Common Ground 3/14/22 Common Ground 3/14/22

How to Help Ukraine and Ukrainian Families

Russian-Ukraine War: Info and Ways to Help I Write to Elected Officials I Voices of Children

What’s Happening in Ukraine? I How to talk to your child I Books and PBS Info for Kids

Ukrainian families are fleeing their homes, and those that cannot escape must seek refuge in subway stations. Hundreds of thousands of people are without electricity, water, or basic supplies. There could be as many as seven million refugees in desperate need of help. It is disheartening to see people suffering and feel powerless offer assistance, especially when so many of them are children.

How do we do anything that seems gigantic and overwhelming and impossible?

One piece, one step, one breath at a time.
A crisis like this is a marathon, not a sprint. Help how you can, when you can. Whether it’s time or funds, you will be able to offer aid less often and consistently if you overextend yourself.
Ask for help. Many hands make light work, and if you encourage everyone around you to give a little, and they reach out in turn, the ripples from your initial kindness will expand exponentially.

Here is some guidance for how to help out:

UNICEF - Protect Children in Ukraine: UNICEF has been working nonstop in eastern Ukraine, delivering lifesaving programs for affected children and families as fighting has taken an increasingly heavy toll on the civilian population of 3.4 million people — including 510,000 children — living in the Donbas region
World Food Program USA: $75 can provide a family with an emergency box containing enough food for an entire month.
NOVAUKRAINE is a local Northern Virginia group that you can volunteer your time with.
AirBNBs in Ukraine: A lot of people cannot get out of Kyiv. As a result, a lot of Ukrainians who run AirBnBs in the country are offering their houses to families who can’t stay at home. You could purchase a week in an airBnB to support a family directly, especially families that are offering their homes.
NPR gathered a ton of vetted charities where you can donate. Check them all out HERE.
Another small way to help that might also be meaningful to kids and to help them feel connected is to buy digital patterns (sewing/knitting/crochet/etc) or art from Ukrainian creators on Etsy. It’s a small but measurable way to help. One woman is using her Etsy store to sell digital art made by her children JuliaHappyArts's shop on Etsy https://etsy.me/3sy2OsF. (Thanks for the brilliant suggestion!)
Educate yourself and your child about what’s happening. We have provided some helpful links above.
MOST IMPORTANTLY: Encourage your children’s desire to help and comfort, not any desires for violence or vengeance. If the kid says “I wish I could fight the bad guys,” help them to write a letter to a Ukrainian child instead. Focus on the people who need help. Encourage helpful behaviors and compassionate feelings.

If you have any questions or anything to add to our list, please email us or message in the comments below. We will update this! Let’s extend Common Ground’s reach. Love your neighbors, wish them well, work toward a better world.

Love Love Love,

Your CG Family

Common Ground 2/22/22 Common Ground 2/22/22

Screenless Activities - Quick Recipes

Your kid is a font of good ideas. They want to make dragon trains and have princess dance parties. They want to turn the living room into a Hotwheels rainforest! They want to cook a three-tiered cake to celebrate Wednesday! If only we could see the world through their eyes…

But you’re tired! Work is long and Covid is never ending. There are dishes to be done and laundry to fold. It can feel like it takes a huge effort to switch directions into the creative realm.

My advice to you: Do it anyway, keep it simple.

You don’t have to turn your whole house into a sprawling city scape to play Taxi like they did in Bluey, but you can pull the chairs around and put on “city noises” with youtube. (I did say screen-less… but I think we can make exceptions for excellent ambient noise apps).

You don’t have to put on full costumes for a dance party! You could just only dance a certain way if you’re a certain character/princess.

I WILL WRITE MORE ON SIMPLE DANCE PARTIES AND IMAGINATION GAMES IN A LATER POST! For this entrty I’m going to focus on one thing, and it’s because my little Imagination Rockstars have been a little obsessed with it…

Baking on a School Night.

I know. I picture it too.

Sticky bowls. Flour on the floor. Every one of our measuring spoons eventually hits the floor, and they all just end up tossed into the batter bowl.

But before you say no, think about what baking offers your child and you.

Measuring out ingredients is good for several different math essentials from number sense to subitization to fractions.
Helping in the kitchen gives them a sense of independence. It offers confidence that they are being entrusted with real tools, not toys. It gives them a chance to feel like they are contributing. Being natural helpers, this is an enriching experience for them emotionally.
Baking and cooking give the child an opportunity to experiment. Little failures with you help them become more familiar with failure as an essential part of the learning process rather than something to be feared.
You get a chance to be with them, doing something fun, no distractions. This is an incredible boost to your relationship and the trust you share. It also may help you feel enriched and emotionally boosted, because who doesn’t like licking a batter spoon? At the end of the day flour and milk are pretty easy to clean up. Having giggles and belly laughs can turn a whole day around.

All this being said, you don’t have to bake a three-tiered cake.

Simple recipes that do not take four hours to complete are key. I like to use the Star Wars Cookbooks for kids! They also have Harry Potter cookbooks, Sesame Street Cookbooks, and countless online resources for parents like who you have gone through the process.

Rice Krispies Treats: We LOVE cooking rice krispies treats at the center with our students. They are easy, fun, and full of mostly shelf-stable ingredients. They are also super easy to modify for allergies. You can cut them in any shape you like. They can be multicolored. You can BUILD with them! The possibilities are endless, and the clean-up is quick.
Banana Bread: Everyone has a fantastic banana bread recipe. We included “Big Bird’s Banana Bread” recipe because it was specifically designed with little hands in mind. It’s yummy, healthy, and perfect for breakfast and snacks!
Frozen Yogurt Bites: These are so cool because you really can’t go wrong with flavors. Fruit and Yogurt are foods for all ages, so an older sibling can make a scrumptious treat FOR a younger sibling. Silicone baking molds come in all sorts of shapes from robots to unicorns, so you can have “themed tea parties” with your frozen treats on the side!
Mug Cakes: Full disclosure, we make these in my house all the time. They’re quick, simple, and small, perfect for a little sweet bedtime bite while we read. If you are totally out of energy but still want to do something a little extra sweet with your littles, this one “takes the cake.”
No Bake Cookie Dough Balls: All the fun of making cookie dough without any of the worry about raw ingredients or messing with the oven! This is one example of a really great recipe that accommodates allergies and has healthy ingredients for growing bellies.

We are not always the parents we want to be, all patience and creativity. But you are amazing. All of you. Just as you are. At the end of the day, you’re not going to remember spotless counters. You’re going to remember the first time they cracked an egg. You’re going to remember when you mixed up baking flour and baking soda and laughed at the result. And they’re going to remember that even on a cold, rainy Tuesday, you all found a little magic together before bedtime.

Do you have recipes you and your families use when baking with kids? We would love to see them! Share them in the comments.

With love (and plenty of baking disaster stories!)

LJ and your Common Ground Family

Common Ground 6/15/21 Common Ground 6/15/21

HELLO SUMMER SHINDIG - Party on June 18th from

Common Ground is kicking off Summer 2021 with a party on the playground!

The kids will get their first sweet cold treat of the Summer from Kona Ice at 3:30!

We will open up the grass area at 4:30PM for families, so please come out - bring a picnic or purchase dinner from Casa de Avila Tacos, who will be on site.

The playgrounds will open for free play at 5:30 after the last kid is picked up. Come mingle, give the kids a little extra play time and just have a fun start to the weekend/summer! We are so excited to be able to play in the sunshine with you.

Love Love Love,

Your CG Family

Common Ground 6/14/21 Common Ground 6/14/21

Curious? -- Little Caesar's Pizza Kit Review!!

WE ARE DOING A FUNDRAISER FOR DELICIOUS LITTLE CAESAR’S PIZZA KITS UNTIL JULY 7TH AND THE REVIEWS ARE IN!!

Are you intrigued about getting these for your next movie night, but unsure if your kids would be interested? Well GOOD NEWS!! One of our Rising Stars families came back with a STELLAR REVIEW about the “build your own mini pizza kit” and I think the pictures speak for themselves…

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These are easy peasy for toddlers to participate with. They cook up really nicely, they are easily shared, and did you know that a child is much more likely to try a food that they helped to prepare? It’s true!

Have you tried any of these kits? Do you have pictures from your family gathering?? Feel free to share them with us! We would love to see all the ways that these little “party in a box” pizzas add to your memories.

Anyone can buy them and support us! Share THIS LINK or THIS FLYER on your social media, with your office, with your fam! Anyone who buys a mouth-watering pizza, breadsticks, cheese bread, or cookie kit with our link earns us money!

PIZZA PIZZA!!

-Your CG Family

Common Ground 4/6/21 Common Ground 4/6/21

CG Birthday: How to Celebrate with Us!

We are turning 49 on April 6th, but we are celebrating ALL MONTH LONG!!

Normally this would warrant one of our excellent all-school events with food trucks, moon bounces, a giant cake, maybe a carnival…

But since we can’t do that, we are finding a ton of new, exciting ways to celebrate, and we want to tell you how you can join us from your own home.

Sign up for our Spring Stuffy Sleepover!

Our featured author Andrea Lamont will be doing a reading of her new book “The Friendship Rock” for the stuffys and their kiddo friends at home. This event is a total blast that we really think is a perfect way to celebrate together while apart.

Participate in and Share our Book Fair!

From April 12th-April19th, 24/7, you can participate in our Online Book Fair with Scrawl Books! There will be readings, book recommendations, and wish lists! Whether you are supporting your classroom, buying your kids’ new favorite book, or finding your next “relax by the fire pit” Spring read, any book you buy supports our fundraising efforts to raise money for our Non-Profit mission. The best birthday present you can give Common Ground is helping us raise money for our educational efforts.

Host your own Fundraiser on Facebook!

Our Non-Profit missions benefit our students, our teachers, our outreach, our support of much needed educational reform. By supporting our beloved school, we are also supporting our community! Helping us raise money to support those efforts is an AMAZING WAY to help us celebrate our birthday.

Here is our Our PayPal Donation Link where anyone can donate! Thank you for widening our impact.

You can Celebrate “The Week of the Young Child” with us!

We have several activities we are doing with all of the children at the center, but here are some ideas for how to celebrate at home!

Music Monday: Instead of turning on the tv when you get home, turn on the stereo and have a dance party!! Show your kids your favorite songs, and let them show you theirs, make a big Youtube playlist of your favorites, dance your heart out!
Pro Tip: Eighties Pop makes great Dance Music, here is our Owl’s Spotify List.
Struggling to come up with songs? Check out our Mister Josh Rock at the Blocks series on Youtube!
Tasty Tuesday: THROW YOUR OWN COMMON GROUND BIRTHDAY PARTY!! We know putting together something complicated on a Tuesday night feel like it’ll take more energy than you have, so you can always save this for a free weekend day. Whether you decide to try it on a weeknight, or a weekend, this does not have to be over the top to be special with your kiddos. Big Bird has a super easy Banana Bread Recipe! Make healthy banana bread “cupcakes,” stick candles in them, sing Happy Birthday, and chow down!
Work Together Wednesday: At school we will be planting our new class gardens!! We encourage you to plant local, pollinator-friendly plants with your kiddo so they can contribute to a healthy environment. Every little act brings great goodness to the world, and if your kid learns that early with you, they will be more confident and ready to do more and more each day.
Artsy Thursday: Draw chalk art on your sidewalk. Send postcards to family members you haven’t seen awhile with pictures from your kids. Let your kids paint with ice cubes or paint rocks to leave on your local trails. Any little art project that you do with your kid is time spent creating something lovely in the world, no matter what your skill level is. This is also a perfect opportunity to show teacher appreciation: If you want to make your teacher’s day, have your kiddo make an art project for them telling their teacher just how much they matter.
Family Friday: Movie Night! Family Walk! Shadow Charades! Board games! If you want to make it Common Ground themed, this is a fine night to throw the CG Birthday Party! You can also do a “name that teacher” guessing game.
All-Smiles Saturday: Sign your kids up for our Saturday Session on April 10th! While your kids are partying it up with us, you can relax, go on a date, do some much needed yard work, finish that 1000 piece puzzle you’ve been saving, anything that makes you smile!

HOWEVER: If SPRING CLEANING without interruption is what really makes your Saturday perfect, we highly suggest saving any gently used clothing/linens, small household appliances, personal accessories, and books for our JUNE FUND-DRIVE DONATION EVENT! By cleaning out your houses and freeing up your space, you could earn your school BIG MONEY. It’s our favorite type of “fundraiser,” because it is a WIN WIN WIN. You get a cleaned out bureau and don’t create more waste, we get much needed funds for our various educational objectives, and someone gets much needed “new to them” items for an affordable price from UNIQUE without creating more waste.

Whatever you do to celebrate, however you do it, please send us pictures. We would love to make a huge birthday picture collage for the center to show all the ways we honored Common Ground Childcare. Show us your cakes, your decorations, your art projects and gardens! Whatever it looks like, it was done with love, and that is everything to us.

Love Love Love,

Your CG Family

P.S. Let us know how you plan on participating on Common Ground’s Birthday in the Comments!

Common Ground 3/8/21 Common Ground 3/8/21

Unplugged Life: Our Favorite Backyard Games!

Four Square:
1. GAME RULES:
  1. Find the Set Up HERE
  2. Server (Royalty) must put one foot behind the service line
  3. Everyone must Hit UNDERHAND
  4. Ball must bounce ONCE and only ONCE in your square before your strike it (including on the serve)
  5. If someone makes a mistake you rotate up and that person goes to the back of the line (outside the #1 square)
  6. Server takes care of any arguments (unless it involves the server – then vote as a group, or play rock paper scissors)
  7. Inside lines are out, Outside lines are in Why? Because inside lines are shared, while outside lines are not shared so you know who’s square it bounced in.
  8. You can move anywhere outside the square or in your section of the square
  9. If it bounces in your square you MUST strike it
  10. Server Must Ask “Are you Ready” before serving
  11. No Carrying, Stalling or Holding – you must Strike or Hit the ball
  12. YOU ARE OUT IF:
    1. The ball in your square bounces 2 times or you hit it before it bounces
    2. You hit the ball out of bounds
    3. You hit the ball to an inside line
    4. You hit the ball Overhand
    5. You hit a ball that was another players ball (it bounced in their square and you hit it before it bounced a 2nd time)
    6. A ball bounces in your square an you are unable to get to it before it bounces a second time
    7. Some other game variations that we sometimes learn:
      1. VARIATIONS:
        Around the World: Server must call “Around the World.” You can go to the right or the left, they must go around the square in a circular rotation. Anyone can say “reverse” BEFORE you strike and go the opposite direction, if you don’t say it before the strike the server can call you out (ie. If you call it while you are hitting the ball). If Server calls “Around the World No Reverse” you can’t reverse it
        War or Battle: Server must call “War” or “Battle” and declare their opponent. War – Server wars with one person (2 square) until someone misses. Battle – Starts just like war, but someone can call “BREAK” before they strike the ball and then switch to battling with a different player in another square.
        Cherry Bomb: You are allowed to use overhand hits (except on the serve) Underhand hits are also still allowed.Manhunt
Capture the Flag:
1. Set Up: Divide the playing field OR hiking trail in half and designate two small “zones” on both sides to hold people who are tagged. There can also be a designated circle on each side where the flag is placed.
2. Each team tries to take the other team’s flag and return across the center line without being tagged.
3. When guarding the flag zone or the holding zone, a defender must be at least 2’ away from the zone boundaries.
4. If a player is tagged while on their opponent’s side they are must go to the holding zone on their opponent’s side.
5. If a player who has stolen the flag is tagged, the flag is returned to the flag zone, and the player goes to the zone.
6. A player can be freed from the holding zone when a teammate crosses the center line and tags the player; both players then receive a free walk back to their side.
7. A player can only free one teammate at a time.
8. If an opposing player can get both feet into the flag zone without being tagged, they can remain there without safely (without getting tagged) before attempting to cross the center line.
9. Variations
  1. Limit the number of players allowed in the circle at one time.
  2. Allow a player in the circle to throw the flag to a teammate.
  3. The flag must still be carried over the center line however.
  4. The players in the tagged zone can join hands and reach out of the zone to make it easier to be freed.
  5. Similarly, all players in the holding zone are freed when a player makes it across to rescue them.
  6. For extended games, allow players to hide their flags in plain sight in a designated area.
Kickball
1. Field Diagram
2. How to Play:
  1. Play begins with the pitcher rolling the ball smoothly to home plate. The kicker must kick from behind home.
  2. If the ball is kicked and rolls out of bounds before going past first or third base, it is called a foul and the kicker must try again.
  3. Kickers must run the bases in order and may stop at any base and wait to run again at the next kick. There, however, must be only one runner on a base and they must remain in order. No runner can pass the person in front of them.
  4. A run is scored for the kicking team when a base-runner touches all 4 bases, in order, without being called out at any time.
  5. A runner advances one base on an overthrow to the base player.
  6. Teams switch sides after three outs or nine runs are scored. Outs are granted when:
  7. The pitcher controls the play of the game. Play begins with the pitcher rolling the ball to the person up to bat, the kicker. Play stops when the ball is thrown to the pitcher.
  8. The kicker kicks a fly ball and it is caught before it touches the ground. Note: When a fly ball is in the air, the base runners must remain on base until after the ball is caught (called tag-up) before they can advance to the next base.
  9. The base player has control over the ball and a foot on the base before the base-runner reaches the base.
  10. The base-runner is tagged on his/her body by a fielder with the ball before s/he arrives at the base. Note: If the base-runner must advance because of another runner or kicker behind, it is called a force-out and the fielding team only has to tag the base to call an out. If there is no runner or kicker behind, it is not a force-out and the fielder with the ball must tag the base-runner.
  11. One base-runner passes another.
  12. A base-runner intentionally interferes with a fielder who is trying to recover the ball.
  13. Three fouls by an individual kicker equal an out.
  14. If a ball is touched by a member of the fielding team before it bounces, it is a fair ball.
  15. For safety, there is no sliding or throwing of the ball at a player. (or do… depending on the age and skill level of the kiddos)
  16. At the end of the game, have each team do a cheer for the other team, and have teams form lines to high five each other!
Dodgeball
1. Playing Area: Dodge ball can be played indoors or outdoors. The ideal playing area is a rectangle identical to a volleyball court that's 60 ft long by 30 ft wide.
  The court is divided in half by a center line. An "attack line" is marked 10 ft from the center line on each side of the court. The attack lines are parallel to the center line and extend the full width of the court. There is also a 4 ft-wide "neutral zone" extending across the playing area at center court to separate both sides.
2. How to Play: There are ENDLESS VERSIONS OF THIS GAME. The basic idea is that there is a non-zero number of balls, and if you are hit with a ball you are out. Kids can come up with as many rule variations based on theme or skill level they want. Here are some fun options:
3. Dodgeball is played with 2 teams of 6 players if the game is played indoors and 10 players for outdoor competition.
  1. The object of the game is to knock all of your opponents "out" of the game without being eliminated yourself.
  2. Starting Play: The game begins with the "opening rush."
  3. All 6 dodgeballs are lined up along the center line; 3 on one side of the center hash mark and 3 on the other side.
  4. Players position themselves behind their respective end lines.
  5. On the official's signal, both teams run to center court to get their balls.
  6. Eliminating Players
    1. A player is "out" if:
      1. He gets hit by a ball below the shoulders – The ball may not hit the floor or wall first.
      2. She drops a ball that’s thrown to her.
      3. His ball is caught by another player.
      4. She steps out of bounds – During play, players may only leave the playing area to retrieve a ball, and they may only leave through their end line. They must also re-enter the game through their end line.
      5. He crosses over the neutral zone – Players may step safely into the neutral zone, but they may not step over the neutral zone line on the opponent’s side of the court.
      6. She slides or dives head first into the neutral zone.
      7. A ball hits him and another teammate (they are both out).
      8. She gets hit by a ball rebounding off of a ball lying on the court.
      9. He hits an opponent in the head with the ball.
      10. Blocking - Players can defend themselves by blocking a ball coming at them with another ball, but they have to maintain control of the ball they are blocking with. If they drop the ball, they are "out."
  7. There are 3 types of dodgeball games, each with slightly different objectives:
    1. Elimination Game: The game is played until all members of one team have been eliminated. The first team to knock out all of its opponents is the winner.
    2. Timed Game: The game is played for a pre-determined amount of time or until all members of one team are eliminated, whichever comes first. If there are players remaining when time expires, the team with the most players still on the court wins the game.
    3. Scored Game: A scored game can be played either as an elimination game or a timed game. Teams earn points for the number of players still "in" at the end of each game.
  8. Variations
    1. Bombardo, Dr. Dodgeball, Gaga, and many more!
Hide and Seek
1. This is another classic game with so many variations that it is hard to know what the original version is!
2. Basic: Seeker counts while the other’s hide, the Seeker finds the hiders, the last one to be found gets to be it! (or gets to pick who is it, depending on what the winner wants)
3. Basic with Base: Same rules, except the hiders can try to escape their hiding spot to tag a base selected before the game starts.
4. Sardines: One person hides while everyone else counts. They split up and look. Once a seeker finds the hider, they hide WITH the hider. The last seeker to find them all loses!
5. Fox and the Goalie: Also known as Manhunt, Fox and the Goalie involves one person hiding, everyone else seeking. Instead of the game ending when the fox is found, however, it is not over until the Fox is CAUGHT by the seekers. This can be played with a base, but is often just “go until you’re out.”
TIPS
1. All you need is a ball. Kickball is about the right size, but smaller is fine for small hands. If you are playing with smaller children, a softer ball is preferred.
2. All the kids stand in a circle with plenty of space to swing their arms. One person has the ball.
3. To throw the ball AND catch the ball, you have to be airborne. Therefore, the game starts with the initial ball thrower jumping in the air and throwing the ball to another person. (do not spike the ball unless it is agreed upon beforehand, it’s not fair)
4. The person who is being thrown the ball has to jump in the air, catch the ball, and throw it to another person before they hit the ground.
5. Once a person is “out” you do not close ranks, but continue to throw with that space empty. That way it becomes harder to throw it to another person as the game goes on
6. A person is out if:
  1. They are the catcher and fail to catch the ball while they themselves are airborne.
  2. They are the catcher and fail to throw the ball before they hit the ground.
  3. They are the thrower and fail to throw to another person.
  4. They commit an illegal throw: The throw is too hard, too high, too wide.
7. The winner is the last one in the circle
Jumping Rope Games
1. Double Dutch
2. Red Hot Chili Peppers
Volleyball
1. Depending on age, this game can be quite complex! But the basic idea is this:
2. Volleyball is a game played by two teams, usually of six players on a side, in which the players use their hands to bat a ball back and forth over a high net, trying to make the ball touch the court within the opponents’ playing area before it can be returned.
3. To prevent this a player on the opposing team bats the ball up and toward a teammate before it touches the court surface—that teammate may then volley it back across the net or bat it to a third teammate who volleys it across the net. A team is allowed only three touches of the ball before it must be returned over the net.
4. Here is an amazing article with graphics where they get more technical: ARTICLE
Steal the Bacon
1. How to Play:
  1. Divide everyone into two to four groups; each team sits on a boundary line.
  2. Give each player a number, each group should have a one, a two, etc.
  3. Place the “bacon” in the center of the playing area and assign each team one goal line at either end of the playing area.
  4. The adult calls out a number and all students with that number run to pick up the “bacon.” Once they get better at this, you can start saying things like “all even/odd/prime numbers!” or even “the sum of…. 3 and 1!” but make sure everyone is relatively aware of how to do simple math or what even/odd/prime numbers are.
  5. The person who gets the “bacon” first tries to run across his/her team’s goal line without being tagged. The person whose number was called who did not get the “bacon” should try to tag the other player before they get across the goal line.
  6. Once someone is tagged or gets across their goal line, the round is over. Everyone who played in the round give each other high-five’s and they go back to the boundary line with their teams.

IF YOU ADD MORE GAMES LIKE THIS IN THE COMMENTS, WE WILL ADD THEM TO OUR BIG LIST!! Please help us collect fun outdoor games for our kids to play. After all, OUTDOOR IS BEST! Whole body play is good for number sense, emotional resilience, physical health and fitness, sensory issues, and attention spans! Also they’re just super fun.

Hurray!

LJ

Common Ground 12/30/20 Common Ground 12/30/20

Save the Date: Spirit Nights

In 2021 we will be having MONTHLY SPIRIT NIGHTS!

What’s a Spirit Night?

A Spirit Night is when a local restaurant supports Common Ground Childcare by giving a percentage of their sales profits for one evening! All you have to do is order food and let the restaurant know you are there to support Common Ground Childcare, and VOILA! You are helping us fundraise just by eating a good meal with your family!

It used to be we would gather at a restaurant and all eat together. These “Spirit Nights” were some of our absolute favorite evenings, especially in the cold months! The kids loved seeing their teachers and each other in a non-school setting.

These times will come again. And while we are waiting for them to return, we have decided that getting into the habit of scheduling them once a month will assure we all remember to save the dates!

We will post them as we get them, so be on the look out. SEE YOU THERE! And don’t forget to say “we’re here to support Common Ground.”

Our January and February Spirit Nights are on the calendar already!

On Saturday, January 16th you can support Common Ground by picking up Panera for your family! Delicious soups and hot fresh bread are the perfect combination to combat that cold, winter wind! (Click below for more info)
On Wednesday, February 10th our Spirit Night is at the North Point Baskin-Robbins! They are currently refurbishing their store so it will be EXTRA snazzy for those (almost) Valentine treats… Bring the kids, or make it a date!

Saturday, January 16th from 4pm to 8 pm at the Elden Street location

Wednesday, February 10th from 6pm to 9pm at the North Point shopping center location

Common Ground 12/17/20 Common Ground 12/17/20

Who We Are: Our Teacher Recommendations for Children's Books.

We have read them all! Twenty Times! In silly voices! We present to you Common Ground’s vetted list of children’s books for every age! When asked, the most popular authors were Eric Carle (overwhelmingly) and Anna Dewdney, but these were the personal favorites for everyone!

Ms. Marita, Infants Teacher:
Ms. Nha, Infants Teacher:
Ms. Patty, Infants Teacher:
Ms. Pinky, Toddler Teacher:
Ms. Simi, Toddler Teacher:
Ms. Kisha, 2s Teacher:
Ms. Delia, 2s Teacher:
Ms. Janette, 2s ad 3s Teacher:
Ms. Vanessa, 3s Teacher:
Ms. Petty, 3s Teacher:
Mr. Josh, 4s Teacher:
Ms. Adella, 4s Teacher:
Ms. Victoria, School-Age Teacher:
Ms. Mimi, Assistant Director:
Ms. Liz, Director:
1. Click Clack Moo, Cow's that Type by Doreen Cronin. I just LOVE how the farm animals organize a union to get better working conditions!
2. What you do Matters series (what do you do with a problem, what do you do with an idea, what do you do with a chance)
3. "None the Number" series
4. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
5. Charlotte's Web
6. Harry Potter
Ms. LJ, Teacher:
1. King Baby
2. Ladybug Girl and the Beach
3. Prince and Knight
4. Chapter Book: The Boggart (The Boggart and the Monster is my favorite, but you should read the first one!)
5. Chapter Book: The Bailey School Kids — Vampires Don’t Wear Polka Dots is #1, but they’re all amazing
6. Chapter Book: The Hobbit — There are graphic novel versions too, but it’s a classic, it’s a charming read, and it’s worth it.

Common Ground 11/22/20 Common Ground 11/22/20

#GiveTime: Community and Causes

Hi there! LJ Donnell here with some incredible (and quick!) ideas to #GiveTime to your community! This is a part of our #GiveFundsGiveTime Campaign for #GivingTuesday, so if you need more ideas, visit THIS PAGE. We also ask that if you have any excellent ideas of your own that aren’t listed here, PLEASE share them in the comments!! A community is always better when we work together.

So far, our suggestions are:
- 5 minutes a night knitting/crocheting/making blankets for Project Linus
- Do click throughs on charity sites
- Sign petitions
- Call your local representative and talk to the about an issue
- Draw inspirational chalk messages around your neighborhood
- Draw loving chalk messages and pictures on the sidewalk of your local hospital so patience can see them out the window
- Write post cards to senior citizens and other high-risk populations who are stuck in quarantine and away from their families. Example Here
- Share/Amplify social media messages for local businesses, charities, and local activist groups. — I know this doesn’t sound like much… but it really means the world to people trying to get their messages out there. It takes you very little time, and you could make a big difference to their business or cause. Even something as small as sharing a “Missing Pet” post from your local neighborhood’s facebook could make a world of difference for a family.
- Volunteer as your Cal de sac’s glass recycling person — okay, this one may be a 15/20 minute task once a week. Have your neighbors put their used glass products in bags and place them on their doorsteps, then you take them to the nearest glass recycling bins. You could also set up a round-robin sort of thing, and it’s as easy as making a post on your neighborhood’s facebook or NextDoor page.
- Pick up trash on your walk — You may be getting fresh air. You may be on a little run! You may be taking your kids out of the house to get rid of some of their energy. Either way, just have gloves in your pockets and a grocery bag so you can pick up trash you see on the walk. You’d be surprised how little effort it takes, and what a big difference it makes. Wildlife in the area is getting snared in disposable masks on the ground. It’s pretty awful. Every little bit you do, even if it’s just five minutes while you’re already walking outside, could save a precious life.

#GiveFundsGiveTime is all about giving what you can when you can, and not overtaxing. All good deeds make waves, no matter how small. Let’s make this holiday season as full of hope, magic, and love as we possibly can.

See you out there!

Ms. LJ

Common Ground 11/19/20 Common Ground 11/19/20

#GiveTime: Five Minutes to Give to your Kids

Our children are the future. They’re our hearts living outside. They can also be a point of stress and guilt when we are feeling stressed and empty from isolation. You want to be the parent who never eye-twitches at glitter spills, who always has a good bake coming out of the oven, who is never too tired to play “doggies” for the fiftieth time. We are not our best every day.

But we can spare five minutes every day. Need a little guidance? Here are some great ideas for an activity you can do in five minutes! If there is an Asterisk* by the activity, you can scroll down to the bottom of the blog to receive further guidance and elaboration.

FIVE MINUTE KID ACTIVITIES WITH LITTLE TO NO MESS:

Dance Party
Red light/green light
Trivia*
Simple Conversation — Ask them questions
Track Moon Phases Nightly on a sheet as a Family
Build Obstacle Courses*
Read a Book
Write a story!*
Hide and Seek
Floor is Lava*
Singing Songs
Build a Fort
Run around the block
A game of tickles
Tag
Words of Affirmation*
“What I’m thankful for” discussion
“What we did today” round table
Jump contest, Wall sit contest, Jumping jack contest*

Have you seen the common denominator among these suggestions? They all involve undivided attention. While parents are spending a record amount of time with and around their kids these days, the quality of these interactions is down. We are constantly distracted, constantly on call.

EVERYTHING can wait five minutes. No, really. Barring very, VERY extenuating circumstances, everything can wait five minutes. We tell our kids to wait five minutes all the time, we can definitely tell our phones to sit on the charger and wait five minutes. TV too. Those five minutes a day are going to mean the world to your kiddo, and I guarantee they’ll be your favorite part of the day too.

There are dozens more ideas! Maybe hundreds. Please share other five minute activities you have tried out with your kids!

Trivia: Don’t feel tied down to educational stuff with this one (although gamification is definitely a way to make learning fun.) You can make the trivia about family members, animals, even talking about their favorite tv show or book can help exercise their brains and show you know and interact with what they care about. You’d be surprised at what they know (and what you don’t!). Extra benefit of trivia? You can play ANYWHERE. We always play in the car to make the ride go faster.
Obstacle Courses and Floor is Lava — You’re probably thinking of what I initially imagined… walls of legos to jump over, suspended hula hoops, tree swings, something on fire…
Okay maybe not that last one, but I always thought that obstacle courses had to be an incredible feat of construction and purchase… certainly something that would take ages to set up. REALLY all you need is a clean floor and tape. Yell to your kids that it’s time for an obstacle course, and if they want one, the toys have to be off the floor. Once they’ve cleaned for you, lay out some lines and shapes on the floor, maybe a few on the walls, and let their imaginations do the rest! They can army crawl, jump, skip, or spin from one point to another. Somersaulting, spinning, and hand stands work that inner ear strength, so add a few of those. If you don’t mind incorporating furniture, you can make them crawl under chairs or hop over ottomans. One of the best things to do in obstacle courses is declare certain parts of the course “lava.” We love to use pillows as “lava boats” and the kids have to scoot across the floor on them. Easy peasy. If you don’t mind leaving the tape, this fun can last for a week and you don’t even have to set it up over and over. Set the five minute timer and give them a prize for completing on time.
Write a story — This is fun, because they can start the project without you. They can draw the pictures and you can work on the words with them, or you can draw them together, any level of independence works! My only note in here is to let them write whatever whacky story they like, encourage that imagination muscle which often has to work in so many strict parameters.
Words of Affirmation — This one is amazing in its simplicity, and it can take any form you like. The way we do it at home is: “Do I love you when you’re mad? Do I love you when you’re sad? Do I love you when your listening ears are off? Do I love you when you’re happy? And sick? And when your messy or clean or quiet or loud?” It’s always yes. Eventually they start doing it too. Repeating these things, especially when you’re frustrated and overwhelmed, can be so rewarding and uplifting.
Physical Feat Contests — Kids are living a more sedentary lifestyle than ever. Doing fun physical feats with their family makes fitness a bright spot in their every day lives.

Stay Tuned for more Ideas!! and PLEASE post more of your own!

Love Love Love!

Miss LJ

Common Ground 11/14/20 Common Ground 11/14/20

GIVE TIME: Making a Mess! I mean... Experiments.

SCIENCE IS FUN!!

BUT…

It can be exhausting and overwhelming to turn our kitchen into a science lab.

We found ourselves one Sunday afternoon with crunched leaves in the couch, slime clinging like cement to the outdoor furniture, jugs of different juices with candies and half-melted cheetos floating in them. We had spent all Saturday cleaning, and it felt like we were living in a giant sand garden where the slightest breeze would blow something sticky all over everything… I saw my kids about to turn on the hose for their water table, opened my mouth to yell “NO MORE SCIENCE,” and then listened to what I was about to say to them.

I am not saying you should let your house just be totally dedicated to the whims of a toddler. What I am saying is that curiosity is the KEY to learning.

THIS SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF PRESSURE.

If you watch Emily’s Wonder Lab or watched The Magic School Bus, you think that every experiment has to be organized, clever, and steeped in some fantastic, curriculum-based scientific concept.

Science is not neat. Science is messy. It also does not have to be complicated.

We have a Scientific Method Worksheet free to download IF YOU WANT. It’s not necessary, but it can be nice to keep track of all the journeys of discover you go on. Free Download Here.

What if your three year old wants to know what’s inside an acorn?
1. Ask them what they think. This is a HUGE part of it, because you want them to start trying to figure things out.
2. Gather the materials! (AND YES THEY CAN BE DANGEROUS!) for this one, you just need a hammer and something to protect your floor if you’re inside.
3. SMASH IT! Let them help. It is important that kiddos learn how to use tools safely, or else they will use them NOT safely.
4. Poke at it! Look at the pieces! What is it? This can be the end of the experiment. If they want to know more about the stuff inside, you can look it up, but keep it simple, keep it steeped in wonder.

WHAT ABOUT THE MESS.

Friends, I hear you. My son is a big water-pourer. All the time. He gets in the sink and runs the tap. He sprays the hose into jugs of all sizes. He is constantly stealing people’s drinks and pouring them into other people’s drinks. We keep towels poised in the pantry for when he inevitably spills a cup of water onto the floor, the table, the dog.

This. Is. Science. He is developing spatial awareness. He is figuring out which containers hold the most and the least. He is studying how water works. He is using all of his senses to experience water. “This water’s hotter! This water has air bubbles! This water is wet! (okay, all water is wet, kid…)” He is excited, curious, and into it.

I ended up making a path of towels with different buckets of all sizes up and down the towel line. Before he poured, I’d ask him what he thought would happen, and supply during “observations” time what happened.
"Uh oh! There was too much water for the red cup. Is there too much water for the blue bucket?” “Uh oh! When you put sand in the cup, it becomes too full for the water! Why do you think the sand sank to the bottom?”

As they get older (my five year old is really into science experiments now) you can get into the more complicated messes. “Why is this slime so sticky? What happens if I add baking soda to it? Why shouldn’t I wash it down the sink?”

This was a winding road. Let’s do a quick wrap up, a conclusion, if you will.

These messy science experiments have a lot to offer your kids. They help them study the world around them in a safe environment where they have relative autonomy. They show your children the rewards of being bored and making their own fun. They show your children (and you!) that it’s okay to take chances, make mistakes, and get a little messy… as long as they are willing to clean up after themselves.
Once they realize there is time allowed for “SCIENCE TIME,” it is much easier to enforce the concept of “NOT-SCIENCE TIME.” That helps guide the fun and limit the mess. The worksheet above lets them write down any questions they have that can be answered during “SCIENCE TIME” so you don’t have to be constantly on the look out for eggs hiding in the bathtub… (that was a weird one.)

So get out there, science teams! Make the wonderful messes and maybe answer your own questions!! If you need a list of fantastic easy science experiments, check it out HERE!

Love you all, you whacky scientists,

Ms. LJ

Common Ground 10/19/20 Common Ground 10/19/20

Life, Unplugged: The Night Sky

Common Ground Friends…

It is COLDER. DARKER. GRAYER.

We know coming home after the sun sets can really sap everyone’s energy. At 6:30 PM you still have to do dinner, night time rituals, morning preparation, and there’s always dishes… It’s hard to avoid handing out tablets or throwing on The Magic School Bus. Crafts and games can be amazing, and we will be posting on this blog on those another time, but this particular blog is about the magic and majesty of simply…
Looking up.

You can enchant your child with their night sky any time of year. You can do it with or without a telescope.

Help them track the phases of the moon with this amazing (and free!) MOON CHART.
Introduce them to constellations with this super cool (and free!) set of Constellations worksheets (Found HERE)
Use this (free!) App to explore your night sky! (of course, then it’s not COMPLETELY screen free, make sure they’re looking up instead of at the phone or tablet)
Teach them The Moon Phase Game by Ms. LJ! (if you watch it beforehand, you can play with no screens!)
Listen to Gustav Holst’s Planets Suite while you fill out your moon chart.
Is your kid developing a passion for astronomy? Purchase a kid-friendly telescope!* For less than 100 bucks you can offer years of incredible family experiences and create new traditions.

From today until the new year, there are so many glorious events happening right above you. Here are only our favorite three, you can find the full list here. (There are three other meteor showers between now and January 1)

November 11, 12 - Northern Taurids Meteor Shower. The Northern Taurids is a long-running minor meteor shower producing only about 5-10 meteors per hour. This shower is, however, famous for producing a higher than normal percentage of bright fireballs. The Northern Taurids is produced by dust grains left behind by Asteroid 2004 TG10. The shower runs annually from October 20 to December 10. It peaks this year on the the night of the 11th and morning of the 12th. The thin crescent moon will not be much of a problem this year leaving dark skies for what could be a really good show. Best viewing will be just after midnight from a dark location far away from city lights. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Taurus, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
November 30 - Penumbral Lunar Eclipse. A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth's partial shadow, or penumbra. During this type of eclipse the Moon will darken slightly but not completely. The eclipse will be visible throughout most of North America, the Pacific Ocean, and northeastern Asia including Japan. (NASA Map and Eclipse Information)
December 21 - Rare Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. A conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn will take place on December 21. This rare conjunction of these two planets is known as a great conjunction. The last great conjunction occurred in the year 2000. The two bright planets will appear only 7 arc minutes of each other in the night sky. They will be so close that they will appear to make a bright double planet. Look to the west just after sunset for this impressive and rare planetary pair.

After you’ve come in with a little more wonder (and dappled cheeks!) you and your kiddos can make up your own stories and constellations while making hot cocoa. You can talk about what you wished for on the falling stars. You can read a book about your favorite planet, or just talk about your favorite part of the evening. Anything you do is fine, because you did something fantastic together.

GO START YOUR NEW TRADITION!

— The CG Crew

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