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Greetings!
As cooler weather visits Connolly Ranch it brings new adventures and experiences to visitors of all ages. Spending time outdoors as fall ends and winter begins can actually benefit children who are breathing fresh air, exercising their large motor skills, building their immune systems and using different problem-solving skills. At any age, cool weather can stimulate the imagination and make bundling up fun.
Uncover the many benefits of the changing seasons at the ranch!
- Walk-in Wednesdays, TOMORROW from 2-4 pm (Note the seasonal hours)
- EPiC Afterschool Program begins a new session tomorrow. You can now register throughout the schoolyear and early-bird discounts are available.
- School Holiday Playdays and Winter Camps include one-day playdays and 3, 4 and 5 day camps in December and January
- Harvest Festival delighted 1,200 visitors and showcased our partnerships
- Christmas Bird Count for Kids (CBC4Kids) is our latest free partnership adventure and all eyes are looking up
- Our memorial page for Cupcake, the ranch's beloved donkey who passed away in October, is accepting pictures and messages. Thank you to our contributors for their moving memories. Please contact Andrea.
- Today is #GivingTuesday, a day dedicated to giving online to a nonprofit with a special place in your life such as Connolly Ranch: Click and bring the joys of playing outdoors to a child! A few days ago as we mailed our end-of-the-year request for support, we were reminded how thankful we are that you belong to our community. We offer each of you our heartfelt appreciation this Tuesday and every day. Please take a moment and support this special place.
Our profile this month is of one of our gifted preschool teachers, Tracy McDaniels, who embraces the outdoors and shares her affection and her knowledge with her students.
We wish you a wonderful holiday season and a happy 2016!
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Walk-in Wednesday TOMORROW!
Wednesday, December 2, 2-4 pm
(Note new seasonal hours)
In addition to watching the birds as you wander the ranch during this Walk-in Wednesday, members of the Napa-Solano Audobon Society will have a display of different bird feathers, nests and a barn owl wing, and help visitors make hummingbird feeders out of plastic bottles. It's a warmup for the upcoming Christmas Bird Count for Kids (see below) that will highlight Napa's birds and add their statistics to the national picture.
Admission is free, but donations are encouraged.
Interested in sponsoring a Walk-in Wednesday or sharing information about your like-minded organization during our monthly open house? Learn about benefits here and contact Andrea for more details.
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Ecology Play Club (EPiC) Afterschool Program
Wednesdays, noon-5 pm (flexible drop-off times)
Next session begins TOMORROW
This after-school club for students in 1st-5th grade meets every Wednesday to unplug, experience farm-life, do a little homework and get active outdoors.
Now you can sign up for the entire school year and enjoy early-bird discounts!
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Second Saturdays
Next Saturday, December 12
Weekends are a great time to romp, play and be outside. The second Saturday of each month, Connolly Ranch hosts two programs: Little Farmers for families with infants to 4-year-olds, and a drop-off day camp for kids ages 4 to 12 called Playday on the Farm. These special Saturdays are a chance to enjoy the end of fall, and each Saturday features a new activity.
9-10:15 am Little Farmers (accompanied by a parent or guardian)
10:30 am-2:30 pm Playday on the Farm (drop-off program)
Programs sell out and pre-registration is required.
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Winter Break Camps and Winter School
Holiday Play Days
Winter Break Camps (Ages 3-13)
Dec. 21-23, Dec. 28-31, Jan, 4-8
Junior Farmers: 8:30 am-12:30 pm (Ages 3-5)
Life on the Farm: 8:30 am-3 pm (Ages 5-9)
Connolly Ranch Stewards: 8:30 am-3 pm (Ages 9-13)
During winter break, we are offering a 3-day, 4-day and 5-day camps over three weeks tailored to the developmental stages of each age group.
Martin Luther King Jr Playday on the Farm (Ages 4-12)
January 18, 2016, 8:30 am-3 pm
(aftercare available until 5 pm)
During this one-day school holiday, kids can enjoy learning about their connection to nature. The new winter world they'll explore is filled with farm animals, trees, friends and craft activities that make the day a true holiday. Additional one-day school holiday playdays are scheduled for February 12 and 15. Early-bird discount before December 18.
Click here for a list of upcoming School Holiday Playdays and Winter Break Camps
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2016 Preschool Registration Open
Winter session begins week of January 11
Spring session begins week of March 28
Weekly programs include three parent and child classes (ages 0-6) and one drop-off program with three different sessions for children ages 3 to 5. Discounts available when you sign up for two or more sessions.
Earthlings Outdoor Playschool (ages 3-5)
Sounds of Silence (ages 0-2)
Nature’s Play (ages 2-3)
Fun Family Fridays (ages 1-6)
Register soon to reserve a spot.
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Meet Tracy McDaniels
Tracy has a gift for listening that contributes to her love for working with preschoolers as the Afternoon Earthlings Playschool teacher. Learning from children is one of her passions.
Read more about Tracy and her connections to Connolly Ranch.
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Harvest Festival 2015 Update
Connecting with the outdoors at Connolly Ranch was at the top of the list for 1,200 visitors to the Harvest Festival who reaped the beauty of the ranch and its unique place in their community. As neighbor greeted neighbor, and the weather brightened everyone's experience, this special afternoon brought joy to each visitor. This fun FREE day also brought our partners together with activities that included weaving, apple pressing, corn grinding, animal visits, garden projects, yoga in the grove, a raffle and more!
Our terrific partners and supporters are listed here!
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Homemade Pine Cone Bird Feeder
Watching and feeding the local birds can be fun. Directions for this fun-to-watch, natural-material bird feeder are here.
We’d love to feature your recipes and activities, so please send them to Andrea.
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UC Master Gardener's Corner
Planning ahead is important, especially when exceptional weather is coming. Master gardener David Layland takes us through preparations for a wet winter thanks to a predicted El Nino.
Also, look out for more tips every month in our newsletter and check out our partner page for the UC Master Gardeners.
Read more...
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