'Tis the Season to say Thank you!

Thank you to all the Mums and Dads who attended our Christmas event last Friday, together with your children. 

A fun time was had by all, along with an abundance of food and drinks (supplied by parents). Thank you! There was a small gift from Santa, play fun on the bouncy castle, and a delightful Christmas puppet theatre entitled "Little Star" ...

Playgroup raised $28.01 from our mini book fair, with books supplied by Anglo Store, in perfect time for Christmas. Thank you!

with Warmest Greetings for the Christmas holidays and I'll see you in the New Year!

Sheryl

Shining Stars - Playgroups Facilitator

Christmas for the Family at St. Andrew's

December 24 : Christmas Eve  There will be a bilingual service held at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Quebec City starting at 7.30pm.  It's a beautiful time of the year to visit Old Quebec  with family.

December 25 : Christmas Day  Since this is a Sunday, we will hold our regular Sunday worship, but with a special focus on the children starting at 10.30am.

January 1 : New Year's Day 2012  We will hold our regular Sunday worship, starting at 10.30am.  Join us for coffee in the Kirk
Hall at the conclusion of the service.

Shining Stars Playgroup - Christmas Event, December 8

Enjoy our "Little Star" puppet theatre telling the Christmas story, along with music and singing, a bouncy castle for kids, plus a craft activity, lots of play fun and a take home gift for each child!


There is also going to be a mini book fair for parents to purchase copies of "Little Star" plus other books for your children for Christmas.


Time:    9.30am to 11.00am
Cost:     $3.00 per family
Venue:  Valcartier Family Centre, 1039 Wolfe Avenue, Sainte-Foy, G1V 3J9
Google Maps - Link (Click here)

Little Star ... by Anthony DeStefano

Three Nice Mice - song and craft

Three nice mice.

Three nice mice.

See how they play.

See how they play.

They're always polite,

when they nibble their cheese.

They always say "Thank you" and

always say "Please."

They cover their noses,

Whenever they sneeze.

Ahhhh-Choo!

Three nice mice.

Click to create your own Folded Heart-shaped Mouse at home.

This Little Light of Mine

Have you and your preschoolers ever watched Patty on Kids' CBC television?  Join her in learning to sing and sign "This Little Light of Mine" from WeeHands.  This song was celebrated during the 2010 Christmas season and I would like to introduce it to everyone at Shining Stars.  Sheryl (Shining Stars Playgroups - Facilitator)

This Little Light of mine,

I'm gonna let it shine.

This Little Light of mine,

I'm gonna let it shine.
This Little Light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Everywhere I go,
I'm gonna let it shine.
Everywhere I go,
I'm gonna let it shine.
Everywhere I go, 
I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

I won't let anyone put it out, No.

I'm gonna let it shine (repeat twice),

let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Encourage your children to add more verses to the tune, and sing-along.

Get kids moving

The following excerpt is from the blog MOVING SMART (under the post "M" is for Monkeybars : Getting Ready for Writing)

"... Sometimes, it's just not possible to make it over to the playground for a turn on the monkeybars, so here are a couple of my favorites you can do at home to build upper body and core strength while the hands "wait their turn" in the developmental chain of events.

WHEELBARROWING

Wheelbarrowing around the playroom or out in the backyard is great for building up arm strength (in between the giggling, of course.)  Importantly, I recommend holding your child at the hips rather than by the feet. This prevents an unnatural bow in the back, while lightening the load on those little arms.

CRAB WALKING

Kids love this and you'll be amazed how far they can go with a little practice. Sit on the floor and raise up your seat using your hands and feet. Then crab - crab - crab along as far as you can go. Have kids go forwards and backwards too!

CATERPILLAR WALKING
See how slow you can go, inching along like a caterpillar! Walk your hands out in front of you, then walk your feet up to your hands."

Egg carton crafts

Very easy to make!

Help your preschooler decorate an egg carton with paint and crayons.  Cut out and glue on rounds for wheels from coloured felt or cardboard.

Let your little one search through magazines for pictures of people to glue on, as passengers on the bus.

Sing along to The Wheels on the Bus go round and round.  Encourage your child to make up the moves as you go along ... the people on the bus go UP and DOWN, the driver on the bus says MOVE ALONG PLEASE, the mummies on the bus say Shhh! Shhh! Shhh! ... the babies on the bus go Waaah! Waaah! Waaah!  

'Little People' make great passengers on your bus or boat (below)  To make the boat - take a small egg carton, cut off the lid and paint the exterior (flip it upside down, and this becomes the bottom of the boat).  Fold a piece of paper into a triangle, to form the sail and colour with your preschooler's help. Slit the egg holders into a cross (to hold the sail in place). 

For our imaginary dinosaur or dragon we used an paper egg carton.

Plastic egg cartons make a great painting palette too - just squirt a small amount of paint into each hole!

What Easter means to me ...

Today several of our playgroup Mums and preschoolers meet in my home, and we talked about the Easter story and how The Bible is God's love letter to each one of us.

We searched inside our tiny Easter eggs for hidden clues to the Easter story; and we found a cross, three nails and a stone.  These items remind us that the Bible says Jesus died on the cross for you and me.  The rest of our Easter eggs were empty; reminding us that Jesus rose again.  It's like a little chick that hatches from it's shell ... it's no longer inside the egg - the shell is empty, and the chick is alive!

Félix, one of our Shining Stars, volunteered to be wrapped like a mummy, (using a roll of toilet paper to symbolise the grave clothes of Jesus).  On Easter morning Jesus rose from the dead and He went to see his disciples and told them to tell people all over the world about him. He told them He was going to Heaven.

As a young girl I remember listening to stories from the Bible and being captivated that God SO loved the world that He sent His only Son, Jesus, into the world to die on the cross in order that everyone who believes in Him would receive Eternal Life (from the book of John, Chapter 3 verse 16).  As an adult I am even more captivated knowing that Jesus lived and died 2,000 years ago, and that He came not to condemn but to save which gives us hope.

I hope this Easter will hold a special blessing from the Cross of Jesus for you and your family.

Sheryl

Banana Cake, and Date-Filled Bars

The following recipes, enjoyed by Playgroup this week, were requested by Félix (one of our Shining Stars) for making at home:


BANANA CAKE

125 g (4 ozs) butter (1/2 cup)

175 g (6 ozs) sugar (3/4 cup) - white or brown sugar is ok

2 eggs

2 large mashed ripe to overipe bananas (or 3 if bananas are small)

1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda

2 tablespoons boiling milk

1 teaspoon baking powder

225 g (8 ozs flour) (2 cups) - try 1/4 cup whole wheat flour with 1 1/2 cups white flour 

Method

Grease and flour a medium cake tin.

Cream butter and sugar.

Add eggs, mashed bananas, then bicarb of soda dissolved in boiling milk.

Lastly add flour and baking powder, previously sifted.

Spoon into cake pan and smooth top.

Bake in a preheated 180C (350F) oven. Cake will take about 30 - 40 minutes depending on size of pan and how efficient your oven is.  Cool cake in the tin for 5 minutes, then remove cake and cool on wire rack.  Ice with your favourite frosting, or for lemon icing use 1 - 1 1/2 cups icing sugar blended with a tablespoon of softened butter and a little milk added to make a spreading consistency.

DATE-FILLED BARS

3 cups chopped dates

1 cup water

2 Tblspn lemon juice

¼ tsp ground ginger (if desired)

¾ cup packed brown sugar

½ cup butter

1 cup flour

1 cup rolled oats

1 tsp cinnamon

Method 

Heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.  Grease (not oil) or line a 9-inch square pan with parchment.

In saucepan combine the first 4 ingredients.  Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring occasionally.  Cream butter and sugar, then stir in remaining ingredients until crumbly.  Pat 2/3 of mixture into prepared pan, spread with date mixture.  Top with remaining crumb mixture.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown.  Cool and cut into bars.  

Donate to help the people of Japan

Two of our lovely Mums from Shining Stars will be at Place Laurier, Quebec City this evening (near the Brunet pharmacy exit to Place-de-la-Cité).

Please stop by and say hello to Shinobu and Vivian as they work voluntarily with the Canadian Red Cross and the Japan/Quebec Association.

The Red Cross will be visible in the mall from Thursday evening through until Sunday.

From the Red Cross website ...

The Canadian Red Cross will send additional financial support as the needs of people affected by this disaster unfold. Canadians can continue to support Red Cross relief efforts by making a financial donation to the Canadian Red Cross Japan Earthquake/Asia-Pacific Tsunami fund. Donations can be made online at www.redcross.ca/helpnow, at your local branch office or by calling toll free 1-800-418-1111.


Thank you.

Why teach music and movement to young children?

It develops personal growth through language, listening, co-ordination, concentration, memory.

It develops interpersonal growth through social skills, respecting others, working together.

It stimulates brain growth through multi-sensory stimulation.

It helps with learning movement, pitch and rhythm often used to reinforce learning of important information.

 It develops a child's imagination and creativity, and it's fun!

Invitation to a "Blessings of the Cross" Bible study

Dear Parents,

You are warmly invited to a weekly Bible study at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church on Wednesday evenings, beginning March 9th at 7:00pm.

The title of the Bible study is "Blessings of the Cross" and will focus on readings for each of the upcoming Sundays before Easter.

Please remember this is open to people who are not members of St. Andrew's and is a great opportunity to explore a little more about the Christian faith.

Event:    "Blessings of the Cross" Bible study


Date:      Wednesday evenings, beginning March 9th


Time:     7:00pm


Venue:   The Meeting Room in the Manse (next door to the St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church building)

To find out more, phone Sheryl (T) 418 353 8243

Sweet Potato Biscuits (Weelicious Recipe)

Posted by Weelicious and tested by one of our Mums from Shining Stars Playgroup - this fluffy 'biscuit' (also known as a 'scone') is made incorporating sweet potato.

Great to make a batch, then freeze in portions, and pull out for a quick morning tea snack!

Sweet Potato Biscuits (Makes about 20 Biscuits)

2 Cup All Purpose Flour
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Salt
1/4 Cup Butter, chilled and cubed
1 Cup Sweet Potatoes, cooked; and mashed
1/3 Cup Milk
2 Tbsp Honey

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Place the first 4 ingredients in a food processor and pulse to combine.
3. Add butter and pulse until it resembles coarse meal.
4. Add the sweet potatoes, milk and honey and pulse until the dough comes together.
5. Place dough onto parchment paper and knead 5 times to combine the ingredients and then shape into a flat disk (you don’t want to over knead the dough).
6. Place another piece of parchment paper on top and roll out with a rolling pin until 3/4-1/2 inch thick.
7. Cut into circles or other shapes using cookie cutter.
8. Place the biscuits on a Silpat or parchment-lined baking sheet lightly coated with cooking spray.
9. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden.
10. Cool and serve.

A snack-box or picnic treat ...

Here's an easy to make treat for snack-time or as a dessert (from this week's playgroup)!


Spiced Apple Cake

125g butter

2 large apples (grated with skin on) eg Granny Smith or use ½ cup of apple sauce and 1 large apple grated

1 cup of sugar

1 egg

1½ cups flour (if using a blend of whole wheat flour with white flour then reduce flour to 1¼ cups)

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp allspice

Topping

1½ Tbspn butter (melted)

½ cup rolled oats

¼ cup brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Method

1. Melt butter in medium-large saucepan.  Remove from heat and add apples, sugar and egg.  Beat to combine.
2. Fold in sifted dry ingredients.
3. Pour the mixture into a well greased baking pan (no larger than 23 cm).
4. Mix topping together and sprinkle on the unbaked cake mixture. 
5. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 30-45 minutes.

Different types of apples will vary the cooking time slightly.

This cake also makes a great lunch-box or picnic food.  Serve warm with ice-cream, cream or custard for dessert!