Mulvane Parents As Teachers

My Gym December 2010

2011-01-17T15:17:00.000-08:00

Holiday Party 2010

2011-01-17T15:10:00.001-08:00

Kansas Reads to Preschoolers Week: PJ Milk & Cookies

2011-01-17T15:01:00.001-08:00

Halloween Move'N'Groove

2011-01-17T14:56:00.000-08:00

Buddy Walk: 10-9-10

2011-01-17T12:31:00.000-08:00

KPIRC Parent Leadership Conference: Gage Park 10-2-10

2011-01-17T12:10:00.000-08:00

Move'N'Groove: 9-16-10

2011-01-17T12:03:00.000-08:00

CANCELLED: Grins & Squiggles 1/11

2011-01-10T20:15:00.000-08:00

USD 263 will NOT be in session tomorrow, 1/11, therefore we will be cancelling our Grins & Squiggles session for tomorrow evening. Enjoy the "snow day" and BE SAFE!

It's A New Year!

2011-01-06T07:46:00.001-08:00

I will work hard to get caught up on picture sharing here in the coming weeks! I will also work to create a blog schedule in order to share pertinent information throughout the year and really make this a great place for resource sharing! For now, I urge you all to check out this day-by-day family literacy calendar- a virtual calendar with daily discussion topics, book suggestions, activity suggestions, finger plays, crafts, and songs. You can find it here.

It's 'Kansas Reads to Preschoolers' Week!

2010-11-15T07:20:00.001-08:00

The 2010 Kansas Reads to Preschoolers Week is officially upon us!

For today (and every day), make it your goal to read with your little one. Here are some great tips on how to do this effectively!

Don't forget about our awesome KS Reads To Preschoolers PJ Milk & Cookies event this Friday, November 19th, at 6:30 PM in the Munson library. Read more and RSVP on our NEW facebook page! Be sure to invite your local friends with little ones birth-three to join in the fun!

Move 'N' Groove Tonight!!

2010-10-26T04:23:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder that our October Move 'N' Groove will be held tonight in the Munson library from 6:30-7:15. Feel free to dress the kids in costume!!

Grins & Squiggles: Apples & Worms

2010-09-08T12:24:00.000-07:00

Last night, we met for our first Grins & Squiggles of the school year. WOW, we had a fantastic turnout!

After we shook our sillies out, we read Ten Apples Up On Top!, and then did some apple & worm finger plays. Once we were finished, the kids practiced their cutting and gluing skills, making apple trees with construction paper and dot paint. We had a worm factory (aka play doh station) and some worm coloring pages, too!

We had a light snack of green apples, juice, and cheese "worms", and then headed outside for playground play and the most exciting part of the night for the kids- our "animal visitors"...

Remember, Grins & Squiggles is a GREAT opportunity for the kids to try things they may not have the opportunity to try at home! :)

Lil' Monkeys @ My Gym!!!

2010-06-20T15:10:00.001-07:00

Last week, we held our inaugural private playgroup at My Gym Wichita.

From My Gym's website:

My Gym has developed an extraordinary program and facility devised to help children 6 weeks thru 13 years of age develop physically, cognitively and emotionally. We have over 200 locations in more than 25 countries offering structured, age-appropriate, weekly classes that incorporate music, dance, relays, games, special rides, gymnastics, sports and more. Children have loads of fun as they gain strength, balance, coordination, agility and flexibility while developing social skills, confidence and self-esteem.

My Gym affords us a great opportunity to let our children explore their physical capabilities withing the boundaries of safety. We are thankful for the chance to offer My Gym open play time to our PAT families!

Take a look at some of the fun things our PAT "students" had the chance to try:

We are pleased to announce that we will be holding a Mulvane PAT My Gym playtime the third Tuesday of the month from 5:15-6:15 throughout the remainder of the summer! We hope you all will be able to join us next month!

For more information about My Gym Wichita, and for a schedule of the classes they offer, please visit the My Gym Wichita website or call 316.260.9122. My Gym also offers neat birthday party packages!

Lunch Bunch @ Island Park- Winfield

2010-06-12T15:40:00.000-07:00

Overcast skies wouldn't hold us back! Mulvane PAT joined for our 2nd Lunch Bunch gathering this summer at Island Park in Winfield, KS.

Island Park Playground was rebuilt after a fire destroyed the existing park in 2008. It's a beautiful playground, complete with its own "Tot Lot" for the under 5 crowd! Our kids had a fabulous time exploring the park...

Stay tuned for our Lunch Bunch destinations for July... now taking suggestions. :)

Summer Happenings...

2010-06-05T11:37:00.000-07:00

I've had several requests to compile a list of local activities, classes, workshops, programs, and places to see/visit over the summer. I will try to exhaust the possibilities in time, so if there is something that I leave out, please leave a comment, email, or call, and I will get it added. Thanks!

{Anytime you see purple text, you can click on it to link to the resource!}

Summer Workshops/Classes/Offerings:

Botanica
Exploration Place
Great Plains Nature Center
Kindermusik Derby
Kindermusik Wichita
Monart @ The Art Park
My Gym Wichita
Sedgwick County Zoo
Tanganyika Wildlife Park
The Wichita Art Museum
Wichita Center for the Arts
Wichita Children’s Theater & Dance Company
Wichita Water Center

Summer Reading Programs/ Library Classes:

Mulvane Public Library- 316.777.1211
Wichita Public Library
Derby Public Library
Andover Public Library
Borders Bookstore
Barnes & Noble Bookstore
Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge

Discount Summer Movies/ Movie Deals:

Dickinson Northrock 14 Summer Movie Series
Derby Plaza Theater Summer Movies
Palace West Wichita
Morningstar Community Church FREE Family Movie Nights
Dickinson Northrock 14 Family Value Sundays- Admission to all shows before 6:00 PM- $5.50. Concessions- 2 large drinks and large popcorn for $4.50 during this time period on Sundays.

Water Fun:

Mulvane Community Pool
Rock River Rapids
Winfield Aquatic Center
YMCA Aquatics
Wichita Interactive Fountain Parks

Recreation:

Mulvane Rec
Derby Rec
Wichita Area YMCA
Wichita Ice Center
KidsBowlFree.com

Parks:

Mulvane Parks
Derby Parks
Wichita Parks
Andover Parks
Winfield Parks
Rose Hill Parks
Augusta Parks
Maize Parks
Bel Aire Parks

Kansas Festivals and Fares:

Kansas Festivals & Fares Association
Compilation by Month

A Few More Favorites:

All Star Sports
Crown Uptown Children's Series
Great Plains Transportation Museum
Intrust Bank Arena
Keeper of the Plains
Old Cowtown Museum
The Donut Whole
Wichita Historical Museum
Wichita Wingnuts

Additional resources for finding things to do:

Wichita Searchable Summer Activities Database
Wichita on the Cheap Entertainment Section
Go Wichita
Eagle Entertainment Section
360 Wichita
Eagle article: Fun Things to do in Kansas this Summer!
"Top 10" Wichita Experiences

Lunch Bunch @ Great Plains Nature Center...

2010-06-04T13:21:00.000-07:00

We met at Great Plains Nature Center this morning for some PAT fun!

GPNC is a great local resource for families! There is an indoor museum, several live animals to view, a 2,200 gallon aquarium, a beautiful observation room that looks out over a great natural setting with plenty of wildlife, and a series of outdoor trails that range from 0.5 to 1.7 miles long.

We began inside. The kids made binoculars for our animal adventure. We walked through the indoor museum, visited the fish tank, and explored various sounds, sights, and textures in the many interactive displays.

Next, we headed towards the quail trail, where we saw a variety of plants, trees, flowers, birds, turtles, and bugs!

When we were finished with our trail, we headed to a shady spot under some trees for our picnic lunch. The kids had a great time and us parents were able to talk, share some ideas for summer and outdoor fun, and enjoy the breeze under the shade!

The best part about GPNC... it's a completely FREE place to visit with your family! They are open Monday-Saturday from 9 AM to 5 PM. Check online or call 316.683.5499 for information about upcoming events, classes, and FREE story times!

Grins & Squiggles Tomorrow, 5/7

2010-05-06T10:22:00.001-07:00

Join us for a special Mother's Day Edition of Grins & Squiggles.

Friday, May 7th
7:00-8:00 PM, come and go
Munson Library

Dads, Grandpas, and friends: Give Mom the night off and bring the kids on to make a special Mother's Day card and gift. OR, take time as a family to stop in and make something for Grandma, Aunt, or special teacher or caregiver! :)

Hope to see you all there!

Please RSVP to Heather: hleggettATusd263.k12.ks.us

Tomorrow is Ready, Aim, Play!

2010-04-20T13:23:00.000-07:00

Join us in the PAT room tomorrow (4/21) from 3:45-4:45 pm. The kids can enjoy open play time while the adults discuss our winning topic:

Making Family Memories... on a Budget!

Hope to see you all there!

Grins & Squiggles: How Does Your Garden Grow?

2010-04-15T14:53:00.000-07:00

We met Tuesday night for a special edition of Grins & Squiggles! With spring in full bloom, we decided to go with a garden theme. Miss Debbie led us in a caterpillar finger play:

The Fuzzy Caterpillar
(Tune: The Itsy Bitsy Spider)

The fuzzy little caterpillar
climbed upon a leaf.
She spun her little chrysalis,
and then fell fast asleep.
While she was sleeping,
she dreamed that she could fly.
And later when she woke up,
she was a butterfly!

Then, Miss Debbie told the story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, using a board book and interactive story boards. We worked on identifying various fruits and vegetables.

After story time, we broke off into groups. Some of the children stayed inside the PAT room for potato stamping, which promptly turned into finger painting, thanks to some fabulous imaginations!

Who's afraid of a big, bad mess? WE'RE NOT!!!

Our hallway activity consisted of hands-on gardening. Each child was able to plant a starter flower in a peat pot. We also planted pole bean seeds into small cups so that the children could witness the process of germination at home. Our students had no problem digging in and getting their hands dirty! Look at all of their beautiful work:

We closed with another finger play:

Out in the Garden by Jean Warren
(Tune: Down by the Station)

Out in the garden early in the morning,
See the red tomatoes all in a row.
See the happy farmer coming out to pick them,
Pick, pick, pick, pick, off he goes.

Additional Verses: See the yellow squashes all in a row; See the blueberries all in a row; See the green string beans all in a row; See the orange carrots all in a row; See the purple cabbages all in a row.

The older children were assigned a visual representation of each vegetable, and came up to form a row as we sang the appropriate verse. Not only did we learn to identify our veggies, we also worked on our colors!

All in all, we had a very successful garden edition of Grins & Squiggles. Hope to see you all next time!

Grins & Squiggles: Outdoor Fun!

2010-04-06T11:21:00.000-07:00

We met last week for some awesome outdoor fun! We painted with water, used sponges, made creations with sidewalk chalk, made egg maracas, and poured and sprayed water to stay cool!

See how much fun we had?

Infantino Baby Sling Recall

2010-03-25T06:56:00.000-07:00

More than 1 million Infantino baby slings have been recalled due to suffocation risk. Read recall notice and steps to get a replacement product here.

Grins & Squiggles TONIGHT!!

2010-01-12T07:03:00.000-08:00

Join us for some winter fun! We will meet in the PAT room (737 Munson) at 6:30 to delight in stories, songs, crafts, and a special treat related to snow, cold weather, and all things WINTER!

PAT Dinner with Santa

2009-12-09T11:01:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-30T16:43:00.000-08:00

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

2009-11-30T10:45:00.000-08:00

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.

2009-11-16T11:08:00.000-08:00

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...

2009-11-15T18:22:00.001-08:00

... 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...

2009-11-15T17:35:00.000-08:00

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!

Upcoming Fall/Halloween Activities

2009-10-20T09:43:00.000-07:00

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!

Pumpkin Patch Info

2009-10-20T09:36:00.000-07:00

(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!

2009-10-16T07:22:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-14T14:27:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-10-12T11:45:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-28T14:26:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-22T10:52:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-09-17T13:08:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-09-01T11:30:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-31T12:03:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-27T12:19:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-27T11:59:00.001-07:00

Here are some photo highlights from our session last night:

Move 'N' Groove Tomorrow!!

2009-08-25T18:17:00.000-07:00

We will meet in the Munson library for some hip hoppin' fun tomorrow, August 26th, from 6:30-7:15 pm. We hope to see you there, ready to get your move on!

Frugal Families, Part II

2009-08-21T14:04:00.000-07:00

Museums & Zoos

Mulvane is home to its own historical museum. Located in the former Santa Fe Depot downtown, this museum is full of rich Mulvane history. It is open Tuesday-Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Looking for something a bit more infant and toddler friendly? Wichita has several attractions for families on a budget! Here are some highlights:

Great Plains Nature Center- located on E. 29th St. N, just west of Woodlawn, GPNC is one of Wichita's best family-friendly FREE attractions. Indoors, you will find the Koch Habitat Hall, a small interactive indoor museum. There is a 2,200 gallon fish tank to explore. Outside, you can explore the Chisholm Creek Park by way of 2 1/2 miles of paved trails. All trails are stroller and handicap accessible. There are covered picnic tables available for use, as well. This summer, the GPNC staff holds a preschool story time on Wednesdays at 11:00 am. This fall, the Little Nature Lovers interactive story times will begin again. GPNC is open Monday-Saturday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Closed holidays.

The Wichita Art Museum- located on West Museum Boulevard, The Wichita Art Museum offers FREE admission every Saturday. Along with free admission, the museum hosts a monthly family art class called Family Artventures. During this event, families may drop in any time between 11:00-3:00 to explore the monthly topic and create some art masterpieces! These are the upcoming installments of Family Artventures:
Saturday, August 22nd- Puzzling Maxfield Parrish
Saturday, September 26th- Abstract Sculpture
Saturday, October 24th- Spooky Edgar Allen Poe
The art museum also offers a program called Art Start. From their website:
Art Start is a preschool immersion program that encourages reading abilities, communication, motor skills and visual proficiency for children ages three through five. Classes take place at 10am and 1:30pm on Tuesdays for children with a parent or adult sponsor and on Thursday and Fridays for small preschool groups. Free for 3-5 year olds and their adult chaperones, children over 5 are $3/person. Children under 3 must be in a stroller or front pack.
Themes and projects change monthly, so children can participate each month for a new achievement. For more information, or to receive our schedule, call (316) 268-4921 or e-mail education@wichitaartmuseum.org.

The Wichita Water Center- The Wichita Water Center offers a FREE class for kids 0-4 called Fish Tales. The second Tuesday of every month at 10:00, kids in this age group are invited to join the Water Center staff for story time and a craft activity revolving around a conservation/nature-based theme that changes each month. This class is free, and no registration is required. Fall schedule- TBD.

The Sedgwick County Zoo- It won't be too much longer before it's time for Winter Wednesdays at the zoo! The SCZ offers $2 admission every Wednesday from November- February. While it might sound chilly, our beautiful Kansas weather cooperates more than you may think to make this a great discount to take advantage of!

If you are ever in the Kansas City area, here are two places you MUST consider visiting with the kiddos in tow- did I mention they are FREE?
Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead
Kaleidoscope

So, what about all of the other cool places in Wichita that are a bit too expensive for the family on a budget to swing?

Museum Day 2009, of course!

Sponsored by Smithsonian Magazine, Museum Day is an annual event in which you can print out a pass for each member of the family for FREE that will gain you admission to a variety of approved attractions. This year, Museum Day will be held September 26th. Visit the above link to register and print your passes!

Here is the list of participating Wichita museums:
Botanica
Exploration Place
Kansas Sports Hall of Fame
Lowell D. Holmes Museum of Anthropology
Mid-America All Indian Center
Old Cowtown Museum
Ulrich Museum of Art
Wichita Art Museum
Wichita Center for the Arts
Wichita-Sedgwick County historical Museum

Our family participated in Museum Day last year- the places we visited were crowded but manageable. It was a great opportunity to visit some of the places we hadn't been in a while and stay within our family budget!

Again, I'm sure there are a other family favorites that we have forgotten in this category. Feel free to share your favorites below!

Frugal Families, Part I

2009-08-19T16:26:00.000-07:00

Parks

What better way to spend time as a family than some good old-fashioned outdoor fun? If the weather is favorable, the park can be like a home away from home for families with small children.

Many of you are probably familiar with the parks available in Mulvane. As most of you probably know, the Main Street Park gained some updated equipment earlier this summer. You can find a list of parks recognized by the city of Mulvane here.

Many of our PAT families venture up to Derby to enjoy all that High Park has to offer. From 2 nice playground structures to a walking path along the lake with ducks and geese to feed, High Park is a great place to spend some time. Here is a comprehensive list of Derby city parks.

A fellow PAT family brought attention to Island Park in Winfield. Newly reconstructed after a devastating fire in 2008, this community-built park looks like it is something worth checking out! While google maps projects a 38 minute drive time from Mulvane, a picnic lunch might make the drive more manageable!

Last but not least, there is always Wichita! Wichita features many city parks listed here. Many more warm days ahead may prompt a trip to one of Wichita's interactive fountains, listed here. Estimated shut-down dates for the fountains range from early to late October.

Not included on the list is the newly constructed playground at Sedgwick County Park. Photos of the new boundless playground can be seen here. Exploration Place is home to a very nice playground, broken down into units appropriate for children of different ages. Admission to the park at Exploration Place is FREE!

I'm sure there are a multitude of other family favorites that we have forgotten in the parks category. Feel free to share your favorites below!

Ready, Aim, Play- Activity Suggestions for Frugal Families

2009-08-19T16:20:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at our first installment of Ready, Aim, Play! Six PAT families took advantage of open playtime, and we had a parent discussion on free and inexpensive things to do as a family in and around Wichita.

Our list became pretty extensive, and we will highlight some of the suggestions right here on our blog! Look for these installments in the days to come!

Ready, Aim, Play tomorrow from 10:00-11:00 AM

2009-08-18T14:30:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder that tomorrow is our first installment of Ready, Aim, Play- our open playgroup. It will be held from 10:00-11:00 am tomorrow in the PAT room (Munson 737).

Our morning will have an open structure... pop in and out, explore the PAT room, have a snack, and join in for some parent conversation. Tomorrow, we will discuss cheap/free things to do for families in and around Mulvane, so bring your best ideas! We will also brainstorm a list of topics to discuss at future sessions.

Hope to see you all tomorrow morning!

CPR Certification Class- Sign Up Now!!

2009-08-17T06:25:00.000-07:00

Rick Brown, EMTI with the Mulvane Fire & Rescue, will be offering a certification class for Child, Infant & Adult CPR. The class is sponsored by the American Heart Association (AHA) and will accommodate a maximum of 12 people.

Saturday, August 22nd, 9:00 AM- 12:00 PM
Mulvane Rec Center
Cost: $20 per person (includes AHA certification card)

Contact Chad Phipps ASAP to register- 316.207.5077.

5 Important Facts about CPR (from Livestrong)

1. First Step in Saving Lives
CPR is a life-saving measure everyone should know how to perform. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is a series of rescue breaths and chest compressions used to keep alive someone with trouble breathing or circulating blood. CPR can be used until medical professionals can provide advanced life support. CPR helps supply oxygenated blood to the brain. Since it is impossible to predict when a life-threatening emergency will occur, everyone should learn how to perform adult and child CPR. It is also important to maintain current certification to ensure you can always correctly perform CPR.

2. Get CPR Certified
Several organizations provide CPR certification classes, including the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross and local hospitals. Check these organizations' websites or call the local chapter for class contacts and locations near you. Be sure your instructor is certified to teach CPR before signing up for the course. While taking the class, find out how you can maintain your CPR certification in the future.

3. When to Use CPR
Many different types of emergencies may require CPR, including accidents, electrocution, hypothermia and cardiac arrest. Before starting CPR, find out if the person is safe for you to touch and the scene around the person is safe for you to enter. For example, if the person has been struck by something falling, make sure there are no more falling objects before approaching the person. Once the scene is safe, determine if the person is responsive and breathing. Touch their shoulder and look for movements in the face or hands. To see if they are breathing, watch for a rise and fall in the chest and listen for the sound of air going in and out of their nose and mouth. If the person is not responsive and is not breathing, start CPR as soon as possible.

4. Learn the Proper CPR Technique
In a CPR class you will learn how to perform the proper CPR technique. CPR is broken in to three parts: ABC. A is for airway. Make sure the person's airway is open and positioned correctly so air can pass through their mouth into their lungs. B stands for breathing. Since the person cannot breath on their own, you will give breaths to force air into their lungs. C stands for circulation. Chest compressions, pressing the heel of your hands down on the breastbone, are used to circulate blood through the body when the person cannot do it on their own. Again, be sure to get proper training and certification so that you do the ABCs in a way that most helps the person in need. Always call for emergency medical assistance when giving CPR.

5. Know Special Techniques for Infants and Children
Every parent or person that spends significant time with babies and children should know infant- and child-specific CPR. There are several differences in the CPR technique used for infants and children because of their smaller bodies and their inability to hold up their heads. Parents should look for classes either focused on child and infant CPR or with child and infant techniques included in a more comprehensive CPR class.

Grins & Squiggles Summer Safari Recap...

2009-08-13T10:00:00.000-07:00

Our 1st themed Grins & Squiggles was a success! Six PAT families joined us for our safari adventure. The kids shook their sillies out, and we had a brief discussion about safari animals.

Then, the crafts began! We made a fingerprint giraffe and a CD elephant. Our parents were encouraged to discuss colors, shapes, counting, and sorting during craft time:

The kids were very proud of their accomplishments:

We rounded out the evening with a couple of animal-themed stories and a snack of apple juice and animal crackers. Again, parents were encouraged to utilize snack time as a learning opportunity. Some suggestions for doing so included identifying animals, talking about the sounds they made and where they lived, counting and sorting animals, and so on.

If you were unable to join us for Grins & Squiggles, there are a few crafts left in the PAT room (Munson 737) ready for assembly. Our PAT room may be utilized by PAT families during school hours- just stop and check in at the office.

We hope you will all be able to join us for our next Grins & Squiggles- Awesome Autumn! held Tuesday, September 15th from 6:30-7:30.

Grins 'N' Squiggles Summer Safari is tomorrow!

2009-08-10T14:27:00.000-07:00

Join us tomorrow evening (8/11) from 6:30-7:30 in the PAT room (737) for some safari fun!

We will dance, shake, and boogie to a few songs. We will make a thumbprint giraffe and learn about shapes & colors through an elephant-themed craft. We will listen to a story or two about safari animals, and we will discuss our observations & experiences with these animals. We will close with a snack and some tips & tricks for parents.

Hope to see you all there!

Welcome!

2009-08-10T14:24:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our new blog! We hope to share some important information with you about our program and the activities we have to offer. In turn, we'd love for you to share comments, reviews, and suggestions on our posts. Thanks for visiting, and we hope that you will bookmark our site for the future!