Tuesday, 28 October 2014

Pumpkin Patch Visit



Pumpkin Patch Fun!

With Halloween just around the corner it's time to start getting in to the spirit of the holiday.  What better way to start than by picking out those pumpkins so we can carve them up in to creative designs later!

Last week Carolyn took a group of kids to a local pumpkin patch.  The kids all came prepared with boots for trudging through the mud and warm jackets to ward off that Fall chill. Luckily the weather held up, so it was a perfect day for a day at the pumpkin patch!
The kids got to explore the pumpkin patch and decide on which pumpkin they wanted to take home! Afterwards, the kids also got to spend some time playing with some of the lawnmowers (don't worry parents, they were kid versions) and little playhouses as well.  When everybody got back to Gilmore, you could tell that they all had a fun time.
Here are some comments about what the kids liked about their out-trip:
Quincy - "I liked that we got to play with the little playhouses, mini pumpkins and kids lawnmowers!"
Matthew - "I thought that it was the awesomest time ever!"
While it's so easy to just go buy pumpkins at a store these days, there's something to be said about the experience (especially for children) of going to a pumpkin patch, finding your own pumpkin and not being afraid to get a little dirty all while having fun in the process.

We all are excited to hear what the kids decide to carve on their pumpkins for Halloween!

Cheers,

Stu

Thursday, 23 October 2014

Today's Solar Eclipse



Today at Sr. OSC we heard about the partial solar eclipse that would be visible around 3pm. A lot of us were excited to try and view this eclipse but we knew we could not look directly at the sun. So we threw together a pinhole projection box and ran outside.  Everyone was super excited until we realized that it was overcast out.  During out debates about where the sun should be, someone spotted something to hold our attention; a bald eagle.  Below is some of the kids thoughts on our adventure.


Logan - "Sad that we didn't see the eclipse"

Johanna - "I can see a bald eagle more often than I can see an eclipse."

Ethan - "Sad we didn't see the eclipse, but the eagle was cool!"

Rohin - "bald eagle was pretty cool!"

Tyler - "Too bad I couldn't scratch 'seeing an eclipse' off my bucket list."









UPDATE @ 3:48pm

Guess what?!!? The sun came back out! Those kids who were waiting patiently for the sun to come out were rewarded! At 3:40pm the sun returned and it brought along the eclipse.  Here are some of the kid's thoughts this time around.

Johanna - "I've never seen one before, and I thought we weren't going to see it, what a surprise!"

Ryan - "I can't wait to tell my mom, she's going to be super jealous."

Tyler - "Checked off another box on my bucket list!"

Lyric - "I've never experienced anything like that before."

Matt - "IT WAS AWESOME!"

A bald eagle and a partial solar eclipse; what a day!



Take Care,

Carolyn



Monday, 20 October 2014

Hello Senior OSC Families!


Hello Senior OSC Families!

I hope your October is swell so far! It’s time to dust off the winter coats and have your warm drinks at the ready. Let me bring you up to date with some of the things going on in our programs.

On the 16th we enjoyed another successful Lantern Festival over at West! Although I was not able to attend, I heard the night was a great success, filled with fun drum circles, cool balloon animals, and apple bobbing station, an awesome puppet show area, and of course, some super sweet lanterns. The night went very smoothly, thanks in large part to our young OSC volunteers! Great job boys and girls!

As you may have noticed, our space is now warm and spooky with some fall/Halloween decorations! The kids helped in creating the hanging paper ornaments and I can definitely feel their excitement for Halloween. We always want their input because they are all so creative and all deserve a say in how the space should look.

Recently we’ve been having one of the warmest October’s I can remember so the playground has definitely been a popular choice. When it’s time to hang inside though, I have seen the reemergence of the game Dungeons and Dragons, which always draws a crowd. With wit, group imagination and cooperation some of the most interesting fantasy stories can be told and I am always captivated! It’s great to see a game that focuses on creating a journey and not necessarily a winner. Even better, it’s a journey you create with your friends. Kudos to those who play and my encouragement to those who would like to learn!

All the best everyone and see you soon!

James



Friday, 10 October 2014

Fun DIYs from Alicia!


Hello Friends and Family,
Finally, it is Friday, which means Thanksgiving weekend is here! Time for some delicious turkey and good times with our friends and family.

This month Ive decided to show you two easy, fun, and inexpensive crafts to create over this long weekend. The first project is an Olaf costume from the movie Frozen. Halloween costumes these days can be very expensive and this a costume that will not break the bank; it is also very fun to make.  The second project is a DIY decorative jar for Fall. This jar is great for the current season and can be used in a variety of ways. 

DIY OLAF COSTUME 
What you will need:
       White top
       White beanie
       Black, brown, and white felt
       Orange construction paper
       Brown pipe cleaners
       Some kind of stick (Example: chopstick)
       Glue (Glue gun works the best)
       Scissors
Instructions:
1)  Body
Cut 3 circles (roughly 3 ½”) from the black felt. Using a glue gun, glue them on the white top vertically like the body of a snowman.

2)  Eyes
Cut 2 more circles from the black felt (roughly 3). Then cut 2 circles (slightly smaller than your black ones) from the white felt. Glue the white circles on each of the black circles to create the eyes. Finally cut out 2 circles (roughly 1) and glue those on the white circles. 

3)  Rest of the Face
Cut 2 eyebrow shapes (roughly 3 long) from the brown felt. Then glue the eyes and eyebrows directly onto the white beanie. To finish off Olafs head, use the pipe cleaners and poke through the fabric from the top of the beanie and back through to create his hair. 

4) The Nose
Roll the orange paper into a cone shape and cut off the excess paper. Glue to your choice of stick and you have your nose.

And there you have it, your very own Olaf costume!  You can accessorize it as well by wearing sunglasses!

FALL MASON DECORATIVE JAR
What you will need:
       Craft leaves 
       A glass jar
       Twine or ribbon
       Glue Gun 

Instructions
Glue the leaves around the base of the jar. Make 
sure to glue the leaves to the bottom of the jar as well. Using the twine or ribbon, wrap it around the jar a number of times.  Finish off your jar by tying a bow at the front. These jars are very useful for items such as pinecones or candy and can even be used to create a candle by inserting a flameless tea light inside the jar.

Have fun creating these crafts!
Happy Thanksgiving and hope everyone has a great weekend.
Alicia