Creating Together Blog

Celebrate Diwali With Us!

November 2, 2018 by Creating Together

At Creating Together, our crafts and creative projects focus on celebrations and the many diverse cultures of our families – and Diwali is no exception. Come by on November 7th to celebrate and learn more about this festival, so loved by millions around the world!

What is Diwali?

Diwali, Deepavali or Dipavali is the five-day festival of lights, which is celebrated every autumn in the northern hemisphere. Millions of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains across the world celebrate the festival, which coincides with the Hindu New Year. It is a very exciting and colourful holiday. Homes are cleaned to welcome the New Year and windows are opened so that the Hindu goddess of wealth, Lakshmi, can enter. It is believed that she cannot enter a house which is not lit up, so every household burns special Diwali clay lamps (diyas) to light the way for the goddess, which is why the holiday is also known as the Festival of Lights.

Why is it Important to Teach Diversity and Celebrate Different Cultures?

Teaching children about the importance of celebrating different cultures and diversity will help your children tremendously. Did you know that being culturally aware can have a significant affect on your child’s success, promoting creativity, high-level thinking, and collaboration.

Our Parkdale community represents so many different backgrounds, cultures, ethnicity, language, religion, and physical ability. Being diverse is defined as all the ways we are alike and different. What are some advantages to teaching about and helping your child be more culturally aware?

Promote inclusion: Learning about cultures, languages, religions and holidays other than their own helps kids learn that others may be very different from them, and promotes inclusion.
Appreciating difference: By learning some of the incredible things that come from other cultures and ways of living, we teach children to appreciate differences rather than fear them.
Overcoming stereotypes: Children need to know that it’s ok to be different, and to learn and grow together. This encourages the creative thinking, understanding, and compassion needed to overcome stereotypes.

So, we invite you to join us on November 7th for this year’s Diwali Celebration, with crafts, treats, and amazing company. If you’re curious about Diwali, there will be a display board up with information about this time of year, and some interesting facts!

Hope to see you there!

Bubble Blowing Fun!

October 23, 2018 by Creating Together

Join us for some bubble play on October 26th at 1:15 – and get ready to have some fun!

But did you know that bubble play also an amazing way to work on developmental skills, such as:

Fine motor skills & hand/eye coordination

It takes a lot of fine motor skills to pinch the skinny wand, coordinate two hands to hold the bottle and dip, hold the blower with a pencil-like grasp, and using hands in different ways to pop the bubbles – who knew?

Visual tracking skills

Those little ones work their visual tracking skills when they follow where the bubbles go.

Sensory processing skills

Bubbles have such an interesting texture, your little ones will experience their wetness, sliminess, stickiness. What’s more, the act of blowing can also be a very effective sensory-based way to help kids “organize”, calm, and focus their bodies.

Social and communication skills

When playing in a group like we do at Creating Together, children practice taking turns, keeping personal space. They also establish eye contact and ask or signal to you for “more”.

Gross motor skills

Have you seen kids chase bubbles?! What an fun way to get kids to stretch up, squat to the floor, run, jump, and reach!

Identifying body parts

Pop with your finger, your elbow, your knee, or your nose!

Language and cognitive skills

You can use bubble play as an opportunity to describe what the bubbles are doing, what the children notice.

Come and try it out this Thursday afternoon, and feel free to ask the staff any questions on how to turn Bubble Play into an incredible learning opportunity for you and your little one!

What’s on in our Neighbourhood for Halloween?

October 16, 2018 by Creating Together

If you’re looking for some fun ways to celebrate Halloween, Parkdale is the place to be! Take a look at these great events next week – all within the hood!

Pumpkin Carving at Creating Together

You can get started by joining us on October 25th at 1:15pm for a Pumpkin Carving extravaganza at Creating Together – we would love to see you there! Read more about where the tradition of carving pumpkins came from HERE.

Friday Night Movie Showing “Hotel Transylvania 3” at the Parkdale Library Auditorium

Come out Friday October 26th for an early Halloween treat for families! “Count Dracula and company participate in a cruise for sea-loving monsters, unaware that their boat is being commandeered by the monster-hating Van Helsing family.”

Halloween Howl at the High Park Nature Centre

Halloween Howl is back October 26th & 27th! Explore the haunting side of nature at the High Park “Halloween Howl” night hike. This walk through the woodlands will lead to lots of creepy nature spots to learn the not-so-scary truth about bats, spiders, toads, gnomes and decomposers. Finish off the night by warming up around a campfire. Fun for all ages! Costumes are recommended but not required. Don’t forget to bring a glass jar to make your own lantern!

Pumpkin Float at the High Park Wading Pool

Come carve a pumpkin ($3) on October 28th and set it afloat with other ghoulish gourds! Meet at the wading pool in the northwest corner of High Park, just west of the main entrance to High Park at Bloor Street West and High Park Avenue. Proceeds will send a class from a high needs school on a field trip to the High Park Nature Centre this fall!!

Pumpkin Parade at Sorauren Park

And you can bring that pumpkin along with other creations to Sorauren Park on November 1st for the annual, world-famous Pumpkin Parade! With more than 1,500 pumpkins on display in recent years, the Parade is a neighbourhood and even regional highlight of the season.

Costume Party at Creating Together

Come on over on October 31st for a Halloween Costume Party. We’ll have Halloween crafts, songs and other activities. Decorate cupcakes and trick or treat!

And More…

For more activities for kids thoughout Toronto and the GTA this holiday season, check it out – and have a wonderful Halloween!

https://www.todocanada.ca/Halloween-Activities-Events-in-Toronto-GTA-for-Kids/

The Health Benefits of Pumpkins

October 8, 2018 by Creating Together

Halloween is around the corner, and the decorations have hit the yards in preparation for the trick-or-treaters. We hope you’ll join us for our pumpkin carving extravaganza on October 25th! But while we all get ready to break out the pumpkin carving tools, did you know that there are MANY ways a pumpkin can be used, from soups and salads to muffins, smoothies and breads…and even better, they are incredibly healthy?!

Here’s some interesting health benefits of pumpkins:

Did you know that 1/2 cup of boiled pumpkin contains the recommended daily intake of Vitamin A for children? Vitamin A plays a vital role in maintaining your body’s natural defenses. This includes the mucous barriers in your eyes, lungs, gut and genitals which help trap bacteria and other infectious agents.
They are one of the best known sources of the anti-oxidant beta-carotene. Several studies have shown that antioxidants through diet help people’s immune systems, protect against free radicals, and lower the risk of developing cancer and heart disease.
Pumpkins are very high in potassium, which is known to help lower blood pressure!

But let’s not stop there – even the seeds are great (also known as pepitas)! For example, 1/4 cups of pumpkin seeds have nearly half of the recommended daily amount of magnesium, which is important for pumping your heart, proper bone and tooth formation, and relaxation of your blood vessels. And did you know that the oil of pumpkin seeds also have an anti-inflammatory effect, helping with arthritis?

So be sure to check out some creative ways to eat pumpkin with your little ones, and we’ll see you on the 25th for our annual pumpkin carving!

A Warm Welcome Back to Neetu

October 1, 2018 by Creating Together

Creating Together is really excited to welcome back Neetu Malhotra to the team!

Neetu has committed much of her professional career to serving others, and sharing her compassionate, loving nature to improve the lives of those around her. She has 10 years experience teaching in India before receiving her Early Childhood Education from Humber College. She has also worked as a personal support worker for the elderly. Now, she extends her compassionate nature to helping the families and children of Creating Together.

Feeling stressed and in need of some positivity? Neetu is a believer in deep relaxation, with positive thinking as a tool of achieving greater happiness – so if you’re looking for a positive lift, reach out to her!

She will be working Monday to Wednesday, 8:30-12:30pm, Thursday 11:45-2:45pm. Neetu will also be available any other times needed such as special events, and covering the floor when staff are away.

It is so great to have you with us Neetu!