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Back to the Books for International Literacy Day!

September 6, 2021 by Creating Together

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!

Filed Under: Family Playtime, Literacy, Tips and Tools

Celebrating Fathers and Fatherly Figures

June 8, 2021 by Creating Together

June 14 marks the beginning Canadian Men’s Health Week, ending with Father’s Day on June 20th. This is a time to bring awareness to health issues that affect men disproportionately and focus on getting boys and men to become aware of problems they may have or could develop, and gain the courage to do something about it.

Understanding Health Issues in Men

Let’s take a look at what we know about health for Canadian men. On average, Canadian men live four years less than Canadian women do. They’re also more likely to die from diabetes, heart disease and liver disease. Men are less likely than women to engage in healthy lifestyle behaviours to counteract stress. For example, more than half of Canadian men aren’t getting enough sleep, aren’t exercising enough and aren’t eating as healthy as they should. The suicide rate for Canadian men is also three times higher for men than for women, and divorced men are almost twice as likely to commit suicide as married men. 

What Can We Do to Support Men’s Health?

Men’s Health is everybody’s issue – not just men. Encouraging healthy eating, stress reducing activities, positive relationships, exercise, and mental health support when needed are some key things we can all do to help them out. By supporting the men in our lives to do this, we are modelling for the younger generation what it looks like to be a healthy man – setting them up for greater and greater success in life.

Celebrating Father’s Day (and Fatherly Figures)

Being thankful for the fatherly figures in our lives is so important. Men’s Health Week is always the week prior to Father’s Day – a time of year where we honour our fathers and fatherly role models. To help mark this time, we invite you to consider how you’ll give gratitude to your father, or to the amazing man who guides you in your life. And, for the parents out there, we invite you to join us helping your child create a Father’s Day craft with Creating Together Staff, and also to enjoy some books with your child to help them honour this special relationship in their lives.

For your little one’s Father’s Day craft, gather the supplies listed below and tune into our Facebook page on June 18th (whenever you’re ready – it will be pre-recorded for you to enjoy at your leisure!) and get ready to make “Paper Plate  Scratch Art” and a “Paper Shirt Card” for that special man in their world 🙂

Paper Plate Scratch Art

Supplies:

  • paper plate or construction paper,
  • crayons,
  • black or any dark colour paint,
  • toothpick to scratch

Paper Shirt Card

Supplies:

  • construction paper,
  • pom poms,
  • marker

Modelling and Teaching the Qualities of a Good Father and Husband

It is important for our children to have healthy father figures in their lives, and it’s also important that they be exposed to healthy father figures in stories as well. So often in cartoons and movies, the father figure is incompetent or non-existent. It’s through this modelling that we teach our children about the qualities of a good father, a good husband, a good friend. Check out this list of recommended books, and/or tune into our Facebook page to read along with us these Father’s Day Books:

My Dad by Debbie Bailey

My Daddy and Me by Amy E. Sklansky

Hooray for Daddies by Gayla Amral

Filed Under: Family Playtime, Literacy, Special Activities, Traditions

Welcoming the Glitterbug Program

May 25, 2021 by Creating Together

June is Pride Month! Join live circle time with the 519 Glitterbug on Wed. June 2nd at 10 am!  And, at Creating Together we welcome Glitterbug to our circle EVERY first Wednesday of EVERY month – so we do hope you can make it to June and also to the upcoming circles!

Who / What is Glitterbug?

Glitterbug “is a unique mobile program that works with EarlyON Centres across Toronto to promote inclusion and affirmation of gender and sexual diversity among children and families.” Glitterbug combines the understanding of LGBTQ2S inclusion with a play-based learning approach for children and families to develop a broader understanding of inclusion at EarlyON Centres across the city and in the early learning years sector.

Glitterbug Programs and Services

  • LGBTQ2S-affirming Interactive workshops for parents, caregivers, and guardians.
  • LGBTQ2S-affirming drop-in programming to support queer, trans, and 2Spirit inclusion.
  • Designated program for LGBTQ2S families
  • Special events and pop-up visits
  • Resources

Current Glitterbug Programs for Queer and Trans Families and Gender-creative Children

  • Virtual Circle Time:
    • Tuesday, 3:00 to 3:30pm
    • Wednesday, 10:00 to 10:30am
    • Thursday, 4:30 to 5:00pm
    • Friday, 1:30 to 2:15pm
  • Interactive Parent/Caregiver Virtual LGBTQ2S Workshops:
    • Last Tuesday of each month, starting July 27.
      Workshops are currently being held virtually. We will resume in-person workshops based on Toronto Public Health guidelines.

Have questions or need more information, get in touch with the Glitterbug Program at Glitterbug@The519.org.

For more information about their EarlyON programs and events, visit their EarlyON Program page.

Get your free tickets to their programs on our Eventbrite page.

Filed Under: Celebrating Diversity, Family Playtime, Literacy, Special Activities, Tips and Tools

Glitterbug for Circle Time

April 20, 2021 by Creating Together

We are so excited that Glitterbug from the 519 will continue their program with us throughout the Spring and into Summer this year!

What is Glitterbug?

For those of you who don’t yet know about this offering, it is a circle time that celebrates diversity of sexual orientations, family configurations, and gender identities that exist among families, with special guests from the 519 EarlyON.

When and How do I Join?

Take a look at the poster below, and click into our  zoom channel at 10am on each of the dates listed below!

https://www.the519.org/programs/early-on-child-and-family-centre

See you there!

Links to the 519 Early ON

If you’d like to keep in touch with this program and others offered by the 519 Early ON, take a look at their Website, Facebook Group, or YouTube Channel, and you won’t want to miss signing up to their Mailing List!

Filed Under: Celebrating Diversity, Literacy, Special Activities

Canada Book Day

April 20, 2021 by Creating Together

April 23rd is the day for celebrating Canadian literature and reading. Dedicate April 23rd to reading and encourage friends and family to do so, too. Celebrate by picking a new book to read, reading a book to a child, or joining us for our online storytime and circle times to support child literacy!

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.

We are here to help. Take advantage of our online storytimes and build literacy into your family routine with some family favourites:

  • Monday, Wednesday and Friday at noon (Facebook)
  • Monday-Friday at 7pm for Bedtime Stories (Facebook)

A child’s knowledge of songs and rhymes at age 3 is predictor of his/her ability to read by age 6

That’s right. There is a reason we offer circle time every day Monday through Friday! Whether you have a toddler or an infant, we’ve got you covered.

  • Infants: Fridays at 12pm (Zoom)
  • Toddlers: Mon/Wed/Fri from 10-10:20 (Zoom) & Tues / Thurs (Facebook)
  • 1st Wednesdays at 10am (Zoom), special guests from the 519 EarlyON join us in Glitterbug – circle time that celebrates diversity of sexual orientations, family configurations, and gender identities that exist among families.

Download our Virtual Progam Schedule (with links):

Virtual Programming at Creating Together

Accessing other community resources

Here are a few more resources available to you in the community, to help you ensure your child takes their best step forward with literacy:

  • Children’s Book Bank provides free books and literacy support to children living in low-income neighborhoods across Toronto.
  • Toronto’s ReadUP‘s mission is to provide children with access to free reading support that complements and consolidates the literacy learning they receive in school.
  • Enjoy your favourite children’s stories any time with Dial-a-Story and OverDrive eBooks & eAudiobooks for Kids.
  • First Book Canada (FBC) launched a book portal in January, featuring board books and story books for young children, all at a discounted price for programs and educators serving kids in need. The books were specially selected by the Canadian Children’s Literacy Foundation (CCLF) for little ones to enjoy with their families. Read more HERE.

Filed Under: Literacy

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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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MON 9:00am - 2:30pm
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1342 Queen Street West
Phone: (416) 537-1004
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12947 6248 RR0001
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