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Improve Food Literacy and Build Family Memories with Pick-Your-Own Farms!

July 20, 2017 by Creating Together

There is growing concern about unhealthy eating habits in children and youth including not eating enough vegetables and fruit and consuming too many processed foods and beverages. Involving children in food literacy programs, particularly those involving participatory cooking and learning, helps children learn where food comes from, how to choose and prepare healthy food—and can result in healthy eating behaviours such as choosing more vegetables and fruit.
The Ontario Food and Nutrition Strategy is a cross-government, multi-stakeholder coordinated approach to food policy development. The vision is for productive, equitable and sustainable food systems that support the wholistic health and well-being of all people in Ontario. It is a plan for healthy food and food systems in Ontario. One of it’s strategic directions include ensuring people in Ontario have access to and the means to choose and obtain safe, healthy, local and culturally acceptable food. Another is ensuring food literacy skills, so people in Ontario have the information, knowledge, skills, relationships, capacity and environment to support healthy eating and make healthy choices where they live, gather, work, learn and play. They are trying to accomplish these aims at all levels of community, from classrooms to policy.
What can families do?
To promote food literacy, healthy eating habits, and healthy food choices in children, Pick-Your-Own Farms are one thing that families and caregivers can get involved with – and they are becoming quite the trend here in Ontario. You can enjoy the feeling of picking right from the bush, vine, or plant, and many of the farms are bringing in agri-tourism activities like wagon rides, play areas, and corn mazes so a great time can be had by all.

Creating Together arranged another memorable field trip for dozens of children, parents and caregivers to enjoy the experience of picking their own fruit locally. In addition to picking buckets full of strawberries, children enjoyed the other attractions offered at Downey’s such as minigolf, speedway, kritter korral, train, and jumping pillows.

Here are some advantages to picking your own:

  1. FUN!
  2. Research shows that when children are involved in the basics of food preparation, they are more likely to eat it.
  3. PYO is great exercise for the entire family.
  4. Spending the day together in the fresh air and sunshine is great for health, relaxation,
  5. You are creating memories as a family!
  6. You are engaging in an experience that can impact the health of your little ones for years to come.
  7. It teaches children that all food comes from the earth, grown over time, and tended gently by people to pick and bring them to the store / table. This promotes deeper respect for food, and gratitude for what goes into it.

For more information about Downey’s or to see what other attractions and activities they hold all year round to help children and their families connect with the bounty of the earth, take a look at their website: http://www.downeysfarm.com/

 

Filed Under: Special Activities Tagged With: Eating Locally, Field Trip, Food Literacy

Celebrating Canada Day at Creating Together

July 13, 2017 by Creating Together

Children with their families and caregivers came to Creating Together to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary this month. A wonderful time was had by all, honouring the shared history, symbols, and values that define us as Canadians.

If you’re looking for more, here are some ways to honour Canada throughout the year with your children:

  • Check out the very best of Canadian literature for children with this “One Hundred Best” list from Kids Space (Toronto Public Library)
  • Learn more about Canada with National Geographic’s Canada Country Profile, offering information about Nature, Geography, People and Cultures of Canada
  • Understand the meaning behind the symbols of the Parliment of Canada with this great online resource, “Searching for Symbols” offering games, a symbols gallery, and symbols tour!
  • CBC’s “Best of Canada” video playlist – their favorite Canadian videos, all about Canada (below), offering a fun spotlight on what it is to be Canadian

Filed Under: Family Playtime, Special Activities Tagged With: Art, Canada Day

Early Learning with Science

June 26, 2017 by Creating Together

Discovering together at the Ontario Science Centre field trip.

Pablo Picasso once said that “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” In an article in Wired Magazine, they presented the idea that the same can be said about children and science, because of how they learn through curiosity and play – and how that innate curiosity can easily be lost as they age.

There is a growing understanding and recognition of the power of children’s early thinking and learning as well as a belief that science may be a particularly important domain in early childhood, serving not only to build a basis for future scientific understanding but also to build important skills and attitudes for learning (K. Worth, 2010).

So how can parents, teachers, and caregivers navigate the fine line between giving kids a taste of fact & knowledge, while also creating a sense of ambiguity and uncertainty? Jonah Leher suggests “When we explain things to kids, we shouldn’t pretend that we have all the answers. We shouldn’t turn science class into a dry recitation of facts that must be memorized, or only conduct experiments in the classroom in which the results are known in advance. Because it’s the not knowing – that tang of doubt and possibility – that keeps us playing with the world, eager to figure out how it works”.

So if you’re ready to take this further, you’d be happy to know that Toronto has some great programs available. Let’s take a look!

Let’s Talk Science

This award-winning, Canadian, charitable organization is focused on education and outreach to support youth development. They create and deliver unique learning programs and services that engage children, youth and educators in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). They are passionate about promoting “science literacy” because doing science develops our ability to ask questions, collect information, organize and test our ideas, problem-solve and apply what we learn. It also offers a powerful platform for building confidence, developing communication skills and making sense of the world around us – a world that is increasingly shaped by science and technology.

They create, test and deliver free curriculum-aligned workshops for children and youth ages 3-17. For a list of sample workshops, check out our hands-on/minds-on workshops. If you’re interested in a specific topic, contact your local outreach site and they’ll work with you to fit the your class or group’s needs.

The Ontario Science Centre

Based on Toronto, the Science Centre is the public centre for innovative thinking and discussion around science and technology, inspiring a lifelong journey of curiosity, discovery and action to create a better future for the planet. Their purpose is to delight, inform and challenge the communities they serve. They enrich people’s lives and their understanding through engagement with science of local, national and global relevance. If you can afford it, a yearly membership starts at $125 (2 adults and 2 children for the year).

Museum Admission Passes

If the cost of entry for the Science Centre is too high for you, consider an early Saturday morning line-up at our local Parkdale Library. Although the library doesn’t open until 9am, the line-up usually starts between 6am-7am on a Saturday morning because of all the free family admission passes they provide the community. The Ontario Science Centre is one of many passes they have available, and allows 2 adults and up to 4 children entry. You might also consider a pass to the Royal Ontario Museum for some science discovery. Don’t forget to make sure your library card is up to date and all fines are paid before you go!

Children’s Discovery Centre

This was Toronto’s only children’s museum, designed and staffed by a team of early childhood development professionals for kids aged 0 to 6 years to play, create, get messy, explore and use their imagination. Although their pilot program is over and their test location is now closed, this wonderful program has decided to launch a fundraising campaign to create a permanent location. To buy a brick and support their initiative, go here: http://www.childrensdiscoverycentre.com/support-us/

Filed Under: Featured, Special Activities

Family Baking: Healthy Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

June 13, 2017 by Creating Together

On the first Tuesday of every month, Creating Together families come together to create a healthy muffin to share for snack. This month, we tried our hand at Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins!

Pumpkin is great source of beta-carotene, vitamin A and fiber. It is rich in carotenoids (health-enhancing antioxidants). Beta-carotene is important for maintaining healthy eyes, lungs, heart function and circulation. With summer around the corner, days can become a bit more hectic and scheduling healthy snacks throughout the day may be challenging. Take a look at the recipe card provided here, and save it for a fun summer activity!

 

Filed Under: Recipes, Special Activities

Fire Safety: Getting the Conversation Started

May 31, 2017 by Creating Together

Did you know that 7 out of 10 fires in Canada occur at home, with most occurring in the kitchen, and residential cooking being the leading cause of fire-related deaths? Please take a moment, and read through these helpful, life-saving tips for Kitchen Fire Safety.

And why stop there? Protect your family and home from fire with smoke alarms and by planning your escape, and raising awareness within your family about fire safety. Take a look at these kits and children’s activities, to help you get the conversation started:

  • Escape Plan Kit
  • Plan Your Escape Brochure
  • Multi-Lingual Fire Safety Information
  • Colouring Pages for Kids (Fire Prevention Canada)

To support families in the process, on May 19th Creating Together families and caregivers enjoyed an exciting trip out to the Parkdale Fire Station on Lansdowne Avenue. The kids enjoyed meeting the firefighters, and learning about fire safety. As always, the staff at our local fire station were great with the kids, and a great time was had by all.

A huge thank you to the Fire Fighters of our city, for the work they do in keeping us safe!

 

Filed Under: Featured, Special Activities

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Creating Together Parkdale Family Resource Centre

Our mission is to support the healthy social, cognitive, emotional and physical development of children 0 to 6 years and their families. We welcome children aged 0 to 6 years and their families/ caregivers to relax and connect with each other and with the greater communities through our many programs.
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Hours

MON 9:00am - 2:30pm
TUE 9:00am - 2:30pm
WED 9:00am - 2:30pm
THU 9:00am - 2:30pm
FRI 9:00am - 1:30pm
SAT 10am - 2:00pm (twice monthly)
SUN Closed

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Creating Together
1342 Queen Street West
Phone: (416) 537-1004
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Charitable Registration Number:
12947 6248 RR0001
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