November 27 was a Slimetastic Day!

My name is Jordan, I have been working at OSC for my fifth consecutive week.  I run the art programs on Mondays and this was the most fun and exciting session yet!  Before it even started I had kids waiting to sign up for art. This was my first go at a hands on art.  While I was excited I was actually feeling a little overwhelmed in the beginning because I wasn't sure if everything would come together.  However, this art exceeded all my expectations and I left feeling overjoyed. 

Growing up as a child I was always a big fan of slime, what child is not? However there is play dough, silly putty and other weird textures in our program, so how much more fun could slime be?

I think I forgot that creating your own "slime" or creating anything is more satisfying and makes the experience that much better. The fact that everyone has a unique style, through the different colours, sizes, viscosity and texture, has made our slime creations all the more special.  

The ingredients used were:
1. ~1 cup of Elmers Glue
2. ~1 cup of water
3. Food colouring
4. Liquid starch

The Recommended Ratio: 1-1-1

The recommended ratio was the most fun part about this day, as it distinguished the children's style in how they created their slime.  This made everyone want to experiment with the ingredients. At the end of the day and the kids were experts at this creation and were able to know exactly what ingredient was needed to be added, how much of it and how it would help. With kids experimenting more, of course a mess was inevitable. Fortunately I was reminded to put down a table cloth or I would have been scrubbing the tables until night.  

Overall, I believe the slime creations went really well. The kids were playing with the slime the whole day until pick up time. They were blowing bubbles with the slime, kneading it, covering cups, making ice cream, the list goes on and on. Hopefully no messes were made outside of OSC time!

It was definitely a successful day and kids enjoyed the art with the simplicity of slime!

Until next time, 

As some of you may already know, at Sr. OSC we try and provide one optional afternoon out-trip a month to a local playground or facility in Richmond. This month we were joined by the Jr. OSC program and together we visited Garden City Park.





















So we bundled ourselves up, grabbed our buckets & shovels and away we went! We even fashioned some handy dandy ponchos out of garbage bags.











These out-trips are certainly a blast for the kids, but even our leaders enjoy getting out there and playing!

In the educational world, there is a model of learning based around three educators: parents, teachers and the environment.  This Fall, before the rain truly hits, we've been trying to take advantage of that third educator, the environment, as much as possible.  This has revolved around a couple activities that have occupied and captivated the imaginations of the kids at OSC.  

At Gilmore there is a large hill with a long metal slide that shoots down it's side.  Much to our curious delight, our attention has been captured by a family of young rabbits that have made their home safely under the slide.  When the kids first found out about the rabbits there was a lot of excitement and eagerness to get close to them.  As we've watched them grow over the weeks, we've also had a chance to learn more about them and how we interact with nature.  One of the lessons that the kids have taken to heart is that although we may have good intentions, having the rabbits get use to humans may actually put them in danger.  It's been really cool to watch the kids take this lesson and to hear them live it and repeat it to their peers. We are still captivated by the rabbits, but now we know to give them some distance, for our safety and their own.

Early in the school year, I got to prepare an activity that brought nature up close to our students.  Collecting pond water from Terra Nova Park, our students were able to explore the tiny creature that inhabit our waterways, all from the dry safety of our space.  We found that the water was full of tadpoles, tiny snails and clams, and aquatic insects that would dart around with great speed.  It was a lot of fun watching the kids get close and exploring these creatures that would otherwise remain hidden in plain sight.

While the water bugs were great, sometimes it doesn't take a lot of planning to engage our kids with their surroundings.  Sometimes all it takes is a rope and a tree, perfect for climbing.  This fall, the kids have also had a great time exploring their school grounds from different vantages, challenging themselves to climb higher and to problem solve where the next handhold will be. 

While the days are getting shorter, and the weather may be turning a little wetter, we are still happy to explore our surroundings, and to appreciate the third teacher we have around us.

-Keefer