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Celebrating Reading Month with Gratitude

March 3, 2021 by Melanie

Literacy is one of Creating Together’s big focus points. We understand how early exposure to books and stories has lasting impacts for our communities.

Benefits of Reading

Did you know that early literacy begins before a child can read? 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.

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. For more information about the benefits of early reading and some tips to engage young readers, check out For the Love of Reading.

Celebrating National Reading Month with Gratitude

March is National Reading Month, a month to celebrate reading, for all ages! And during this month, we would like to join us in an expression of gratitude to a very special program and a very special person, who have been instrumental in ensuring our families have access to reading material.

The Children’s Book Bank was founded by a small group of dedicated individuals who saw the importance of ensuring that all children have access to books. Since 2008, the Book Bank has grown and reached more families as a result of the generosity of individuals, corporations and foundations who have donated funds, books and their time. Creating Together families have benefitted greatly from these donations of books, and would like to give a shout out to The Children’s Book Bank and their supporters for their generosity and commitment to their mission. For more information about their programs, or how to donate, read more HERE.

The Outreach Coordinator of the Children’s Book Bank also deserves special thanks. Dave Page has been our main contact at the Children’s Book Bank, and has attended Creating Together to read stories to the children, while also ensuring Creating Together receives an abundance of books to give to our families. When our families come to the Centre to pick up their craft supplies and food donations, they are also able to pick up some free books for their children thanks to Dave and the Children’s Book Bank. Dave has been working with children’s books and family literacy programs in Toronto for 25 years, and his passion for early literacy is contagious. Please join us in thanking Dave for his work, his passion, and his commitment to young readers.

From our community to yours,

thank you Dave and

the Children’s Book Bank

for all you do!

Filed Under: Literacy Tagged With: early literacy, Gratitude, literacy program

Online Story Time

June 17, 2020 by Melanie

Literacy is key to our programming at Creating Together, for all of our families. And even when programs are closed due to COVID, we are here continuing to help reading be fun, for all of you.

Did you know that early literacy begins before a child can read? 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.

So join us from home for live storytime with our staff – and enjoy the reads below with your little one at your next reading time!

Happy Reading!

Why I Love My Mommy (illustrated by Daniel Howarth)

This charming book features children telling, in their own words, endearing things about their mothers, with gentle illustrations of familiar animals. Perfect for that special day for mom, be it Mother’s Day, her birthday, or just to lift her spirits.

For more books to celebrate mothers and fathers days (Father’s Day is around the corner!), check out: https://myfamilystuff.ca/mothers-day-fathers-day-books-harpercollins/

Story Time ( Why I Love My Mommy) with Tanya

Posted by Creating Together Parkdale on Tuesday, June 9, 2020

If you Give a Mouse a Cookie (by Laura Numeroff, illustrated by Felicia Bond)

Help kids understand the importance of personal responsibility with this fun story about an energetic young mouse who follows a young boy making a string of requests…eventually tiring out the boy!

LEARNING TIP: Teaching our children that every action causes a reaction, is essential in parenting. Understanding cause and effect helps children see that our behaviors and actions has an effect on ourselves, others, and our environment. Use this book to continue this important lesson in personal responsibility.

"If You Give a Mouse a Cookie"-Laura Numeroff

Story time

Posted by Creating Together Parkdale on Friday, June 5, 2020

Twinky the Dinky Dog (by Kate Klimo, illustrated by Michael Fleming)

This story is perfect for children who love dogs, and who are ready to begin the exciting and fun journey of reading on their own. Twinky is a mix of determination, practice, and bravery – and shows the town that he is most certainly, not dinky at all!

Story Time (Twinky The Dinky Dog) with Neetu

Posted by Creating Together Parkdale on Thursday, June 4, 2020

Hush Little Polar Bear (by Jeff Mack)

Jeff Mack has illustrated many books, but this one is the first that he both wrote and illustrated! Hush Little Polar Bear takes a girl and her stuffed polar bear on a beautiful trip through a variety of places before they return to her bedroom. A recommended bedtime read!

Story Time (Hush Little Polar Bear) with Tanya

Posted by Creating Together Parkdale on Tuesday, June 2, 2020

Filed Under: Literacy, Special Activities Tagged With: online programming

5 Tips to Support Children Through COVID-19

May 12, 2020 by Melanie

While we all monitor the status of the virus both locally and around the world, there are some great resources emerging to help support families. Today, we’d like to share 5 tips and resources to help you talk to your children about COVID–19, and support them through their experiences.

1. Keeping Informed

A great place to start is keeping yourself informed, so you can discuss the situation it as a family (at the age appropriate), and when misinformation happens, validate their concerns while gently correcting misinformation. Limiting news exposure is also important, to keep the home environment (and you) feeling safe and calm. Keep up to date on how Ontario is responding, HERE.

There are also some child-friendly resources for school-age children:

  • “Understanding Corona Virus and How Germs Spread” – Brains On Podcast (plus a kid-centered series on news literacy called “Prove It.”)
  • “Just for kids: A comic exploring the new coronavirus” – Minnesota Public Radio

2. Supporting a Sense of Control

Focusing on the details that are most relevant and/or things that you and your child can control. For example, they can wash their hands, write letters to loved ones, and continue home routines. In fact, maintaining those home routines is more important than ever, especially the bedtime routines.

“My Hero is You, How Kids Can Fight COVID-10” is a new story book that aims to help children understand and come to terms with COVID-19, produced by a collaboration of more than 50 organizations including the WHO, the UN Children’s Fund, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and Save the Children. The book explains how children can protect themselves, their families and friends from coronavirus and how to manage difficult emotions when confronted with a new and rapidly changing reality.

Download the book here

My Hero is You: all language versions

3. Making a Game of Handwashing

Keeping things fun is important, and one great way to keep kids enjoying the handwashing experience and washing as long as they need to, is to bring in some fun handwashing songs: https://www.fatherly.com/love-money/best-hand-washing-songs-for-kids/

In an article by Anxiety Canada, they suggest how you might make a game out of handwashing – not just with a song, but with a sticker reward system:

 “I know I am reminding you to wash your hands a lot. Let’s make this into a game. If I hear you singing our “Handwashing Song” that we’ve been practicing each time you wash your hands, we’ll put a sticker on your chart. When you have x number of stickers you can choose a prize. Remember you only earn the sticker if you wash your hands when you need to, no stickers for extra washing when we don’t need to wash. Can you remind me again when are the right times to wash our hands?”

Anxiety Canada

4. Helping Children Grieve

Many children have experienced the loss of a loved one during this pandemic. It is difficult under normal conditions, but this is layered with the reality that visits to loved ones have not been allowed and funerals are not able to occur. Children’s Mental Health Ontario has released a resource to support parents and caregivers in talking with children about grief, available HERE.

5. Spending Time With Each Child

The World Health Organization shared a COVID-19 Parenting Tip Sheet series, recommending one-on-one time with each child. We’ve included it here for you, but you can see all of the posters in various languages HERE.

Keep safe, calm and connected!

Filed Under: Family Playtime, Literacy, Tips and Tools

Read! Read! Read!

January 29, 2020 by Melanie

Each year ABC Life Literacy Canada celebrates Family Literacy Day on January 27th, raising awareness of the importance of reading and engaging in other literacy-related activities as a family. An crucial indicator of child success, there are loads of free resources available to help parents and caregivers be the best possible support they can be.

Family Literacy in Canada

  • Children spend five times as much time outside the classroom as they do in school, so parents and caregivers need the tools to support their learning (The Read-Aloud Handbook, Jim Trelease, 2006).
  • Children whose parents are involved with them in family literacy activities score 10 points higher on standardized reading tests (The Effect of Family Literacy Interventions On Children’s Acquisition of Reading: From Kindergarten to Grade 3, Conducted by Monique Sénéchal for the National Center for Family Literacy, 2006)
  • One year of parental education has a bigger positive impact on whether a son or daughter will attend a postsecondary institution than an extra $50,000 in parental income (Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario, 2011)
  • A mother’s reading skill is the greatest factor to affect her children’s future academic success, outweighing other factors, like neighborhood and family income (National Institute of Health, 2010).

Did you know that early literacy begins before a child can read? 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. In fact, given literacy has such a positive impact on children and families, each Monday at Creating Together is committed to literacy. We hope you will join us!

Designed for one-on-one or small group storytelling, Literacy Mondays feature developmentally appropriate books and CDs. This gives children the opportunity to read and sing along with parents/caregivers and a staff member. Through the week, you can enjoy our reading nook at Creating Together with your child, filled with a wide range of books and comfortable seating.

Out in the Toronto community, there are lots of other opportunities to create positive memories of literacy with children:

  • Check out the Parkdale Library’s “recommended reads” for family literacy.
  • Welcome to School is a program offering resources and programs for newcomer student success.
  • Children’s Book Bank provides free books and literacy support to children living in low-income neighborhoods across Toronto, such as dictionaries for newcomers, and these family literacy tips.
  • 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.
  • Handbook of Language and Literacy Development

Filed Under: Literacy, Tips and Tools, What's On in Parkdale

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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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