Special Activities, Fieldtrips, & Menu

We celebrate numerous holidays throughout the year.  A few examples are:

Valentine’s Day Parties:  The children are invited to bring in valentines for all of their friends.  Class lists are sent home two weeks ahead so the children have plenty of time to address cards to their friends.  We encourage all children ages 4 years and up to write their friends names and sign each card.  Each child then makes a “mailbox” so the children can practice “reading” or “matching” skills and mail each valentine in the correct mailbox.  Children and staff are encouraged to wear red, pink, and white to school on party day.  Parents are encouraged to bring in goodies for their child to share with classmates.  
 
Halloween Parties:  The children are encouraged to wear costumes to KWLC.  Each class parades through the other classrooms showing off their costumes.  Parents bring in treats to share.  We make “Magic” punch using dry ice.  The children especially enjoy being magicians as the steam slowly moves from the witch’s cauldron.  Lunch is served with orange and black items, such as mandarin oranges, “worm” sandwiches, and black milk. 
 
Hanukkah:  We learn a song about the dreidal, make latke pancakes, and invite parents to tell us about other activities related to Hanukkah that the children will enjoy. 
 
Christmas Parties:  Santa comes to visit KWLC and brings a gift for every child.  Each child has the opportunity to sit in Santa’s lap and talk to him.  (Santa enjoys sitting on the floor so the toddlers can approach him!)  We take pictures of the children to share with parents who aren’t able to attend the parties.  The children are also invited to bring in a gift for a gift exchange.  Red and green goodies are served for snack.

We offer a variety of extra activities throughout the year.

4th of July Parade and Picnic:  We believe that patriotism is a part of every child’s life from infancy.  We say the Pledge of Allegiance each morning prior to coming inside for our academic preschool time.  We play patriotic music throughout the year.  We decorate trikes, flags, noise makers, and children with red, white, and blue for our annual 4th of July parade.  We culminate the day with a BBQ of hot dogs, potato chips, and watermelon.  Parents, grandparents, siblings, and friends are invited.
 
Prekindergarten Graduation:  Each May we hold a special ceremony for all of our “little graduates” complete with cap and gown.

Pajama Day:  All of the children are invited to wear pj’s to school.  This is usually done in the winter to offer a break from rainy day routine and a “G” rated movie
is shown. 

Bike and Trike Day:  In May of each year we have a fundraiser for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.  All of the children are invited to bring in a bike or trike and a helmet to participate in a trike-a-thon.  St. Jude’s provides literature to be shared with the children about bike and trike safety.

Fun Fridays:  During the summer months (on alternating Fridays) we ask that each child come to KWLC in old, grubby clothes so they can participate in extremely messy projects.  Examples are:  foot painting, painting the slide with a bouncing ball, and body painting.  Teachers are each asked to plan special activities and they look forward to these days as much as the children do.  (Please note:  We do a variety of other messy projects throughout the year on a daily basis, using paint shirts to
save clothing)

These are a sampling of the many activities we have at KWLC throughout the year.  We always welcome parent participation and encourage new ideas to be shared.

Sample Fieldtrips:

The school-aged children go on numerous fieldtrips during summer vacation and school breaks.  The preschoolers** go on a couple of fieldtrips each year.  The following is a sample:

· Nimbus Fish Hatchery** 
· Sunrise Rollerland
· Sacramento Zoo**
· Fairytale Town**
· Sacramento Outdoor Ice skating
· IMAX Theater
· Folsom Aquatic Center
· Old Sacramento Bike Rental (6-10 passenger bikes)
· Bowling
· Bounce Town
· Cordova Pool
· Sacramento Rivercats Baseball
· John’s Incredible Pizza
· Chuck E. Cheese**

Some of these fieldtrips are subsidized by KWLC.  Others are voluntary and paid for by the parents. We often receive donations to help subsidize fieldtrips that parents aren’t able to afford.