Anyone, Anyone?

Ok, I'm going to throw this out there ...

Does anyone want to plan the Monday, August 6 playdate?  Or should we skip it?

Let me know if you would like to organize this playdate.  

If I don't hear from anyone, we'll just plan on skipping it.

In September we will just have our Nurture playdate on the 24th.  

I will have my hands full with a squishy, sweet newborn. ;)

July Nurture Playdate

We're going back!

Our July Nurture playdate will be on Monday, July 23 at 10:00 am.   

We will be meeting at Imagination Station park in Oconomowoc. Imagination Station is a universally accessible playground.  

You can find Imagination Station in Roosevelt Park,101 E. Forest Street, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin 53066.  Roosevelt Park is located along the Lake Country Bike Trail. 

(http://www.accessibleplayground.net/) 

   " ... a universally accessible playground means that children of all abilities can play at their appropriate developmental level.  It is a playground where every child is challenged.  Therefore, it is not a playground only for children in wheelchairs, where ramps rule the playground, it is a playground where children with autism have opportunities for sensory experiences, typically developing children can use their imagination to create play scenarios, and where children with developmental delays can learn in incremental steps how to climb. 

Imagination Station does this: 

*There are double wide ramps that lead you up to the very top of the playground.  There are activities to do along the way so it isn’t a “ramp to no where”. 
*The surfacing is pour-in-place rubber surfacing that makes it easier  for a wheelchair to move around on, but also provides safety for children who are not steady on their feet. 
*There is a fence around the playground with only one entrance/exit, so that “runners” cannot get past mom. 



*There is band shell reminiscent of the band shell in town, where children can create play or sing a song.  There are percussion instruments to accompany the players. 
*There are adapted swings, typical swings and toddler swings. 
*The monkey bar area has multiple height bars as well as a variety of challenges.  A child in a wheelchair can lift up their arms and pull themselves across, while other children are doing flips on the bars. 
*In addition to the swings, there are plenty of other areas for children to experience vestibular motion (e.g. going around in circles, going up and down, or going back & forth.) 



*In addition the monkey bars there are plenty of opportunities for children to use their proprioceptive sensory system.  There is a huge rope climber that is fun for the little ones as well as for teenagers.  There is also a small climbing wall. 
*There are two different types of slides. 



*many areas for imaginary play with trains, boats, the clock tower, and beautiful streetscapes. 




*There are places to climb underneath the playground for children who need a little time to themselves 

Snacks will be provided. 

If you would like to help by bringing a package of snacks (goldfish, animal crackers, graham crackers, etc), please leave a comment on this post or email me at nurturewfa(at)hotmail(dot)com.

Please feel free to invite friends, neighbors, and relatives who may be interested in joining in the fun.

We hope you can join us for a fun time of play with our kids!

*For your added safety, please park in the spaces on the left closest to the playground. :)

**Our next Nurture playdate is Friday, August 17.  The playdate calendar dates will always be on the left sidebar of the Nurture blog so you can plan ahead.

Swimming Playdate

On Friday, July 13 we will be having our swimming playdate party at my parents' house at 11:00 am.


The pool is above ground and has a slight dip in the center. They have a few life jackets but please feel free to bring your own if you have them.  We will also be setting up a small wading pool for the little ones who would be more comfortable in less water.




Bring a lunch along and we can picnic in the backyard!




Please let me know if you are coming or if you have any questions by leaving a comment to this post or emailing me. I will email my parents' address and directions to their house when I find out who is all coming. 


This should be a lot of fun as long as the weather cooperates!!


Hope you can come!

June Playdates

Our first June playdate will be on Monday, June 4 at 10:00 am.   We will be meeting at Imagination Station park in Oconomowoc. Imagination Station is a universally accessible playground.  



   " ... a universally accessible playground means that children of all abilities can play at their appropriate developmental level.  It is a playground where every child is challenged.  Therefore, it is not a playground only for children in wheelchairs, where ramps rule the playground, it is a playground where children with autism have opportunities for sensory experiences, typically developing children can use their imagination to create play scenarios, and where children with developmental delays can learn in incremental steps how to climb. 

Imagination Station does this: 

*There are double wide ramps that lead you up to the very top of the playground.  There are activities to do along the way so it isn’t a “ramp to no where”. 
*The surfacing is pour-in-place rubber surfacing that makes it easier  for a wheelchair to move around on, but also provides safety for children who are not steady on their feet. 
*There is a fence around the playground with only one entrance/exit, so that “runners” cannot get past mom. 



*There is band shell reminiscent of the band shell in town, where children can create play or sing a song.  There are percussion instruments to accompany the players. 
*There are adapted swings, typical swings and toddler swings. 
*The monkey bar area has multiple height bars as well as a variety of challenges.  A child in a wheelchair can lift up their arms and pull themselves across, while other children are doing flips on the bars. 
*In addition to the swings, there are plenty of other areas for children to experience vestibular motion (e.g. going around in circles, going up and down, or going back & forth.) 



*In addition the monkey bars there are plenty of opportunities for children to use their proprioceptive sensory system.  There is a huge rope climber that is fun for the little ones as well as for teenagers.  There is also a small climbing wall. 
*There are two different types of slides. 



*many areas for imaginary play with trains, boats, the clock tower, and beautiful streetcapes. 




*There are places to climb underneath the playground for children who need a little time to themselves 

You can find Imagination Station in Roosevelt Park,101 E. Forest Street, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin 53066.  Roosevelt Park is located along the Lake Country Bike Trail. 
(http://www.accessibleplayground.net/) 

Please let me know if you are planning on coming so I can look for you!

Our other playdate will be the Nurture playdate on Friday, June 22 at 10:00 am.  

We will be meeting at Fox River Parkway North playground  (1500 Fox River Parkway in Waukesha)  

Snacks will be provided.  

Invite your friends, relatives, and neighbors to both playdates!  It's always a FUN time!

May Playdates

Our last playdate was our first unofficial Nurture playdate and it went so well!  There were so many new faces there.  It was a lot of fun.  I can't wait for the ones to come.

Our next playdate is Friday, May 11 at 10:00 am at the zoo.  Let's meet by the penguins.  Let me know if you can join us.

The other playdate is our first official Nurture playdate. :)  It will be on Monday, May 21 at 10:00 am at the playground at Buchner Park.  Invite your friends.

We are going to be providing snacks at these playdates.  If you are able to help out by bringing a snack or package of 4 oz. 100% juice boxes, please let me know.  You can email me at nurturewfa(at)hotmail(dot)com.

Thank you so much in advance for your support!

Introducing ...

I am thrilled to tell you about a new ministry at Waukesha First Assembly. It is called Nurture and it is for moms like you!

"Nurture seeks to support moms from pregnancy through the elementary years by providing opportunities to create community through fellowship, playdates, chats over coffee, Bible studies, and other activities."

Our desire is to support moms as they navigate the early years of motherhood.

The definition of the word nurture is "to feed and care for during growth." I love that!

Obviously, that is the role of a mother with her children but we would like to take that one step further and "nurture" our moms as well.

Please keep this new ministry in your prayers. Pray for me, as well, because I am heading up this brand new ministry at our church. I am super excited but somewhat overwhelmed at the same time.

As part of Nurture, I will be opening up one of our usual twice a month playdates to include all of the moms of WFA and their friends. The playdate on Friday, April 27 was supposed to be our first Nurture playdate (which is why it is so special :). Due to some timing issues, this may be our un-official first Nurture playdate. :)

We are introducing Nurture at WFA on Mother's Day and so I think Monday, May 21 will be our "official" first one.

Please do me a favor, though, and start inviting moms to the playdate on April 27 - your friends, your kids' friends' moms, moms you see at church. This ministry is based through WFA but it is not exclusive to only moms who attend there. Let's start getting the word out.

We have many other fun things planned but I will wait to fill you all in.

Thank you for your prayers and support! I really hope Nurture is a blessing in your life!!

April Playdates

I hope you are all enjoying your Easter weekend!

I wanted to fill you in real quick about our April Playdates.

First, on Monday, April 16, we will be meeting at Sara Waltz's house at 9:30 am. I will send out an email with her address and directions. Please let me know if you are planning on coming.

Our second playdate is on Friday, April 27 at 10:00 am at the playground at Frame Park. This is going to be a very SPECIAL playdate that I will share more about next week!

Have a blessed Easter!

March Playdates

**UPDATE
We have changed the Friday, March 30 playdate to the Zoo. We will meet by the penguins at 11:00 am. Bring lunch with you!


It's almost March! Yay! Time for Daylight Savings to begin, the first day of spring, and more playdates to get us out of the house. ;)

Our first playdate will be Monday, March 12 at 9:30 am at Lisa Berg's house. Let me know if you are able to come. I will send out an email with her address and directions to her house. Thanks for hosting, Lisa!

Our second playdate will be Friday, March 30 at 10:00 am at Kids in Motion again. We had such fun last time that we thought we'd do it again. Feel free to bring your lunch along if you want. There are tables to eat at and they allow food to be brought in. Bonus! Kids and parents need to wear socks in the play area. You won't want to miss this one!

I'm looking ahead and thinking about our April playdates. Please let me know if you are willing to host one at your home in April.

Looking forward to our March playdates! Invite a friend!

February Playdate

Next Monday, February 13 will be our only February playdate. It will be at Juliann's house at 10:30 am. I will email directions to her home.

It's going to be a little Valentine celebration! We will be making homemade valentines and having tasty treats.

Please let me know as soon as possible if you are planning on attending. Hope you can make it!

January Playdates

Our first playdate in January will be Friday, January 13 at Sarah H's home. I will send out an email with her address and directions to everyone interested in attending.

The second playdate will be Monday, January 30 at 9:30 am. We will be meeting at Kids in Motion 14135 W Greenfield Ave New Berlin, Wi 53151. The cost is $6.00 per child. *Parents and children under a year are free. It is a socks only facility for parents and children in the winter.

Check out their website for more information : http://kidsinmotionwi.com/

It looks like a fun time!

December Playdate

It has been decided! By an unanimous vote, our Christmas playdate will be on Friday, December 9. (We'll miss you, Juliann and kiddos!) 

It will be at my home at 9:30 am. Let me know if you can come and I'll send out an email with my address and directions. 

Come for a Christmas-y time and bring a friend to join in the fun, too!!

November Playdates

Ok, is anyone else wondering where October went?!? I can't believe that next week is November.

Our first November playdate will be Friday, November 4 at 9:30 am at Aileen's home. If you need directions, please leave a comment saying that you are coming and I will send out an email with her address and directions. Thank you, Aileen, for hosting! I hope you all can come; it will be a fun time!

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


Our second playdate will be Monday, November 14 at 10:00 am at Flabbergast in Sussex. Here is some information from their website:

Flabbergast is the newest indoor family fun center for play that offers a child electronic security system as well as daily sanitizing on ALL equipment!
Flabbergast is the ideal environment for parties of all sizes, and our doors open to walk-ins as well. Open play, all day, every day! We are located at W248 N5250 Executive Drive, Sussex WI 53089. Located conveniently at Hwys 164 and K in Sussex, just a short drive from Milwaukee, Brookfield and Waukesha.

Bounce and Climb
Flabbergast boasts giant inflatables, colossal slides and a huge climbing obstacle challenge with a triple slide!

Flabber-cade
Perfect for anyone who loves arcade games-Flabbergast offers 50 games for all ages!

Flabberlicious Café
Enjoy a snack at Flabbergasts’ café. From hot dogs to pretzels to pizza and specialty coffee drinks, the café is sure to please all! Click Here for our Menu

Flabber-flop Lounge
Relax in comfortable easy chairs, enjoy the flat screen TV, take advantage of pub-style tables perfect for working or relaxing, and surf the Web with free wi-fi – all while keeping an eye on the fun.

Outside Food Policy
No outside food or drinks are permitted by Flabbergast.

Requirements
Signed waivers and socks are required to play.
All children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Parents are required to stay with children, no drop offs please.
In order to assure a safe and pleasurable experience Flabbergast staff enforces a strict code of conduct.

Monday through Friday beginning at 10:00am until 12:00pm. Flabbergast welcomes moms and young children to enjoy quality playtime! Cost is $5.95 per child. Moms and children under 24 months are always FREE (with at least one paid $5.95 admission)! Intended for children ages 1-5. Children over the age of 5yrs ARE WELCOME to play as well! REGULAR ADMISSION COSTS apply to children over the age of 5yrs. For your enjoyment, admission includes either a small coffee or small cappuccino! Dads are ALWAYS welcome for the fun too!

Looks like a fun place! Let me know if you are planning to join us.

Playdate and Projects

Next week's playdate will be a walk along the riverwalk. For lack of another idea and to make up for our rained out playdate last time, we will try the riverwalk one more time. 

I know it's a week away but so far the weather looks beautiful next week. We will be able to enjoy the fall colors while we are walking and the kids can play at the park after, if you want.

We will meet in the parking lot of the Schuetze Recreation Center at 9:30 am. 

Let me know if you are coming so I can watch for you. 


One other quick thing ... Starting this Sunday, every week I will be posting a seasonally appropriate PDF of a coloring sheet or other preschool craft. 

I found out from my son's teacher that he needs to work on building up his fine motor skills (writing, cutting, coloring). He is not real fond of doing art projects or coloring in general. My girls lived for that sort of thing and still do. 

I never thought it would be an issue that my son didn't like to color. But because of his lack of doing such things, he has a weak grip and is having a hard time in class (along with half the class). 

His teacher said that they are seeing this so much now because babies aren't put to sleep on their stomachs and so they don't push up on their little arms like we did - in the dark ages. ;) Interesting, huh?

So, I am going to be working with him by giving him some fun projects to do. I figured as long as I was going to all this work, I would share it with all of you, too. 

I would encourage you to have your kiddos work on coloring and whatnot now so that when they are in school they won't have any troubles keeping up. A one or two year can start by coloring. A three year can use scissors and play with clay (instead of playdough). Every little bit helps. I wish I would have known.  

Have fun creating together!

Playdates

We had two very fun playdates this month. Our first was at Imagination Station park. That is quite a park and the kids had a fun time exploring. If you ever get a chance, check it out. 

Our second playdate was supposed to be at Frame Park but the weather was not cooperating. Instead, Juliann opened up her home to us and we had a delightful time together. 



In October our playdate dates are Friday, October 7 and Monday, October 17. On the 17th, we are planning to head back to the zoo one more time before the end of the year. We will meet at the zoo at 10:00 am. 





I am still trying to find a fun place to have our playdate on the 7th. I would love to go to a farm or other fun, fall place for kids but I am having a hard time finding a place that is open during the week. If you know of someplace we could go, please email me. I'd like to do one more month of outdoor activities before the cold weather comes and we're stuck indoors. 

Starting in November we will have one playdate in a home and one elsewhere. If you would be willing to host a playdate in your home, please let me know. 


In December, we will have one Christmasy playdate probably earlier in the month. I haven't figured it out completely but I'll let you know when I do.  **As much as this picture strikes fear in my heart (Christmas is right around the corner). I have to say, it also makes me smile.**



As always, invite your friends or anyone you know that might appreciate getting together with other moms while their little ones play. 

If you ever run across any fun ideas or have suggestions, let me know. 

September Playdates

Our next playdate will be Friday, September 9 at 9:30 am. We will be meeting at Imagination Station park in Oconomowoc. Imagination Station is a universally accessible playground. 



   " ... a universally accessible playground means that children of all abilities can play at their appropriate developmental level.  It is a playground where every child is challenged.  Therefore, it is not a playground only for children in wheelchairs, where ramps rule the playground, it is a playground where children with autism have opportunities for sensory experiences, typically developing children can use their imagination to create play scenarios, and where children with developmental delays can learn in incremental steps how to climb.

Imagination Station does this:

*There are double wide ramps that lead you up to the very top of the playground.  There are activities to do along the way so it isn’t a “ramp to no where”.
*The surfacing is pour-in-place rubber surfacing that makes it easier  for a wheelchair to move around on, but also provides safety for children who are not steady on their feet.
*There is a fence around the playground with only one entrance/exit, so that “runners” cannot get past mom.



*There is band shell reminiscent of the band shell in town, where children can create play or sing a song.  There are percussion instruments to accompany the players.
*There are adapted swings, typical swings and toddler swings.
*The monkey bar area has multiple height bars as well as a variety of challenges.  A child in a wheelchair can lift up their arms and pull themselves across, while other children are doing flips on the bars.
*In addition to the swings, there are plenty of other areas for children to experience vestibular motion (e.g. going around in circles, going up and down, or going back & forth.)



*In addition the monkey bars there are plenty of opportunities for children to use their proprioceptive sensory system.  There is a huge rope climber that is fun for the little ones as well as for teenagers.  There is also a small climbing wall.
*There are two different types of slides.



*many areas for imaginary play with trains, boats, the clock tower, and beautiful streetcapes.




*There are places to climb underneath the playground for children who need a little time to themselves

You can find Imagination Station in Roosevelt Park,101 E. Forest Street, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin 53066.  Roosevelt Park is located along the Lake Country Bike Trail.
(http://www.accessibleplayground.net/)

Sounds like a fun place! Thanks, Aimee and Aileen, for the suggestion! 

Hope you all can come! Bring a friend!


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

We will also be having a playdate on Monday, September 19 at 9:30 am. 

We will be walking along the beautiful riverwalk at Frame Park 



and stopping to let the kids play on the playground.



Let's meet in the parking lot next to the Schuetze building (behind Whiterock elementary school).  

Hope to see you there!

Let me know if you plan on coming to either playdate so I can watch for you. 

Playdate Feedback

Hi Mommies

I need your help! I'm looking for some feedback on playdates.

For instance, what day of the week works best for you.

Also, do you prefer to go somewhere and do an activity or would you rather meet in homes? Would you be willing to host a playdate at your home?

Is cost an issue to you? I've been trying to pick places in the past that are free or relatively inexpensive because I want everyone to be able to join in if they want.

I'm hoping to create an atmosphere where we can meet new moms and our kids can have fun together. Please feel free to invite a friend or two to the playdates.

Please, please let me know your feelings on this. I want to make the playdates fun and enjoyable for everyone.

Thank you for your help!

Jamie :)

August Playdate

We're doing it again ...

Our August playdate will be on Friday, August 12th at 10:00 am at my parents pool!!

The pool is above ground and has a slight dip in the center. They have a few life jackets and baby boats but please feel free to bring your own if you have them.

Also, bring a lunch along and we can picnic in the backyard.

Let me know if you have questions. I will email my parents address and directions to their house when I find out whose coming.

This should be a lot of fun as long as the weather cooperates!

I hope you can all come!

Change of Plans

Our June playdate is being completely changed.

We will be meeting at the zoo at 10:00 am on Friday, June 24.

Join us and bring a friend!

June Playdate

Our June playdate will be on Monday, June 27 at 10:00 am at Grandview park on Grandview Blvd.
The kids can play at the park and if you'd like, bring a lunch and we'll picnic together. There is some nice shade at this park and fun playground equipment.
I find it easiest to park on the streets on either side of the park. I believe their names are Easy St and Pine St.
Let me know if you can join us!

Playdate at the Zoo

Join me on Friday, May 27 for a playdate at the zoo! We will meet at the main zoo entrance in the US Bank Gathering Place at 9:30 am.
I have a zoo pass and can bring 2 guests. So, if you're interested in coming and don't have a pass, let me know.
Hope to see you there! It should be a wild time!