Annika, Vivi, Aicha, Sarah, Julia, Susanne, Denise, Daniela and Andrea braved the cold Saturday March 26th and volunteered to face paint and apply tattoes to the children who attended the annual Touch A Truck event, a fund raiser for the Westport-Weston Pre School. Wind 
and bitter cold temperatures did not stop everyone from having some fun.
Monthly Archives: March 2011
Good Bye Winter – A Global Awareness Presentation
Aneta Orkwiszewska, an au pair from Poland, took part in the “Hands Around A World” program at A Child’s Place at 90 Hillspoint Road on Wednesday March 23rd. She told the class of four and five year olds about the March 21st Polish holiday, Topienie Marzanny, a holiday which celebrates the arrival of Spring.
In Poland, Marzanna, the evil winter goddess, is usually depicted as a doll made of straw. At the end of winter, she is burned or thrown in the water so that Spring can arrive. For Spring to come to Westport, the children had to find Marzanna and lock her in a cabinet. To get ready for their search, each child had to perform an interactive task, such as clapping hands, hopping twice on one foot, drawing a tree and house or jumping like a rabbit. The class then followed the picture clues placed around the school to find the wicked Marzanna. After successfully locking her up so Spring can arrive, the children feasted on Krowki Milanowski, Polish fudge candies, and played a Polish version of “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes”” It was a fun morning for all. Thanks, Aneta, for sharing a little of your Polish culture. 
March Cluster Meeting
Au pairs gathered at my house to hear about our Culture Fair 2011, which will be held at the Discovery Museum, and the Spring Touch A Truck Event at the Coleytown Elementary School. We said good bye to Joyce and hello to Stav, Abi and Candy.
March Calendar
Windy Days – March is known for its windy days. It is a great month to fly a kite
Sidewalk Chalk– Take advantage of a mild day and head outside to draw on the sidewalk with chalk. Kids love to have their whole body outlined and then fill in the drawing with clothes and a face. If you still have ice or snow outside try white or colored chalk inside on construction paper or brown wrapping paper. The drawings can be made permanent, so they won’t rub off, by spraying with aerosol hair spray (best to spray outside, and certainly away from the children).
March 9 – Ash Wednesday – Ash Wednesday, in Christian churches, is the first day of the penitential season of Lent. On Ash Wednesday some Christians have a smudge of ashes placed on their foreheads at Church as a sign of penitence.
March 13 Daylight Saving Time Be sure to set the clocks forward one hour! Don’t be late for work!
March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day – St. Patrick is said to have given a sermon from a hilltop that drove all the snakes from Ireland. St. Patrick’s Day has been celebrated in the US since 1737. Traditional icons of the day are the shamrock, leprechaun, the color green and the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. In Chicago, they city celebrates with a parade and the Chicago River is dyed green! There is a big parade in New York City.
March 20 – Today is the first day of spring! Take a walk outside and look for signs of spring – swelling buds on the trees, flowers poking up from the ground, more birds back in the trees. Take the kids to the Compo Beach Playground and enjoy the view. After this rough winter most of Westport will be down there!
March 20 Purim –The Festival of Purim is one of the most joyous and fun holidays on the Jewish calendar. There are four commandments for Purim: the reading of the story of Esther, festivity and rejoicing, sending gifts (usually food), and gifts to the poor. It is customary to dress in costume for the celebration. (Note: all Jewish holidays begin at sundown and end the following day at sundown.)