Eggs to be dyed...

Egg dying is lots of fun.  It's one of our families favorite seasonal crafts.  While we have done the dyes that come in tablets from the local store...it is really cool that there are alternative ways to make your eggs have that Easter spirit...even without potentially harmful dyes.

And I will say on a side note.  A person might say..."It doesn't matter what you put on the shell...it won't affect the egg inside!"  But that is not the truth.  An egg shell is very porous.  In fact...just taking off a shell of a dyed egg...you will often find that the white of the egg has taken on some dye.  That happens as differences in temperature between the interior of the egg and the exterior of the egg take place and a vacuum is created...sucking whatever is on the exterior of the egg into the inside of the egg!

But I digress...

With the preschool...we have done egg dying with onion skins from the store.  To do that...you go to a store that has onions in a bulk bin.  Generally there will be a lot of skins running free.  Fill up a bag with them and pay for them with your onions.  If they look at you funny...just tell them about your fun craft!  Take those skins and put them in boiling water.  After the water has cooled to a simmer...you can put the eggs into the water and let them soak up the color until they are as vibrant as you desire them.  We like to put a leaf on the egg prior to submersion and wrap a pantyhose stocking around the egg and tie it off.  This leaves a beautiful leaf print on your egg!

Here is another method where a woman puts the skins directly on the egg.

Here is some great info on using a variety of plant products to dye eggs.

And finally...here is a process...that while I wouldn't want to pop one of these eggs into my potato salad...it makes use of an on-hand recycled resource...and the results are super cool.  It's dyeing eggs with old silk ties!

Alright...go make some memories with your families!

Sun Hats and Spring Break...

It's officially sun hat season again!

Just wanted to give you a heads up...that in the event you are looking for a lightweight...really good coverage hat...they are selling them at Costco for a really good price.  Hats that usually go for $40 or so are sold there for $15-$25.  The price difference is based on size.

Please label the hat with your childs and/or family name so that we know whose is whose!  Many of the parents shop at the same stores...and they are easily mixed up.

Also...just to remind you...the 18th-22nd is spring break...and we will be closed during that time.

Thanks!

Stephen and Lovell Nix

Savez Vous Planter Des Choux

Right now in circle time we are doing a traditional french song called Savez Vous Planter Des Choux.  The song talks about planting cabbages with different body parts.  We have started planting cabbages with our "doigt" or in english "fingers".  As the month progresses we will add more body parts to plant with.  It's lots of fun and I'm always amazed at how quickly the children pick up the words!

Here is a video with the song.  Enjoy!

Zittle's Farm Pumkin Patch Field Trip...

Just wanted to drop a note to let you know that this Wednesday October 13th is our annual pumpkin patch field trip!  Our groups tour starts at 9:30 sharp.  You can meet us there...or walk with us at 9am from our home.  The children will visit farm animals...take a hay ride...walk through corn stalks...and get a pumpkin!

Parents and siblings are welcome to come.

The cost is $6.00 cash per child (parents may also have to pay admission depending on number of parents present).

See you then!

New Preschool Year!!

We are so excited!  This year will be magical!

Here are a few things we're especially excited about...

Today the children and I started working on our new and improved "Nature Hut".  This one is taller and has more room to roam than it's predecessor.  Come the cold and rainy season it will be a wonderful place to huddle and get warm together...and even get out of the rain.  One of the children today suggested that we should drink hot chocolate with marshmallows in the hut!  Yum!  Well...maybe for a REALLY special occasion...but more likely we'll just have some herbal tea!

We have some baby chicks on their way from Murray McMurray hatchery!!  (As seen above in all their cute glory!)  The children love to watch them grow...and of course name them.  And collecting their white...brown...and even greenish blue eggs never get's old!

We also have plans for some special new things to do throughout the year.  Special outings...new activities...some more fun seasonal baked goods...and just more imaginative fun!

Of course the year will be filled as always with all kinds of songs and rhymes...games...puppet plays...and fairy enchantment!  We can't wait!

Girls Entering Puberty Younger and Younger...

Recently I have seen a few articles that speak of how girls as young as 7 years old are entering puberty.  I'm sure that all conscientious parents would want to delay their child's entering puberty as long as possible so as to avoid their child having to deal with the emotional and physical challenges that accompany it.  But not only that...early puberty is being linked to increased chances of breast cancer.

I bring this to your attention...so you can keep your eyes out for those things that are speculated to trigger the early development...and to keep your child away from them!

So what is causing this?  Most of the articles have "experts" saying something similar to the following...

"He speculates that its primary driver may be overweight and obesity, because estrogen is sequestered in fat tissue.  But environmental exposures to chemicals - including pesticides and endocrine-disrupting chemicals like bisphenol A, commonly found in plastics, and phthalates, which are contained in many personal-care products - could also play a role."

Many in the Waldorf community already believe that those things are poor for your health...and have adjusted their lifestyles.  Using metals and glasses instead of plastics.  Avoiding growth hormones in foods and other pesticides and herbicides by eating organic.  Watching the things that come into our bodies by eating and even what we absorb through our skin.

Here is some good advice...

"Until we know what the cause is, the best way to slow puberty may be to “start living green,” says Biro. “It may help for families eat together and to consume well-balanced diets. Regular physical activity may help, too.”

Floating Swimsuits...

It's summertime again...and time for swimming!

Just wanted to give you a recommendation if you are need of finding a way for your non-swimming child to stay buoyant this season. We are big fans of the "floating body suits". Here is why we like them...

1. They offer decent sun protection.
2. The floats are on the chest...not the arms...which allows the child full range of motion with their arms. It seems this helps them to learn to swim on their own faster.
3. If the child still feels they need more to keep them up...they can still fit a floating ring around their bellies.
4. They are comfortable for the child.
5. They look cool!

They make them for boys and girls...and are available most everywhere swimsuits are sold.