Winter has arrived and with it some wonderful sledding snow! Up on Big Chair Hill the kids are finding many more routes to descend than you might have imagined.
Here are videos of some of our Jumpers: Julius & Keegan, Henry, Gus,
And the recent sticky snow resulted in some HUGE snow men and an impressive snow fort. We will continue to visit Slippery Stream, build our Hillside Forts and play in imaginary worlds. Although the evenings are colder and dark, we are still enjoying the outdoors and struggle to drag children back inside. Warm winter gear is critical.
Please continue sending your children with appropriate winter gear, snack, water bottle and indoor shoes. Insulated boots, jacket, snow pants, hats and gloves are essential to have fun outdoors. Remember that a simple neck gator can warm almost as much as an entire layer. If you have outgrown children’s winter clothing please consider donating it to Apple Tree. We will work to supply gear to families that could use support, please reach out with what your child needs and the sizes you are looking for.
I want to apologize for requesting boots AND shoes for Afterschool. Childcare regulations require children to wear shoes indoors. No sock sliding allowed. And we are trying to keep the dirty snow boots off the tyle. If you have any suggestions about how we can help in any way, please don’t hesitate to let us know.
Vacation Discovery Dates coming up:
Monday 12/23: ECHO aquarium
Apple Tree is CLOSED Tuesday-Thursday 12/24-26
Friday 12/27: Board Games at MES
Monday 12/30: Petra Cliffs
Tuesday 12/31: Weissner Woods
Registrations for dates in 2025 are now online as well!
Register online here (please be sure to select the correct location: SES)
Friday 12/20: Winter Solstice Celebration.
On Friday 12/20 from 4-5:30pm we will have an open hourse for families to scialize with a variety of cookies and hot cocoa to enjoy along with games inside and outside the SES cafeteria. We missed each other at Thanksgiving, so let’s save the date for this one. We hope to see you there!
I really need to thank you all again for all your flexibility and support. Tracking all this gear is a thinly veiled nightmare, and we see and appreciate your efforts. Thanks for the timely communication that helps us meet your needs for different pick-ups. We are enjoying our visits to the ice arena to help dress and cheer on our skaters.
Remember that these are the magical years when children will believe almost anything is part ot the holiday spirit. These are the years to establish those family traditions. Take a walk in search of reindeer prints, stare at the heavens in search of a special star, gather with friends to sing some carols, make the tree a family affair (including the grumbling about trimming the tree. It always looks better after you have had to work on it.) Ultimately your family’s happiness will not be determined by the quantity of gifts, but by the quality of play you have with them. Find your family JOY.
Happy Happy Holidays to you and yours.
Bill and Sage