Explorer's Club
We are now accepting sign-ups for the 2010-2011 Explorer's Club
Spaces are NOW FULL. It is not unusual for us to have 1 or 2 families drop as they finalize their school year schedules, if you would like to be added to the waiting list to be notified of an opening, please go ahead and send me the registration information at the bottom of the page, and I'll let you know if something opens.
Please note - Parents are expected to stay and participate with their child/ren, younger and older siblings are always welcome.
Sign Up information is at the bottom of the page.
Explorer's Club 2010-2011
Dates: Tentatively September 1- 2010 to May 25, 2011
Time: 1:00 – 3:00 pm, Wednesdays
Fees:
- Parents will have the option to either provide a significant service to the group (list of options available at bottom) OR pay an annual $50 fee
- Parents are also asked to help with supplies for activities and any fees associated with fun days or field trips. (usually these expenses are minimal)
Ages: 3-8 years old. Craft activities will be done in two groups, age 3-5 and age 6-8. Younger and older siblings are welcome to participate in the age group closest to their own.
Activities (Please note all activities are TENTATIVE)
September – January theme – Food, Where It Comes From
September Theme: The Produce Farm
September 1: Creativity Week
What can you make from these produce items?
Sharing
Play Time
September 8 : Fun Week
- Park Day - Kate Curley
September 15: Learning about the produce farm
storytime
discussion
craft: big kids : corn cob dolls, little kids scarecrows
September 22 : Visit a produce farm
Meet at Ashland Farm at 1:15 pm for 1:30 field trip. This is a family farm, they do have produce for sale as well as U-pick produce. Please bring $1 per child for a "personal" size pumpkin.
October Theme : The Dairy Farm - No session October 6
Week 1: “Creativity Week”
Build a cow out of the given supplies
Sharing Time
Play Time
Week 2: Fun Week
Tentatively : straw or corn maze
Week 3: Learning about the Dairy Farm
Storytime
Discussion
Make Your Own Butter ( I will need parents to help bring supplies for this, we will need: Heavy Cream (2-3 qts), cheese cloth, loaf of bread)
Week 4: Field Trip
Visit Reed's Dairy, bring a few dollars for an ice cream cone afterwards
November: Bakeries
Week 1: “Creativity Week”
Salt dough creations
Sharing time
Play Time
Week 2: Fun Week
Bowling
Week 3: Learning about the Bakery
Storytime
Discussion
Make Your Own Mini-Loaf of bread (the kids will help grind wheat, mix the bread and knead it)
Week 4: Field Trip
Visit Bakery (location TBA)
December : Community Service Project
Week 1: Community Service Project
Week 2: Community Service Project
Week 3: Christmas party: We will be doing a special art activity which the kids can give as a gift. Please plan to bring a snack that everyone can enjoy for the party.
January : Groceries
Week 1: “Creativity Week”
Build a truck that can carry food to the grocery store from everyday items (please have your child bring an empty box from home.
Sharing Time
Play Time
Week 2: Fun Week
Ice Skating (time will be dependent upon the rink's schedule)
Week 3: Learn about the grocery store, what they do and how food gets to them
Storytime
Discussion
Mock Grocery store
Week 4: Field Trip
Albertsons
February – May Theme : Animals
February: Pets
Week 1: “Creativity Week”
Make an animal from the supplies provided
Sharing Time
Play time
Week 2: Fun Week
Valentine's Day Party and Card Exchange
Week 3: Learning about caring for pets
Storytime
Discussion
Pet Craft
Week 4: Field Trip
Veterinarian Field Trip
March : Service Animals
Week 1: “Creativity Week”
Build a tower
Share
Play Time
Week 2: Fun Week
Blast off
Week 3: Learning about service animals
storytime
discussion
experience: What is it like to not be able to see?
Week 4: Field Trip
TBA: I'm hoping to have either a trainer for service dogs, a person with a service/therapy dog, a K9 officer, or a dog trainer
April: Fish
Week 1: “Creativity Week”
Built a boat that can really float
Sharing Time
Play Time
Week 2: Fun Week
TBA
Week 3: Learning about fish and hatcheries
Storytime
Discussion: hatcheries, parts of a fish
Big Kids: Fish Puppets, Little Kids : Fish finger puppets
Week 4: Field Trip
Visit a hatchery
May: Zoo Animals
Week 1: “Creativity Week”
Let's Build a Zoo - Please have your child bring a small stuffed animal and an empty box such as a cereal box or shoe box
sharing time
Play Time
Week 2: Fun Week
Park Day – Tautphaus Park
Week 3: Learning about the Zoo: What do zoo keepers do?
Storytime
Discussion
Feed the Animal Craft
Week 4: Field Trip
Idaho Falls Zoo
Final Week of May: Good-bye party at Blast Off
Parent Responsibilities:
Let Charlene know if your family will not be attending an activity as soon as you can. Sometimes illnesses happen, but if you know you will be away, please let me know as soon as you know so that I do not plan supplies for your child for that day, and so that I have accurate head counts for all activities. Craft days and Creative days take supplies, an accurate head count is important so that we do not purchase more supplies than necessary. Field trips and acitivites often have minimum and maximum numbers of people who can attend. If we do not have enough kids to meet the minimum, it is imperative that I have time to find additional children.
Arrive in a timely manner. It is not fair to the children who are already present to have to wait a long time for people to arrive. We all run late occasionally, but please do your very best to arrive on time. Creative and learning day activities will begin at 1:15
Attend regularly. The fee for these activities is very minimal. A lot of work goes into planning activities and communicating with the group. It is very frustrating to plan activities and have a poor turn out.
Notify if you will no longer be participating. Please only sign up if you plan to participate. However, sometimes moves or conflicts happen. Please notify Charlene as soon as possible if you will no longer be participating. We limit the number of children who can participate, notifying me allows me notify a family on the waiting list so that they may participate.
Parents are expected to pay for their children's fun day activities, as well as any other outing activities.
Help with supplies. Some weeks require supplies, parents will be asked to contribute as they are able. The fee does not include supplies. Supply costs are VERY minimal.
Fee Waivers:
Parents may choose to make a significant contribution to the group rather than paying the fee. Here's how (choose one of the bullets):
Host 2, 4 week sessions of the group at your home (or an alternate location of your choosing). Each session has 2 weeks that are done in homes, so this would amount to 4 weeks of having the group activities in your home (or an alternate location of your choosing). The host is responsible for providing a safe location for the children to do the activities and play, as well as providing cups and water for the kids to drink. 4 JOBS AVAILABLE (PLEASE SPECIFY YOUR PREFERRED MONTHS)
Plan our December Community Service Activity, including arranging for appropriate supplies - JOB TAKEN
Be the party planner – coordinate snacks, plan games and activities for our Valentine's, Christmas, and end of the year parties (1 person would plan all 3 parties) - JOB TAKEN
Be the field trip scheduler – call around to the field trip locations and set up the trips, make sure that the person giving the field trip is aware of what the kids are learning that week. - JOB TAKEN
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How to sign up: E-mail Charlene at ifha@idahofallshomeschool.com
Please put Explorer's Club Sign-Up as the subject so I will know you are not spam.
I will need the following information from you:
Your name:
Phone:
E-mail Address:
Names (first is fine) of children, and ages:
Which fee waiver job you would like (or indicate if you would rather pay the fee), please indicate your first and second choice, jobs will be assigned on a first-come basis:
1st choice:
2nd choice:
Does your child(ren) have any food allergies or other allergies I may need to be aware of, or anything else I should be prepared to accomodate?