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.