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Welcome to Our New Space!

October 24, 2022 by Creating Together

Let’s Take a Tour!

This past September we threw open our doors and welcomed families into our brand new space at 1342 Queen Street West. Whether you’ve been to the program in person, or are considering joining us for the first time, here on the blog we’d like to offer you a brief tour of our new space.

Come on in!

The first thing you’ll notice when you enter our bright centre, is a sign-in station on your right. Be sure to sign in, remove your outdoor shoes and gear, and place it away using the cubbies or the hooks. We encourage families to travel light, and fold strollers whenever possible.

We encourage child-led play here at Creating Together. Your child may choose from any number of areas and materials to explore in the centre. Here are a few areas you’ll notice:

Circle Time Area

This window-facing area is used for circle-time gatherings throughout our program, and provides a nice cushioned place for infants to crawl!

Art Table

You can find art activities and materials at the back of the centre. An activity is set out on the table every program day, along with accessible art materials on the shelf. Come express yourself – we are all artists!

Dramatic Play Area

A multitude of materials are available in this area to encourage imagination and dramatic play! In early stages, the dramatic play you’ll begin to notice will focus on imitating every day behaviours, before moving into more formalized pretend play. For this reason many of our dramatic play materials are modeled after objects your child may interact with on an every day basis.

Cozy Nook

This window seat features a number of materials for your child to choose from as they enjoy the stimulating Queen Street view! Curl up with a book or a puzzle, or make use of our city-scape carpet!

Climber

There are many opportunities for gross motor development and play in our program. Our developmentally appropriate climber is a very popular feature at Creating Together.

Sensory Play

Our sensory play changes often, and may feature activities such as sand play, water play, themed sensory play, or other sensory material exploration.

Snack Table/Table Activities

Our 11:00am healthy snack time takes place at the tables in the back of the centre. Outside of snack, these tables will have many different activities placed on them, before being sanitized for eating.

Shelves

Our centre has a number of shelves which remain open and accessible for children. Can’t find what you’re looking for? Feel free to pull an activity or book off of a shelf. All we ask is that after use, the activity is returned to its spot and any mouthed items are placed in the mouthed toys bin!

Information Boards and Displays

We have several information boards and displays around the centre which are updated with helpful community information, as well as centre information. Check back often!

Toy Resource Library

Did you know that we have a toy resource library? Located by the office, the toy resource library is full of exciting materials which you can sign out, and enjoy with your child at home. Feel free to ask a staff for the toy resource binder to sign out materials!

You’re welcome to pour yourself a cup of coffee or tea using our self-serve cart by the office. Hardworking parents and caregivers need to stay caffeinated! Amiright?

Washrooms and change tables can be found in the back of the centre to the right of our office.

Hi Zalikha!

Be sure to greet our hard working manager, Zalikha, as you pass her desk!

That’s The Tour!

Don’t forget to sign out before you leave!

Thanks for stopping by…

Pride Book Recommendations from Glitterbug’s Niña!

June 7, 2022 by Creating Together

Niña shares a story at Creating Together (May 2022).

As we welcome June in Toronto, we look forward to supporting and celebrating the 2SLGBTQ+ community through Pride month (and beyond)! To kick off these celebrations and important conversations at Creating Together, we’ve asked Niña Cabaguio (she/her), RECE and Coordinator of Glitterbug: 2SLGBTQ+ EarlyON Mobile Program at the 519, to offer some children’s book recommendations!

Niña’s Book Recommendations for Pride Month

#1) Love Makes a Family (Ages 0-3)

Love Makes a Family by Sophie Beer is a wonderful board book for our 0-3 years of age that talks about the various structures of family and types of love. There are beautiful illustrators of cultural diversity and family diversity that enriches a welcoming and inclusive space!

#2) Neither by Airlie Anderson (ages 4-8)

Neither by Airlie Anderson is one of my go-to books when it comes to explaining the spectrum of gender (and outside of the gender spectrum) that exists! Neither showcases the nonbinary terms in a child-friendly and fun way. Did you know the “+” in our 2SLGBTQ+ acronym is to showcase all the types of gender identities?

#3) Sparkle Boy (ages 4 to 8)

Sparkle Boy by Leslie Newman is a great story for our 4 to 8 years old. It talks about acceptance within the family and having that inclusive space within the environment and supporting our gender-diverse children.

#4) Our Rainbow by Little Bee Books (0 to 3 years)

Our Rainbow by Little Bee Books is a beautiful, illustrated children book that talks about the meaning behind each color of the rainbow. I truly love this book, as it is a great conversation starter about the brown and black on the rainbow too!

#5) Call me Tree (ages 4 to 8)

Call me Tree by Maya Christina Gonzalez is a beautiful multi-language book (Spanish and English) that talks about belonging. We may all identify differently, but we all belong together as a community. Did you know some folks uses “tree” as a pronoun?

Happy Reading!

Thank you so much Niña for these recommendations! Some of Niña’s suggested reads will be available for families to enjoy in the centre, and we encourage you to take advantage of book selections through the Parkdale Library as well. You can enjoy stories and songs with Niña on June 8th, when she joins us for guest circle time at 10:00am. Keep your eyes on our calendar for other exciting events going on this month.

HAPPY PRIDE!

-Creating Together

Springing into March at Creating Together

March 2, 2022 by Creating Together

Dear Families and Friends of Creating Together,

The month of March brings days that are longer and brighter, and the much anticipated first day of spring. Yet as we all know, this time is not without its darkness. We wish to say that given the current events in Eastern Europe, we know this is a difficult time for so many. Our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine, and the Ukrainian community in Toronto. We at Creating Together are here for you, and we stand with you.

As we begin this new season, we continue to plant the seeds of resilience, play, and learning at Creating Together. Read on for some much anticipated programming news, and help us to welcome new faces at the centre.

Program Updates

In-Person Program

Beginning the week of February 28th, we’re pleased to announce that we’ll be increasing our capacity from two families per session, to four families per session.

Additionally, as of March 7th, we will be increasing both our session lengths, as well as our days of in-person programming! Our sessions will now run for two hours, from Monday through to Thursday.

As of March 7th our new in-person program schedule will be as follows:

Monday-Thursdays:

9:00am – 11:00am

12:00am – 2:00pm

Two Saturdays a month:

10:00am – 1:00pm

To book your time, please contact Creating Together by phone or email: (416) 537-1004 / creatingtogether@rogers.com.

We continue to follow all of the Toronto Public Health safety recommendations and standards, as well as our screening process and temperature checks upon arrival to the centre. We ask that if any member of your household is feeling unwell, that you stay home and call the centre to cancel your registration.

Virtual Programs

With the expansion of our in-person programming as of March 7th, our virtual programming will be slightly reduced, however we still offer the following programs:

Live Circle Time

We invite you to join our live circle time Fridays at 10:00am using the following zoom link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5199316471

On March 18th we’re excited to bring you an extra special live circle time with invited guest, Nina from Glitterbug! Join us at 10:00 am!

We’ll also be continuing our new science program…

March Dates: Science with Sal

Looking for some interactive live virtual science? Our new virtual science program Science with Sal continues with three new dates for March! Join Salvina in our virtual lab for an interactive science program from the comfort of your own home. This program offers opportunities for you to embark on a hands-on learning experience no matter where you are, using easy-to-find at home materials.

Get Ready to READ!

February 25, 2022 by Creating Together

Did you know 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.

Here are a couple of quick tips to encourage your little one to read…

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/

Let us 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:

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? Contact us to register for in person programming or join us online for rounds of reading, circles and songs!
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.

See you there!

Black History Month

February 7, 2022 by Creating Together

An Overview

Each February, Creating Together celebrates Black History Month along with the families we serve, inviting one another to explore the traditions and culture of African-Canadians. Originally created in 1926 to raise awareness and understanding of the African experience around the world, it became a formal celebration in the 60s and in 1979, Toronto became the first municipality in Canada to proclaim Black History Month through the efforts of many individuals and organizations such as the Ontario Black History Society. Still, it wasn’t until In 1995 that the House of Commons to recognized Black History Month across Canada, thanks to a motion introduced by Toronto Area MP Jean Augustine.

At this time, we take time and care to recognize the past and present contributions that African Canadians make to our lives, through education, medicine, art, culture, public service, economic development, politics and human rights.

Toronto Public Library Offerings and Recommended Books

Toronto Public Library celebrates Black History all year round with a collection of programs and special events that honour Black heritage and culture, and consider the historical significance and contemporary contributions of Black activists and artists from around the world.

Explore this list of recommended books for children, put together by the Toronto Public Library, in honour of Black History Month:

City of Toronto Programs and Offerings

For a list of recommended programs by the City of Toronto, visit: https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/history-art-culture/black-history-month/