Dear families and friends of Creating Together,

With Valentine’s Day only a few weeks away, we hope you find time to celebrate love of all kinds this month. February is Black History Month – the 2022 theme is: “February and Forever: Celebrating Black History today and every day”, which focuses on recognizing the daily contributions that Black Canadians make to Canada. We look forward to exploring and celebrating these contributions through our programming in February. We also wish a very happy Lunar New Year to our families who celebrate – we hope the year brings luck and prosperity! Please see some important updates on programming below, and be sure to visit us for virtual or in-person programming soon.

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Program Updates

Brrr! It’s cold out there! We’re pleased to continue to offer virtual and in-person programs that keep you toasty warm and engaged through the winter months. We remain open for in-person programming at this time, yet will continue to limit our capacity to two families per session. Your health and safety is of the utmost importance to us — 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.

As a reminder, we welcome families for in-person programming:

Monday-Wednesday, and two Saturdays a month.

9:30am – 11:00am

11:30am – 1:00pm

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

We continue to offer exciting Virtual Programming! 

Please see our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/CreatingTogetherParkdale and be sure to join our live circle time Fridays at 10:00am using the following zoom link:

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

February Updates

Virtual Circle Time with Parkdale Library

We’re pleased to invite you to a virtual circle time with Parkdale Library on Thursday, February 17th at 10:00 am! You can join using the same zoom link used for live circle: 

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

We’ll also be continuing our new science program, “Science with Sal”!

The live virtual science sessions will take place for 3 weeks consecutively on Thursdays from 2:00pm – 2:30pm with the first session starting on February 10th. On the Monday of that program week, a pre-recording of the science experiment which we will be doing together on Thursday will be posted. 

NOTE: Registration is required on or before February 8th. Upon registration, families can inquire about materials for the upcoming sessions. If you require materials for Science with Sal, please arrange a time to pick up materials from the centre. 

*Adult supervision required for all live sessions

We will post any updates to our in-person and virtual programs on our Facebook page, so check back often.

Resource Boxes

Resource Boxes will be ready for pick up in the first two weeks of February, until February 12th.

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

It’s never too late to join our Resource Box list! If you are interested in joining for the next month, please call or e-mail the centre, or let a staff member know.

We Are Here For You

We know that the ever changing landscape of the pandemic has put a huge amount of stress on our families and community. A reminder from all of us here at Creating Together – should you need any assistance at this time, including mental health supports, health resources, child development materials – please don’t hesitate to be in touch. We’re here for you. 

Sending you love,

Creating Together

Have you chosen a new year’s resolution this year?

Our resolution is the same as always: to continue offering a welcoming, warm and inviting learning space for our community! 

You can help us achieve this resolution by reflecting on 2021 in our Creating Together Family Survey. Your feedback is integral to our improvement as we plan for both in-person and virtual program options.

You can find the link here.

We have extended our Program Survey for one final week of responses. So, if you haven’t yet, please fill out the survey now! Your feedback is integral to our improvement as we continue our 2022 programming.

Whether it’s Sunday dinners, birthdays, or family game night, having routines that you do as a “family” is important on many levels. Research since the 1950s shows us that no matter which language you speak or where you are from in the world, traditions and rituals in family life are linked to increased happiness, emotional well-being, and a greater sense of identity in children. With so much flux and change in the world right now, it’s so important to do everything we can to increase the sense of identity and happiness in our children’s lives.

So how can we cultivate a tradition of gratitude in our families, so we can give our children the best possible foundation?

Thanksgiving and New Years make great times to get started, so here are some fun suggestions:

1. Encouraging children to say please and thank you.
2. Donate to charity (eg. Out of the Cold, Women’s Habitat, Food Bank, Second Hand Store).
3. Start A Gratitude Journal – A Gratitude Journal is a great way to allow children to express and feel gratitude. 
4. Write thank-you cards.
5. Share chores.
6. Help neighbours.

Enjoy the process!

Read More:

How Gratitude Helps Through Hard Times

9 Gratitude Activities for Children

However you choose to celebrate this time of year, we all wish you a wonderful season with family, friends, and your supports. Today marks the Winter Solstice – the first day of winter, and the longest night of the year. We will be closed for the holidays, and our doors will open again on Tuesday January 4th. So we will be seeing you in the New Year!

2021 has been been a challenging year, but we have pivoted and adapted in our families and in our communities, finding new and creative ways to come together. Moving into 2022, please remember that – You are not alone – we are here with you, and we are all stronger than ever, together.

Feeling stir crazy and wondering what to do this holiday season? Rest assured, Toronto is FULL of great opportunities to create memories and have fun together. Check it out…

Ice Skating

Located at Union Station and Harbourfront, two Toronto rinks are hosting DJ skate nights on the weekend so you can spice up your nightly skates by listening to some of the hottest tunes. But there’s plenty of other skating rinks in the city open all week long as well as some fun skate trails.

Calvaclade of Lights

As it does every year, Cavalcade of Lights is transforming Nathan Phillips Square into a massive light festival. With light tunnels, beams of light animating City Hall, the annual city tree, and glowing ice sculptures in an enchanted forest, there are a ton of new installations to check out!

Casa Loma

Casa Loma turns into a winter wonderland this year, with self-guided tours through the gardens, walkways and tunnels. Visitors can be surrounded in the magic of a 40ft tree in the Great Hall, and stunning trees on display decorated by renowned Canadian designers. Your young ones may want to visit Santa in his castle workshop, along with the holiday mascots and gorgeous light shows in the gardens!

Watch the fireworks display at the waterfront 

The annual fireworks show will be back to ring in 2022 at Toronto’s waterfront, which can be seen anywhere across the city that has views of Lake Ontario.