Finally there is a fresh layer of snow on the ground! Today for Everybody Out, we brought out some sheets and large pieces of material to the forest with fort building in mind. Some children made forts and houses  while others used the material for capes and blankets. There was even a fridge and stove made in one of the forts. 

A group of children used the large Building Blocks to build houses. They can be seen relaxing having a quiet moment inside their creations. Another favorite in Building and Construction is the doll house. The children are always arranging the furniture in new ways. 

Recently in the Art Area, I filled the table with random items to see what the kids would create without any suggestions or planned projects. The amazing artists at Dawn and Dusk did not disappoint! As each child made something unique and cool, they inspired each other and fed off of each others ideas. Take a look at a few colorful creations!

In the Film Room this week we have been busy doing many things. One day we had a band going, water was added to some jars and music was made. We played with some puzzles, looked at some hockey cards, played with dolls and the older children liked to sit and visit with each other.

I had the opportunity to volunteer at the MCC KIldonan Thrift Store as part of one of my courses in the Early Childhood Education Workplace Program at Red River College. While I was there, I heard about an opportunity for the children at Dawn and Dusk to get involved in helping other children here in Manitoba. Berens River First Nations is partnering with the MCC Kildonan Thrift Store to gather gently used toys and children's clothing. I thought this would be a good opportunity to really involve the children at our center by encouraging them to look through their toys to decide which ones to give. If you would like more information about the MCC Thrift Store or this cause, please see the bulletin board outside the Film Room. We will be collecting these items until December 7th so there will be a bin at boards in the morning and afternoon. Thank you! 
​Sara Mac

This week, we had a lot fun playing different games: silence ball, basketball, janitor...
We tried also 2 new games; CLAP CATCH and TOSS CATCH that we played while we are in the circle.For the first game, the person who is in the middle passes the ball to people who are in the circle, Before getting the ball, you clap hands , if you didn't, you are out and sit down.
For the second game, everyone throw their ball in the air , clap 2 or 3 times hands and gets the ball or could turn around and get the ball. The challenge for these games is to play and stay on the circle.

On October 31st we had some Halloween inspired games and activities outside for the children of Dawn and Dusk. There were games in the forest, and pumpkin carving on the tarmac. For pumpkin carving, all the children that were interested got into small groups, drew their design on the pumpkin and began carving! Once that was done, they scooped out all the "pumpkin guts." Maybe you have seen their creations on display in the hallway. We also included some pictures of some of the different animals and characters we were lucky enough to spot in our forest that day!