It is always an exciting time when warmer weather arrives. We are looking forward to a change in temperatures as well as seeing more of the SUN! 🌞

During the month of May we have a few celebrations....to include our wonderful teachers, staff, and school nurses. Their dedication every year is unquestionable and they all deserve to be “celebrated”. Please make sure to take the time out to share some appreciation, as this will definitely bring a smile to their faces!

We appreciate all you and all that you do, Thank you!! 🥰🤩

We also celebrate Cinco de Mayo, or the fifth of May. This is a holiday that celebrates the date of the Mexican army’s May 5, 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. This day, is also known as Battle of Puebla Day. While it is a relatively minor holiday in Mexico, in the United States, Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a commemoration of Mexican culture and heritage.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!! 🎉🎊

Mother’s Day is also celebrated during this month. Although celebrated differently from family to family, the spirit of the day remains the same. We honor all persons we call “mom” and /or fill the role for being that special person in our lives that support us through thick and thin.

Best wishes to ALL for a Happy Mother’s Day!! 🌺🌷

Playgroups are open to all and can be attended multiple times weekly.

**Children learn by repetition**

Playgroups are scheduled and offered according to need and interests of all participants. Currently playgroups are offered:

• Tuesday and Thursday from 10-11:30am.
• Afternoon sessions are available from 1-2:30pm if desired and enough interests

• Wednesday scheduling is reserved for Providers (i.e. private child care providers, daycares, and Early Head Start).
• Evening playgroups will be available monthly from 5:30-6:30pm (with registration required).

Please register here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdpfCKfQi6T8MOhBgJKvOQ-AlSzUKZXiqwad-NsGSUSWB9s3g/viewform?usp=sf_link

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/100087158001512/

The Judith P. Hoyer Center Early Learning Hubs, also known as “Judy Centers,” benefit everyone in Maryland by improving the quality of life for families. Through a dedicated staff of early learning professionals, they help prepare children age birth through kindergarten for school readiness. Located at Title I schools in every Maryland county, Judy Centers play an important role in the communities they serve. Judy Centers provide services or connect families with local service providers for some of the following options:

• Adult Education
• Case Management
• Developmental and Health Screenings
• Family Engagement Activities
• Parenting Classes
• Playgroups
• Early Intervention Identification

Each Judy Center is unique in meeting the needs of its communities, thus if there is a service you are in need of please let us know!

BUTTERFLIES

1. MAKE A BUTTERFLY SNACK: One day for snack this week cut up fruits and vegetables into shapes and invite kids to make caterpillars or butterflies. Matchstick carrots and celery work great for the body. Strawberries, orange segments, peach or plum slices, and raisins are all helpful too!
2. ACT OUT THE LIFE CYCLE OF A BUTTERFLY: Have kids crawl like a caterpillar, gobble up food, form a chrysalis and then emerge into a butterfly and flutter around the room
3. GO ON A BUTTERFLY HUNT: Head outdoors to see if you can spot any butterflies. If there’s time, stop by a local flower garden, too.
4. Preschool Butterfly Activities
5. BUTTERFLY ACTIVITIES FROM THE FREE PRINTABLE APRIL ACTIVITY CALENDAR
6. Caterpillar Egg Counting Mats – Create caterpillar egg counting mats to practice number recognition, counting, and fine motor skills as we learn about the life cycle of a butterfly.
7. Caterpillar Color Matching – This color matching activity is a tactile way to combine color recognition with fine motor practice as children will identify, sort, and use their fingers as pincers to push the colorful beads into the play dough caterpillar.
8. Butterfly Garden Play Dough – Gather play dough, small butterfly toys, and loose parts and you have everything you need to build your own play dough butterfly garden!
9. Spring Flower Butterfly Craft – Flower petals can be used for so many learning activities and crafts. Here we use them to create a beautiful butterfly craft.
10. Fluttering Butterfly Craft – Turn basic craft supplies into fluttering butterflies. Wear them as a ring, or use them as puppets for pretend play.

FLOWERS

2. INVESTIGATE A FLOWER: Find a flowering plant in your area. Observe it. Draw and write about it in a science journal. Discuss and label the parts.

3. Flower Squish Bag– This spring flower sensory squish bag encourages creativity by creating your very own flower garden while weaving in some early math skills too!

4. Flower Garden Play Dough Invitation– Mix up some black play dough “soil”. Then grab some fresh (or fake if you prefer) flowers and sunflower seeds for this flower garden play dough invitation.

5. Flower Petal Sticky Wall Math– For our flower theme we made a couple of sticky walls. First we made an open-ended art invitation with the sticky wall and different kinds of flower petals for the kids to make their own art and designs.🎨 Then we set up this math sticky wall…all the same materials except this time we drew large numbers on the contact paper for the kids to use flower petals and build the numbers. It was a fun way to combine sensory exploration and number recognition!

6. Play Dough Counting Garden– This spring play dough invitation is quick to set up. And it’s a great way to practice counting and learn about the parts of a flower.

BIRDS

1. KEEP A BIRD JOURNAL: Make a simple science journal by folding a few pieces of blank paper in half and stapling it into a book. As you go out and about this week look for birds and have your little one draw the different kinds of birds you see. Extend the learning by researching a little about some of the birds you find.

2. FEED THE BIRDS: Make a DIY bird feeder to hang in a tree at home or head to a local pond to feed the ducks.

3. BUILD A LIFE-SIZE PRETEND PLAY BIRD NEST: It’s sort of like a fort, and kids will have tons of fun pretending to be birds and caring for their baby birds in their “nest.” Keep it simple and just make a ring of blankets and pillows, or get more elaborate and use a play pool, cardboard box or something similar.

Email: judycenterges@gmail.com

Website: https://www.qacps.org/the-judy-center/
Location: Grasonville, MD USA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/100087158001512/
Phone: 410-827-9436