Week of August 17, 2020
Y KIDS NEWS
When school’s out, the Y is in! We hope you enjoy this edition of Y Kids News, a newsletter with games and activities you can do from home!
THIS WEEK'S THEME:
NATIONAL PARKS
Did you know that there are 407 sites covering more than 84 million acres of land in the National Park System? In this week's newsletter, we will explore the country's natural beauty – National Parks!
FAMILY WORD WORKOUTS
Our Y families are staying active and having fun with Family Word Workouts. Each letter of the alphabet represents a different exercise! This week, our workout words are all about exploring the beauty of our national parks. Using the alphabet workout sheet and words below, participate in a new workout each day!
- Monday: MOUNTAIN
- Tuesday: BIRDS
- Wednesday: HIKING
- Thursday: WATERFALL
- Friday: TREES
Also, check our social channels (@YMCASANDIEGO) throughout the week for more get-you-moving words.
LUMBERJACK BREAKFAST
Ingredients:
- Foil
- Sausage
- Frozen hash or cooked potatoes (diced)
- Eggs
- Chopped tomatoes and green onions (optional)
- Shredded cheese
logo template, crayons, markers, pens or pencils
Instructions: (adult assistance required)
- Lay sausages on a double layer of foil that has been sprayed lightly with cooking spray or oil
- Add a handful of frozen hash browns or diced leftover potatoes on top of the sausage
- Add an egg or two
- Add diced tomatoes and green onion
- Salt and pepper to taste or use any spice you like
- Wrap up packet and place on a hot grill for 15-20 minutes or until meat is thoroughly cooked
MAKE YOUR OWN NATIONAL PARK LOGO
Items needed: logo template, crayons, markers, pens or pencils
Instructions:
Print template from the template link (above) and design your logo using your own creativity! Write a description for what your design symbolizes!
Example: National Parks are special places that protect history and culture and the American story. The different things that the National Park Service protects is seen in our Arrowhead logo. If you look at the logo, you will see several different elements that are important in National Parks! The mountain in the distance represents things like scenic beauty, special landforms, and geologic resources.
The tall tree represents the different natural resources protected (like trees and plant life). The lake represents water resources and the creatures which live in that water. The bison represents the wildlife that live inside of national parks. The arrowhead itself represents the culture and history of the people in the area within and around the national park.
Facts:
- There are more than 100 waterfalls and cascades in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- The Rocky Mountain National Park’s Trail Ridge Road is the longest continuous paved road in a North American park
- The Hoh Rain Forest in Olympic National Park received an average of 144 inches of rain annually
Jokes:
- What do you call a group of grizzlies cracking up together?
See answers below
GO BIRDING
Birding is like a scavenger hunt – but for finding different birds and viewing them in their natural habitat! With a parent, use this birding guide from the San Diego Audubon Society to check off the local birds on a birding trip.
TAKE A HIKE
San Diego is home to many great, local hiking trails. Going for a hike can be a fun way to get the whole family outside together!
Listen: Natural areas host many wonderful sounds. You can try to identify bird calls or simply count different natural noises, from water flowing to leaves rustling to bees buzzing. Parents, if the kids are a little older, they can try to record cool sounds and make new ringtones for their phones.
Observe and record: This can be in many formats. Keep a list of animals or plants you see, or you can sketch plants or take photos. The kids can keep a journal where they record hikes they take and write down memories, descriptions, or stories. Just be creative and play to your strengths. If you work on it together, it could end up being a precious family keepsake.
Teach life skills: You don’t have to be part of an organized group to learn important life skills while you’re on the trail. You can show kids how to read a map, predict a storm, or use a compass. Use a scraped knee, bug bite, or blister as an opportunity to teach basic first aid
FLIP FOR GYMNASTICS!
Y Kids are having fun learning gymnastics tricks and practicing skills through our YMCA of San Diego Gymnastics Facebook group. You can get in on the fun, too! Note: A Facebook account is required to participate in this private group.
JOKE ANSWERS:
- A BEARel of laughs!
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