See what's happening at Especially for Children
 
      June 2016        Photo Gallery  |  Menu/Calendar  |  Spanish Newsletter  
Find us on Facebook Visit our blog
 

LEARNING TO GROW, GROWING TO LEARN
Welcome to our summer program!! It will be a busy summer talking about how we plant and grow our own flowers and food. We'll be making our gardens beautiful and eating what we grow. We will also learn about farmers--what they do on the farm and how they care for their animals. We are excited to create our own little farms!
 
We will be building some raised gardens on our playground so be ready for your child to tour you around our magical space. 
UPCOMING EVENTS
happyfathersday

FATHER'S DAY HAPPY HOUR
Join us for Root beer and pretzels Thursday, June 16 at 3:15!


BIKE DAYS AND SPLASH PLAY DAYS
We will be having bike day on Tuesday, June 14 and Thursday June 23. Bring in your bikes and trikes along with your helmets! We will be having fun showing off our skills as we maneuver the course the teachers set up for us. If it is raining, we will reschedule to a different date.
 
We will be having splash days during the summer starting on Wednesday, June 8. More dates to come depending on the weather. Please bring a swimsuit (or shorts and t-shirt), towel, and shoes that can get wet. Please make sure your child has sunscreen here at school

SPECIAL DAYS IN JUNE
Wednesday, June 8 - Splash Day
Thursday, June 9 - Bears Graduation
Super Jump week of June 13
Tuesday, June 14 - Bike Day
Thursday, June 16 - Dad's Happy Hour
Wednesday, June 22 - Dress as a Farmer
Tuesday, June 28- PJ Day

PARENT REMINDERS

VACATIONS
Summer is a time for vacations! Please be sure to let your child's teacher know of any vacation plans you have for the summer. Thanks!
LOOKING AHEAD
We will be closed on Monday, July 4 in honor of Independence Day. Please let us know on if your child will not be attending any other days during this holiday week.


PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

ENJOYING THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Going outdoors is an important part of our day at EFC. It gives the children a chance to stretch large muscles, breathe fresh air, take in the sunshine, and enjoy the freedom of space.
 
Going outdoors is not only fun, it contributes to the children's overall development. It gives them a chance to explore with all their senses, practice gross and fine motor skills, develop social skills, and begin to appreciate and respect other living things. Here are some examples:
 
When your child does this...
  • crawls through the grass
  • climbs on the equipment
  • picks up a pine cone to put in a bucket
  • watches a squirrel climb a tree
  • rolls a ball to another child 
Your child is learning...
  • to explore with all senses
  • to use gross (large) motor skills
  • to use fine (small) motor skills
  • to appreciate nature
  • social skills and dexterity
What we are doing at school:
When we take the children outdoors at school, we talk about the things we can see, hear, touch, and feel so the children become aware of changes in the weather and the seasons, the growth of plants, and animals. We help the children notice changes by asking them what is different about the trees, the caterpillars, or the sky. We wonder aloud where all these things come from. This is a great time of the year to be outside!!!

ESPECIALLY FOR PARENTS
SPLASH INTO SUMMER
Summer weather is finally here, and that means it's time to play outside. For many families, summer in Minnesota consists of special time in and around water. Lakes, beaches and pools are hot commodities once the temperatures begin to rise. How do you keep your family safe around water while still having fun?
 
A first basic rule is to always be within sight and sound of your child when around water. Even as your child becomes comfortable in shallow water, stay within reaching distance of him. It only takes a split second for him to slip on a rock or lose his balance.
 
Don't assume that someone is watching. When in a group, make sure that one or more adults are responsible for keeping their eyes at all times on the children who are in or near the water.
 
ALWAYS have your child wear a life jacket when around large bodies of water - in lakes, on boats, etc. Remember that water wings are not life preservers. The type that attach only to the child's arms will not keep the child's face and airways above water. Even the type that circles the chest should only be used when an adult is actively supervising the child and it should not be substituted for a life jacket.
 
Avoid distractions while you are responsible for children who are with you near water. Cell phones or conversations with friends can easily take away your focus.
 
Don't assume that if a child is splashing around in the water that he is just having fun. He may be struggling to keep his balance or to touch the bottom. And know also that drowning can be silent. Children count on adults to closely supervise them in the water. We can't let them down.
 
Swimming lessons can be invaluable for children, even as young as six months old.
In lessons children are taught to respect water. They learn that water can be stronger than they are. They also learn things like safety flips that encourage children to flip onto their backs in the water. The back is the safest position in the water. Children who use goggles should occasionally be encouraged to swim without goggles. That will give them the confidence that they can still swim successfully even if they don't have goggles on. It is also a good idea to let a child swim occasionally dressed in a t-shirt, water shoes and even a sweatshirt. This practice lets them know that if they ever fall into water with their clothes on, they won't need to panic. These methods of teaching water safety to children at a young age will further their respect for water and make them aware of their surroundings.
 
Children who learn water safety can look forward to a lifetime of fun around the water. We hope you and your family enjoy many types of water sports this summer!

TWIN CITIES
FAMILY EVENTS
Now-6/5 Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Children's Theatre, Minneapolis
Now-9/5 Dinosaurs, MN Zoo, Apple Valley
6/3-6/5 Edina Art Fair, Edina
6/18-End of Summer Big Back Yard, Science Museum of MN, Saint Paul   
6/19 Father's Day 5k Walk & Run, Maple Grove
6/24-7/31 Annie jr. Stages Theatre, Hopkins


We'd like to share with you a few highlights from our spring in-service training, which focused on positive and effective ways to introduce healthy foods to children and on STEM learning in early childhood education.



Especially for Children
8885 Evergreen Blvd
Coon Rapids MN 55433

Lisa Ward
Director, EFC Coon Rapids 
[email protected] 
(763) 784-0901

Connect with us: