CMAS
Grief: Yours, Mine & Ours Webinar Recording & Resources
Living through a pandemic has meant losing many things that are important to us. We grieve loss of life and health for many who contract the virus. We grieve the loss of connection through schools, activities, and family gatherings while we’re stuck at home. And on top of all that, we feel the loss of control over our daily lives as routines and plans have been upended. This Pandemic Parenting Exchange webinar explains different types of grief and how it may have been present for you, your child(ren), and your community.
Prioritize “connections over content” in all virtual learning efforts
Ideally, virtual classrooms and programs can represent a space for children to focus on learning and to process the emotional and social effects of the pandemic. This article includes a list of considerations, including a recommendation to prioritize “connections over content” in all virtual learning efforts for children and families.
Creating Early Learning Spaces for Multi-Age Groups
Designing and creating engaging early learning spaces for children of different ages can be a challenge but here are a few simple strategies to make the process a little easier, and make life less stressful for caregivers - with a focus on providing as many opportunities as possible for the children to explore and play, challenge themselves or try something new!
Looking for activity ideas?
HiMama has curated a variety of arts and crafts activity ideas that support children's development and enhance their motor skills. Just provide the materials and let the children explore shapes, colors, textures… all while having fun!
Multilingual stories for children
StoryWeaver and Reads have lovely digital collections of multilingual stories for you to share!
Six Key Elements of Meaningful Play
Play supports the development of the whole child, including cognitive, social, physical, and emotional skills. So it's important to actively protect and encourage playtime for children - and to understand the key elements that can help you better foster quality play.
A Case for Self-Care
Caregivers need down time to re-energize, refuel and regroup. In this article, experts share suggestions and ideas for making self-care part of your usual routine - so that you can be better rested and ready to support the children in your care!
Using Psychological First Aid to Support Children During the Pandemic
Many of the children we work with will be affected by the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 in some way, so we can anticipate many young ones will need additional support during these times. Psychological First Aid is something that non-mental health clinicians can use when mental health practitioners may not be available. PFA is not therapy. It is a system that focuses on providing a supportive and compassionate presence during and immediately following stressful events.
Multicultural and Social Justice Children’s Book Lists
Teaching for Change has more than 60 carefully selected lists full of multicultural and social justice books for children and educators.
20 Developmentally-Appropriate Activities for 6-9 Month Olds
Play is a powerful part of childhood development, and there are so many important developmental milestones during infancy. But it can sometimes be difficult to come up with ways to play with babies. Here are some play ideas for 6-9 month olds.