Great winter exercises (for kids)

Winter in the Northland Community may be non-existent but it is only a matter of time before snow is here. Don’t let the cold weather keep your family from getting up and moving.

According to researchers at the National Institutes of Health, once a child turns 9 their usual exercise drops from an average of 3 hours a day to under one hour day by the time they turn 15.

Here are some fun ways to start moving both indoor and out!

Indoor and Outdoor Treasure Hunts- make a scavenger list or hide special items indoors for kids to find. Families can also make treasure chest by taking a plastic box/Tupperware and decorating it with paint and stickers. Parents can bury the boxes in the snow and have your family hunt for them.
Indoor Golf- make your own golf course, putt under furniture or into plastic cups. Use ping pong balls for golf balls and plastic bats as clubs.Snow Artwork- Fill squirt and spray bottles with water dyed with food coloring. Mark off a smooth snowy surface, and let your child go to work. When he’s finished, “frame” his creation with branches or pine needles.
Snow Catcher- Store a few sheets of black construction paper in the freezer. When snow is falling, give your child a sheet and send her outside to catch some flakes. After she’s filled the paper, bring it inside and study the snowflakes with a magnifying glass. Discuss the different patterns.
Snow Sundae- If you’re comfortable with the cleanliness of your snow (the cleanest stuff is found just below the top layer), dish up a frosty snack. Mix two tablespoons of milk, 1/4 cup of sugar, and one teaspoon of vanilla with three cups of clean, fresh snow. Top this “ice cream” with whipped cream, syrup, and shredded coconut for the ultimate sundae.
Future Weatherman- When the forecast says snow, tape a ruler to the inside of an empty coffee can or plastic container and set it outside in an open space. Measure the level in the can after each snowfall, and empty it when the snow melts. Create a chart with your child to track total snowfall throughout the season.
Angel Art- Make snow angels and then decorate it! Fill in the outline with natural materials, such as twigs, leaves, shells, gravel, or pine cones.
Footprints- have one of your children close their eyes while everyone walks around the yard. Then have your child see if they can identify everyone’s footprints. This can also be done with animal tracks.  Ask who — or what — made the marks? Who in your family has the biggest feet? The most interesting soles? What kinds of animals live in your backyard?

*Information came from parenting.com and scholastic.com which are both great resources for parents.

*pictures are linked to their original websites

Happy Hearts

Valentines Day is almost here!

The Family Center is getting ready for the holiday, racking our brains for creative ways to give and make valentines to each other. Here are some great ideas we found to show those special to you some love on Valentines Day….and of course all of the ideas are fun for the entire family.

What we love about these projects is that they can be modified to fit your budget and personality. Plus most of these crafts can be made with things you already have in your home!

Materials: construction paper, scissors, heart stickers, eyes, black marker, glue.

Materials: toilet paper roll, card-stock paper scissors, hot-glue, pipe cleaners, black marker, heart stickers.

Materials: Construction paper, scissors, eyes, glue, heart stickers, black marker, foam.

Materials: paper, scissors, ribbon, hole punch, optional- paint or crayons to decorate heart.

Materials: Deck of Cards, hole punch, ribbon, tape, scissors, typed reasons or a marker to write your reasons.

* Pictures are linked to their original websites.

Home Sweet Home

If you were not able to make it to our open house here is your own personal tour.

The Family Center is excited to have our new home and grateful to Blandin Foundation for a $50,000 grant that assisted us in our down payment to purchase this wonderful property. We have room to offer our current programs and room to grow.

Welcome!

The Kitchen: In the kitchen of course, all of the staff members eat, and the preschoolers have breakfast and lunch here.

The Meeting Room: This is the living room where the Family Center has meetings. Other organizations are also allowed to use this space to meet.  Adult Basic Education meets in this room on Mondays.

The client room: If someone comes to the Family Center and needs to use the internet, make long distance phone calls, or needs to speak with a Family Center staff they can meet privately.

This is preschool cubby room: Children hang their coats here and then go downstairs for class. What a great play space!

Staff offices: Staff plan and store items for an intensive Family Home Visiting program, Adventures in Reading Home Visiting, PM Power learners, and A Second Chance Thrift Store.

Staff Office: This is the office for staff who work with Child and Teen Checkups, Family Support, and AmeriCorps VISTA.

This is the Director’s office.  She oversees the Family Center, grant writing, and all programming.

                                                                    

Baby Steps

The Northland Family Center is a sponsor of Baby Steps.

Baby Steps is a non profit organization that allows parents to  earn coupons by participating in programs and services that strengthen their families. They can then use those coupons to purchase brand new items from the Baby Steps store.

In the Northland Community parents can earn coupons for:

1. Home Visits through Adventures in Reading and Family Center Home Visiting program.
2. WIC Appointments
3. Well Child Checks
4. Prenatal Appointments

Come checkout the Baby Steps Closet at the Northland Area Family Service Center’s new location:

320 Eagle Ave, Remer, MN 56672
218-566-3636

The Baby Steps Closet will be open the second Wednesday of each month from 9-4 beginning in February.

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Family Fun Ideas for Christmas and New Years

It is nearing two of the biggest holidays…Christmas and New Years Eve. With all of the present buying, making of food, and working extra holiday hours many people forget to enjoy the holidays. Here are some fun ways to celebrate as a family (and maybe help entertain that houseful of holiday guests).

All of the ideas and pictures came from familyfun.go.com. Visit this site for more holiday crafts, recipes, and decorating ideas.

CHRISTMAS FAMILY FUN

Christmas Tree Skirt

We love this activity because it can be done for a small amount of money. It is a great way to spend time with your children and create Christmas decorations you will always cherish. Don’t forget to add your child’s hand prints, special family or friends hand prints, and maybe even the family pet.

Materials: 60-inch square of fabric, Scissors, Mug, Tacky glue or thick fabric glue. Optional: ½ yards of trim, Acrylic craft paint/Paintbrush, Glitter paint in a squeeze bottle, White felt

How-To:

1.  Cut a hole in the center of the fabric (use a coffee cup opening to draw a hole.)
2. Use glue to hem the edges of the fabric. Let dry.
3. Decorate!Use paint to make hand prints, add trim, make ornaments out of felt, etc.

Ice Cream Treewiches

 This is an easy project that kids will love to help you make. We love it because the recipe is versatile and can be used year-round.

Materials:  Cookie Dough, Food Coloring, Christmas tree cookie cutter, Candy “ornaments”, Frosting, Half-gallon block of ice cream

How-To:

1. Roll out the colored dough to 1/4-inch thickness between two pieces of waxed paper. Use the cookie cutter to cut out the trees. Bake as directed.
2. Once cooled, attach the candy with icing to half the trees. Cut a 1/2-inch-thick slice off the ice-cream block and cut out ice-cream trees with the cookie cutter.
3. Sandwich the ice-cream trees between the cookies, wrap in plastic bags, and freeze.
4. Makes 24 Treewiches.

Recycled Wreath

This is a great way to not waste wrapping paper. Kids will have fun making creative wreaths and they can be a last-minute gift that family will love.

Materials:  Paper plate, Gift wrapping, ribbons, tissue paper, Glue or glue stick

How-To:

1. Cut out the center of the paper plate (trace around a CD).
2. Cover the plate with glue (an older child may prefer using a glue stick), then have your child decorate it with leftover pieces of gift wrap, tissue paper, ribbon, and more.
3. To hang the wreath, tape a loop of ribbon to the back.

NEW YEARS EVE FAMILY FUN

Early to Bed?

If you would still like to have your child in bed by their regular bed-time this genius idea. Pick a time-zone that celebrates New Years at the child’s bedtime. Then make food and decorations suited for that place, dress up how that culture does, and make crafts unique to that place.

For Example: Celebrate Eastern Time in Miami. Eat seafood, wear bathing suits, play the hot/cold game by hiding a seashell around the house, and make blue jello ® with Swedish Fish ® inside as a fun treat.

 Noise Makers:

Fill plastic film canisters halfway with corn kernels and decorate with shiny stickers. Poked a hole in the canister’s cap (a parent’s job) and threaded curled ribbon through. Knot the ribbon on the underside of the cap, and let the rest stream out of the top.

New Year’s Tree

After you take ornaments down from your Christmas tree give it a makeover. Use ribbon, bows, balloon, candy, and hand written new years resolutions tied to string to celebrate the new year.

Bubble Wrap Stomp

Buy a package of large bubbles-bubble wrap and unroll it on a wood floor before midnight. Let children jump on it when the clock strikes 12:00. This way they can make a lot of noise and jump round without a big clean up.

Prevent Child Abuse

Family Center staff just volunteered at the Radiothon to end child abuse. This event raised over $65,000 for programs to prevent child abuse in Cass, Crow Wing, Aitkin, and Morrison counties. For more information visit: http://brainerd.com/radiothon/.

Linda, Brenda, and Rachel answering phones at Radiothon

Ten ways YOU can help prevent child abuse:

1. Be a nurturing parent: Children need to know that they are special, loved and capable of following their dreams.
2. Help a friend, neighbor or relative: Being a parent isn’t easy. Offer a helping hand take care of the children, so the parent(s) can rest or spend time together.
3. Help yourself: When the big and little problems of your everyday life pile up to the point you feel overwhelmed and out of control – take time out. Don’t take it out on your kid.
4. If your baby cries…It can be frustrating to hear your baby cry. Learn what to do if your baby won’t stop crying. Never shake a baby – shaking a child may result in severe injury or death.
5. Get involved: Ask your community leaders, clergy, library and schools to develop services to meet the needs of healthy children and families.
6. Help to develop parenting resources at your local library.
7. Promote programs in school: Teaching children, parents and teachers prevention strategies can help to keep children safe.
8. Monitor your child’s television and video viewing: Watching violent films and TV programs can harm young children.
9. Volunteer at a local child abuse prevention program: For information about volunteer opportunities, call 1.800.CHILDREN
10. Report suspected abuse or neglect: If you have reason to believe a child has been or may be harmed, call your local department of children and family services or you local police department.

This information came from Prevent Child Abuse America, which is a great resource for learning about child abuse, how to prevent it, and how to recognize the signs.

The Holidays are Here

The Family Center hopes everyone had a great Thanksgiving with family and friends. Here are some facts you may not have known about the holiday:

• Though many competing claims exist, the most familiar story of the first Thanksgiving took place in Plymouth Colony, in present-day Massachusetts, in 1621. More than 200 years later, President Abraham Lincoln declared the final Thursday in November as a national day of thanksgiving. Congress finally made Thanksgiving Day an official national holiday in 1941.
• The American Automobile Association (AAA) estimated that 42.2 million Americans traveled 50 miles or more from home over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in 2010.
• According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Minnesota is the top turkey-producing state in America, with a planned production total of 46.5 million in 2011.
• The National Turkey Federation estimated that 46 million turkeys—one fifth of the annual total of 235 million consumed in the United States in 2007—were eaten at Thanksgiving.

*Information from http://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving-facts

Many people in our community need help feeding their families. This Thanksgiving the Longville Food Shelf gave out 104 of holiday meals.

 The Food Shelf will also help families with a Christmas meal. Meals will be given out on December 14th.

For more information on how to help provide food or to request service please contact: Toni at 218-363-3949 or visit Tossed and Found Boutique whose proceeds go to supporting the Longville Food Shelf.

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