ARTS + CRAFTS: “jurassic world” inspired amber fossil slime

In the spirit of the latest Jurassic Park movie, here is a fossil slime recipe sure to thrill your budding scientist!

Ingredients:

• 2 Teaspoons Borax Detergent Booster
• 1 ½ Cups Water
• Tangerine Essential Oil (optional)
• 1 Bottle Elmer’s Clear School Glue
• Red and Yellow Food Coloring
• 2 Mixing Bowls
• Mixing Spoons
• Plastic Insect Toys

1. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of water and 2 teaspoons of Borax. Stir well, then set aside.
2. In a larger bowl, mix the remaining ½ cup of water with the entire bottle of glue. Mix well.
3. Add 1 drop of red food coloring and 3 drops of yellow food coloring into the water/glue mixture. Mix well.
4. Add 2-3 drops of Tangerine Essential Oil. While this step is optional, it gives the slime a nice smell.
5. Pour your water and Borax mixture into the colored glue mixture. You will see the slime start to form immediately.
6. Use a spoon to mix the ingredients, then remove the slime from the bowl. You will notice some water left over. Pour out the extra water and place the slime back into the bowl. 
   
7. Push plastic toy insects into the slime until covered. Remember that the idea behind this slime is to have fossilized insects like in the original Jurassic Park movie.
8. Allow the slime to set for a few minutes before using.
9. When the kids are done, store in an airtight container, such as Tupperware, for future use.

To view the original recipe, visit TotallyTheBomb.Com: Jurassic World Inspired Amber Fossil Slime!

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Recipe and images contributed by Jamie Harrington of TotallyTheBomb.Com 

FRIDAY FOLDER: june 26

Highlights of the Week:

Watch as Josiah G. announces "Play ball!" before Wednesday's Angels game!

Watch Activities Director Jonna Powell throw out the first pitch!

This week our campers enjoyed watching the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim beat the Houston Astros 2-1 at Angel Stadium! Every year, campers attend one Angels game, but this year's game was particularly special because the opening honorary traditions of throwing the first pitch and announcing "Play ball" were conducted by Fairmont camper Josiah G., and North Tustin Activities Director Jonna Powell! Campers cheered from the stands as Josiah and Mrs. Powell represented Fairmont on the field!

Next week, campers will travel to the Sky Zone and Sky High trampoline parks, as well as enjoy the weekly Swim Day, and show their patriotism with Red, White, and Blue Thursday Theme Day! As a reminder, there will be no summer school or camp on Friday, July 3rd due to the Fourth of July holiday!

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools 

FRIDAY FOLDER: june 19

Highlights of the Week:

 Students tie-dye camp t-shirts

This week campers enjoyed tie-dyeing white camp t-shirts and taking a Friday field trip to Camelot Theme Park! Moving into the third week of summer camp, students will travel to Angels Stadium to watch the Angels of Anaheim take on the Houston Astros! Campers will also have the opportunity to participate in Thursday Theme Day by dressing up in their favorite sports fan gear! To conclude the week, campers will visit the Long Beach Aquarium!

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

SNACKTIME – ensure a happy and safe summer by keeping your child hydrated with H2O

Children do not cool down as efficiently as adults, so it is important that they drink lots of water. Taking a few simple precautions will help protect children and allow them to enjoy a safe and fun summer!

Preventing Dehydration – How frequently should children drink fluids? How much is enough?

The best way to prevent dehydration is to make sure children drink plenty of water at all times. They should consume more fluids than they lose. During continuous physical activity, a child can lose up to a half-liter of fluid per hour. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests that an 88-pound child should drink about five ounces (or two kid-size gulps) of water every 20 minutes as well. Children and teens weighing about 132 pounds should drink nine ounces of water. Drinking extra water before organized sports or other strenuous activities is highly recommended.

Hydration Habits for Good Health

• Schedule beverage breaks every 20 minutes during any physical activity, especially in hot weather. If possible, take all hydration breaks in a shady spot.
• Pack frozen water bottles in a cooler to keep other bottles of water cool.
• When choosing drinks for kids, avoid soda and other drinks that have caffeine, which contributes to water loss in the body. Again, water is the preferred choice for hydration.
• Sports drinks should be limited to athletic competitions to replace electrolytes.
• If your young child refuses to drink water, offer a high water content fruit such as watermelon or a frozen treat such as popsicles.
• Remember that thirst is not a good early sign of dehydration. By the time a child feels thirsty, he or she may already be dehydrated.
  
  

Good hydration habits are as important as good eating habits. Encouraging frequent beverage breaks and choosing liquids wisely will help protect against dehydration.

***********************************************

Submitted by Leslie Kay-Getzinger, MS RD

Regional Dietitian for Nutrition Management Services Company
Image Contributed by Pacificsprings.com.au

FRIDAY FOLDER: june 12

Weekly Highlights:

 Swim Day with North Tustin

 Swim Day with Historic Anaheim

Swim Day with Anaheim Hills

With the first week of summer camp completed, campers had a great time swimming, dressing up in surfer attire, and playing together during the beach party hosted by the Anaheim Hills campus! Next week campers will enjoy a whole host of new activities such as surfboard canvas art, tie-dye camp shirts, and a Friday field trip to the Camelot Theme Park in Anaheim! 

Visit the Fairmont Summer Programs' Facebook page or Fairmont Flickr for more summer photos!

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

SNACKTIME: healthy nutrition habits for the whole family

Dietary Guidelines for Americans, produced by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, recommends a tasty Mediterranean-style diet for promoting good health and preventing disease. The basis of this nutritional recommendation comes from traditional dietary preferences in Greece, Southern Italy, and Spain. Families can enjoy a super healthy plant-based diet of vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes (beans, peas, and tofu), and whole grains without giving up meat.

In fact, an analysis of more than 1.5 million healthy adults demonstrated that following a Mediterranean-style diet provides a host of benefits. The diet helps reduce risks of heart disease and cancer, as well as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases.

Key components of a Mediterranean-style diet:

• Eat primarily plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts (tofu = soybeans = plant).
• Replace butter with healthy fats, such as olive oil.
• Use herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor foods.
• Limit red meat to no more than a few times a month.
• Eat fish and poultry at least twice a week.

Practical tip #1
Keep nuts like almonds, cashews, pistachios, and walnuts handy for a quick snack.  Pair with fruit or whole grain crackers for convenient after school snacking.

Practical tip #2
Dip celery, carrots, or cucumbers in hummus.

Select natural peanut butter instead of brands with added hydrogenated fat. Try blended sesame seeds (tahini) as a dip or spread for bread. A Mediterranean food guide is available on Health Facts for You, a fact sheet prepared by UW Health.

***********************************************
Submitted by Leslie Kay-Getzinger, MS RD
Regional Dietitian for Nutrition Management Services Company

Image credit: Nazareth Healthcare

FAIRMONT FIVE: planning a kid-friendly vacation

One of the rites of spring is figuring out this summer’s family vacation. Planning can be as simple as loading up the car for a fun road trip, or as complicated as making airline and hotel arrangements around busy schedules for a trip across the country or overseas. Either way, we have provided some tips to make your next vacation extra-memorable for your children.

1.       Avoid over-planning and focus a little more on being flexible—Arranging a tight travel schedule might squeeze out unexpected pleasures such as visiting a country fair, shopping at a farmers market, or attending a concert in the park. Block out a couple of days to be spontaneous and experience life as a local.

2.       Involve your child in the vacation planning process—While mapping out the itinerary, discuss possible places of interest with your child. Encourage them to practice geography skills and test their knowledge of history as they research potential sites to visit. Math skills can be exercised while determining the distance and the time it will take to drive to a particular destination.

3.       Follow the 15-minute rule—For every one hour on the road, plan 15 minutes to stop and get out of the car. If pulling over every hour is not practical, drive three hours and take a driving break for half an hour. This offers opportunities to stretch the legs and fully appreciate scenic spots along the journey.

4.       Take a break from the screen—Provide alternative traveling activities for children to prevent them from being completely glued to their smartphones and iPads. Encourage them to pay close attention to points of interests during the drive. Have them create a photographic journal of the different sights along the trip. Bring books, puzzles, and word games to occupy their minds while on the road. When visiting relatives, ask your child to put on a reporter’s cap and interview grandparents, aunts, and uncles. This will open the door to some great storytelling and provide the child with fascinating insights related to their family’s heritage.

5.       Don’t leave healthy habits home alone—Be sure to bring a bag of snacks for the road that includes nuts, carrots, string cheese, fruit, and crackers. Sometimes vacations bring out the desire to indulge in junk food that is not common fare in the home. Keeping candy consumption to a minimum will prevent kids from getting too “sugared up” in the back seat.

By the end of vacation,  your child will have a detailed journal of wonderful memories, stories, and discoveries.

Please note If you are planning for your child to join the adventure at Fairmont's Summer Programs, enroll by April 30th to save 10% on summer camp and school. 

Contributed by Doug Fleischli, Fairmont Private Schools

Image credit: fueld