and age categories include toddler (2 to 4 years), child (5 to 10 years), tween (11 to 13 years), teen (14 to18 years). Located in the Kemper Creative Learning Studio.
•3:30 p.m.: Delve into the history of the witching stick. Located in the Kemper Creative Learning Studio.


Barnes and Noble @ Bradley Fair is holding an event on Oct. 31, "Romp of the Wild Readers" at 10:00 AM to benefit the Fundamental Learning Center. Activities, arts and crafts, and story-telling through out the day. Live performances by Dino O'Dell, "A Not So Scary Halloween" at 11am and 2pm, with a costume parade after each. You can also purchase books for your local school, preschool, or library.

Also at B&N Bradley Fair- Halloween Story time Saturday, October 24th at 11:00 AM. RSVP requested.


Wichita YMCA
Halloween Fun Night- Andover Branch- October 23rd from 6-8 pm. Various Halloween Activities- free and open to the public.

Halloween Fun Night- East Branch- October 30th from 6-8 pm. Various Halloween Activities- free and open to the public.

Trick or Trot- North Branch- Oct 24th from 9-12. They will have a 1 mile run for kids in costumes, costume contest, pumpkin contest(bring in your already carved pumpkin to be judged), inflatables, games, and pancake feed. This is free and open to the public.


Michael's East Wichita
The Knack™ Halloween T-Shirt Event
October 25, 2009 - October 25, 2009, 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Use your hands to make a special Halloween t-shirt that is sure to spook. Just purchase the t-shirt of your choice and decorate it for FREE using our paint supplies! Purchase of t-shirt required.

The Knack™ Free Halloween Event
October 31, 2009 - October 31, 2009, 10:00am - Noon
Come and get your FREE trick-or-treat pail! Plus enjoy a free coloring activity, FREE Crayola® Model Magic® Fusion™ and a Make-It Take-It Halloween frame. Children will also receive a balloon and candy. While supplies last.


Hay, Hooves & Halloween at Old Cowtown
It is time once again to bring out the little ghosts & goblins, cowboys & princesses to Old Cowtown Museum for a fun- filled day of Hay, Hooves and Halloween! Saturday, October 24th from 9:30 am – 4:30 pm, and Sunday October 25th from noon to 4:30 pm. There will be haunted sights and sounds as well as trick-or-treating for the kids. Regular admission rates apply. For more information about the event, call 350-3321 or email CFahey@wichita.gov.


Kids Halloween Spooktacular at Borders East Wichita:
Have a Scary Good Time at Borders! October 24, 2009 2:00 PM. Bring the whole family to celebrate Halloween with fun games, spooky music, scary crafts and more! Ask a bookseller for more details.


Malloween at Towne East Square- October 31st from 3:00-5:00 pm. Costumes, face paint, and masks allowed for those 12 & under. Trick or treating for those 12 & under. No toy weapons.


Many churches hold Trunk or Treat events for the kids to trick-or-treat in the confines of a parking lot. While at Love & logic classes, Woodlawn UMC passed out invitations to theirs- Sunday, October 25th from 6:00-7:30 pm.


I am awaiting more information on Mulvane's trick-or-treat event downtown. As soon as I know more, I will add it in!


Also, don't forget Mulvane PAT's October Move 'N' Groove on Wednesday, October 28th at 6:30. Look for an email sometime this week to include location details- costumes are encouraged!