Creating Together Blog

Have Fun and Stay Safe this Halloween!

October 31, 2021 by Melanie

Trick or Treating is Back On!

Last year families had to find creative ways to celebrate the holidays, with trick-or-treating cancelled – and although Creating Together won’t be holding any Halloween events this year, trick-or-treating is back on for 2021 and we want to say to all of you ~ stay safe, have fun, and have a very happy Halloween!

Pumpkin Parade Returns!

Also, when you are finished with your pumpkins, don’t forget to bring them over to Sorauren Park for the 2021 Pumpkin Parade! After being cancelled previously by the City for not having a permit, Councillor Gord Perks has taken out the permit for the parade.

The city is asking for those who come to the parade to share in the community spirit and to also take a moment to help put their pumpkin in one of the bins provided at the park at the end of the night or first thing in the morning. Volunteers from Friends of Sorauren Park will also assist. With more than 1,500 pumpkins on display in recent years, the Parade is a neighbourhood and even regional highlight of the season!

Now Open for Indoor In Person Program!

October 26, 2021 by Melanie

Creating Together is pleased to announce that we will be open for indoor, in person program on a regular basis and well as continuing with some virtual program!

We can have 4 households onsite at a time, so please take a look at our schedule below, and book your program time by contacting us at creatingtogether@rogers.com or by calling 416-537-1004. We look forward to seeing you again!

Sincerely,

Creating Together Staff

October is Family History Month

October 12, 2021 by Melanie

“By searching for our roots, we come closer together as a human family.”
Orrin Hatch

Since 2001, October has been observed as “Family History Month” – an opportunity for individuals to improve their genealogy skills, find out about new resources and meet others who share your passion for the past! It’s also a great time for families to sit down together and honour the stories that enrich their family tree.

Most children will learn to appreciate their family history if you turn it into a detective game. Start your children or grandchildren on a lifelong journey of discovery by introducing them to geneology. Take a look below for some wonderful projects to do with your children this month.

6 Activities to Help you Celebrate your Family History

1. Go through old photos

It’s so important to share stories of our older generations – see if you know (or can find out) who is in the pictures, where they were taken, and what story is there to be shared. Sit down with some photos and your little one and see what stories you can share with them about the family!

2. Make a Family Tree

Here’s a fun Tigger Movie to watch with your youngster, and a range of templates for for creating your family tree, from trees including extended and adopted families, to blended and same-sex families: Family Tree Templates.

3. Visit cemeteries

If you know where family members are buried, visit their memorials. Take rubbings of their tombstones. See if you can find the oldest one. Did they have any neat things on their epitaphs? If your ancestors aren’t buried near you, check out the website FindAGrave.com – where you can see or request tombstones from other graveyards. You can even help other people by taking pictures of requested cemeteries near you.

5. Create a family cookbook

Contact your parents, grandparents, and others from the family – ask them to send you a few of their favourite family recipes, with a story about each dish, where or who it was handed down from, why it is a family favourite, and when it was traditionally eaten (Christmas, family reunions, etc.)….and try out some of the recipes with your little one!

6. Find out what your family surname means

The roots of your family name can be a great family activity. And, we would encourage you to take a look at the maiden names of the women in your family as well! Here’s a link to get you started: https://www.surnamedb.com/

Enjoy the Process!

Happy Thanksgiving!

October 5, 2021 by Melanie

It is the time of year to reflect on all that we are grateful for, in our families, homes and communities. When hard times hit, Gratitude has the power to energize, reduce stress, and align with optimism – and who doesn’t need that?

While several factors go into emotional resilience and optimism, studies show that cultivating a sense of gratitude can help you maintain a more positive mood in daily life and contribute to the greater emotional well-being and bring social benefits as well (Very Well Mind). Evidence from research at Berkeley suggests that grateful young adolescents (ages 11-13), compared to their less grateful counterparts, are happier and more optimistic, have better social support, are more satisfied with their school, family, community, friends, and themselves, and give more emotional support to others. If you’re looking for ways to cultivate traditions of gratitude in your family, take a look at this blog we shared: Increasing Happiness and Well-Being Through Traditions of Gratitude.

The Board and Staff at Creating Together would like to take a moment to say how grateful we are for the honour of working with you and your little ones. Never doubt your impact on our lives, the meaningfulness of this work for us, and the impact of nurturing the children of our communities on creating a bright future.

Blessings of Gratitude and Abundance to you all!

Back to the Books for International Literacy Day!

September 6, 2021 by Melanie

As many of our little ones head back to school, it’s also the annual celebration International Literacy Day on Sept 8 – a celebration

Since 1967, International Literacy Day (ILD) celebrations have taken place annually around the world to remind the public of the importance of literacy as a matter of dignity and human rights, and to advance the literacy agenda towards a more literate and sustainable society. Despite progress made, literacy challenges persist with at least 773 million young people and adults lacking basic literacy skills today.
UNESCO

What is Literacy?

We often think of literacy as the ability to read and write, however what this means across cultures varies greatly.

For example, “reading” includes understanding complex visual and digital media as well as printed material. An elderly person who can read the newspaper might have a difficult time navigating their email or reading a map online. When we look at literacy, how do we engage with the written word in everyday life? How do we keep up with current events and communicate effectively?

Literacy Begins Before a Child Can Read

Until the last 30 years, children were seen as non-readers until they entered school. Now, children’s attempts to read and write before they reach school age are seen as important steps in developing reading and writing abilities. And, according to research by the Canadian Language and Literacy Research Network, children who are successful readers have usually engaged in many early language and literacy activities before starting school. In fact, hearing and engaging with books read aloud to them is one of the most important activities for infants, toddlers, and pre-school children.

Encourage Reading and Discuss Texts

Encourage young learners to immerse themselves in reading as often as possible, and using a broad variety of genres (newspapers, novels, comics, magazines, films, reference material, and websites). Follow up the reading or viewing of a text with a discussion of what it made learners think and feel.

Gamify It!

Make reading and writing fun, be it with scavenger hunts, rhyming contests, comic creation…get creative and have fun! Here are some fun game ideas for early learners: https://www.3plearning.com/blog/6-activities-that-put-the-fun-into-phonics-for-early-learners/

We are here to help.

Even in a time of crisis, Creating Together has found ways to help families maintain a literacy routine with our online programming. Take advantage of our online storytimes and build literacy into your family routine with some family favourites:

1pm Story Time Mon/Wed/Fri and 7pm Bedtime Story Mon-Fri on our Facebook Page
Did you know that a child’s knowledge of songs and rhymes at age 3 is predictor of his/her ability to read by age 6? Why not come and take advantage of the opportunities and support available to you at Creating Together?Join us for Circle Time (daily at 10am on Zoom or Facebook – see below)
Tip: give children a choice in which book they’d like to read, choose books that are age appropriate, and read in ways that are also age appropriate. Take a look at this great tip sheet: Milestones of Early Literacy Development.

Happy Reading!