A Cake to Celebrate Colors!

This weeks theme is Colors! So here is a recipe to make a COLORFUL cake! This was my favorite cake when I was little!

When you think of a Jello cake recipe, there’s only one cake that is so popular that it immediately pops into your head: the classic Jello poke cake. This cake is famous for being extremely flexible in its use of gelatin flavors. When it’s sliced into, you’ll see the colorful stripes inside. Whatever flavor you use it’s sure to be a hit.

1 package white or yellow cake mix (for two layers)

1 small package flavored gelatin, any flavor

4 eggs

1/3 cup oil

1 cup water (for the cake mix)

1 (12 oz.) container Cool Whip1 cup water (for gelatin)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare cake, according to package directions, using eggs, oil and water.

Bake cake in a 13x9-inch pan for 40 to 45 minutes.

Let cake cool in pan for at least 15 minutes.
Poke holes across the entire surface of cake with a fork.

Dissolve the gelatin in 1 cup of boiling water.

Pour the warm gelatin slowly over the surface of the cake (gelatin will soak into the cake).

Place cake in the refrigerator and chill for about 4 hours.
Spread whipped topping on top of cake before serving.

Refrigerate leftover cake.

My Story

As a child I was a very imaginative and creative child! I loved dressing up! I loved becoming other character that I saw on TV or heard in books! Yet, I had a problem. I had very severe learning difficulties. Especially in math and reading. While I could look at the pictures and tell you a story almost better than what was actually written in the book, I could not read the words.

While my friends in my class were making great strides in there reading I was not. I took many tests with specialist in the Special education field. I remember at the age of six hearing one of these "Specialist" tell my parents that I would never learn how to read. Being, a head strong little girl, I knew that I was going to learn how to read. My parents provided me with many books to "read". They read to me. They read and read and read and read until I'm sure they didn't want to read anymore.

Through all those many books I learned to love books. That love for books translated into the desire to learn to read. It wasn't easy and it didn't happen over night, but it happened!

I love visiting each of the centers and sharing the joy of books with the children. While, I have a great time with your children, I believe that I am not the most important reader in your child's life. You are! Please take 10 minutes and read a book to your child!!!

Checking things out at Mason and Catching Up with Ms. Liz

Today was our first day ever going to the Mason center! What fun we had today!! The children there are so smart, happy, and well cared for! Not only did we get to read our wonderful stories to the children, but we also got the opportunity to check out what happens in their classrooms! We saw one classroom going on a bear hunt! Another class was making puppets! Yet another class was decorating life sized cutouts of themselves! Very cool!!!

Here are some pictures I took in the Kindergarten room!!! Great job Dolphins your room looks incredible!! :D

This little lady helps the children work on their letters and letter sounds!! :D

Apple Poem!!

The Ultra cool Farmer's market in the dramatic play area!!

Meet Ms. Liz

Ms. Liz and Mrs. Wiggins the Bear!

Name: Ms. Liz

Age: Ageless...I'm a Mom!

Favorite Color: Purple

Favorite Food: Anything Mexican

Favorite thing to drink: Diet Dr. Pepper

What she likes to do on the weekend: When I have time I like to go shopping, spend time with my children and my friends!

Job at KRK: Cook, Bus Driver, Front Desk Helper, Floater (West Chester)

Off to Liberty Township tomorrow!!!

This is the funniest day ever!

From a little girl in the Monkey room at the West Chester Center:

" Today is the funniest day in my whole life!!!"

Kids are soooo cool!!!

Maineville Rocks!!!

It was so great to be back in Maineville again for story time! It was so much fun to see all of my friends again!

Here is a game for all my MAINEVILLE FRIENDS! Take a look at the pictures below! Send me an email at AuntieEmKRK@gmail.com and tell me where in the center these items can be found. Deadline is September 15th! Happy Hunting!!!

Happy School Year!!

I am so excited that Story time will be starting again tomorrow! It has been a very long summer. I can't wait to begin sharing wonderful books with my friends again!

This week in Toddlers we will be reading/singing a wonderful book by Raffi. It is titled "Baby Beluga". It's a about a little whale who swims in the ocean and is free. Parents, you may remember the song from when you were a child! I can recall riding in the car from Vermont to Washington DC, playing this song over and over again! It brings back a lot of good memories! Check out Raffi's website!

In the preschool classes, we will be reading the book, "Thump, Thump, Rat-a-Tat-Tat." This book is wonderfully simple. It is about a marching band that is marching in a parade. The band starts off quietly and progressivly gets louder and louder. Then it begins to get quieter and quieter as the marching band goes by. The children will "play along" with the marching band by stomping their feet and clapping their hands.

Try this Craft out with your family!


COFFEE CAN DRUM

Ages 3-8
Drums are an important part of life and ceremony in many cultures. Here is a simple method for you and your child to create a fun sounding drum

What You Need:
An empty coffee can with a plastic lid (small, large, whatever you have).
Construction paper, glue & scissors.
Paint or markers.
Paintbrushes & water.
Dowels or sticks from trees in the park.
String, leather, feathers, beads ... any bits of scrap material you might have.
What You Do:
You have two options here. Either paint the coffee can with paint or cover the can with construction paper. Leave the plastic lid on the coffee can ... this will be your drum head.
If you cover the coffee can with construction paper, you can paint or draw designs and creatures on the coffee can. Have a look at pictures of different kinds of drums and the images found on them. (Try covering the can with aluminum foil for a neat effect.)
After the paint is dry, you can glue all sorts of wonderful things to your drum.
Using wooden dowels or simply wooden sticks, drum away on your new coffee can drum.
Older students may want to try pounding the bottom of the coffee can with a rubber mallet to make a Carribean-style steel drum.

Our Pre-Kindergarten classes will be reading the book " Henny Penny" by Jane Wattenberg. It is an updated retelling of the classic story! The photographs used is this book are wonderful, very fun an quirky! Here is a link to some coloring sheets to print out and color!

Finally, in your Kindergarten classes, we will be reading a booked titled " The Kissing Hand. Little Chester Raccoon is scared to start school because he will miss his mother. His mother kisses his hand and reminds him that she loves him and that he can carry her love with him to school!

Kingergarten can be an exciting and scary time in the life of your child. Even if they have been attended pre-school or childcare before, the transition to a new school environment can even shake up the most out-going 5 year old. Talk to your child about his/her feelings. Remind them of your love and talk about what is different and the same about pre-school. If your child is having difficulty making the transition to Kindgarten, discuss with your child's teacher what you can do to help!!

Again, I am so excited to be working with your children again! Check back often for updates and new fun family activities!


Adios,



Auntie Em