Bubble Pop!

Hello Parents,

One of the fun things about receiving a package in the mail is popping the bubble wrap which protects the items inside. You can imagine our surprise when we learned that today is Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day. Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day was started in 2001 by a Bloomington, Indiana radio station and celebrated with a party full of bubble wrap popping activities.

While you can wait at home today in hopes of receiving a package with bubble wrap to celebrate this fun holiday, you can also get the packaging plastic at any shipping store or office supply store. For those of you who are more earth conscious regarding the environment and plastics, or those who wish to celebrate without having to make a purchase or wait for a delivery, there are also apps your kids (and you) can play with that will keep the fun popping for longer than the real thing can.

Check out the these two apps on iTunes and Google Play, both free to download and play; or  you can also search through the many other bubble wrap popping apps available for your bursting pleasure. Yup, there’s an app for that!

Bubble Wrap for iPhone, iPad, and iPod

Bubble Wrap for Android

 

Happy Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day to all!

Fun Learning!
CBLC Midtown

Slippery Fish

Hello Parents,

Have you ever found yourself wondering, what in the world are they singing? as your children merrily “sing” to a tune you feel you’ve never heard before? We’ve been there, frequently! So today for your delight, we share with you a video of the Toddler 2 class singing to Slippery Fish.

If you feel you have trouble following along, here are the lyrics to help you out. You can also find the melody to the song here, along with other children’s songs; music and lyrics. Thanks to Bus Songs for putting these together for parents and educators!

Slippery fish, slippery fish, sliding through the water,
Slippery fish, slippery fish, Gulp, Gulp, Gulp!
Oh, no! It’s been eaten by an…

Octopus, octopus, squiggling in the water
Octopus, octopus, Gulp, Gulp, Gulp!
Oh, no! It’s been eaten by a…

Tuna fish, tuna fish, flashing in the water,
Tuna fish, tuna fish, Gulp, Gulp, Gulp!
Oh, no! It’s been eaten by a…

Great white shark, great white shark, lurking in the water,
Great white shark, great white shark, Gulp, Gulp, Gulp!
Oh, no! It’s been eaten by a…

Humongous whale, humongous whale, spouting in the water,
Humongous whale, humongous whale,
Gulp! … Gulp! … Gulp! … BURP!
Pardon me!

Now we’ll be able to sing along and have the right melody for our kids to enjoy.

Fun Learning!
CBLC Midtown

Snapfish

Hello Parents,

Wanted to take a quick moment to remind you that we are constantly posting photos of the kids on our Snapfish albums. They’re sorted by class and month, holiday activities, and birthday parties. In addition to our webcams (accessible only to parents via private login), the photos we post are of regular every day activities, so you get a closer look at the kids and a different perspective on the class.

The great thing about Snapfish is that you can mark photos as favorites and also buy them if you wish. If you haven’t been getting our emails giving you access to the photos please send us a note, and we’ll be sure to add your name to the distribution list.

We’ve just posted some great photos of VPK doing laundry and the Toddler 1 class during circle time. Check out a preview slideshow below, then head on over to Snapfish for the individual photos.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Fun Learning!
CBLC Midtown

Celebrate Brinner on National Blueberry Pancake Day

Hello Parents,

Many of us love brunch (breakfast for lunch), usually served anytime between 11 am and 2 pm. However, as much as we often also enjoy brinner (breakfast for dinner), many of us don’t do it as often as we’d like. Today you have a chance to have such a meal, not that we need an excuse or anything, but knowing it’s National Blueberry Pancake Day sure gets us hungry for some this evening.

We’re not quite sure the reason for today’s national holiday, it’s actually quite confusing – see, blueberries are typically summer fruits. Of course, in Miami and supermarkets all over we can find blueberries year round, but to actually have a holiday involving a fruit not expected in January seems a bit strange.

Nevertheless, dig up your favorite pancake recipe (check out an easy one here) or get a good old box of Aunt Jemima pancake mix, add some sweet blueberries and get to munching! Best served with warm maple syrup ~ yum!

Fun Learning!
CBLC Midtown

In Remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Hello Parents,

This Monday, January 21st, we celebrate a national holiday that often brings to mind thoughts of hope – we honor the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In observance, some of you may have the day off from work; for those of you who still have to report for duty, rest assured that Cherry Blossom will be open to care for the children as we do every day. However, not spending the day with the kids on Monday does not mean you pass up an opportunity to talk to them about MLK Jr. Thanks to website Brain Pop Jr., along with parent Site Brain Pop,which have created videos for children retelling the life of MLK Jr.

We suggest checking out the Brain Pop Jr. site to watch with the kids you have enrolled at CBLC. The site is geared toward younger children, and although the video was made for early- elementary children it is suitable for pre-school as well. Do note that the assassination is covered in both videos, and while appropriate for children, we do recommend you watch them first to determine whether your child is ready or if you’ll be skipping that lesson for now.

To access the Martin Luther King Jr. lessons and video on Brain Pop Jr., click here.
To access the Martin Luther King Jr. lessons and video on Brain Pop, click here.

In essence, the message of the remembrance is knowing that it only takes one person to make a difference, and we should all be so empowered to follow our dreams, and treat others with the respect we want to be treated with.

If you want to know more about the Brain Pop sites head on over to check them out. They are primarily subscription-based sites, however the movie of the week and select videos are free to view.

Fun Learning!
CBLC Midtown

Kick it!

Hello Parents,

If you haven’t already heard, our soccer classes are back this week. They’re offered in the afternoons, different days for different age groups. Be sure to contact Mylene or Milly to get more details, or you can call Super Soccer Stars directly at 305-777-7077.

Soccer clinics are offered by Super Soccer Stars. They’ve been working with Cherry Blossom since our opening and the kids have grown to love the coaches they see every week. After school activities such as the soccer clinics help the children develop their large motor skills, coordination, as well as character and team building, among others.

Fun Learning!
CBLC Midtown

Celebrate Milk Day With Frozen Milk Hearts

Hello Parents,

Did you know today is Milk Day? The delicious drink most of us grew up with and makes the perfect companion to a late night chewy chocolate chip cookie celebrates its 134th birthday since the first reported bottled home delivery on January 11, 1878. Prior to today, 134 years ago, milk was delivered in large metal cans where the “milkman” would pour out a portion for each household. Packaging of milk has clearly evolved, though some parents (especially those not from the US) may recall having milk delivered to their home when they were the age of our kids at school.

I’d say any day is a good day for milk and cookies, but why not add a layer to that and sit down with your kids tonight to share this little bit of information. And of course, it need not be only cow’s milk, why not celebrate with your favorite kind of milk – coconut, almond, rice, soy, take your pick and enjoy!

In honor of today, Milk Day, we are sharing this darling Milk Hearts idea from A Subtle Revelry.

To make the milk cubes, combine milk and a few drops of red food coloring together in a small bowl. Fill an ice cube tray (available at IKEA or Amazon) and freeze. This is also a great idea for Valentine’s Day (hint, hint!), and of course, hearts don’t have to be red; feel free to color the milk with your kids’ favorite color to give them a more personal touch.

Fun Learning!
CBLC Midtown

Toddler 2: Play

Hello Parents,

We got a couple of photos yesterday of our Toddler II class from Ms. Veronica. The kids have started off the year with smiles on their face and lots of fun learning time. See the pics below, we’ll also be uploading them to our Snapfish album shortly.

Fun Learning!
CBLC Midtown

National Bubble Bath Day

Hello Parents,

Hope everyone’s week is moving along just fine. We are here to pop a little unexpected fun into your Tuesday afternoon. You see, today – January 8 – is National Bubble Bath Day! Yup,  you read correct, there is an actual holiday for bubble baths, and we’re pretty sure you’ll agree that whomever came up with it was a genius. Best part of bubble baths? They’re not just for kids, so go ahead and give yourself permission to relax in the tub tonight after the kids are in bed; but do also make sure they get to make some pretty large bubbles when it’s their turn too.

Now, we couldn’t actually find the origin of this holiday, though many sites out there are praising the day and full of ideas for bath time bubble fun. If you do get more information on the history of this fun yet relaxing holiday, do send us a note or add it to our comments section.

For now we leave you with a link that will take you to Cool Mom Tech where you can download the day-appropriate hit B.A.TH. from We Are The Not-Its! band. Click here. Enjoy!

Fun Learning!
CBLC Midtown

World Braille Day

Hello Parents,

Today is World Braille Day, recognizing the code’s importance in providing equal opportunities for blind people. Today people around the world commemorate the birthday of Louis Braille, credited with inventing the Braille “language”, helping blind people read and write. However, Braille is not a language, it is a code that can be adapted to many languages so that it may be written and read.

As you can imagine, technology has also played a role in the evolution and deconstruction of Braille. Some argue that smart phones and assistive technology (such as converting text to speech) are making Braille obsolete, but more than 150 million people worldwide continue to use Braille, and its strongest argument – Literacy! Braille allows users to learn spelling, punctuation, and a sense of how text is formatted on a page; not to mention higher chances of securing a job.

As you know, you don’t have to have special needs to benefit from learning how others who do communicate. It opens up a world of possibilities and learning other languages nurtures cognitive skills that are critical for students’ academic success. Want to get your kids started on Braille? Check out these fabulous Braille alphabet blocks from Uncle Goose, and if another language is more your cup of tea, the brand makes alphabet blocks in 19 languages in addition to English.

Uncle Goose Braille & Sign Language Alphabet Blocks

For more information and children’s activities on learning Braille head on over to the Braille Bug Site, from the American Foundation for the Blind.

Fun Learning!
CBLC Midtown