parenting tips Archives | Creating Together Parkdale

Spring Nature Crafts

April 19, 2024 by Creating Together

Spring is finally here, and it’s the perfect weather to get outside as a family! Are you looking for educational but easy spring-themed nature crafts? Check out a few ideas below….

Dande-LIONs

Though this project takes a little more adult-prep or prep-supervision, it’s an adorable activity to enjoy on a long walk, and can be re-used a few times! Save cardboard from a cereal box, add a face, and poke pencil holes. Then take your lion on a family walk and add dandelions to create the mane.

Nature Bracelets

Short on time? This activity takes almost no planning and no prep, yet has a big payoff! Using packing tape, take a strip and wrap it around wrists, sticky side out. Take a walk and select different pieces of nature to add to your bracelet!

Nature Puzzle

Though this activity also takes preparation, it too can be reused. Draw a large shape on a piece of paper or piece of cardboard. For an older child, choose a more challenging shape. Then, collect nature items to use as puzzle pieces, and when you get home, challenge your child to fill the shape!

Follow the links under each activity for further information.

What do you think of these ideas? Let us know in the comments below!

2024 March Break Family Events in Toronto

February 25, 2024 by Creating Together

Are you looking for accessible ways to keep your family occupied and engaged this March Break? To Do Canada has got us covered with an incredible list of local events. Below you can find our top selections of cost-free or low-cost family activities to bring you maximum fun this March Break!

Art Gallery of Ontario
March 9 to 17, 2024
Get ready for a kid-focused March Break at the Gallery! Enjoy interactive art activations, and afternoon karaoke in Walker Court. Dive into creativity with maker stations scattered throughout the Gallery Details

Art Gallery of Ontario, 317 Dundas St W, Toronto
25 and Under FREE

Free Concert Series | Toronto
March 13, 2024 | 12 PM
Enjoy this free concert by the Canadian Opera Company in one of Toronto’s most breathtaking and intimate spaces. The Free Concert Series in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, presented by TD Bank Group, brings artists from around the world to share their talent and passion in one of Toronto’s most breathtaking and intimate spaces. Located within the Isadore and Rosalie Sharp City Room at the Four Seasons Centre, this iconic, glass-enclosed space connects the building to its surroundings and community.

Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, 145 Queen St W, Toronto
Free

St Patrick’s Day Parade Toronto
Sunday, March 17, 2024 | 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM
Join us for the biggest St Patricks day parade to hit the streets of Toronto.
A community event in celebrating Irish culture history and heritage. The parade has grown to include a number of diverse communities and non-profit groups and is recognized as the largest Irish-themed event held in Toronto. A fun-filled affordable family day.

Begins on the corner of Bloor Street and St. George Street, Toronto
Free

Todmorden Mills
March – 17, 2024
Celebrate women’s stories and history by making crafts inspired by the work of influential figures such as Alice Eastwood, Jean Lumb and Elizabeth Simcoe. Amplify your experience with added activities that include crafts like 3-D paper birds, clothespin frogs, paper flower bouquets, zines, watercolour painting of local flora and fauna and more!

Todmorden Mills Heritage Site, 67 Pottery Road, Toronto
Free

Fort York
March 9 to 17, 2024
Enhance your visit with added family-friendly and interactive programming. Reserve ahead for access to a variety of enhanced activities that include baking, drumming, dancing, storytelling and beading. Engage in discussion about the presence of women in historical military contexts within the free pop-up talks.

Fort York National Historic Site, 250 Fort York Blvd., Toronto
Free to $20/family

Gibson House Museum
March 9 – 17, 2024
Try your hand at a variety of games in the parlour and weaving in the Sustainable Studio. Dive into a multi-sensory experience of Toronto’s foodways through demonstrations and food activations.

Gibson House Museum, 5172 Yonge Street, Toronto
Free

Montgomery’s Inn
March 9 – 17, 2024
March Break at Montgomery’s Inn celebrates and showcases the foods and culinary traditions of immigrants and Indigenous communities because these cultural elements are an integral part of Toronto’s identity. Visitors can share their cultural heritage by contributing a family recipe and sample local treats from the communities that make up our neighbourhood!

Montgomery’s Inn, Dundas Street West, Etobicoke
Free

Nature Connection: Winter Trees
Sunday March 10, 2024 | 2 – 3:30 PM
During this program, we will be practising our tree Identification skills and playing some activities as we explore the wonderful winter world of trees.

Downsview Park, 70 Canuck Ave, Toronto
Free

Lumière: The Art of Light
March 12 to April 20, 2024
This free light exhibition allows visitors to explore the park and experience light installations developed by local artists. Utilizing innovation, light and discovery, Lumière offers the opportunity for local artists and creators to “illuminate” the park under the curatorial theme “CONNECTIONS”.

Trillium Park, 955 Lake Shore Blvd W, Toronto
Free

Toys “R” Us March Break
Visit your local Toys ”R”Us store Monday through Friday of your March Break to enjoy free activities. No event registration is required. Recommended for ages 4 and up. Event material is available while supplies last and distributed to participants only. Parental supervision is required at all times.

TBA
Toys “R” Us Stores
Free

Toronto Public Library
Monday, March 11 to Friday, March 15
Looking for something to do during March Break? The Toronto library offers more than 100 free activities for kids, teens, and the whole family. Browse the programs or use our search tool to find out what’s happening at your local branch.

Toronto Public Library branches.
Free

You can find the complete list in the link above. We hope you enjoy these events, families! And remember, you can always come and spend the day at Creating Together!

Keeping Your Family Well Through Fall and Winter

November 14, 2023 by Creating Together

With the colder weather comes the flu season. Did you have a chance to read the letter from Toronto Public Health included in our most recent newsletter?

Combined with handwashing, staying on top of vaccinations, and the option of masking, here are a few additional tips to keep your family physically and mentally well in these colder and darker days.

1. Up Your Vitamin D

Not only do we get less sunshine at this time of year, we need to increase our vitamin D to ward off infection and inflammation. Vitamin D helps build strong bones, and even plays a role in mood regulation – also supporting your mental health!

2. Increase Sleep

As an additional symptom of less sunlight, you may be finding that your family is needing more sleep. This is perfectly natural – It’s recommended that we do slightly increase sleeping hours in the winter months. Sleep will also help you fight off any illness!

3. Stay Active

It can be tempting to hibernate, and though more rest is encouraged, staying active is essential for your physical and mental health! Try to get outside with your kids and soak in the little sunlight that we get. This may be a great time to pick up a new activity or active hobby. When in doubt, pay a visit to Creating Together and make use of our indoor climber!

What are your favourite wellness tips for the changing weather?

Celebrating the Earth on Earth Day (and every day)

April 13, 2021 by Creating Together

Celebrate Earth Day with us on April 22nd. Earth Day is a day celebrated in 195 countries around the world. It was created to raise awareness and appreciation for the Earth’s air, earth, water, plants and animals.

At Creating Together, we will be celebrating with a week of Earth-themed activities, songs, and crafts – and we hope you’ll join us!

Below is a planting project and a storytime to get you started 🙂 Next week, check out programming all week on Facebook and join us for live circle time on Monday and Wednesday to celebrate our Earth.

Planting Project

Call us in advance to arrange a pick-up of your planting package (pot, soil, & seeds), and join us for a fun planting project. If you can’t pick up your planting package by Friday, then you can still create your own, and tune into this video “Planting and Pollinating Flowers” with Leah! Check our window to see the progress of our seeds if you stroll by the Creating Together EarlyOn Centre!

Storytime

https://www.facebook.com/CreatingTogetherParkdale/videos/1142119392901131/

Other Resources:

Learn how to say “Happy Earth Day” in 40 other languages HERE!
21 Earth Day Activities for Kids
Check out this video to learn with your children what you can do together as a family to protect the environment:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yl3zgcL0Tv8&t=82s

10 Tips for Healthier Smiles

April 5, 2021 by Creating Together

April is National Oral Health month, and brings with it the opportunity for Canadians of all ages to think about ways to keep their smiles healthy and bright.

Living in pandemic-times has meant delayed dental care for many families, and delay can have long-term ramifications that we’d all rather avoid, so it becomes more important than ever for families to practice an oral health routine at home.

Ten Tips for Parents

The Ontario Dental Association offers these 10 tips to help parents:

Before your baby has teeth, wipe the gums gently with a clean wet cloth after each feeding.
If your baby sleeps with a bottle or sippy cup at naptime or bedtime, fill it with water only.
If your baby normally falls asleep while feeding, brush his or her teeth before feeding.
Lift your baby’s lip and watch for changes in colour, lines or spots on your child’s teeth as these may be signs of potential problems.
For children from birth to 3 years of age, talk to your dentist about whether fluoridated toothpaste is appropriate for your child and how much should be used.
For children from 3 to 6 years of age, only a small amount (a portion the size of a green pea) of fluoridated toothpaste should be used. Children in this age group should be assisted by an adult when brushing their teeth.
Begin flossing at least once a day when your child’s teeth are touching.
Change your child’s toothbrush every one to three months or immediately after an illness.
To prevent spreading germs that cause tooth decay, do not put anything in your child’s mouth if it has been in your mouth. Don’t share spoons, cups, food, toothbrushes, etc.
Visit your dentist by the age of one year, or when the first teeth appear. Take your child to the dentist for regular checkups to make sure there are no problems.

Download and print the Ten Tips for Parents

Tips for Preparing for Your Child’s Dental Appointment

Stanford Children’s health has a great tip sheet to help parents prepare their children for the dentist, and how to come prepared themselves – take a look HERE and enjoy this video created by the Ontario Dental Association to help you get the dental care you need during a pandemic:

Fun Activities to Do with Children

Also, here are some fun activities you can do with your children, to promote the importance of oral health to children in a fun way. Parents and teachers are welcome to download and use this material, brought to us all by the Canadian Dental Association:

Good luck keeping those growing smiles healthy and bright!

Spring Nature Crafts

2024 March Break Family Events in Toronto

Keeping Your Family Well Through Fall and Winter

Celebrating the Earth on Earth Day (and every day)

Planting Project

Storytime

Other Resources:

10 Tips for Healthier Smiles

Ten Tips for Parents

Tips for Preparing for Your Child’s Dental Appointment

Fun Activities to Do with Children

Creating Together Parkdale Family Resource Centre

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