Village Parkdays 12:00 pm – 4pm (or sundown)

Upcoming Events
Aug 13 - Venia's Vacation: Belarusse, Vienna, and..

Aug - 6 Topanga Beach Day (boogie boards and sandcastles)

July 30 - Summer Parkday

July 23 - Leather Stamping

July 16 - Ancient Rome

July 9 - Japan Past & Present

July 2 - Independence & H2O

June 25 Beach Day

June 18 Tenzi Frenzi

June 11 - Juggling Craft and Fun

June 4 - Stokes Theater & Plays

May 28 - Christina's Family Yogatime

May 21 - Bring your crafty projects & Potluck

May 14- Career Day

May 7 - Mother's Day Tea

April 30 - Art Show & Painting

Apr 23 - Earthday Show & Tell and Planting

Apr16 - 19 Joshua Tree Annual Family Campout

Apr 9 - HexiFlexigons - rescheduled

Apr 2 - Magic Tricks & Juggling Sticks

Mar 26 - HexiFlexigons - Geometry Gone Wild

Mar 19 - Potluck & Nat Amer Kid Presentations

Mar 12 - Nat Amer 2: Plains & Tipi's

Mar 5 - Native American 1: Inuit & Carving

Feb 28 - The Art of Debate

Feb 19 - Potluck & Chinese New Year & Korean, Vietnamese

Feb 12 - Valentyne's Day exchange

Feb 5 - Favorite Books

Jan 29 - Build an African Kalimba

Jan 22 - Patents and Inventors

Jan 15 Potluck, Patents and Inventors

Jan 8 - Boardgames and Beginnings

Jan 1st New Year's Playday

Dec 25 Merry Christmas No Parkday

Dec 18 Kwanza; Hannukah; Xmas; Solstice Celebration & Lunch Potluck

Dec 15 Caroling at Retirement Homes

Dec 11 Holiday Craft Day

Dec 4 Idioms by Maria Wheee!

Nov 27 Happy Thanksgiving No Parkday

Nov 20 Venezuela by Enrique & Potluck

Nov 13 Science Bloopers

Nov 6 Inside a Courtroom

Nov 4 Take your Kid to Vote

Oct 30 Costume Halloween Party

Oct 23 Bring a Poem

Oct 19 Campfire Potluck &Talent Show

Oct 16 Poetry Play Day & Potluck

Oct 9 Save Big Cats & Habitats

Oct 2 Making & Launching Rockets

Sept 28 Watts Tower Drumming Festival 10-4pm

Sept 25 Basket Weaving with NewsPaper

Sept 18 M&B Family Campout @ Sequoia Nat'l Park (No parkday)

Sept 11 OuterSpace Aeronautics or
Sustainable Farming & Husbandry (if cool enough for goats to visit)

Sep 10 M&B Free @ LA County Fair

Sep 2 Amazing Aeronautics

Aug 28 Beach Day

Aug 21 Pioneer Day

Aug 14 Five Year M&B Anniversary

Aug 7 Solar Ovens Part III

Jul 31 Solar Ovens Part II

Jul 24 Solar Ovens Part I @ Beach

Jul 17 Balloon Fun/Physics

Jul 10 Blind as a Bat (Braille & Sonar)

Jul 3rd (No Parkday Independence)

Jun 26 Tal Family

Jun 19 Kinetic Ball Run & Squirt bottle motion & Potluck

Jun 12 Summer Festival & Games

Jun 11 Full Moon Hike

Jun 5 Let's Get Tiny - Cells (Animal & Plant)

May 29 Lets get tiny - Cells (Animal & Plant)

May 22 Famous People

May 15 Beach Day & Potluck

May 8 Celebrating Mothers

May 1 Secrets of Water

Apr 24 Earthday & Planting

Apr 17 Games & Crafts Bring Your OWN

Apr 10 Nat'l Poetry Month

Apr 3 Cotton Magic

Mar 27 Bacteria Fun

Mar 20 Potluck & Organ Day!

Mar14-16 Joshua Tree Annual Spring Family Campout

Mar 13 - No Theme due to weekend Campout

Mar 6- Birdwatching & Nesting Day

Feb 27 - Physics of Bowling due to Rain

Feb 20 - The Winter Olympics

Feb 14-17 Backyard Bird Count

Feb 13 - VOLUNTEER PLEASE. Valentines Day

Feb 6 - Taxonomy & the Darwin Challenge

Jan 30 - Lunar New Year of the Horse

Jan 23 - Simple Machines II - Pulleys & Levers

Jan 16 - Habitats & Keystone Species & Noon Potluck

Jan 9 - Cogs & Cams: Simple Machines

Jan 2 - Reconnecting after holidays & New Year's Celebrations

Dec 26 - No Parkday Happy Holidays

Dec 19 - Celebrate Holidays: Winter Solstice, Kwanza, Christmas & Hanukkah

Dec 12 - Solar Fun & Mask Making with Michelle

Dec 5 - Monarch Magic & Eucalyptus

Nov 28 - Happy Thanksgiving - No Parkday

Nov 23 - Fieldtrip to Monarch Groves in Goleta

Nov 21 - Monarchs & Eucalyptus Trees postponed

Nov 14 - Atoms, Protons, Electrons, Oh My!

Nov 7 - Autumn Leaves & Sewing with Heather

Oct 31 - Halloween Festival

Oct 24 - Spooky SeeSaw Algebra

Oct 17 - 3 City Geography & Int'l Potluck & 6:00pm Talent Show

Oct 10 - 2nd M&B Bug Faire

Oct 3 - Abacus Math Magic

Sept 26 - Bark Painting & Spirit Animals

Sep 19-23 Annual Sequoia Family Campout

Sep 14 Fieldtrip to Point Vicente

Sep 12 - Lighthouses & Prisms II

Sep 5 - Build Splash Toys @ Pool

Aug 29 - Lighthouses & Light I

Aug 22 - DeSalination @ Beach PD

Aug 15 - Weaving yarn or old clothes

Aug 8 - Hula Hoop II

Aug 1 - Hula Hoop I @ Beach A

Jul 25 - M&B's 4th Anniversary
All ages Talent Show

Jul 18 - Hawaii Day & Potluck

Jul 11 - Bubble Science Fun

July 4 No Parkday HOLIDAY

Jun 27 No Parkday HOLIDAY

Jun 20 - Crafts Free for All

Jun 13 - Gold Mining & BoomTowns

Jun 6 - Anyone? Or Lemonade Stands

May 31-Jun 2 Family Campout at Montano De Oro

May 30 - MayDay PlayDay II

May 23 - MayDay PlayDay

May 16 - Bats, Owl Pellets & Potluck

May 9 - Primitive Arts & Indian Trading Blanket

May 2 - Painting & Poems

Apr 25- Help Our Wildlife Thrive

Apr 18 - M&B Earthday & Potluck 5pm

Apr 11 - Missouri Day / Bees Part 2
HoneyLove.org

Apr 4 - Bees ($3/kid for candlemaking)
Ula's Birthday

Mar 28 - Feathers, Microscopes & Origami Cranes

Mar 21 - History of Sugar; Plant own sugarcane

Mar 14 - Robots & Circuitry $3/kid

Mar 7 - Rainy Day @ Skirball Free

Feb 28 - Felting & Fiber Arts

Feb 21 - Morocco II
and Islamic Prayer

Feb 14 Valentines & Asian New Year Traditions

Feb 7 - Huichol Yarn Paintings
& Esme's Bday

Jan 31 - Birth of a Nation

Jan 24 - Cancelled
due to RAIN

Jan 17 - Craft parkday

Jan 15 - USA Tour @ Skirball

Jan 10- Morocco Senses & Allah

Jan 3 - Free for All Playday

Dec 27 - Free For All Playday

Dec 20 - Xmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Divali & Winter Solstice (Carols & Potluck)

Dec 13 - Morocco, Art & Mint Tea

Dec 6 - Pompeii Part II & Archeology

Nov 29 - Let's BOWL
due to Rain

Nov 22 - Thanksgiving - No Parkday

Nov 15 - Duct Tape Crafts & creations by C & C
and Lunch Potluck

Nov 8 - Ancient Pompeii & Mt Vesuvius

Nov 1 - Election & Voting Debate:
More trees or Waterslide

Oct 25 - Trunk or Treat; Dress-up
Halloween

Oct 18 - Peace Building &
Anger drop

Oct 11 - Superhero Rain

Oct 4 - Inks from Nature

Sep 27 Ireland Fun & Culture

Sep 20 -Sequoia-sized Boardgames

Sep 13 - 3rd Sequoia Campout

Sep 6- Heroes and Heroines - Kids Presentations

Aug 30 - Simile, Metaphors & Figures of Speech

Aug 23- Letterboxing II

Aug 16 - Letterboxing I

Aug 9 - Beach Day

Aug 2 - Modern Olympics II

July 26 - Ancient Olympics I

July 19 - Paper Arts: Bowls, Books & Beads

July 12 - Beach Day

July 5 - Statue of Liberty - 4th July

June 28 - Storytelling & Aussie Rainsticks

June 21 - Fun Games Field day

June 14 - Mystery Math = Algebra Fun

June 7- Silly Summer Day Fun

May 31 - Build Miniature Golf

May 24 - Sewing & Haiku Part II

May 17 - Haikus & Drums & Evening Potluck

May 10 - Rock Hunter Guest Speakers

May 3 - May Day Celebrations

Apr 26 - Fibonacci & Nature

Apr 19 - Thai New Year -Songkran & Potluck

April 12 - Spring Bling & Night Crawlers Planting season

April 5- Easter /Passover Crafts

Mar 29 - Ethics & Fairytales

Mar 22 - Detective Fingerprints & Crafts

Mar 15 - Prep for Joshua Tree

Mar 8 - Marbles & Physics

Mar 1 - Make Real Dream Catchers

Feb 23 - Pirates, Sea Captains &Tall Ships

Feb 16 - Wilderness Survival - guest Speaker

Feb 9 - Anatomy Guts vs Feeling Guts

Feb 2- Gravity Fun Games

Jan 26 - Cement Bridges Part Two

Jan 19 - Kids first Rock & Gem Show

Jan 12 - Global New Years Celebration

Jan 5 - Rockets-Aquarius M&B helped launch

Dec 29 - Cement Construction hand print tile

Dec 22- Kwanza, Hannukah, Bodhi Day stories & games 12/8

Dec 15 - Amy's Anatomy Obstacle Course

Dec 8 - Painting so it POPS! w/ out wind

Dec 1 - Painting so it POPS!

Nov 24 - Happy Thanksgiving - No M&B Parkday

Nov 17 - Fun with Manners & Empowering Etiquette & And 3rd Thurs Potluck (lunchtime)!

Nov 10 - History of Photography - Make Pinhole Cameras

Nov 3 - Butterfly & Bug Faire & Poems & Riddles

Oct 27 - Pumpkin Festival *Dress UP!!

Oct 20 - Empathy & Empowerment

Oct 13 - Braille & Visually Impaired

Oct 6- Atoms & Cool Molecules

Sept 29- Black Bears & Sequoias

Sept 22 - Sequoia Fires & Cones

Sept 15- Clay Creatures & Open-ended ?s

Sept 8- Beat the Heat Beach Day

Sept 1 - Lemonade Stand Commerce

Aug 25 - Back to Homeschool Play

Aug 18 - Saw Safely & make a Jacob's Ladder

Aug 11 - Biomes, Habitats & Soda Bottle Terrarium

Aug 4 - M&B 2Year Anniversary Party

July 28 - Finger Knitting & Natural Fibers

July 21 - Stone Soup Potluck & Storytime

July 14 - CrazyFun ScienceLab Experiments

July 7 - Independence Day Celebration @ Zuma Beach

June 30 - Nocturnal Creatures & Owl Pellets to dissect

June 23 - Book Exchange Circus

June 16 - Lewis & Clark, Quill pens from feathers & Potluck

June 9 ATC- Making Artists' Trading Cards

June 2 Petraglyphs, Pictoglyphs & Rafting the Grand Canyon

May 26 Historical
Figures that changed the World
all Kids Perform

May 19 Pharoahs, Pyramids & Crafts
And Potluck 5pm-sundown

May 12
Mars & Space Travel

May 5
Mother's Day
High Tea

Apr 28
Physics & Imagination=
Future Travel

Apr 21
Mask Making & Storytelling

Apr 14
Sound Waves

Apr 7
Geodesic Dome

Mar 31
Earthquakes & Tectonics

Mar 24
Show & Tell & Games

Mar 17
Family Campout Joshua Tree

Mar 10
Mardi Gras

Mar 3
Africa & Wangari Maathai

Feb 24
Brains: the Inside Story

Feb 3
Chinese New Year

Jan 27
Pioneer Parkday Part 2

Jan 20
Days of Yore

Jan 13
Fun & Safety
with Germs

Jan 6
Chess by Jahan

Dec 31
New Year's FreePlay

Dec 23
Kwanza, Hannukah
& Christmas

Dec 16
Engines & Cars
& Alternative Power

Dec 9
Microscopic World

Dec 2
Cartoon & Collage

Nov 25th
Thanksgiving Holiday

Nov 18th
Nature Crafts & Yoga

Nov 11th
Wind Turbines

Nov 4th
Indian Diwali Celebration

Oct 28th
Spooky Obstacle Course

Oct 21st
How Songs are Born

Oct 14th
Build a
Weather Station

Oct 7th
Prisms, Vision & Zoetropes

Sept 30th
Spanish CultureFest

Sept 23rd
Russian Culture & Potluck

Sept 17
Family Campout @ Sequoia Nat'l Park

Sept 9th
Chemical (molecular) Reactions

Sept 2nd
History of Flight

August 26th
Light, Refraction & Rainbows

Aug 19
Potluck

August 12
Turtles, Tortoises & YOU

August 5th
Honey, Bees & Wasps

July 29th
M&B 1 year anniversary

July 22
Inuit Culture & Games

July 15th
Bastille Day - French Independence

June 17th
Swedish MidSummerFest

June 10th
Catapults & Parachutes
Gravity & Lift

June 3rd
Our BodyGuards
Snot & Scabs

May 27th
Pollination, Fruit & Seeds

May 20th
Hawaii & Potluck Luau!

May 13
Ladybugs, Silkworms & Praying Mantis

May 6th
Knots, Pirates & Explorers

April 29
Earth Day Part 2

April 22
40th anniversary of Earth Day

April 15th
Japanese Girls' & Boy's Day

April 8th
Bridges, Cantilevers & Treehouses

April 1st
Magnetism part II: Physical Force of Nature

March 25
Magnetism part I: I'm attracted!

March 18th
Desert Life

March 11th
Global Timelines

March 4th
Spring Bling:
Worms, Dirt & Seeds

Dance of Electrons is like Planets 11/14

A few years ago, I realized how most kids (as young as four) are budding molecular scientists.  First off they are interested in what is in everything – matter.  They seem comforted to learn that everything is made of one type of thing – atoms.  These small building blocks makes sense to them – as do Legos.   The idea that our world (matter) can be broken down into smaller and smaller pieces as well as built up into massive structures is consistent with their growing awareness of the world.

Moons in orbit around Jupiter; Bohr model of atom; planets in our solar system; model of atom or solar system?

Moons in orbit around Jupiter; Bohr model of atom; planets in our solar system; model of atom or solar system?

This week we will expose atoms for what they really are: Infinitesimal Galaxies.  Kids understand our Solar system, at a minimum that the sun is at our center.  And similarly, the nucleus is the center of an atom.  Orbiting around each atom are electrons. There are rules to the dancing an electron does, and I will teach the kids a few of those dance steps.  Of course it changes if you have interactive galaxies, like in a Water molecule where you have one Oxygon atom and two Hydrogen atoms.

doseyThis “covalent dance” allows the electrons to “dosey-do” with each other where as in a salt molecule it is more like a mixed pair march.  The Dosey–Do Dance steps of the electrons are fun when Oxygen and Hydrogen make Water.  The steps of salt’s electrons are a bit more like a marching band. This will give kids a great visual for Covalent and Ionic bonds and how electrons are organized in valence shells.  Zoikes – this is  heady stuff, but believe me your kids (and even you!) will truly understand it all.

Pennies

To better understand the world of molecules, I will shine a light on the properties of water and salt that most children have already determined.   This is where the magic of physics comes in real handy.  How many drops of water can you get to stay on the top of a penny?  How many paperclips can you get to float on the top of a bowl of water?  And then let the kids figure out why surface tension is so great.  And with one more item added to the mix – the magical properties of surface tension in water disappear (like fish and insects in a polluted pond or river).

todoo

Now lets put salt and water together?  Hmmm.  Water molecules have a positive side and a negative side, like the poles of a magnet.  As does a salt molecule.  And opposites will attract and pull apart or DISSOLVE salt.  By using a less polar liquid, like rubbing alcohol, kids will determine which one has greater solubility (ability to dissolve).

You are Never too Young to Become a Scientist.  I refer to all my homeschooling kids in the co-op as Scientists, Detectives, & Explorers. As should you.  They are esmemaking sense of their world, and if led with inspiration, motivation and a positive return for their observation and diligence, they will amaze not only us, but the world.  In order to foster their original ideas and insights I encourage interaction and dialogue with experts in the field.   We go to Int’l Science Fairs, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, Science museums and of course the great outdoors (tidepools, mountains, park trails and more) to bring our children closer to the Scientists & Inventors who will inspire and convince them that their ideas, hypothesis and conclusions are indeed brilliant and original.

Autumn Tapestry & Fall Hikes 11/7

Why do leaves change color?  Why do they fall off the tree?  Why do they crunch so grandly when you step upon them?  Even in California, many Trees change the color of our landscape. This is the best time to take a hike and notice the seasonal changes:  cooler weather, leaf color, and bird & monarch migrations.

Calabasas Lake in November 2013

Calabasas Lake in November 2013

One of our resident Fiber Artist will take our children on a journey of Autumn by helping them Sew a wonderful tapestry of fall colorsheatherMom Heather will provide all the materials- silk leaves, a burlap-type background, needles and fall-colored yarn.  Kids are invited to try their existing ideas on the project, or take advantage of learning a variety of stiches from Heather (a wonderful teacher).  On the backdrop, children will sew silk leaves of autumnal colors to make a tapestry and hang it upon a stick from our park.tap5

All families and parents are invited to host an activity, learning or entire theme.  Ask your children what kind of activity or learning they would want to share with the group.  This is how our children are empowered and you help foster community.

She shared how sustainable and amazing JUTE is, the plant that is used to create Burlap (the backdrop for our tapestries)

She shared how sustainable and amazing JUTE is, the plant that is used to create Burlap (the backdrop for our tapestries)

pillows

And for anyone who wants a to uncover the airfoils hanging from a few of the maple trees in our park, come build a mini-helicopter with my printouts and other provided supplies to unlock the same mysteries that Leonardo da Vinci was occupied with that led to the invention of the helicopter in 1930 by Igor Sikorsky.

HelliSticchingGet Out in Nature Today:  In honor of daylight savings on Sunday, I took my family on a leisure hike through Wildwood Canyon to Paradise falls.  The weather was perfect for walking, riding bikes and horses.

photo-4

Since many of you inquired about its location, it got me thinking I should share some of our favorite family hikes with you.  Here is a gift of beauty from my family to yours of some of our favorite hikes and their links.  May you take away lovely pictures and memories and leave them well preserved for the next generations.ston

Fall Family-Friendly Hikes

Red Rocks in Topanga,

Wildwood Canyon in Thousand Oaks,

Satwiwa in Newbury Park,

Solstice Canyon in Malibu,

Eaton Canyon in Pasadena, 

Bronson Caves in  Griffith Park,

Sepulveda Dam in Encino ,

Franklin Canyon in Beverly  Hills, 

Stoney Point in Chatsworth (lots of glass but great rock climbing),

Trail behind Juan Bautista de Anza Park in Calabasas,

Malibu Bluffs Open Preserve,

Las Virgenes Open Preserve in West Hills,

Vasquez Rocks in Agua Dulce.IMG_0468

5th Annual Halloween Fest & Costume Party 10/31

Come in Costume! We will kick off the FUN @ Noon and be done by 3:30 so everyone can make it to their evening destinations!

Craft stations open at 12:00.  Games start at 12:30.  IMG_3969Deltacs will be there @ 11:30 am.

I could still use a few parent volunteers to help with supplies or helping with an activity.  And if you have any great crafts or games, contact me ASAP so we can add it to our fun Celebration.  This is a fun group affair.IMG_8732IMG_0157

1) Make your own Spooky House (I will provide all art supplies, cardboard houses, construction paper and more)
2) Pumpkin Broom Sweep (need 2 more brooms and 3 more little pumpkins)
3) Mummy Wrap - (need Toilet paper rolls – if everyone brings 2 or 3 rolls we are covered)
4) Waterless apple-bobbing (Rebecca is bringing 2 dozen organic apples with stems intact )
5) Spooky Freeze Dance 6) Apple Ring Relay (2 or 3 bags of organic dried Apple rings) IMG_3900

6) Costume Contest (each child will receive an award: spookiest outfit, most creative costume, most unique, most elaborate, cutest, sparkliest, etc). Parents are encouraged to dress up.  We might get a visit from Totoro again if we are lucky.IMG_4010
7) Trunk or Treat @ 3:00 pm When you park, do it trunk side in to the  park.  At this time, Parents all sit next to theirIMG_0322 trunks while the kids go from trunk or table or blanket to get their goodies.  Some families decorate their open trunks  or just lay out a blanket next to a fold out chair. (Costume judging will occur either right before or after Trunk or Treat to ensure it  happens at 3:00 sharp!)   Remember – No candy or sweets for our Trunk or Treat. Feel free to UPCYCLE any items from home like toys and books.  I usually have a giant Ikea bag filled with things the girls have collected just for this purpose.

If you can bring any of the above and/or want to host an event, let me know.  Thank you.

I can’t wait to see everyone’s costumes and the smiles they all wear for one of the kids’ favorite times of the year!!