1. One Little Flower, One Little Bee
P.A.T. 2008
A CHANGE IN ROUTINE
It’s Summertime! That means a change in our usual monthly activities. All Summer playgroups will be held in Lyons on Wednesdays during the month of June from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. There will be no extra activities during the month of July and any activities for the month of August are TBA. Home visits will continue as normal through the summer. We will resume our regular schedule in September. For more information on Summer playgroups, please see page two of this newsletter.
One Little Flower, One Little Bee
One little flower, one little bee. One little blue bird, high in the tree. One little brown bear smiling at me. One is the number I like, you see.
-preschoolrainbow.com
Parents as Teachers S. Workman, Lyons (620)
Shannon Buckman, ext. 152 Tracy Suhler, ext Kari Troyer, ext. 142

2. Princesses, Dragons and Knights...Oh My!
Get ready for some Medieval Fun! Here’s the scoop on our Summer Playgroups…
DRAGON HUNT, Wednesday, June 4th at the FEC (800 S. Workman)
We’re Goin’ on a Dragon Hunt! Join us for a fun adventure as we search for our hidden dragon. Children and parents will even get to work together to make their own dragons to take home!
KNIGHT RACES, Wednesday, June 11th at the Lyons Rec. Ctr. (1201 S. St. John)
Children and parents will work together to create their own stick-horse. Then…let the races begin!
PRETZELS AND PRINCESSES, Wednesday, June 18th at the FEC
Families will create their own yummy Princess treats and enjoy home-made pretzels. Each family will also receive recipes and ideas for making their own soft pretzels together at home.
FLOAT IN THE MOAT, Wednesday, June 25th at the FEC
Kids can enjoy the summer sun as they splash and play in our sprinklers and wading pools. They may also choose to create works of art with our sidewalk chalk. Please bring your children in swimwear and remember the sunscreen, hats and sunglasses!
ALL PLAYGROUPS WILL BE HELD FROM 10:00 TO 11:30 A.M. COME AND GO AS YOUR SCHEDULE ALLOWS. WE HOPE YOU HAVE A TERRIFIC SUMMER!

3. DON’T FORGET THE SUNSCREEN!
Fun with Science
in the Wading Pool
WATER OCTOPUS
Use a large nail to puncture a hole near the top of a clean, de-labeled soda bottle, and another near the bottom. Fill the bottle halfway with water, replace the cap, and you’re ready to perform magic. When you cover the top hole with a finger, nothing flows out of the bottom. Remove your finger, and out pours the water.
Now, add more holes. Kids will love watching air bubbles float upward when the bottle is submerged. Once filled with water, watch how some streams are stronger than others and how the streams change as the level of the water goes down. The streams coming out of all sides of the bottle look like an octopus! Experiment further by blocking different holes to see how that will change the remaining streams.
MELTING ICEBERGS!
Ahead of time, freeze some water in cleaned out milk cartons, margarine dishes or similar containers. Remove the ice from the containers and toss them into the pool. Kids will enjoy feeling how cold they are and watching them shrink as they melt. They may also be surprised that something so big and heavy will float.
WADING POOL TIPS
A typical 5-foot wading pool can usually entertain three kids. If you’ve got a crowd, use two pools. No matter how hard you discourage it, little kids will want to drink the pool water and suck on sponges. Keeping drinking water on hand may offset some of that. Most important, remember that even in shallow pools, children need constant supervision.
DON’T FORGET THE SUNSCREEN!
From: “Three Great Games for a Wading Pool” by Nathaniel Reade, Wondertime, Summer 2006

4. White Mud: A Great Activity for Toddlers and Their Dads!
Finally, your child can play with toilet paper without wreaking havoc on the plumbing! Younger tots will enjoy squishing, stomping and mashing this mixture like mud while older kids can shape it and create with it.
Step 1: Ask your child to help you unravel about 1 ½ rolls of two-ply toilet paper, then tear it off into two or three square sections. Put all of the pieces in a plastic tub or kiddie pool.
Step 2: Grate half of a 3.1 ounce bar of Ivory soap into the tub.
Step 3: Slowly add about six cups of warm water, 1 cup at a time, while you and your child blend the mixture together with your hands. It’ll take about 15 minute to mix it all up— hang in there, it’s worth the wait! Stop adding water when the mixture feels creamy and saturated. (You can add more toilet paper if it gets too runny.)
Step 4: Have fun! Help your child mold the mud into mountains, towers and other shapes. Store the mud at room temperature in a covered container; it will last for several weeks
The Little Chap Who Follows Me A careful man I ought to be, A little fellow follows me, I do not dare to go astray For fear he'll go the selfsame way. I cannot once escape his eyes, Whate'er he sees me do, he tries; Like me, he says, he's going to be, The little chap who follows me. He thinks that I am good and fine, Believes in every word of mine The base in me he must not see, The little chap who follows me. I must remember as I go, Through summer's fun and winter's snow, In building for the years to be The little chap who follows me!
DID YOU KNOW?..
The idea of Father’s Day began with a woman named Sonora Dodd in In 1972, President Nixon established a permanent national observance of Father’s Day to be held on the third Sunday of June.

5. POSITION AVAILABLE: Parents as Teachers of Rice County is currently looking for a part-time Parent Educator. Ability to speak Spanish is preferred. Starting salary of $18,000. Applications are available at the District Office in Lyons.
WANTED FOR PLAYGROUPS: A play table and chairs set for our kitchen area. If you are getting rid of yours or notice one at a garage sale, let us know.
FATHERS NEEDED: Expectant fathers, first time fathers and fathers of infants up to 12 months. We have a new program specifically designed for you!! Call Shannon at Ext. 152 and enroll today. There is no cost and the benefits are priceless!

6. Happy Birthday! June 2008 JUNE JULY AUGUST
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday 1 2 3 4
Dragon Hunt Playgroup
10:00 a.m.
FEC 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Knight Races Playgroup
10:00 a.m. Rec. Ctr. 12 13 14 15
Father’s Day 16 17 18
Pretzels & Princesses Playgroup 10:00 a.m. FEC 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Float in the Moat Playgroup 10:00 a.m. FEC 26 27 28 29 30
Happy Birthday!
JUNE
Willa, Dalton, Matthew, Kathleen, Emily, Braxton, Treyton, Kyle, Seth
JULY
Jersey, Allison, Braxton, Aria, Logan, Kali, Wesley
AUGUST
Jackson, Ellie, Ayston, Boston, Shelby, Kate Kaylee, Karissa, Aiden, Shaylee