The New Website Launches

Green Apple Kids has launched its new web pages. Please see the sample below:

Presenter for February 7th Workshop

Erin has had a lot of movement since she's learned how to walk! She is fascinated by how we use our bodies to play and tell each other stories. Her training as an actor and dancer led her naturally to her yoga practice, where new stories are being told everyday!

She loves teaching children because of their beautiful willingness to take adventures. In addition to acting and teaching yoga, Erin is currently training to become a Sign Language Interpreter. She also teaches "Baby Fingers" classes, a musical sign language class for parents and their babies around New York City.

Erin is certified through Sonic Yoga's 200-hour program, and has been teaching yoga to children for 3 years at Sonic KIDZ and Fit Kids NYC. Her yoga classes at Karma Kids Yoga foster a love of dance, music, creativity and play.

K* donates 5% to GAK!

Announcing a great collaboration. K* Shoes, has agreed to donate 5% of sales from the inaugural line to Green Apple Kids. We are happy to display the handmade K* booties on the Green Apple Kids website and blog. The booties and shoes are designed and made by Brooklyn mom Keiko Hirosue-Korolev. See the ad below:

January 3rd Workshop Review

This was the last workshop in the eco-fabulous first season of Green Apple Kids, and what a fun time it was. After a brief introduction by Beatrice, Dez shared an improvised story with the kids during which they were asked to participate by naming various animals that live in the jungles of Africa. The parade of animals began with a gazelle, ended with an elephant, and besides turtles, cougars, lions, and tigers, even involved a T-Rex (a recycled version of the story will be posted shortly).

Next Beatrice and Liza demonstrated how to make recycled books and assisted the GAK kids in making their very own wordless creations. The items needed were rice glue, clippings from old magazines, rectangles cut from cereal or tissue paper boxes and a whole lot of imagination.

When the kids were done cutting and pasting, Beatrice and Liza bound their books together by sewing, gluing and using hole punches. And then came the big presentation. Our young storytellers joined Liza on the rug and presented their books and elaborate stories to an eager GAK audience.

Review the snapshots (by Manny) below and get ready for the next season at the Brooklyn Public Library Williamsburg Branch.


Dez and the GAK kids sharing a story

Announcing the New Season of Workshops

The big news is that Green Apple Kids is moving to the Williamsburg branch of the Brooklyn Public Library. Below is the schedule of the new and exciting workshops we will be hosting in 2009:

FEB. 07. Karma Kids. YoGAK! We kick off the new green apple kids season with a half moon pose when Karma Kids leads us in a session of storytime yoga.

MAR. 07. NYC Bikes. It’s bike season! Come tune-in to bike safety tips and tune-up your bike at the same time when local bike shop, NYC Bikes pays a visit.

APR. 04. Solar One. Solar One will help kids build their very own toy race cars. The silent speedsters harness energy from the sun, so they never need batteries.

MAY. 02. Solar One. The Big Bad Wolf may huff and puff, but solar one’s second workshop will teach kids about the truly awesome power of the wind.

JUN. 06. Green Market. Old Mc Donald has a farm, and you can get all his fresh, local, organic produce at a ny green market. This promises to be a delicious workshop.

JUL. 11. NY Audubon. Did you know that birds are the closest relatives to dinosaurs? The Audubon Society visits and gives
us a closer look at the beloved pigeon.

What's in Store for the New Year

Green Apple Kids is starting the new year with splendid new changes such as a new location, new time, and new presenters. Starting in February, our next round of workshops will be held every first Saturday of the month at the Brooklyn Public Library: Williamsburg Branch on 240 Division Ave. For folks whose children let them sleep in, workshops will begin at 12 noon!
Also we are thrilled to have new presenters such as Karma Kids, NYC Bikes, Solar 1, The Green Market, and the Audubon Society to help deepen our understanding of eco-conscious living.
Let us all challenge ourselves for 2009 to become more sustainable, more conserving, and more informative about what it really means to be active environmentally conscious beings.

Make Your Own Materials

Play Dough:

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1 cup water
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
beet, spinach, and carrot juice or food coloring

Mix flour, salt and oil, and slowly add the water. Cook over medium heat, stirring until dough becomes stiff. Turn out on cutting board. Knead the playdough with your hands until of proper consistency. Use as is, or divide into balls and add a few drops of the vegetable juices or food coloring to make all your favorite colors.

Rice glue:

• 1 cup rice
• 1/4 cup salt
• 3-4 (maybe more) cups water

(makes about 2 cups of glue)

Steps:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Lower the temperature and simmer for 45 minutes.
3. Notice that it should look a bit like oatmeal - if it still looks rice-like, add more water and keep cooking.
4. When it looks like oatmeal, remove it from the heat and let it cool.
5. Put it through a sieve to remove the larger pieces, or put in a blender (you might need a little bit more water).
6. Store in the refrigerator.

Now you're ready to create with the kids using renewable materials made by YOU...doesn't that feel good?