September 3: Skyscraper Day

image from perkins.org

September 3 is Skyscraper Day. Kids can do simple construction with just newspaper and masking tape. Challenge them to see how high a structure they can build!

---

Newspaper Roll Sculptures

Materials:

• newspaper
• masking tape

Directions:

1. Lay newspaper on floor.
2. Beginning at corner, roll newspaper diagonally.
3. Tape end to form a roll.
4. Tape end of roll to table, floor, or posted paper.
5. Tape another roll to the first roll.
6. Keep adding rolls to create a sculpture.

Source(s): Toolbox Training’s construction card set (activity B1)

Check out the full September calendar to see the month at a glance as well as floating holidays, specialty weeks, and themes for the month.

---

September 2: Fall Hat Month

image from ucf4fl-explorers-settlerssp10t.wikispaces.com

September is Fall Hat Month. Here’s a newspaper hat you can make with paper mache.

---

Newspaper Hat

Materials:

• newspaper
• large balloons
• flour
• water
• bowl
• paper plates
• paint
• paint brushes
• decorative material (felt scraps, colored cotton balls, feathers, beads, etc.)

Directions:

1. Blow up a large balloon to be the same size as your head. Tie the balloon.
2. Mix flour and water in a bowl until it has a soupy texture.
3. Tear newspaper into strips.
4. Dip strips into flour/water mixture and mold around just the top of the balloon so as to form a cap.
5. Apply several layers.
6. Let cap dry for at least a day and then pop the balloon.
7. Decorate cap as you wish - you can use a paper plate to form a bill for the cap (like a baseball cap).

Source(s): Toolbox Training’s construction card set (activity B2)

Check out the full September calendar to see the month at a glance as well as floating holidays, specialty weeks, and themes for the month.

---

September 3-5: Labor Day Weekend

a Toolbox Training workshop in progress

Here’s a product spotlight for the Labor Day weekend. Holidays for Sept. 3-5 are listed below and specific activity ideas will resume on Tuesday, September 6.

With child care providers and parents facing a new school year, finding appropriate discipline methods is high on lists of priorities. Toolbox Training offers two workshops on discipline. The first focuses on preventing problems while the second focuses on solving them. Toolbox Training workshops are two hours long and offered for up to 30 participants. See the workshops page at the website for more details.

---

Discipline with Dignity I: Preventing Problems

·         Learn the 4 C’s of encouraging positive behavior

·         Master the rules on making rules

·         Understand how to use three I’s to prevent possible problems

·         Apply “the stoplight” to be sure to react properly when it looks like a child might be misbehaving

·         Recognize how to send children the right messages with body language

·         Distinguish between words and phrases that encourage vs. those that discourage

·         Use scenarios to practice how to deal with discipline situations

---

Discipline with Dignity II: Solving Problems

·         Distinguish punishment from discipline

·         Identify reasons why children behave the way they do

·         Implement a 5-step process for getting children to identify problems

·         Learn 3 ways to get kids to think through what they’ve done

·         Learn 3 ways to get kids to “recreate” what they’ve done

·         Implement a 6-step process for getting kids to develop and implement a solution to a problem

·         Use scenarios to practice what you’ve learned

---

All Toolbox Training workshops are also available as do-it-yourself training packages which you can order and deliver on your own to your staff. Check out the training packages page on the website for details.

---

September 3-5 Holidays and Events:

• Skyscraper Day (Sept. 3)
  
• Newspaper Carrier Day (Sept. 4)
  
• Roll film camera – Kodak – patented in 1888 (Sept. 4)
  
• Be Late for Something Day (Sept. 5)
  
  
  

Check out the full September calendar or get more ideas from books and activity card sets at www.toolboxtrainingonline.com.

---