Good Afternoon!
Well, it's January the eighth and the kiddos are OFFICIALLY back in school!
(They were supposed to start back yesterday,
but because of the ARCTIC temperatures the last few days,
the return to school was delayed one more day.)
I am ALWAYS ready for the kiddos
to go back to school after Christmas Break!
Yes, this means that I have to return to school with them
at 6:30 in the mornings,
but I still can't wait to get Winter Break over with!
No, I'm not crazy!
Well, maybe I am...but still...:)
When the kids aren't in school,
we hold what is called "School's Out Days" at the YMCA.
Basically, it's like a camp/daycare
where kids ages 5-12 can come
and spend the day while their parents work.
We provide a schedule similar to our Summer Camp schedule
(minus the heat and visits to the pool, of course...).
The kids are able to participate in free gym time,
Kids' Fitness Programs, and Arts and Crafts
(that's MY specialty!).
We also occasionally take Field Trips,
have guest speakers come in, and have popcorn and movie days.
(This is sounding more and more like an advertisement
for the YMCA School-Age Department...)
Anyway, as I've stated in previous posts,
I am not a huge fan of Summer Camp...
okay, I DESPISE Summer Camp...
And with this being so similar,
I don't much care for it either.
I really prefer to work with the kids at the schools
during Morning and Afternoon Y-Achievement.
I guess the main reason is because the hours are broken up
and I'm not surrounded by little people
for what seems like hours on end.
But that being said,
I know that working School's Out Days
and Summer Camp is what is expected of me
in the position I hold at the YMCA.
Therefore, I try to do my best to suck it up
and make the best of it.
(But I'm still REALLY GLAD that school has resumed!)
Anyway, I wanted this Winter Break to be a little different
as far as crafts were concerned.
Usually, we have the kids make individual little crafts kits
(like something you'd purchase from Oriental Trading)
or do paper crafts.
This time, I wanted to do a couple of COLLECTIVE crafts
that would be kept at the YMCA on display.
(Let me just take a second to say,
if you're going to try something like this,
you MUST be committed to it!
It isn't the easiest thing to accomplish something like this
with a large group of kids
but I PROMISE it's worth it...IF you do it right!)
For the children (and myself), my boss had purchased
several blank 16X20 canvasses to be used at my discretion.
(I LOVE IT WHEN I GET TO DO MY THING!)
I had an idea do something abstract with a Christmas theme.
I drew a pattern on the canvas with a pencil
and then had the kids fill in the drawing with scraps of colored paper.
(We were very GREEN...we recycled old Christmas Cards,
wrapping paper, and bits and pieces of scrapbook paper...)
We used regular glue to attached the paper to the canvas
and then I used the same plain, school glue to cover
the entire canvas to give it a nice shiny sheen!
(Shiny sheen...lol...where do I come up with this stuff?)
What do you think of the finished product?
(Let me apologize right now for the bad photography...
the light is WAY less than desirable in my office at the Y...)
Personally, I think it turned out awesome!
But then, I might be a little partial considering the work
the kiddos and I put into it.
What kind of things do you do
with your kids when it is too cold to go out?
I need all the ideas I can get!
Thank you for viewing!
I am ALWAYS ready for the kiddos
to go back to school after Christmas Break!
Yes, this means that I have to return to school with them
at 6:30 in the mornings,
but I still can't wait to get Winter Break over with!
No, I'm not crazy!
Well, maybe I am...but still...:)
When the kids aren't in school,
we hold what is called "School's Out Days" at the YMCA.
Basically, it's like a camp/daycare
where kids ages 5-12 can come
and spend the day while their parents work.
We provide a schedule similar to our Summer Camp schedule
(minus the heat and visits to the pool, of course...).
The kids are able to participate in free gym time,
Kids' Fitness Programs, and Arts and Crafts
(that's MY specialty!).
We also occasionally take Field Trips,
have guest speakers come in, and have popcorn and movie days.
(This is sounding more and more like an advertisement
for the YMCA School-Age Department...)
Anyway, as I've stated in previous posts,
I am not a huge fan of Summer Camp...
okay, I DESPISE Summer Camp...
And with this being so similar,
I don't much care for it either.
I really prefer to work with the kids at the schools
during Morning and Afternoon Y-Achievement.
I guess the main reason is because the hours are broken up
and I'm not surrounded by little people
for what seems like hours on end.
But that being said,
I know that working School's Out Days
and Summer Camp is what is expected of me
in the position I hold at the YMCA.
Therefore, I try to do my best to suck it up
and make the best of it.
(But I'm still REALLY GLAD that school has resumed!)
Anyway, I wanted this Winter Break to be a little different
as far as crafts were concerned.
Usually, we have the kids make individual little crafts kits
(like something you'd purchase from Oriental Trading)
or do paper crafts.
This time, I wanted to do a couple of COLLECTIVE crafts
that would be kept at the YMCA on display.
(Let me just take a second to say,
if you're going to try something like this,
you MUST be committed to it!
It isn't the easiest thing to accomplish something like this
with a large group of kids
but I PROMISE it's worth it...IF you do it right!)
For the children (and myself), my boss had purchased
several blank 16X20 canvasses to be used at my discretion.
(I LOVE IT WHEN I GET TO DO MY THING!)
I had an idea do something abstract with a Christmas theme.
I drew a pattern on the canvas with a pencil
and then had the kids fill in the drawing with scraps of colored paper.
(We were very GREEN...we recycled old Christmas Cards,
wrapping paper, and bits and pieces of scrapbook paper...)
We used regular glue to attached the paper to the canvas
and then I used the same plain, school glue to cover
the entire canvas to give it a nice shiny sheen!
(Shiny sheen...lol...where do I come up with this stuff?)
What do you think of the finished product?
(Let me apologize right now for the bad photography...
the light is WAY less than desirable in my office at the Y...)
Personally, I think it turned out awesome!
But then, I might be a little partial considering the work
the kiddos and I put into it.
What kind of things do you do
with your kids when it is too cold to go out?
I need all the ideas I can get!
Thank you for viewing!
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