Creating Together Blog

Early ON Resources for Families and Caregivers

December 17, 2020 by Creating Together

During this time when physically distancing from others is important, having a plan and activities ready for your child may help to make your day go a little easier.
Early ON Resources for Parents and Caregivers

This is why Early ON and the City of Toronto compiled an extensive resource for families and caregivers to foster child development while social distancing. Whether it’s physical play or quiet play, this guide is filled with helpful resources for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners. Click the download button for the full document.

EarlyON-Printable-Resource-0-6-years-Activities Download

The resource also has tips for how to speak to your children about Coronavirus, some useful telephone numbers and support links, and a plethora of helpful resources.

In addition, Toronto Children’s Services has completed an incredible COVID-19 Resource List for Families. Click the download button for the full document.

COVID-19-Resource-List-for-Families-Dec-04-2020_sa Download

We hope you’ll find these resources helpful!

References

https://playandlearn.healthhq.ca
https://www.facebook.com/ladysmithwaterfrontgallery/
https://busytoddler.com/2020/03/pom-pom-tube-ramp/
https://hes-extraordinary.com/improve-emotional-regulation-just-7-minutes-perday?fbclid=IwAR08xB9WpvGwZc0MlS-5ww-HAKeLyw66wxjsOa97y6TiM9M88yUkjB_oZdo
https://www.unicef.org/coronavirus/how-talk-your-child-about-coronavirus-covid-19

Creative Ways to Celebrate the Season

December 9, 2020 by Creating Together

Torontonian favorites, such as Nuit Blanche, Calvaclade of Lights, and ice-skating at Ontario Place or Nathan Philips Square, have been cancelled due to the Toronto-wide lock-down, and families are looking for creative ways to celebrate the season.

Rethinking Traditions

Certainly, re-thinking your family traditions does not mean you will be without those sacred traditions this year – however you may need to think a bit differently about them. We all do. In fact, continuity of traditions are so important for children (and adults!). At the same time, those age-old traditions may just need to be approached from a different angle.

For example, if you normally see family, perhaps you could arrange a get-together on Zoom. If you normally go to the theatre, consider the drive-in. If you go carolling, watch some carollers online and sing from home.

How can you continue your family traditions with a slightly different spin?

Some Suggestions

We’ve pulled together a few ideas to help you out this year – and don’t forget, we are always here to offer programming online for you all until our own holidays begin!

At any rate, we do hope you enjoy the season and consider the challenges we all face an opportunity to continue embodying the values of gratitude, generosity, compassion, and love with your friends and families.

Funding Subsidy for Families

December 3, 2020 by Creating Together

Families, we have some wonderful news about a program that has been launched by the Ministry of Education to support families through the COVID-19 pandemic. You may be eligible to receive $200 per child or $250 for children with special needs through a government subsidy!

Applications must be submitted by January 15, 2020 to access these funds, so please read below for information about eligibility and the application process!

About Support for Learners

You can get financial support to help with additional costs during the 2020-2021 school year due to COVID-19.

Eligible parents or guardians will receive a one-time payment of:

$200 for each child up to age 12
$250 for each child or youth up to age 21 with special needs

The deadline to apply is January 15, 2021.

Eligibility

You are eligible to apply if you are a resident of Ontario and a parent or guardian to a child:

up to age 12
up to age 21 if they have special needs

A child with special needs is:

any student reported to be receiving special education programs or services by their school board
any child enrolled in licensed child care reported to be receiving special needs funding or support
any child identified as having a special need

We do not consider students who are identified as being solely gifted to have special needs under this program.

It doesn’t matter if your child is enrolled in school or child care. All children are eligible based on their age.

You are eligible if your child:

attends a publicly funded school
attends a private school
attends a First Nation operated or federally operated school
attends school in-person or online
is homeschooled
is enrolled in child care
is at home

If you received funding under programs that are now closed, like the Support for Parents or Support for Families, you can still apply.

Apply Now

https://www.ontario.ca/page/get-support-learners

Circle Time Online

November 24, 2020 by Creating Together

Circle time is an amazing opportunity for us to come together, have fun, and learn, regardless of age. Children of all ages express themselves through music. While the infants sway or bounce, many preschoolers make up songs and sing to themselves as they play.

Apart from being fun, circle time has so many benefits. Singing songs together exposes children to new songs, dances, and different materials. This improves their awareness of physical, sensory, and language experiences. Also, participating in songs helps to promote rhythm and coordination, which can help improve their fine and gross motor skills.

Locked In? No Problem!

Join Creating Together Early ON for the live circle time at 10:00 am! Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday we offer Circle Time on Zoom, and every Tuesday and Thursday on Facebook 🙂 The staff at Creating Together work hard to make sure each child gets the most out of the experience.

To access this live session, you will need a mobile or smart device – and joining is easy!

Zoom

For Zoom on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, all you have to do is open (click) on the zoom link, and follow the instructions that Zoom provides for downloading the app onto your device. Here’s the link to join us:

zoom.us/j/7391226799

Facebook

For Facebook circle time on Tuesdays and Thursdays, just sign onto our Facebook page here and watch the session live with us! Here’s the link to join us on our Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/CreatingTogetherParkdale

More Opportunities to

Join us Online:

Finding Creative Ways to Celebrate Diwali

November 13, 2020 by Creating Together

Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, begins Saturday November 13th and is celebrated by Hindus and other faiths for typically five days. With over 2000 people identifying as Hindu in the Parkdale-High Park area alone, our local Diwali celebrations fostered a sense of home and community for those who observe the holiday, while increasing awareness, understanding, and compassion among children, parents and caregivers who observe other holidays.

Public health officials across the country are urging people to stay home and celebrate Diwali exclusively with members of their family household to limit the spread of COVID-19. So while we all work on protecting our most vulnerable, we need to find new ways to celebrate a festival that is spent traditionally in the embrace of family and friends.

At Creating Together, we celebrated with a live Diwali themed story-time, and incredible Diwali crafts to help you celebrate with your little ones at home, between zoom calls with family members 🙂

We hope you will enjoy the recordings and take some time to foster a sense of home and community for you and your family, especially during these challenging times.