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!

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!

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!

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!!

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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!

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

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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!

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

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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!

Pumpkin Patch Info

(From Wichita Eagle)

Cox Farm Pumpkin Patch, daily through Halloween at 6059 S. Seneca. Open 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Thu. by reservation (cost $5); 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Fri.-Sun. (cost of $7 includes pumpkin). Call 316-524-8062, to check about additional hours, or check Web site at www.coxfarm.com.

Munchkin Pumpkin Patch & Fun Farm, pumpkin picking, wagon rides, farm animals, games, at 1031 N. Hoover Road, Peck. Open 9 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Wed.-Sat., through October. Admission $6, children under 1 free; school groups $5 per person. Cost includes wagon ride (weather permitting), one pumpkin and one gourd. Reservations required for large groups. Information, 316-209-6378, or www.munchkinpumpkinpatch.com.

Pumpkin Days, pumpkin sales, fall shop, children's hayrack and train rides, haunted house, pumpkin painting, maze, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun., Oct. 17-18 and Oct. 24-25, Prairie Pines, 4055 N. Tyler Road, Maize. Children's play, "Legend of Sleepy Hollow," staged at 12:15 and 2:15. Activity pass $10. Information, 316-303-2037.

Pumpkin Harvest Fest at Apple Jack Pumpkin Patch, pumpkin picking, hayrack rides, mazes, petting zoo, children's activities, pumpkin cannon, concessions, 10007 SW Indianola Road, Augusta. Open 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat., noon-6 p.m. Sun., through October. Admission $6, children 1 and under free (discounts available). Information, 316-733-8909 or 316-761-5029, online at www.applejackpumpkinpatch.com.

Walters Pumpkin Patch, children's activities and play areas, golf course, corn maze, hayride, pumpkin picking, at 10001 NW U.S. Highway 77, Burns. Hours 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Mon.-Sat., 1-5 p.m. Sun., through October. General admission $6 Mon.-Thu., $8 Fri.-Sun. Flashlight Maze, 7-9 p.m. Fri.-Sat., $8. Haunted Cannery, $13. Punkin' Chunkin', $1. Barrel Train, $1. Information, 316-320-4150, or www.walterspumpkinpatch.com.

L.A.F.F. Night TONIGHT!

Tonight from 5:00- 6:15 pm, Munson will be hosting L.A.F.F., or Library and Family Fun Night. L.A.F.F. night is FREE and open to all PAT families to attend. There will be several activity centers set up, taking a closer look at transportation and culture around the world.

Kids will have the opportunity to construct paper boats, practice their building skills with blocks, and more! Clifford the Big Red Dog will also be in attendance to say hello!

The Scholastic Book Fair will be open during this time, so be sure to bring along some money (cash, check, credit, or debit) if this is something you would like to take advantage of. There are books appropriate for PAT-aged children.

This is a drop in event, so stop in briefly or enjoy the duration! We hope to see many familiar faces!

If you have any questions, let us know!

Grins & Squiggles BOO BASH Recap

Last night, we joined together for a BOO BASH of sorts, sharing songs, stories, and crafts involving Halloween Themes!

The kids had a great time constructing footprint crows and playing with kool-aid play dough in orange, green, and purple!

The play dough was a big hit for all ages:

We made footprints big & small:





The kids made some very creative crows!





We even practiced with scissors:



Kool-Aid Play dough Recipe
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup salt
2 packages unsweetened Kool-Aid
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 cups boiling water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1. Mix dry ingredients.
2. Add in wet ingredients. Stir
3. Knead dough- careful- it's HOT! You may need to let it cool a bit!
4. Enjoy shaping, cutting, rolling, stamping, etc!

Store in an air-tight container.

Also, check here and here for some great Halloween songs, finger plays, and activities!

Mark your calendar for the November Grins & Squiggles event- Tuesday, November 3rd at 6:30 pm. We will be focusing on Thanksgiving, Turkeys, and all things T! Note that we will be meeting a week earlier than usual due to the holiday!

Grins & Squiggles is TOMORROW!

Join us tomorrow (10/13) at 6:30 pm in the PAT room (737 Munson) for some Halloween Fun! We will have a BOO BASH- Halloween crafts, treats, songs, stories, and more!

Featured Crafts-

Footprint Crow:



Salt Dough Ghosts seen here. (If I can manage to find us a microwave to use)!

Please note that we will be working with some messier mediums- paint, dough, etc. We will likely be doing footprints for one craft, so keep this in mind when dressing the kiddos!

Tylenol Recall

There has been a voluntary recall on several infant & children's products by Tylenol. Click here for more information and product specifications.

Ready, Aim, Play Recap

During the parent group at this months' Ready, Aim, Play, we discussed nutrition & the young child. Information packets are still available- just ask you parent educator to bring one to your next visit!

We shared two kid-friendly lunch/snack ideas. Click on the name to be directed to the recipe:

1. Snail Snacks



2. Lunch Ahoy!



For the boats, we made chicken salad with quartered red grapes, mayo, salt, & pepper. For the snail rollers, we used whole wheat tortillas, whipped cream cheese and 98% fat free ham.

Here are some great places to find kid-friendly recipes:

Kraft
Family Fun
Parenting
Parents
Disney Family
Eating Well Kids
Kids Health
Good Housekeeping
Redbook

Great Site About Childhood Nutrition:
My Pyramid Preschoolers

The Mulvane Public Library has several great resources about family cooking, nutrition, and children's health!

If you have any family favorites and recipes to share, contact me! We will be posting recipes on a regular basis here on our blog!

Join us next time for Ready, Aim, Play- Wednesday, October 21st from 10-11 AM in the PAT room. Our parent discussion will be on discipline.

Grins & Squiggles: Awesome Autumn!

Tuesday evening, several PAT families joined in on the Grins & Squiggles fun! We learned about owls, other words that begin with the letter "O", why the leaves change color in the fall, shapes, and the seasons.

The kids had a great time making owl puppets and leaf mosaics. We ended up with some very creatively arranged owls, and they were all masterpieces!










We also learned 3 songs/finger-plays about apples. If you were unable to make the meeting, here they are so that you can try them at home!

LITTLE APPLES (Sing to the tune of "Ten Little Indians")
One little, two little, three little apples,
Four little, five little, six little apples,
Seven little, eight little, nine little apples,
All fell to the ground.

APPLE TREE
Way up high in the apple tree (stretch arm up high)
Two red apples smiled at me (hold up 2 fingers)
I shook that tree as hard as I could (make a shaking motion)
Down came the apples, (make a downward motion)
Mmmm--were they good! (smile and rub stomach)

I'M A LITTLE APPLE (Sing to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot")
I'm a little apple, short and round,
I make a munchy, crunchy sound,
If you bite into me you will see-
I'm delicious as can be!

Please mark you calendar for our next installment of Grins & Squiggles- Tuesday, October 13th from 6:30-7:30 pm. We will have our own little Boo Bash in honor of Halloween!

Last Day for Registration!

Today is the last day to register for the upcoming Parenting With Love & Logic seminar.

This seminar will be held each Wednesday evening, beginning September 9th and ending October 14th. It will be held from 6:30-8:00 pm at the Woodlawn United Methodist Church in Derby. Free child care will be provided. You can register online by clicking here or you may call to register: 316-788-1507.

Frugal Families. Part III

Restaurants

Here is a running list of area restaurants that feature deals for families with kids. Please feel free to comment with any additions or corrections!

HuHot- kids under 4 eat FREE at the grill
Buffalo Wild Wings- $1 kids meals Mondays
IHOP- kids eat FREE 5-9 pm Mondays & Thursdays
Applebee's- $1 kids meals Tuesday & Thursday
Jason's Deli- kids eat FREE 5-10 pm Tuesdays.
Doc Green's- kids eat FREE 5-9 pm Wednesdays
2 Brother's BBQ- kids eat FREE 5-8 pm Wednesdays
Denny's- kids eat FREE Tuesdays and Saturdays
Piccadilly Grill- kids eat FREE 4-close Tuesdays
Souper Salad- kids under 4 eat FREE
Fazoli's- $1 kids meals after 5:00 pm Tuesdays

Parenting With Love & Logic Seminar

P.A.T. would like to extend the invitation to all of our families to attend an upcoming 6-week seminar on Parenting With Love & Logic.

Here is some great information from the Love & Logic Institute:

What is Love and Logic?
Love and Logic is a philosophy of raising and teaching children which allows adults to be happier, empowered, and more skilled in the interactions with children. Love allows children to grow through their mistakes. Logic allows children to live with the consequences of their choices. Love and Logic is a way of working with children that puts parents and teachers back in control, teaches children to be responsible, and prepares young people to live in the real world, with its many choices and consequences.

Who can benefit from Love and Logic?
Almost anyone will benefit from the Love and Logic approach. Our products especially help parents and teachers enjoy working with children through easy-to-use techniques. The Love and Logic approach helps children develop and grow in a healthy way, provides them with confidence and dignity, and teaches them how to become more responsible. The possibilities are limitless.

How is Love and Logic different from other approaches?
Love and Logic offers adults an alternative way to communicate with children. The Love and Logic techniques produce immediate results because the techniques are simple, practical, and easy to learn. The concepts behind Love and Logic place a heavy emphasis on respect and dignity for children and at the same time allows parents to grasp simple approaches instead of learning difficult counseling procedures.

This seminar will be held each Wednesday evening, beginning September 9th and ending October 14th. It will be held from 6:30-8:00 pm at the Woodlawn United Methodist Church in Derby. Free child care will be provided. You can register online by clicking here or you may call to register: 316-788-1507.

Please complete your registration by September 1st to ensure that the correct number of books are ordered!

The cost of the seminar is $10, to cover books and materials. Please contact one of the P.A.T. staff members if you feel that the cost will prevent you from attending.

Move 'N' Groove 8/26

Here are some photo highlights from our session last night: