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Early ON Resources for Families and Caregivers

December 17, 2020 by Creating Together

During this time when physically distancing from others is important, having a plan and activities ready for your child may help to make your day go a little easier.

Early ON Resources for Parents and Caregivers

This is why Early ON and the City of Toronto compiled an extensive resource for families and caregivers to foster child development while social distancing. Whether it’s physical play or quiet play, this guide is filled with helpful resources for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners. Click the download button for the full document.

EarlyON-Printable-Resource-0-6-years-ActivitiesDownload

The resource also has tips for how to speak to your children about Coronavirus, some useful telephone numbers and support links, and a plethora of helpful resources.

In addition, Toronto Children’s Services has completed an incredible COVID-19 Resource List for Families. Click the download button for the full document.

COVID-19-Resource-List-for-Families-Dec-04-2020_saDownload

We hope you’ll find these resources helpful!

References

https://playandlearn.healthhq.ca
https://www.facebook.com/ladysmithwaterfrontgallery/
https://busytoddler.com/2020/03/pom-pom-tube-ramp/
https://hes-extraordinary.com/improve-emotional-regulation-just-7-minutes-perday?fbclid=IwAR08xB9WpvGwZc0MlS-5ww-HAKeLyw66wxjsOa97y6TiM9M88yUkjB_oZdo
https://www.unicef.org/coronavirus/how-talk-your-child-about-coronavirus-covid-19

Filed Under: Announcements, Tips and Tools

Fun With Play Dough

October 13, 2020 by Creating Together

Days are getting cooler, and it’s a perfect time to get cozy with some indoor activities and crafts – and one which we’ve noticed children just can’t get enough of, is homemade play dough! If you have a child who loves to bake and create, getting them involved in making it can also be a great activity in math, measuring, combining, mixing, and following instructions!

The Creating Together Play Dough Recipe:

You will need:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 Tbsp baking soda
  • ½ cup salt
  • 1 cup water
  • Food colouring
  • 3 Tbsp vegetable oil

Directions:

  • Place the flour and baking soda in a bowl.
  • Combine salt, water and a few drops food colouring in another bowl and stir it well.
  • Pour the water and salt mixture in with the flour.
  • Knead with your hands until the desired texture is achieved. You might need to add a bit more salt or water.
  • Add vegetable oil and mix in well.

Tip: To keep the play dough from drying out, store it in an airtight container.

Once made, play dough can offer hours of fun and entertainment! In fact, in this blog by the artful parent, you’ll find 39 different fun activities that you can do with play dough: https://artfulparent.com/39-ideas-for-playing-with-playdough/

Enjoy!

Filed Under: Family Playtime, Science Activity, Tips and Tools

Enjoying the Benefits of the Arts from Home

August 25, 2020 by Creating Together

Toronto is known for being a mecca of art and culture, and many arts and culture buffs (young and old alike) can’t wait for the theatres and museums to open again! That said, you’d be happy to know that the City of Toronto website offers an extensive list of free arts activities for all ages to enjoy in the comfort of your home.

That’s right – even with COVID, you can absolutely get your art on. Check it out for yourself in the link below, for a full table of activities to choose from for ALL ages:

https://www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/covid-19-protect-yourself-others/covid-19-reduce-virus-spread/covid-19-stay-play-learn-at-home/

From weekly virtual art classes and theatrical performances to interactive maps of street art from across the city, there are pages and pages to choose from!

Developmental Benefits of Arts and Culture

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:

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?

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.

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!

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.

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.

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!

Arts and Crafts with Creating Together live on Facebook!

Don’t forget to join us on facebook for some great online arts and crafts activities with Creating Together staff!

https://www.facebook.com/CreatingTogetherParkdale/

So what are you waiting for? Get creating!

Filed Under: Family Playtime, Special Activities, Tips and Tools Tagged With: Art, Culture and Diversity

Self-Regulation in Young Children

August 11, 2020 by Creating Together

This week’s parent discussion is all about self-regulation – the process that the brain goes through to control their behaviour and their emotion in response to a particular situation. For example, when they wait their turn to speak, or listen to others, is a child self-regulating.

It’s important for development of social skills, and begins when we are young. It is a learned behaviour and helps us get along with others and control our impulses.

To learn more about why self-regulation is important, what you can do to support your children in making good decisions about their behaviour, and how to help them cope with difficult feelings, take a look at this discussion on our facebook page with Tanya:

https://www.facebook.com/CreatingTogetherParkdale/videos/310767150040724/

Further reading and resources:

Audio-Book: Self-regulation interventions and strategies, featuring more than 200 practical and proven interventions, strategies, and adaptations for helping children gain more control over their lives. Each chapter provides rich background and theoretical material to help the listener better understand the issues our children face. 

Blog: Strategies for teaching self-regulation, featuring 5 quick and simple tips to support your child on a daily basis, to learn this very key life skill.

Make it fun: 30 games and activities for teaching self-regulation.

Filed Under: Tips and Tools

Community Resources

July 22, 2020 by Creating Together

Especially during this difficult time, we at EarlyON are here to support you! Toronto Public Health has come up with numerous resources and support lines for you and your families during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Click final Community Resources_May5.pdf for a complete list of resources and hotlines or see the embedded document below.

The document is organized into the following resource categories:

  • Toronto Public Health (parenting, healthy baby, breastfeeding, etc.)
  • Telephone Crisis Lines (for assaulted women, shelter, suicide, kids help, telehealth, etc.)
  • Child Protection Agencies (various children’s aid agencies)
  • Medical Clinics (Just for Kids, Tele-medicine, etc.)
  • Mental Health or Other Supports (Skylark, Walk-In Clinics, BounceBack, etc.)
  • Legal Services and Information (Support related to COVID, as well as other services such as Legal Aid, etc.)
  • Financial Support and More (COVID-19 Economic Support and Recovery for individuals, businesses, etc.)

Filed Under: Announcements, Tips and Tools

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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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