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Earth Day Activities this Month at Creating Together

April 19, 2022 by Creating Together

April 22nd is Earth Day – and we have a couple great activities and resources to share with you!

Over the month of April the Drop-in program explored gardening and plants. On Monday, April 11th we graphed the different plants/seeds that children and families may want to plant followed by planting seeds based on that information on April 20th.

So join us for Earth Day on April 21st at the drop-in program to celebrate Earth! We will be providing opportunities for children to play with materials that connect to soil, sky, water, as well as education around plastic waste.

Earth Day will also set off the process of creating a land acknowledgement as a Creating Together community by first learning about the purpose behind land acknowledgements.

Other Resources:

  • Learn how to say “Happy Earth Day” in 40 other languages HERE!
  • 21 Earth Day Activities for Kids

Filed Under: Family Playtime, Nature, Special Activities

Egg Decorating an Ancient Tradition

April 4, 2022 by Creating Together

The Spring tradition of egg decorating is one of the most ancient decorative arts, with the oldest cache of decorated eggs were found in Africa, dating back 65,000-55,000 years (1).

Around the world and across cultures, eggs are decorated to celebrate their symbolism: life, renewal, rebirth, healing, protection, and the coming of Spring.

An Iranian altar celebrating Nowruz, the Iranian New Year

Here are some examples of egg decorating across cultures and traditions:

  • Iranians decorate eggs to honour Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, which falls on the Spring Equinox. This is now practiced across Eurasia by Persian and Turkish peoples across faiths.
  • Christians celebrate the egg at Easter, to honour the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
  • In China, red eggs are given as gifts to a bride and groom, or for a new born baby. They symbolize fertility, health, protection and good fortune.

This month, Creating Together will be celebrating this ancient tradition with an egg decorating craft on April 13th, followed by an egg hunt on April 14th – no registration required!

Join us in this ancient tradition on April 13th, followed by an Egg Hunt April 14th!

  1. Texier, Pierre-Jean, et al. “A Howiesons Poort tradition of engraving ostrich eggshell containers dated to 60,000 years ago at Diepkloof Rock Shelter, South Africa.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Vol. 107, No. 14 (April 6, 2010), pp. 6180-6185 and Pierre-Jean Texier, et al, “The context, form and significance of the MSA engraved ostrich eggshell collection from Diepkloof Rock Shelter, Western Cape, South Africa,” Journal of Archaeological Science 40(9), September 2013. See also: Michael Balter, “Engraved Eggs Suggest Early Symbolism,” Science Magazine, March 1, 2010, for images of some fragments and a discussion of the importance of the find.

Filed Under: Celebrating Diversity, Family Playtime, Traditions

Get Your Art On this April

April 1, 2022 by Creating Together

Creating Together has some fun art activities planned this month, to help families get their art on!

Apart from the apparent fun that’s ready to be had when exploring art and culture, there are so many developmental benefits of art for children as well:

  1. Motor Skills: According to the National Institutes of Health, developmental milestones around age three should include drawing a circle and beginning to use safety scissors. Did you know that many preschool programs emphasize the use of scissors because it develops the dexterity children will need for writing?
  2. Language Development: Making art gives children opportunities to learn words for colors, shapes and actions. As they get older, children use more and more descriptive words to discuss their creation or how they feel about them.
  3. Decision Making: Over the process of creating art, children need to carry out a number of decisions and choices, and this skill can help them in other areas of life. The act of exploring, thinking, and experimenting can’t be underestimated!
  4. Visual Learning: Children are very visual, taking in information and cues from pictures or objects and learning from what they see are the building blocks for reading, drawing, and sculpting!

“Parents need to be aware that children learn a lot more from graphic sources now than in the past. Children need to know more about the world than just what they can learn through text and numbers. Art education teaches students how to interpret, criticize, and use visual information, and how to make choices based on it.”

Dr. Kerry Freedman, Head of Art and Design Education at Northern Illinois University.

5. Cultural Awareness: Especially in cities like Toronto and neighbourhoods like Parkdale, we live in a very diverse community. When looking at a piece of art or cultural piece, try to have a conversation with them to help them see the choice or point of view an artist is portraying.

6. Academic Performance: In an article by the Art and Music Centre a student involved in the arts is:

  • 4x more likely to be recognized for academic achievement.
  • 4x more likely to participate in a math or science fair.
  • 3x more likely to win an award for school attendance.
  • 3x more likely to be elected to class office.

Did you know that lower income or socioeconomic students experience even greater benefits from the arts? It’s true: Low income students highly engaged in the arts are more than twice as likely to graduate compared to their peers with no arts education, and have a 5x lower dropout rate!

So what are you waiting for? Make a plan to come by for some creative art time this month!

Filed Under: Family Playtime, Special Activities

Setting Intentions for 2022

January 1, 2022 by Creating Together

With the solar new year just completed and the lunar new year fast approaching (February 1st this year), its a great time to set some intentions and goals for the new year.

Just like adults, children benefit from goal and intention-setting. Creating a clear idea of what you’d like to achieve or experience, making a plan to go after it, and experiencing that sense of accomplishment when you’ve reached your goal – what an important life skill.

Whether it’s learning something new or spending more time with that special someone, talking about their goals and intentions for the year has several benefits:

Create clarity. Getting clear about what we want in life is a life skill that is key to actually attaining what we want in life.

Improve ability to communicate as a family – When we ask and truly listen to each other, it helps us all experience what healthy, supportive communication looks like.

Learn to celebrate resilience. Creating milestones so loved ones can come together to celebrate challenges and successes along the way. When parents and caregivers share their challenges in achieving their goals and children witness you learn from those challenges, celebrate those lessons, and get back to trying again, they learn resilience as well.

Increase trust. Sharing our goals and values and having them truly heard, supported and celebrated helps bring loved ones closer. It takes practice, but when it’s done well the trust that can be created is beautiful.

Teach important lessons. Sharing and working towards individual or shared intentions helps us learn important qualities of collaboration, cooperation, and working towards a common vision.

Have fun! Making it a game helps to take the pressure off, and teaches that goal setting can be fun. Imagine a better year together (sky’s the limit!), try out a worksheet, build a family collage. Enjoy the process!

Ready to give it a try? Here are some examples of worksheets you can create at home, to help guide some conversations with members of your family, about your own goals and one another’s!

Helpful Tip – we are here for you as a hub and a resource. If your child has a goal that you would like some resources on or would like to talk about (eg., reading, behaviour, healthy eating, exercise), let us know! We can also help you with goals related to parenting, healthy eating, and literacy.

Filed Under: Family Playtime, Tips and Tools

Now Open for Indoor In Person Program!

October 26, 2021 by Creating Together

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

Filed Under: Announcements, Family Playtime Tagged With: announcement, Indoor Program

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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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