KNI Community Helpers Insert

KIDS NIGHT IN BOX

Hello, adults!

First, let us welcome you to your Kids Night In Box. Thanks for choosing us! We are so grateful that you’ve allowed us into your home this month to help build lifelong memories with you and your little one(s).

Community helpers are a vital part of all our communities. Recently, my daughter (5 years old) had herself convinced that police officers were only bad and would catch you if you had your seatbelt off. I’ll take some responsibility for this one but I wanted her to understand and appreciate how many hard working individuals go into supporting an entire community. So, the Community Helpers Kids Night In Box was born and I hope you and your little ones enjoy it as much as we have!

As we continue to grow, we appreciate any social media sharing that you can help us with! Social media sharing not only spreads the word about our boxes but also allows us to see our boxes come to life. We are hosting a contest this month, and one lucky subscriber will win a $50 gift card! This gift card can be used to purchase something that can give back to your community or that can further your little one’s interest in their future! To enter the contest post a picture of your little one(s), with the box visible, on Facebook or Instagram using the hashtags #Kidsnightinbox and #KNICommunityHelpers.

Lastly, if you and your little one(s) received this box as a gift, we would love for you to continue this journey with us! To become a subscriber, visit us at www.KidsNightInBox.com. There are several subscription plans to choose from. If you have any comments or suggestions, please feel free to message us on Facebook or email us at customerservice@nightinboxes.com. We value any and all feedback!

Best wishes,

Megan Pruitt Founder of Kids Night In Box

Journey Through Your Community What is a Community?

Learn all about what a community is while exploring the one you live in!

Reading Time Jump into Clothesline Clues to Jobs People Do by Kathryn Heling and Deborah Hembrook to explore some of the different helpers you may find in a community.

Let’s Get Cooking Use this optional yet amazing suggested recipe to become a chef, just like in your book.

Community Helper Cards Learn more about community helpers by matching job duties to the right person.

Now vs. Then Find out various ways you can better your community, both right now and in the future.

Beach Ball Charades

Get moving by acting out the jobs of various community helpers.

Thank a Community Helper Create delicious sugar cookies to share with a helper in your community.

Helper Friends Make cute community helper friends!

Community Slides & Ladders

Play a fun board game to get your mind thinking about your community and your future.

Ways to Continue Keep your little one(s) engaged and interested in learning about their community even after you have completed your Kids Night In Box activities.

Check out these links!

Remember to visit kidsnightinbox.com/community-helpers to listen to your custom made playlist!

Visit us at kidsnightinbox.com/blog to find themed-related activities each month!

What is a Community?

Reading Time

Learn all about what a community is while exploring the one you live in!

Jump into Clothesline Clues to Jobs People Do by Kathryn Heling & Deborah Hembrook to explore some of the types of helpers you may find in a community that make it run smoothly.

Items Needed: My Community booklet, pen A community is a place where people live, work and play together. Most communities have similar things in them, such as businesses, schools, workers, children, trees, roads or houses. Some communities have different things in them, such as rivers, oceans, mountains, lakes, amusement parks, farmers markets or animal shelters.

All communities can be found on maps, but not all communities are the same size. Some are big with a lot of people and noises, while others are small with fewer people and noises. Each community is special in its own way, and today you are going to explore YOUR community!

Locate your included “My Community” booklet and pen and work together to fill the book out based on the community that you live in.

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Items Needed: Clothesline Clues to Jobs People Do book

Book Summary:

Through lively illustrations, little ones are able to use clues to identify important jobs throughout most communities. Spotting hints along several clotheslines will get tiny minds thinking about all the jobs our communities need to function. From a chef’s apron to an artist’s paint brush, kids can explore the importance of community helpers.

Ask your child(ren) the questions below to get their minds thinking before diving into the book!

Let’s Get Cooking

Pre-reading questions for little ones (grades PreK-2):

Use this optional yet amazing suggested recipe to become just like the chef in your book and prepare something delicious!

1. What is a community?

2. What are some jobs in your community?

3. Do you know what job you want to do when you grow up?

Pre-reading questions for older ones (grades 3–6): 1. What does a community need to function?

2. Name a few important jobs in your community and explain why they are important.

3. Do you know what job you want to do when you grow up?

Go ahead and read Clothesline Clues to Jobs People Do with your kiddo(s). Read it aloud to them or have them read it to you. You can even take turns reading and switch on every page!

Once you finish the book ask your kiddo(s) the questions below to test what they learned!

Post-reading questions for little ones (grades PreK-2): 1. Name a few of the jobs listed in the book.

2. Did you see any jobs in the book that you have in your community?

3. Why is it important for people in a community to have different jobs?

Post-reading questions for older ones (grades 3–6): 1. Why do you think each community needs people to do unique jobs?

2. What jobs do you see in your community that are not included in the book? Can you try to come up with clothesline clues for these jobs?

3. Can you think of any other jobs you might want to do when you grow up?

Before you begin cooking get into character by putting on your included chef hat!

Hi friends!

I’m Marina from Marina Makes (marinamakesblog.com). What do you want to be when you grow up? The possibilities are endless, and I hope you find something you’re extremely excited about! Today, we will pretend to be chefs and make some hearty potato soup topped with bacon, cheese and green onions. I hope you enjoy cooking and eating!

As always, I encourage adults to involve your little one(s) in cooking, whether you have them stir, chop or just taste test. The directions include specific ways your little one(s) can help out. I hope you have fun cooking together! I’d love to see how your food turns out, so please feel free to share pictures on social media. Don’t forget to use the hashtag #marinamakeseats.

Happy eating!

Community Helper Cards Learn more about community helpers by matching job duties to the right person!

WHO AM I?

Items Needed: Community Helper Cards Locate your included Community Helper Cards and lay all of the pictures of people out so your little one(s) can see. If you have older children, we suggest challenging them to figure out the job without looking at the pictures of people, so if you do it this way, you would keep them turned over until the end.

HELPER CARDS

I had to go to scho ol for a long time . I fill cavit ies, repa ir crac ked teeth , and help with the hygi ene of teeth . Whe n you com e to see me you prob ably leave with a new toot hbru sh, a tube of toot hpas te, and may be even som e floss !

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Read through the clue cards together and let your kiddo(s) try to match each clue card to the community helper it belongs with. We have included some familiar jobs and some trickier jobs to accommodate a range of ages, so feel free to help your child(ren) as needed. If they cannot figure out one of the matches, use it as a chance to teach them about a new job!

Now vs. Then Ca re er Int eres t Su rvey

Explore ways you can make an impact on your community, both right now and in the future!

Be a leader

Help others learn new things

Paint a picture

Work with compu ters

Play a musica l instrum ent

Using money

Read and/or write

total

Do a scienc e experi ment

Here are just a few ways you can better serve your community right now! You are never too young to give back to the people and places around you: • • • • • •

• •

Spend time at local charities.

Donate gently used clothing or toys to families in need.

Help neighbors with small tasks.

Send a card to a sick patient at the local hospital.

Visit or donate supplies to an animal shelter.

Go for a walk in your neighborhood or a local park. Take a trash bag with you and pick up any litter you see.

Make a lemonade stand and donate the money you make to a good cause.

Make crafts and take them to a nursing home.

Fixing things

Make health y choice s

Work with your hands

The human body

Build somet hing new

Invest igate proble ms total

Sell things total

Put things togeth er

Help sick people and anima ls

RED

FUTURE:

Own your own busine ss

YELLOW

Math

Perfor m on stage Take photo s

Enjoy being aroun d anima ls total

GREEN

Plant trees and flower s

BLUE

total

Hunt and/or fish Protec t the enviro nment

Read to other kids Get along well with others

PURPLE

Kids Night In Box wants to encourage you to try your best to make the place you live the best it can be! There are SO many ways you can give back to your community, and the coolest part is that you can start right now. Today, we are going to explore ways you can help better your own community, both right now and in the future!

NOW:

Play outdo ors

Care about people and their needs

Use tools and machi nes

You are also never too young to begin thinking about your future. A great way for you to give back in the future is by finding a job that you are passionate about (one that you love very much) and working really hard for it. Each job plays an important role in a community, and working hard at your job can help better your community. total

ORANGE

Items Needed: Career Survey Sheet, pen

Check the box beside the activiti es that you enjoy or would enjoy the numbe r of checke doing. Then tally d boxes from each color square .

To get your mind thinking about what your future may hold, we want to provide you with a career interest survey to see where your current interests lead you! Adults, using your included career survey sheet and pen, go through each color together and check off the boxes that interest your little one.

Then, count the total number from each color and write it in the space at the bottom of the box. When you are finished, see which color you scored the highest in and check out some careers that go with that color on the next page!

Hint: If you have more than one child, you can go through this process with both children, recording their answers on a separate sheet of paper and using the career survey sheet as a guide!

purple

blue

HUMAN SERVICES (jobs for people who enjoy meeting others’ needs): Detective Lifeguard Social Worker

Firefighter Mail Carrier Principal

Counselor Nanny Teacher

Hair Stylist Police Officer Soldier

Janitor Judge President

COMMUNICATIONS (jobs ranging from the arts to advertising): Actor Secretary Teacher

Author Painter Librarian

Film Maker Editor Photographer

Director Singer Dancer

Graphic Designer News Reporter Journalist

orange

yellow

green

red

HEALTH SCIENCES (jobs for people who provide healthcare to people and animals): Orthodontist Technician Dentist

Doctor Pharmacist Vet

Nurse Dental Assistant Physical Therapist

Speech Pathologist Personal Trainer Surgeon

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES (jobs focused on farming, nature and the environment): Farmer Miner Zookeeper

Landscaper Gardener Fisherman

Forest Ranger Oil Worker Food Scientist

Environmental Scientist Earth Scientist Biochemist

BUSINESS SERVICES (jobs that support businesses): Banker Chef Sales Agent

Waiter Tour Guide Bookkeeper

Fashion Designer Secretary Lawyer

Entrepreneur Accountant Office Clerk

Manager Baker Receptionist

TECHNICAL SCIENCES (jobs strongly focused on math and science): Scientist Architect Welder

Electrician Pilot Mechanic

Astronaut Maintenance Worker Construction Worker

Train Conductor Plumber Engineer

Carpenter Landscaper Steel Worker

Beach Ball Charades Get moving by acting out the jobs of various community helpers.

Items Needed: Beach ball, black marker Find your included beach ball and black marker and choose community helpers that you want to act out. Inflate the beach ball and then write the jobs in the blank spaces all over it. Leave a good amount of space from one community helper to the next.

Throw the ball back and forth; whenever one person catches it, see what community helper their right thumb is closest to. Then, set the beach ball down and do your best impression of acting out the person’s job. Once you are done, throw the ball to the next person and let them have a turn. Continue these steps until you have acted out each job or until you get tired!

Thank a Community Helper Create delicious sugar cookies to share with a helper in your community!

Items Needed: Sugar cookie mix, gift bag, twist tie Non-included Items Needed: Butter, water, bowl, spoon, baking pan Find your included cookie mix and use the directions on the back of the package to get to work making your sugar cookies. While the cookies are baking, think of a community helper in your community that you are thankful for.

Once the cookies are done and have cooled off, feel free to eat a FEW and then place the rest in your included gift bag and secure them with the twist tie. Take the cookies to a community helper of your choice to show them how grateful you are that they are a part of your community.

Helper Friends Make cute community helper friends!

Items Needed: Helper Friends template, scissors Locate your included Helper Friends template and tear the perforated lines, separating each of the helper friends. Then, tear across the dotted lines below each of the helper friends creating one helper friend and one base piece. Next, with adult supervision, use scissors to cut the solid lined slits in each box. Then slide the piece with the helper friend into the base piece to make the helper friend stand on its own. See the example provided below.

Once you have finished making the helper friends, use them for some imaginative pretend play or jump right into the next activity, where you will use them to play a game!

*Disclaimer: Adult supervision is HIGHLY recommended while using the oven.*

YU

M!

Oops, you forgot to take the trash out for the garbage man!

Items Needed: Helper friends, die

What is your favorite place in your community?

Play a fun board game to get your mind thinking about your community and your future!

What are some ways you can help your community right now?

Community Slides & Ladders

What is your biggest fear?

Can you think of any community helpers that work by themselves?

What subjects do you like in school?

Can you name some of the people that live in your community?

You are on your way to bettering your community!

Kids Night IN PARK

Oh no! You threw down a piece of trash in the park!

Do you want to stay in your community forever or explore dierent places?

Rotate your insert

finish

Take turns rolling the die and moving that many squares. After landing on a square, read the question on that square aloud and answer it. Now it is the next player’s turn. If you land on a square that has a ladder on it, you may go up the ladder to the next square and answer that question!

If you land on a square that has a slide on it, you must go down the slide to the corresponding square and answer that question. Whoever reaches the finish line first wins! Have fun with the game and think carefully about the questions you have to answer.

Is your community big or small?

Decide which helper friend you want to be, then roll the die to see who gets the higher number; this player will go first.

If you were a star in a movie, what would it be about?

Is anyone in your family a community helper?

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Amazing! You’ve joined a club or team within your community!

Would you rather make lots and lots of money or love what you do for a living?

Who are some community helpers at your school?

What are some ways you can help your neighbors?

FREE SPACE

What kind of community helper would you like to be when your grow up?

Oh no! You are not doing your best at school!

You started donating to charities in your community! Way to go!

Good job! You have shown interest in learning more about your community!

Do you want to go to college or start working for your community when you are done with highschool?

What do you think would be the worst community helper job to have?

START

Can you think of a community helper that you see almost everyday?

Who are some community helpers that work outside?

Who are some community helpers that sit at a desk?

Ways to Continue Keep your little one(s) engaged and interested in learning about their community even after you have completed your Kids Night In Box activities.

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Find movies or TV shows to watch that are about the job(s) you are interested in.

•

Find someone in your community that you would like to shadow for a day to learn about their job.

•

Create a chart on how your job interests change or stay the same every few months.

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Do some of the ideas listed in the “how you can help your community now” section!

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Go on a scavenger hunt through your community and talk about all the community helpers you see.

•

Make a map of your community.

•

Join a club in your community.

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Check out these apps you can download to continue learning about communities and the people in them: Community Helpers by tinytapps, Learn Occupations, Eduland- Learning Professions, and Flash Cards- Community Helpers.

# K N I C om m uni t yHel p ers # K i d s Ni ght InBo x