Oct 178 min read

Copy of Ivy Learning Resource & Referral Newsletter | October 2024

Fall is just around the corner!

100+ Fall Activities for kids

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! (Did you sing that, too?) As the weather cools down and the leaves put on a show, it’s the perfect time to get those kids outside. It may feel a bit harder to spend time outdoors with school, holidays, and fall busyness, but it’s more important than ever to ensure your children get plenty of fresh air, exercise, sunshine, and Vitamin N (nature). To help out, we’ve put together this giant comprehensive list of 100+ fall outdoor activities for kids! The items, activities, acts of service, treats, experiments, and crafts on this list are guaranteed to get you outside and active, creating and exploring. Read the entire post here.

Get a free printable checklist here.

Meet the Newest Members of Ivy Learning

We are pleased to announce that 2 new staff members are now part of Ivy Learning in a brand-new role! We have added Family Support Specialists to both Northeast and North Central Teams.

The Family Support Specialists will offer support as a liaison for children, families, and childcare providers through facilitating connections and bringing resources based on identified needs. One example of their scope of work will be to provide referrals when appropriate to relevant services and resources within the community. As with all of the rest of the staff they will serve all counties in their regions, building relationships and assisting in communities.

Please Welcome Amber Huston in Northeast and Angela Turner in North Central!

Amber Huston Northeast

Angela Turner North Central

NC Article

What do children learn from creativity?

Through art experiences, children:

· Feel good about themselves as an individual

· Observe and respond sensitively,

· Express feelings and ideas

· Develop creativity

· Learn art, music, and movement skills

· Develop beginning understanding of arts disciplines

· Appreciate music, art, and dance from diverse cultures, times, and places

· Construct understanding

· Communicate what they know

-Adapted from “Who am I in the Lives of Children”

Creative arts gives children the chance to develop their awareness, to develop new skills, and increase their self-worth. As educators, we should provide the environment, materials, and experiences that support their creative development. You do not need to be an artist, a dancer, or a musician yourself to teach arts to young children. But you have to believe that these experiences and participation in arts is valuable.

From the Oklahoma Early Learning Guidelines:

“Creative skills are developed by engaging children in activities with play dough, sand, water, dramatic play, blocks, stories, art, music, movement, and a variety of other materials.”

Please give children the opportunity to develop their own creativity. We need creativity in the world and it starts in childhood. Also, remember that creativity does not just apply to “art”. It applies to everything in life. Every single one of us is creative in our own way. The best way to help children nurture their creativity is to nurture and grow your own.

Next month, we will talk about how to talk to children about their creations.

If you want to read more about creativity, visit this article: “The NASA test that reveals your creative potential”.

Tracy Hinton

North Central Resource & Referral Business Consultant

Reference: “Who am I in the Lives of Children?”

NE Article

Experiencing The Joys Of Fall With Preschoolers

Pumpkin spice-filling bellies and cozy decor on front porches can only mean one thing: the last golden days of summer are upon us, and we are transitioning into fall! Fall is one of the most fun seasons to experience with kids, no matter what their age. This makes it an excellent opportunity to discuss the changing of all the seasons and everything there is to learn about our changing weather patterns. Along with the learning moments the transition into fall brings, there are so many fun activities and creative projects to experience with your little ones! 

Whip-Up Some Halloween Food

A Halloween party wouldn’t be complete without spooky snacks! These Halloween food ideas are sure to be a hit:

Finger Dogs: With a few strategic cuts and some ketchup on hot dogs, they'll make your guests think you’re serving fingers for appetizers! 
Mummy Pizzas: Mummy pizzas are simple to make with just a few slices of bread, pizza sauce and some strategically placed slices of mozzarella cheese and olives. Place them in the oven for a few minutes for the cheese to melt, and you’ve got a simple and easy kid-friendly treat.
Apple Teeth:  Apples, marshmallows and some peanut butter are all it takes to make these scary-looking teeth. Cut the apples into slices and use the peanut butter to stick the mini marshmallows between the two slices.
Party Favors: Use latex gloves and fill them with your favorite candy and chocolate, then tie them with a ribbon. These make for great party favors for your guests!

Make a Halloween Tic-Tac-Toe Board

If you have a square-tiled patio, use black and orange chalk to color a 3x3 grid of squares in a clear area or set up a grid using yellow Halloween caution tape on your Springfree Trampoline mat. 

You can also use chalk and choose fun Halloween-themed items for your game pieces.

Costume-Crafting Party

Pull out the costume trunk and gather up your costume crafting supplies for a day of designing Halloween costumes on the back patio. Pick a sunny day and get to work snipping, gluing, sewing and modeling your best costume ideas.

Tip: If you want to enjoy the decorations for the season (and not just Halloween), you can design a scarecrow to live on or near the trampoline!

Pin the Spider on the Web! 

Have the kids use a black marker to draw small spiders on construction paper and a giant spiderweb on mural paper.

Cut out the spiders and put the spiderweb up on the wall. Take turns getting blindfolded, spun around, and trying to stick the spider on the center of the web with a pin or tape. Whoever’s closest wins a candy prize!

Zero to Three Annual Conference (Nov. 29-Dec. 1)

November 29, 2017 - December 2, 2017

ZERO TO THREE’s annual conference for adults who work with infants and toddlers will be November 29-December 1 in San Diego, California. Get up to speed on the latest research, learn from top experts in the field, and connect with colleagues from around the world. Visit the Zero to Three conference website for more information. https://dasycenter.org/eventcalendar/zero-to-three-annual-conference-nov-29-dec-1/

Reading corner

Infant/Toddler

Where Is Baby's Pumpkin?

by Karen Katz

Book Overview

In Karen Katz's distinctive style, an adorable baby searches throughout the house for her pumpkin. In Karen Katz's distinctive style, an adorable baby searches throughout the house for her pumpkin. Is the pumpkin under the leaves, behind the curtain, under the bed? NO! But Baby finds many other surprises as a ghost, a witch’s hat cute-as-a-button bats, and candy apples are found beneath each flap. Finally, after Baby finds her pumpkin, she is ready to go trick-or-treating and the final flap reveals a Halloween extravaganza.Pumpkin Magic (a Halloween Adventure)

by Ed Masessa

School Age

Where's My Mummy?

by Carolyn Crimi

This gently spooky read-aloud treat is also a satisfying bedtime book — sure to delight the youngest reader on many a deep, dark night. Little Baby Mummy wants just one more game of hide-and-shriek with Big Mama Mummy before bedtime. The night is deep and dark, full of friendly creatures that click their clack teeth and whoosh past on flippy-floppy wings. But who will comfort Little Baby Mummy if a small, scratchy-scratchy someone gives him a scare? Big Mama Mummy, of course! Fresh, comical illustrations complement this ever so- slightly suspenseful story with a satisfying ending.

Preschool

Pumpkin Magic (a Halloween Adventure)

by Ed Masessa

Book Overview

Pumpkins magically come to life and embark on a Halloween adventure in this whimsical rhyming read-aloud!

"Lonely pumpkin on a stair, glowing in the chilly air. Moonbeam magic lights a spark. Pumpkin rises in the dark! Pumpkin bouncing down the street, looking for a friend to greet. "With a little moonlight magic, these pumpkins come to life and set off on a raucous adventure in this laugh-out-loud rhyming adventure! Each page turn reveals new whimsical delights and giggles, as pumpkins trick-or-treat, have a food fight, and dress up in silly outfits. As daylight comes, the pumpkins roll back home, waiting until the moonbeams shine exactly right... and it is time again to romp all through the night! With bold, expressive, whimsical illustrations from Nate Wragg, and delightful rhyming text from Ed Masessa, this title is sure to be a go-to Halloween favorite for laughs galore

Activities for all ages to go along with the book and Halloween themed:

Simple activity and super cute. Trace their hands and can make some spooky cute Halloween decorations that can be treasured and put up every Halloween forever.

This is a classic I did this with the kids I worked with. I will give you an easy paint recipe evaporated milk, and you can mix food color or Kool-Aid for color put in dixie cups or an ice tray.

Have fun making memories with your kids and getting involved, you do not want to miss a moment of them learning and making treasured art for their caregivers.

2024 Certified Healthy Oklahoma Applications Now Open

The Certified Healthy Oklahoma 2024 Application Cycle has officially opened! Applications will be accepted online through November 1, 2024.

Early Childhood Programs are invited to complete their free applications online to receive recognition as a Certified Healthy Oklahoma Entity. Each sector will have their own application link that you can find on the homepage or under each sector’s tab. Click below tab:

Certified Healthy (oklahoma.gov)

Events

Ivy Learning Events

Upcoming Northeast Region Thrive Family Child Care Network events:

THRIVE Meeting - Music and Movement: Heather Cruz

Oct.26, 2024 – 10am to 2pm @ Vidalia’s Cafe in Tahlequah

THRIVE Meeting – Challenging Behaviors: Lana Pitts

Nov.23, 2024 – 10am to 2pm @ Vidalia’s Cafe in Tahlequah

Contact Ryan Sierra, Northeast Business Consultant for more information rsierra@ivylearning.org

Upcoming North Central Thrive Family Child Care Network events:

November 2nd: Project WET and Project Wild

December 7th: Nature Play

Reach out to Tracy Hinton at thinton@ivylearning.org or 918-766-2577 for more information!

Other Events

Events and Trainings

Ivy Learning is here to serve you!

Ivy Learning Child Care Resource & Referral serves the North Central and Northeast Regions of Oklahoma, which includes 19 counties. For more information and to contact your regional representative, expand the section below.

North Central Region: Kay, Lincoln, Logan, Noble, Nowata, Osage, Pawnee, Payne, Rogers and Washington Counties

Northeast Region: Adair, Cherokee, Craig, Delaware, Mayes, McIntosh, Muskogee, Okmulgee, Ottawa & Sequoyah Counties

Request Technical Assistance from our Resource and Referral Specialists

Ivy Learning Child Care Resource and Referral can provide technical assistance to childcare providers. Technical Assistance services help providers improve or enhance the quality of childcare through structured and intentional services which supports the development of specific skills and practices. As a result, providers will be able to implement knowledge about quality in their individual care giving situations.

Request Technical Assistance