Explorers (Fun in the Sun): Free Play

Connect 4 Launchers Game

When we arrive at Clubhouse, we first engage in free play with our friends. There are stations around the room set up with different activities. One of our new favorite turn taking game is the "Connect 4 Launchers." At free play, we practice how to join a game or an activity. It's a less structured time and we put our acquired and practiced skills to use, e.g., taking turns, sharing toys and materials, and staying with our friends.

We also played bowling today and used our self-made 'ocean in a bottle' bowling pins. All our hard work at Clubhouse over the last weeks definitely has paid off: We are pros in cheering, giving high 5s, and turn taking.

Adventurers: Newspaper Tent Structure (Fun in The Sun)

NEWSPAPER TENT: This highly cooperative activity was a big hit. We created a tent structure using rolled-up newspaper and tape. The focus was on teamwork to achieve a common goal. To attach the newspaper rolls two people working together were pretty much needed at all times: One person holding the newspaper roll and the other one securing it with tape. 

Here is the result:

To stay with the tent/camping theme, we also prepared S'Mores for snack. Everyone loved them.

S'MORES

Break a large graham cracker into two parts. One is for the top of your S'More and one is for the bottom.

Place one graham cracker part on a plate and top it with a large marshmallow. Put in the microwave on High for 10 to 12 seconds or until the marshmallow doubles in size.

 

Top the marshmallow with a square of chocolate and then with the remaining graham cracker part. Squeeze down until the marshmallow begins to puff out the sides of the S'More.

Adventurers: Summer Charades (Fun in the Sun)

Today, we played a games of charades. The category was "All the things you can find in the summer." Here are some of the things we acted out and guessed: octopus, sunscreen, sunglasses, swimming, hula dancing, surfing.

Charades is a great game to practice social and non-verbal skills (e.g., identifying expressions and body language) as well as to promote teamwork, to improve communication and to help with impulse control since the player(s) cannot say or blurt out what they are acting out. Its for all ages and it can be played in larger and smaller groups. Last but not least, charades promotes applying inference skills through visual clues.

Here is how we played it at Clubhouse:
A team of players drew a card out of a bag. They then acted out together what was depicted on the card, while the rest of the group guessed what it is. 

Here are some ideas how to break down the game and how to teach the game to younger students:

• Take turns drawing cards out of a grab bag, depicting summer activities or objects, and practice acting out what is depicted as a group first.
• Use a 'cheat sheet' with duplicate cards to help with the guessing.

Explorers: Ice Cream in a Bag (Fun in the Sun)

 ICE CREAM IN A BAG
 After our friends in the Adventurers group loved making ice cream in a bag so much, we had to try it as well.

HERE IS WHAT WE NEED:

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• ½ cup milk (any kind: whole, 2%, chocolate milk) or half and half.

                          

• ¼ teaspoon flavoring (or to taste, if the flavor is pure a couple of drops might be enough). Flavor suggestions: vanilla, chocolate, mint.
  
  

                 

• Ice

                         

• 6 tablespoons rock salt

                     

• 1 gallon-sized/1 quart-sized Ziploc freezer bag

                    

HERE IS HOW IT WORKS:

• Measure the ingredients and pour sugar, milk and flavoring in quart-sized Ziploc bag. IMPORTANT: Seal bag securely.

                            

• Fill the gallon-sized Ziploc half full with ice and add rock salt.
  
  

                               

• Place the quart-size Ziploc bag into the gallon-sized Ziploc bag and seal (you may want to double bag).

                 

            

• Zip outer bag shut (make sure is sealed well) and shake, turn, toss and mix the bag for at least 5 minutes.

     

Caution:

• The hands will get cold very quickly. You can use some towels as a protective layer.

YUMMY!!!

Adventurers: Recue Relay and Ice Cream in a Bag (Fun in the Sun)

“Rescue Relay”
This game is a great game that does not require lots of preparation or props but at the same time promotes good sportsmanship behavior. The game is from the book "The Ultimate Playground & Recess Game Book" by Guy Bailey, a wonderful resource with an endless supply of ideas how to keep students in large and small groups active. We tweaked the game a little bit to make it work for our group:

First mark  off two lines, approximately 30 feet apart. Students sit down next to each other on the ground behind the line with the exception of 1 player. who stands at the opposite site behind the other line, facing his teammates. On a starting signal, the single player runs across the field, chooses a teammate, and runs back to his line with his teammate, both students holding hands. The rescued player then runs back and rescue another player. The relay continues until all players have been rescued. 


Cooking/Science Project “Ice Cream in a Bag”
(see Explorers on 7/23 for detailed recipe):
  We were divided into small groups and made ice cream using Ziploc bags. 

 This activity is a great way to spark conversations and interactions. Here are some ideas:

• Offer a variety of flavors that can be made and let the students in their small groups decide what ice cream they want to create.
• Encourage cooperation throughout, e.g., one student holds the Ziploc bag open, while the other pours the ingredients into the bag.
• Facilitate conversations by asking structured questions: "What will happen when we start shaking the bag?" "How long do you think we will have to shake the bag?"
• Let the students vote on their favorite flavors.

Explorers: Summer Dips (Fun in the Sun)

Today,  we engaged in one of our favorite activities: COOKING.

Hands-on cooking projects are not only great fun for kids of all ages and skill levels but address all areas of development:

Social/Emotional: turn taking and sharing the different materials and tools; working together toward a common goal, namely preparing a meal together; promoting independence and self-direction by following a recipe; helping each other; trying new things; sitting down together and enjoying a meal as a group.

Language/Communication: learning new vocabulary (e.g., names of ingredients, cooking utensils); practicing asking questions and making comments while cooking; requesting; expressing an opinion (likes/dislikes);

Fine-Motor Skills: pouring, squeezing, cutting, mixing.

Cognitive Skills: following multiple directions; attention to task; understanding a sequence, organizational skills; measuring and counting.

We split up into two small groups and each group prepared a different summer dip: HUMMUS OR GUACAMOLE. YUMMY!!! And it was a toss up at the end: Some of us liked the hummus better and others preferred the guacamole.

HUMMUS

• 2 cans garbanzo beans: drain, keep liquid   

• 1 clove garlic crushed with garlic press
  
  

•  2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  
  

• 1 teaspoon salt (or less: TASTE)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
  

Combine ingredients in a blender. Blend on low speed, gradually adding bean liquid, until desired consistency is achieved.

Guacamole

• 4 avocados: slice avocados in half the long way (adult), pull out the pits. Use a spoon to scoop out all the soft, green insides. Put them in shallow dish and mash them with a potato masher.

• Add 4 tablespoons of lemon juice

• Add 1 teaspoon cumin

• Add 1 clove of garlic, crushed with garlic press

• 1 teaspoon salt (or less: TASTE)

• Mix all the ingredients together until the guacamole is completely blended. Tip: If you are not going to serve the guacamole right away, put the avocado pits back in. The pits will keep it from turning brown.