Monday, December 20, 2010

Ongar December Newsletter 2010

Mother Hubbards Newsletter
December 2010

Happy Birthday

This month we would like to wish the following children a very big Happy Birthday:

  • Siobhan who was ??? on the 4th
  • Liam in the Baby Room will turn 1 
  • Jonathan in the Pre-Monti Room will turn 3 
  • Sarah D in the Pre-Monti Room who will turn 3
  • Ciara who is ??? on the 22nd
  • Ruth who is ??? on the 25th
  • Alison who is ??? on the 28th
  • Chloe in the Montessori Room who is 4 
  • Cara in the Toddler Room who is 2 

Welcome
I’m sure some parents would recognise Lydia as she did relief work with us, I am now delighted to inform you that Lydia will be joining us on a full time basis. She will work alongside Annette in the Pre-Montessori Room.

Room Changes
You may have noticed some staff have changed rooms and some children have moved to bigger rooms. If you have any queries in relation to your child moving room or staff in your child’s room please do not hesitate to contact us.

Health and Safety
We would like to ask all parents not to park on the path outside the front door and to use the car parking spaces. This is for the health and safety of all children attending the crèche.
Reminders
·        We have altered our menu slightly it is displayed in the main hall.
·        Just a reminder that will close on the 23rd of December at 6.30pm sharp and re-open on Tuesday 4th January at 7.15am.
·        We understand that on occasion that parents may be delayed in picking up their children, we would appreciate it if you are going to be late if you could phone us and let us know.

Photographs
Reorders for individual and group photographs will sent on Friday the 17th and please ensure all reorders and group photos are paid for in advance.

Cute As A Button Headbands
Samantha Watters here in Ongar has set up her own business making headbands. You can contact Samntha by email cuteasabuttonheadbands@hotmail.com or speak to her outside of crèche hours. You can also find Cute As A Button Headbands on Facebook.
For stunning handmade headbands for yourself or your little cutie please visit Cute as a Button Headbands on Facebook
My headbands are custom made to your order for that personal touch!


Jack and Jill Foundation
Our Crèche in Nephin Road is collecting old mobile phones in aid of the Jack and Jill Foundation.. Their funding has been cut by over €1 million so this will help raise some vital money. If you have any old mobile phones you would like to donate please drop them in


Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

Ongar Village                            Phone: 01 8260055
Ongar                                      
Dublin 15                        E-Mail:  ongar@motherhubbardschildcare.ie

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Slane Road December Newsletter 2010

Mother Hubbards Newsletter December 2010

Happy Birthday to;
Ike who will be 2 
Emma who will be 2

Closing Times over Christmas
The Montessori and Pre Montessori sessions will close on Wednesday the 22nd of December at 12.00/12.30 and re open January 10th at 9.00am. The centre will close for all children on Thursday the 23rd December at 6.00pm and re open Tuesday the 4th at 7.30 am.

The Montessori sessional children will have their Christmas Party on Wednesday the 22nd of December from 11.00-12.00am.

The Montessori children will have a small Christmas Concert on Tuesday the 21st December at 11.45am-12.00am; they will be singing all the Christmas songs they have learned over the past few weeks! All parents are welcome but we do ask that only two family members attend for each child as we don’t have much space in the room! Also if possible can parents provide a Santa hat for each child for that day and dress them in festive colours red and green. Thank You!

Toddlers, Pre Montessori, fulltime Montessori and after school will have their Christmas party on Thursday the 23rd of December at 2.30pm.

This Christmas instead of giving the children presents Mother Hubbards will be donating money to worthy charities that really need our support this time of the year! Thank You!


The Montessori children will be having a Christmas Movie Day to raise money for Special Olympics Ireland on Monday the 20th of December. They will be looking at a Christmas Movie and having popcorn and rice krispies! We ask all parents to make a donation of €2 each for this special cause! Thank You!

The photographer came to the centre on Thursday the 9th of December. Please note that the pictures are on spec so if you don’t like your child’s picture you are under no obligation to buy. The price is €30 for 1 (10X8) and 2 (5X4).

What we are doing in the rooms this month;
It’s all about Christmas this month! Toddlers are busy making lots of decorations and learning their Christmas songs. Also this month they have been learning about the circus and had great fun making their circus animals!
Playschool have been learning their Christmas songs too and have been making lots of Christmas artwork like Christmas socks, Santa faces, Rudolph masks and lots of other things! Together they are going to make a huge Christmas tree and decorate it with their decorations.
Montessori have been learning about Christmas they have also been making Christmas crafts, learning about the robin and how we should look after our birds in Winter. They are also busy practicing for their Christmas concert!
Afterschool have been making Christmas crafts and recently made some rice krispies on their snow day off from school!

It’s Christmas!

Here are a few ideas for some yummy Christmas recipes you can cook with your children over Christmas;
Decorating cookies is such a fun family project. Turn on some holiday music, turn off the TV and spread the sprinkles, candies and sugars out for this fun event.

Christmas iced cookies
Ingredients
·                         3-3/4 cups all purpose flour
·                         1 tsp baking powder
·                         1/2 tsp salt
·                         1 cup butter or margarine, softened (not melted!)
·                         1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
·                         2 eggs
·                         2 tsp vanilla extract
Cooking Instructions
  1. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.
  2. Beat butter or margarine, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl with electric mixer until fluffy. Gradually add flour mixture and stir with wooden spoon until thoroughly mixed. Cover dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for two hours.
  3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut out circles with a cookie cutter or other round object, such as a glass or round plastic container. Place circles 2” apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
  4. Bake for 6-8 minutes, checking after 6 minutes. Cookies will be done when edges are lightly browned. Do not allow cookies to get too brown. Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes. Remove from cookies sheets to aluminum foil on a flat surface and allow to cool completely.
  5. What You Do
  6. Bake your favorite sugar cookie recipe (try Amanda’s Sugar Cookies, above), or purchase a package from the store.
  7. Using a butter knife, spread white frosting on top of each cookie.
  8. Let children decorate the cookies with sprinkles, sugar, and candies.
  9. To make holly berry cookies, place two red candies or jelly beans toward the top of the cookie and draw on leaves with green decorator gel.
  10. For sugar stars, trees and other shapes, gently place a miniature cookie cutter on top of the cookie after it’s frosted. Carefully sprinkle a small amount of sugar into the cookie cutter with your fingers, being careful not to let the sugar fall outside. Gently remove cookie cutter.
  11. You can completely cover a cookie with decorative sugar by holding the frosted cookie upside down and dipping the frosted end into the sugar to coat.
  12. Use red decorator gel to write “Ho Ho Ho!” on your cookies.
  13. A snowman can be made from candies and fruit roll ups. Cut a strip of fruit roll up, about ½ thick, and twist it into a rope. Place the fruit roll up around the top of the cookie as ear muffs and add jelly beans for the muffs themselves. Decorate face with colored candies.

Merry Christmas Everyone!



Mother Hubbards, 56 Blackcastle Demesne, Slane Road, Navan.
046- -9059967

Nephin Road's December Newsletter 2010

December Newsletter 2010
Welcome
We would like to welcome Cliona and her parents Grainne and Adrian in Mother Hubbard’s.

Birthdays
A big Happy Birthday to ……………
Clodagh in the baby room will be 1 yr
Cliona will be 1 yr

Photographer
We hope everyone is happy with photos Dermot ward took of the children. We only had one or two tears this year!
The order has gone in for the group photos so we should have them back soon. If you have not paid for your set and group photo, can you please have it in by Friday 17th December. Dermot will accept cash or cheques made out to Dermot Ward.  Please do not include money for photo together with your child’s fee.

Fireman Visit
Vinnie, the Fireman was here in Mother Hubbard’s.  He explained about fire safety to all the children. He also pointed out that many children hid under the beds in event of a fire and hard to rescue them so he told the children to shout out loud if there ever was a fire at home. All the children had an amazing time asking questions to the fireman.

Christmas Decorations
All the children in the rooms are very busy wit Christmas activities and decorating their rooms.

Christmas Holidays
We close at 6 pm on Thursday 23rd of December for Christmas holidays.  Sessional Montessori closes at 12pm on the 23rd also.
We re-open on Tuesday 4th January 2011 and the Sessional Montessori start back on Monday the 10th January 2011.

Christmas Party
The children’s Christmas Party on Thursday the 23rd of December. Children can dress up if they wish.

NCNA & IPPA
As you know we are members of the NCNA (National Children’s Nurseries Association) and IPPA (Irish Preschool Play Association). Both of these organisations are joining together to form “Early Childhood Ireland”. You can get more information at www.ncna.ie or www.ippa.ie

Jack & Jill Foundation
We are collecting old mobile phones for the Jack & Jill Foundation. If you have any old ones lying around that you don’t need please bring it into us and we will pass it onto the foundation. There funding has been cut by the HSE by over 1 million Euro so every bit helps.
Thank you!

Ad
A staff member in our Ongar centre has set up a small business. Details below;

“For stunning handmade headbands for yourself or your little cutie please visit Cute as a Button Headbands on facebook.
My headbands are custom made to your order for that personal touch!”
  
Play dough – Something to do on a rainy day over Christmas!
1/2 cup salt (60g)
1/2 cup water (120ml)
1 cup flour (120g)
1 tablespoon oil
food dye (3 or 4 drops) or poster paint (big squeeze) (any colour, be creative!) 

Put everything into a bowl and mix. It’s that easy!!
A hint – If you use warm water its easier to mix together





We hope everyone has a great Christmas and a
Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas from everyone at Mother Hubbard’s
  


Mother Hubbard’s
19 Nephin Road
Dublin 7
01 8688460
www.motherhubbardschildcare.ie