Library 'Digital Tour'

On Thursday, our OSC library club visited the Richmond Public Library at Brighouse. However, instead of the regular routine of checking out books, we
participated in an interactive ‘digital tour’. It was a really neat experience for everyone, and a really cool way of exploring our local community. 

The first part of the tour was all about circuits. The children 

were tasked with creating their very own circuits using the 

‘Little Bits’ kits provided. The kits were made up of different 

components that created light, noise, movement or power 

and it was the children’s job to customize the longest circuit 

possible. 

As awesome as the circuits were, by far the favourite part of the tour were the robots. Each group was given their very own robot and using the ipads provided, everyone got the chance to play and discover what the robots were capable of. It was so cool to see all the robots being driven around, and the children were even able to make them light up and talk to one another. By the end of the session, the kids were experts (almost) in maneuvering the robots and everyone had a great time learning a thing or two, but in a fun and interactive way!

Take Care,

Brianna

Snacking All My Life

Sorry Did you Want Seconds?

After a long day at the playground, and playing multiple games of

“Dare to Draw,” the Dixons were excited to have a delicious snack. So excited that one of them created a new version of “Crazy All My Life” by Daniel Powter.

Below is a recording of Emma singing her song, and the lyrics in case you feel like singing along.

Snacking All my Life

Well something got me shakin

My plate was an empty pit

I think I’ll I fall to pieces

Because my stomach is going flat

EMILY

I need those seconds because I’m really dying now

I’m a mess!

Every second is worse and the hurt is always brining me down

Help me!

Cause I don’t know if I can take it

Snack was so good I cannot fake it

Tell me you know

Can I have seconds of that snack

I try to be cool but I want more

Can you sneak to me through the side door

I need to know

Can I have seconds of that snack

Seconds of that snack

Well tell me you can help me

I’m nothing but a skinny elephant

I’m begging please,

Can I have some seconds of snack

Because my stomach is growling now!

EMILY

It’s all because I didn’t

save my annoying plate

all I know is snack makes you smart

and I’m empty

Help me

Cause I don’t know if I can take it

Snack was so good I cannot fake it

Tell me you know

Can I have seconds of that snack

I try to be cool but I want more

Can you sneak to me through the side door

I need to know

Can I have seconds of that snack

Seconds of that snack

That snack

Maybe you are just a fool like me

And you didn’t save your plate

Maybe we are just two fools you see

And maybe we need those seconds of that snack

Cause I don’t know if I can take it

Snack was so good I cannot fake it

Tell me you know

Can I have seconds of that snack

I try to be cool but I want more

Can you sneak to me through the side door

I need to know

Can I have seconds of that snack

Seconds of that snack

That snack (repeat 5x)

My plate (repeat 5x)

Animal Chain Game

Hello friends,

Today at Sr. OSC we played an awesome game outside, that I haven't played in years. It was such a great time that I thought I'd share our experience with you. We called the game "Animal Chain Game" or "Predator vs. Prey" and it goes like this:

Participants were placed into 1 of 4 different animal groups including:

Predator

Carnivore

Omnivore

Herbivore

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------





Each group had a different role to play. Whether it was finding food sources, finding water sources, tagging/eating other players or a combination of all the tasks.





The food/water sources were made of tin cans, string & coloured markers. Some were more challenging to find then others.


Once the children found a food or water source, they would use the markers to keep track of the items they've found.

It was a complex game, but it was really great to see our whole program participate in an activity they didn't know anything about and have it turn out so well!

That's all for now folks,

Matt

Hunger Games: A new game to keep cool!

Hey OSC Families!

As you know, the staff recently came back from a training weekend at Loon Lake. In between workshops, we tried out a new active game called "The Hunger Games". It was so successful that we brought the game back here to OSC to play with the kids!

Basically, we started the game in the middle of the field and filled up dozens of water balloons. We placed these water balloons in a "cornucopia" (which pays homage to The Hunger Games movie, if you've seen it) in the field. Each participant draws a name of another player at random.  The name that they draw is their target that they will try to hit with a water balloon. Once a player hits their target, they take that person's paper and that name will become their new target. This keeps going until there are only a few people left.  After that we play our 'showdown' round and crown a winner.

Once the game begins, each player runs to try and grab a water balloon, but they can only have one in their hand at a time. Some people were able to grab a water balloon and run away quickly to safety, while others were hit with water balloons as they were reaching for a water balloon. It made for a lot of excitement as every game was different! After the first game ended, we altered the game a little bit in terms of where the starting point was. Instead of being on the outside and running towards the middle for a water balloon, we started all in one big group in the middle, and ran to different water balloon stashes that were placed around the field. This changed the dynamic of the game and kept the kids on their toes!

This game was a great success and the kids had a great time. However, even if it is raining outside the game can be altered to be played indoors. Instead of water balloons, dodgeballs can be used.

Let us know if you have any great ideas for games that we can play at OSC. We're always looking for new ideas!

Until next time,

Ryan M

Dino Egg Soap!

Having trouble getting your kids to use soap while washing their hands? We've got a solution for you! These dinosaur egg soaps will not only wow your kids, but hopefully encourage them into adopting a good habit. The soap is relatively easy to make and a super fun craft! You simply need to melt some glycerin soap and pour it into a plastic egg container, place the dinosaur into the vessel and....voila! A dinosaur egg that doubles as soap!

Ingredients needed:

• glycerin soap
• a pyrex measuring cup
• tape
• plastic easter egg vessels
• mini dinosaur figurines 
• essential oil (we used coconut)
• coloured soap dye

1. Place desired amount of glycerin soap into the pyrex measuring cup and microwave until the glycerin soap is melted (approximately 40 seconds). Once the soap is melted, add 2-3 drops of coloured soap dye.
2. Meanwhile, tape the holes of the easter egg containers. Then, prepare easter egg vessels by splitting them in half and putting the bottom portion in a cup. Place plastic dinosaur in the centre of the egg and suspend it in the centre with a strip of tape. Pour the melted soap into the bottom vessel and let it sit for an hour.
3. After the hour is up, pour melted soap into the top portion of the plastic egg. While the soap is still liquid, snap the hardened bottom side onto the top. Let it harden for 2 hours or overnight.
   
   
   
4. To remove the plastic egg, gently push on all sides of the egg and pull it off. 

Here is also a handy step by step tutorial!

Cheers,
Monica

Questions Of The Week...

Hey everyone,

Next time you're in the multi-purpose room, come check out our new board! We've titled it "QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK". The concept is quite simple; each week we're going to ask three questions and it's up to the kids in our program to come up with their best possible answers. Their answers can be true, made-up, theoretical or even a bit silly.

On Thursday of each week, we're going to take all the answers and put them into a bin; we're going to pull one answer per question, and the author of each of the answers will win a prize. The concept behind the board is to get to know one another a bit more by sharing our thoughts and ideas with each other on a variety of different topics. Each week we will put up a new set of questions for the kids to try their hand at! We've chosen to hold the draw and change the questions every Thursday so that our Gr. 2s have the opportunity to join through our grade 2 integration.

This weeks questions include:

1) "If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?"
2) "If you could be any animal what would you be?"
3) "Why do you think birds fly in a V formation?"

So come check out the board and take a look at all the awesome answers that our kids come up with!

Until next time,
Matt

Play it Fair Week Six: Responsibility

After learning and discussing respecting diversity the week before, we moved onto our next value of responsibility. We were lucky that the rain broke for us and gave us a wonderful warm, sunny afternoon to play a new game of tag. Better yet, we were able to include our grade twos, allowing us to have enough kids to run two separate games at the same time.

To start the game, we divide the kids into smaller groups of three. In each group the kids were assigned the task of either being a tree or a squirrel.  Each group would have two trees and one squirrel. One of the groups was chosen to be foxes. If there were any kids who could not be in a group of three, they were also assigned to be the foxes to start the game. The role for each character is as follows:

Foxes – Using a pinny to indicate who they are, the foxes must tag a squirrel when they are outside of a tree. If a fox successfully tags a squirrel, the two trade roles and the fox gives their pinny to the squirrel.

Squirrels – Must avoid being tagged by foxes. Squirrels cannot be tagged by foxes when they are standing in a “tree”, as they are safe. When squirrels hear the phrase, “Squirrels go for a walk,” they must leave their tree and run to another one.

Trees – Two kids stand together holding hands to create a circle, which a squirrel can stand in. Trees must protect the squirrels, and can move around the play area to do so.

Once the rules were explained the games begun. We played three rounds total, and each kid was able to be a tree twice, and a squirrel once.

After we had finished our rounds, the kids gathered up and we had a discussion about the games. In one group’s discussion we learned which kids liked or disliked the game and why. A lot of kids emphasized the fact that they liked that they were able to play all the roles of the game, and sometimes in tag they were not able to do that. As well, many of our children agreed that they enjoyed saving the squirrels and making them feel safe. We also discussed different areas where the kids felt safe in theirs lives; some kids mentioned their homes and families, others said their friends, and some mentioned their beds and under their blankets. We asked the kids to think about where they felt safe and the feeling that they had during the game or in those places. Then we asked them to think of ways in which they could help others feel safe. We were given answers such as asking someone who is feeling unsafe to play with him or her, or even just sitting next to them and comforting them.

The other group led their game down a slightly different path. They eventually eliminated all of their trees and discussed how without having that safe space to go, the world would likely become chaotic and extremely tiring for those living in it. This led one child to acknowledge that if everyone was more helpful, and we all felt responsible for each other, it would solve many of the world’s problems.

Not only did this activity lead to awesome discussions, it gave us a new game to play that many of the kids enjoyed!

Thanks,

Katie