Space Wars

This week at Osuna, the theme is SyFy.  Ben led an enrichment club called Space Wars.  

Kids in the younger unit worked together in pairs to create their own space ships.  They spent a few days constructing their ships out of materials such as cardboard, tinfoil, Popsicle sticks, and pipe cleaners.  

After the ships were built and decorated, we took them outside for an intergalactic meteor shower of water balloons!  We divided into two teams and held a tarp up in between.  Hidden by the tarp, each pair chose a location for their ship.  

One child was the “seeker” and peeked around the tarp to see the opposing team; the seeker then gave the “launcher” a description of where to throw their water balloon. It was up to the launcher to throw his/her balloon over the tarp, in hopes of connecting with a ship on the other side!  Everyone had fun and got wet, and we strengthened our communication skills along the way by designing, constructing, and executing a plan with a partner.

By Shannon Donegan

Name That Fruit!

This week's theme at Children's Choice Sombra Del Monte Summer Fun Camp was the Game Show Network. We played a fun and healthy game called "Name That Fruit!"

Here's how you play:

1. Go to the grocery store and pick out the weirdest looking fruit you can find. 

2. Gather some cutting boards and knives

3. Have all the kids wash their hands 

4. Show the kids the fruit on piece at a time. Have the kids guess what the fruit is. Once they've guessed you can sneak in some geography and science by talking abouthow the fruit grows, where it originates, and what it can be used for.

5. After you've gone through all the fruits have the kids cut up the fruit in small pieces. 

6. All the kids do a blind taste test. You can do blindfold or just gave them close their eyes. After everyone has tried the piece everyone says "Name That Fruit!" And you discuss what fruit they think it is.

By Sommer Batterson

Roman Aqueduct Challenge

This week’s theme is National Geographic and Discovery Channel at Comanche

This week we learned how Romans got their water. As Roman towns got bigger, it became difficult for people who lived in towns to get drinking water. Because raw sewage was draining into the rivers, people who drank river water often got very sick or died. First in Rome and then elsewhere, Romans decided to build long stone channels or aqueducts to carry clean water from nearby hills to the towns.  The first Roman aqueducts were build in 312 BC.

This week Rebekah challenged the kids to build their own CC aqueducts. The challenge was to build an aqueduct to transport water from a short hose to a small kiddie pool using any resources they could find. After inventorying their supplies and brainstorming the team created a long snake like aqueduct consisting of pool noodles, flimsy cardboard tubes, duct tape and saran wrap. They quickly realized that wasn't enough, they needed gravity to assist them, so they spread out and used their various heights as part of the structure itself to ensure a slight downward gradient. Triumphantly, they celebrated by splashing into the pool.

By Josh Rosenquest

Jeopardy: Make Your Own

One of our themes for Summer Fun Camp 2016 is Game Shows. 

Check out our Pinterest Page for more of our Summer Fun Camp Themes.

For years, we have created Jeopardy games that we use with kids. We pick categories, and then create answers and questions - you know the game - no need for us to explain the format and rules.

Recently we created a Jeopardy game for Family Events. The kids and parents separated into teams and competed against each other to win prizes.  To sneak in a little education, we used one category that contained Children's Choice facts that we wanted parents to learn/know. We are including the categories, questions, and answers (below). Feel free to replicate!

We have also created a functional electronic Jeopardy game that uses Power Point. Click here to download the template, then just make your own edits to personalize the game for your organization.

Health and Safety Jeopardy Game

Family Jeopardy!

Category: Children’s Choice Community

For 100 Points
How old is Children’s Choice?
-17 years old

For 200 Points
Which two areas of our community are you allowed to take your shoes off in?
-The Quiet Area
-The Drama Area

For 300 Points
Name three holidays that Children’s Choice is closed for:
-Christmas, Christmas Eve
-New Years
-Thanksgiving, the day after 
-Labor Day
-Memorial Day

For 400 points
If you are going outside at Children’s Choice when the sun is out, what 4 things do you have to do before you go?
-Clean up your mess
-Put on Sunscreen
-Clip Your Name
-Ask a Staff

For 500 Points
Name all 5 staff that currently work at Children’s Choice ADO
-Erik
-Ben
-Miranda
-Samantha
-Marcus

Category: Children’s Book and Author

For 100 Points
'The night Max wore his wolf suit and made mischief of one kind and another his mother called him 'WILD THING!' and Max said 'I'LL EAT YOU UP!' ...' 
-Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

For 200 Points
'Once there was a tree.... and she loved a little boy.' 
-The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

For 300 Points
'A mother bird sat on her egg. The egg jumped.' 
-Are You My Mother? By PD Eastman

For 400 Points
'A told B, and B told C, 'I'll meet you at the top of the coconut tree'.' 
-Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr.

For 500 Points
'All children, except one, grow up. They soon know that they will grow up, and the way Wendy knew was this...' 
-Peter Pan by JM Barrie


Category: Animal Trivia

For 100 Points
Human beings have 840 of these in their entire body, while elephants have 40,000 of them in their trunk only. What are they?
-Muscles

For 200 Points
What's the difference between a turtle and a tortoise?
- TURTLES CAN LIVE IN WATER OR LAND / TORTOISES LIVE ONLY ON LAND

For 300 Points
Animal names: If a male chicken is called a rooster and a female chicken is called a hen, What do you call a male cat?
-Tom


For 400 Points
Which river in New Mexico and Arizona hsa the same name as a venomous lizard?
-Gila River/ Gila Monster

For 500 Points
The heaviest crustacean ever captured was 3 foot 6 inches long and weighed 44 pounds. What kind of animal was it?
-A Lobster

Category: Cartoons

For 100 Points
What blue-skinned cartoon characters took North America by storm in 1981?
-The Smurfs

For 200 Points
What cartoon features a team of superheroes that includes Cyborg, Beast Boy, Starfire, and Raven?
-Teen Titans

For 300 Points
What cartoon characters were created when Professor Utonium accidentally added "Chemical X" to a concoction that also included sugar, spice, and everything nice?
-The Powerpuff Girls

For 400 Points
What cartoon, accompanied by a collectible card game, became a huge hit in Japan in 1998?
-Yu-gi-oh

For 500 Points
Who is the creator of television's most popular dysfunctional family, The Simpsons ?
-Matt Groening

Category: Mythical Creatures

For 100 Points
This legendary creature roamed the forest of Europe and never was tamed. It had a single magical horn growing from its head.
-Unicorn

For 200 Points
I was a mythical creature found in the sea. I was half human, half fish. The female of the species was most commonly reported. A classic children's fairy tale and a Disney movie were about me.
-Mermaid

For 300 Points
I am a symbol of rebirth, as I was born many times. I was born of fire. Every 500 years I would be set aflame and then I would rise from the ashes.
-Phoenix

For 400 Points
Which 19th century horror novel was written by Mary Shelley?
-Frankenstein

For 500 Points
According to Greek mythology, every time one of this dragon-like monster's heads was cut off, two more grew in its place. It was finally killed by Hercules. What was it?


-Hydra

By Erik Wolf

A Day in the Life of a Children's Choice Kid

We wanted to know what it was like to spend the day as a Children's Choice kid.    

Marli, a 5th grader,  graciously let us follow her around for one afternoon.   You can see the many activities she did that day, such as a lottery drawing, practicing for a talent show, and hanging out in the older kids area.

Kym’s Sandwich Sushi

We had a great time making, plating and garnishing our very own sandwich sushi. Everyone had the chance to design and construct their own sushi roll based on their individual tastes, likes, and dislikes. Many voiced ideas about other ingredients one could use inside the sushi roll and everyone was excited to repeat their experience at home. Parents were also pleasantly surprised to see their children so excited about making a healthy snack or lunch for themselves. We also loved hearing one of the children explaining to their parents the nuances of aesthetics in terms of plating and garnishing, “Just like in a restaurant!” Sandwich Sushi was a success on all counts! 

See below for recipe. 

Sandwich Sushi:

1 Tortilla

1 Cream Cheese Packet (or 3 TBS)

1 piece deli ham (or sandwich meat of your choice)

1 shredded carrot

1 red bell pepper, sliced thin

1 lettuce leaf

1 cucumber, sliced length wise

Cilantro (for garnish)

Slice 1 inch strip off the end of the tortilla, to make a straight edge. Spread tortilla with cream cheese, place ham, lettuce, cucumber, carrot and red bell pepper on opposite end of tortilla from straight edge, Tightly roll tortilla toward straight edge. Slice ½ inch pieces of “sushi” from the now rolled “sushi roll”. Plate sushi pieces on a plate and garnish with cilantro. Enjoy!

How to Earn Money Having Fun!

Let’s face it, finding a job is hard.  It’s even more difficult to find a good job that actually makes a positive difference in your life and the lives of others.  But at Children’s Choice they have a secret strategy for keeping their employees happy.  You want to know the secret?  It’s simple.

They value their employees.

It’s not just my opinion that Children’s Choice is one of the best places to work. Children’s Choice has been awarded by the Albuquerque Journal 3 years in a row for being a Top Workplace for Small Businesses in New Mexico.

Here are just some of the many reason why Children’s Choice is one of the best places to work at in New Mexico.

1. It makes a positive difference. 

CC (Children’s Choice) is a before and after-school program that offers a safe place for kids to go when they aren’t in school.  Not only is it a model of quality for after-school care, it is Nationally Accredited.   Additionally, many former CC kids have shared stories about their experiences in our program and attribute a part of their success to those experiences and their relationships with CC staff.

2. It’s all about the...

Randomly ask a CC staff person CC to finish this phrase, “It’s  about the…” and without hesitation they will shout “RELATIONSHIPS!”  This is because CC highly values the interactions between kids, staff, and families.  

CC focuses on positive and meaningful interactions.  It’s the only time during the day when adults can spend significant time with kids in a small setting, doing fun, enriching activities.  Staff are trained to pay attention to kids needs and teach positive social interactions.  These are life long skills that children and adults need to achieve success in life.

3. You feel appreciated and valued. 

At CC, staff is always highly valued.  Part-time employees get 8 paid holidays, and 9 paid holidays your second year.  Full time staff has access to health, dental and vision care, as well as a 401K with 7% matching, life insurance, and 10 days paid leave every year.

Not only that, Children’s Choice makes over 70 hours of paid training available each year.  Mike and Chelsea Ashcraft, the CEOs of Children’s Choice, travel the country to provide training at conferences and other after-school programs.  But more importantly, they train their own staff.   CC, unlike most businesses, allows staff to learn the philosophies and values directly from the founders, and if you have any questions you can ask them directly.

4. It’s a lot of FUN!

Children’s Choice is a place where play is required.   After-School should be a time when kids can be themselves, so we encourage staff to play.  Not only that, we go on fields trips, do fun activities, and have enrichment clubs.  

You can bring your passion to CC.  Staff get to make their own curriculum and bring in their interests and talents to share with the kids.  This means that if you’re into cooking, you can teach a group of kids how to cook.  If you’re into science, you can do a science project with the kids.  If you like music, you can start your own band with the kids.  A big part of the CC is the experience we create, and we always want to the experience to be FUN!

5. The company’s values align with yours. 

At the end of the day, it’s what you want that really matters.  There are a ton of jobs that you can get that won’t listen to you, or take in consideration what your needs are.  But at Children’s Choice we know the key to our success is having a staff that we value.

If you want to learn more, or want to apply to Children’s Choice go to www.childrens-choice.org.

505-296-2880

By Chris Walsh