When:  Date not set. We will be coordinating with family schedules to determine a time that is best for the most people who would like to participate.  It will be during the morning and the same day each week.  The first session will last 4 weeks..

Each “class” will last 2 hours, approximately 1 hour of structured activity, including a short snack, and then 1 hour of free play time.

Where: The first session will be held at Charlene’s house, after that we will be discussing the option of continuing there or rotating between homes.

Who: The classes are for kids 3-5, younger and older siblings are welcome to participate provided that a parent is present. You do not have to be a member of Idaho Falls Homeschool Association, you don’t even need to be a homeschooler, just come join in the fun!

Why: To give the kids a chance to learn and play together for a semi-structured time period.

What is it: Basically, it is a time for the kids to come together and play, learn, and make friends. It is a “co-op” because the parents of the kids involved will be assisting in teaching the classes (more information on that below).  This is not a daycare or babysitting service.

How much will it cost? The classes are free, we are asking that parents contribute $2 per child per session to help offset the cost of photocopying art and craft projects and home activity papers. We will also be asking each family to contribute $3 towards paints (washable tempera paints), which we will use until we are out, and then will ask parents to contribute again.  This should last for several sessions.

Parent Responsibilities:
- Assure your child has the required materials (these are really minimal and you probably have most at home already)
- Act as “host” for one class session. The host is responsible for bringing snacks, assisting with teaching for the day, helping prepare craft materials, providing any craft materials needed for the day that are not in the kid’s standard kit. Please note: The host will NOT be responsible for having class at their home, we will be at the same home for all 4 classes.
- Assuring that the kids arrive on time and are picked up on time.
- Parents may, and are encouraged to, stay for the entire session if they like, if you’d like a break (we all need them), you do not have to stay unless you are the host for the week.

Supplies:
Box of Markers (washable please)
1 bottle of glue
1 glue stick
scissors
3 ring notebook (1/2 inch should be sufficient, 1 inch will definitely be plenty), this is to be the cover of the kids ABC book)
A box or bag to keep it all in (a plastic bag is fine if you like, just something the kids can keep the supplies in while here).
Paint shirt or other cover up (optional) - we will be painting and doing messy crafts and activities, I recommend that you send a shirt that is too big for the child or a smock, something that you don’t mind getting covered in paint.
A change of clothes (not necessary if mom will be there, but recommended, kids this age do have accidents)

Activities:

The first hour of activities will be structured, the second hour will be free play time, we have LOTS of toys and a big yard to play in.  Anytime the weather is nice we will be outdoors for at least the second half of the class, so please plan accordingly.

We will be working on an ABC book. With each letter having a page (or pages if you like). Each class will center around 1 letter, by the time class is over, the kids will have started their letter page with the craft they did that week, sometimes they will have the real craft, other times they will have a picture of the craft they did (pictures will be printed for the following week, or can be e-mailed home if you prefer).  They may have additional letter activities to put on the letter of the week paper also.  In addition, we will send home some suggestions for activities that you can do with your child, you  can then add these into their book too, so each child’s book will be different.

Schedule:  Our basic schedule will be as follows

- Welcome time - we will have a coloring sheet or some other small activity for the kids to do as everyone arrives.  If we took pictures of the activities the week before for the kids books, they will add them during this time.

Circle Time:
               Welcome Song
               Sharing Time (kids will have an opportunity to show off their letter page from the week before or to share anything else they might like to share with the group)
               Letter of the Week - The letter of the week will be introduced, we will talk about the sound it makes and words that start with that sound.
               Color of the Week - A color of the week will be shown and discussed, this will be a color that goes with the theme. Since most kids this age are pretty familiar with their colors, it will be a review for most.
 

Active Song, Fingerplay, or Group Game

Storytime

Get your wiggles out time - Dancing, Acting, or Singing

Craft or Activity : Crafts, cooking (kids won’t be using the oven), science “experiments”, etc.

Snack

Free Play Time: Outside if weather is permitting

Session 1 Themes:
Week 1: Apples and Ants
Letter of the Week A
Activity: Apple Painting (we’ll be painting with apples)
Host will need to bring: 1/2 apple per child for painting
Snack:

Week 2: Balloons and Bubbles
Letter of the Week B
Activity: Bubble Painting
Host will need to bring:
1 balloon per child (I’d recommend a couple of extras, please inflate before class)
Bubble Solution
Snack:
Parents please bring: Bubble wands or toys that the kids are willing to share for free play time.

Week 3: Cats
Letter of the week: C
Activity: Cat Masks
Host will need to bring:
Yarn or other item to be used as cat whiskers on craft.
Snack:

Week 4: Dinosaurs
Letter of the week D
Activity:  Dinosaur Eggs Craft, Dinosaur Egg Hunt
(there will be some special free time activities this week too!)
Host will need to bring:
Dinosaur cut outs (you will need to pick these up from me the week before, cut them out, and bring them to class)
Snack:
Parents: Please bring 3 small prizes (under $.50 each) to put inside of plastic eggs for our dinosaur egg hunt.

Sign Up Now:  If you are interested in participating, please contact Charlene at 529-4423 or at ifha@idahofallshomeschool.com. Be sure to provide the following information:

- Days of the week that you are available to attend (to help determine the best day for everyone)
- How many children you are interested in having attend.

We are not asking you to commit to attending right now, as a day has not been set, we are just taking an interest poll right now.  If we do not have at least 4 children interested in participating by August 24 at midnight, the class will not happen. Class day will be announced on August 25, and a notice will be sent to all families who have let us know they are interested, we will then ask for those who are going to commit to attending to provide us with your child’s name and age, a liability waiver, and to commit to a hosting day, if more than 5 children enroll in the class, parents may be asked to co-host or to assume an alternate job of equal value.  Classes will begin the first week in September.