Communication is Key: Quick Tip Sheet
The
Center for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation has developed this great tip sheet and
reminder of how important is for us to choose our words carefully when we're communicating with young children in our CNC programs!
A Guide to Executive Function
Executive function and self-regulation skills are like an air traffic control system in the brain—they help us manage information, make decisions, and plan ahead. We need these skills at every stage of life, and while no one is born with them, we are all born with the potential to develop them. But, how do we do that?
Here's a Guide to Executive Function to walk you through everything you need to know about these skills and how to develop and practice them.
Are you planning a summer school-age program?
School-age children have different needs and interests than their younger siblings - and it can be challenging to find activities and ideas to keep everyone engaged and having fun during summer months. Here are some resources to help:
A Collection of 100 Outstanding Summer Camp Program Ideas and
101 Summer Activities for Kids. And we'd love to hear about your summer school-age program... if you try any of the ideas, take some photos and share them with us
here!
Sensory Play with Bubbles
Blowing bubbles is a calming activity for children. As well as being calming, there are many other benefits to blowing bubbles.
Do you know about all seven sensory systems and how you can engage all of them through bubble play?
What to look for in a child-centred CNC program: Helping you Manage CNC Webinar
In this webinar, presented by Ryerson/George Brown professor, Rachel Brophy, CNC Administrators have the opportunity to learn more about what to look for in their child-centred CNC program, the power of conversation, and what it means to be a child-centred administrator. There’s also a helpful tool for CNC administrators that includes an observation checklist and a list of conversation starters for discussions around CNC curriculum! Watch the
webinar recording, download the
ppt and
What to look for in a child-centered program: A helpful tool for CNC Administrators now!
CNC in Action: Lunch and Learn Sessions for Families
All parents have questions about child health and development, but language and other barriers can make it difficult for many newcomer parents to get answers. Parents often turn to CNC staff for help, so when Cathy Condarcuri-Sain, Supervisor of Language Programs at the Durham Catholic District School Board Whitby Language Center’s CNC program, heard that the YMCA’s Family and Community Action Program (FCAP) offered workshops on these topics for parents, she
took notice.
Children need to be active, so Have a Ball!
Physical activity is essential to healthy child development, and the early years are the best time to give kids an active start. But where do you begin? The
Have a Ball Together website will give you the tools you need to be able to promote and encourage physical activity for children 0-6.
Dual Language Booklets and Resources for Families
The Saskatchewan Literacy Network has a series of
free family resources and dual language booklets that are now available in Arabic, Chinese, Dari (Farsi), Nepali, Pashto, Somali, Tigrigna, Urdu. Each booklet contains a small selection of simple, practical vocabulary by theme. Written at the emergent literacy level, they were designed for young learners and their caregivers to use together, on topics like clothing, colours, food, transportation and more. They are perfect for sharing with parents or even printing out for use in your program!
Free Teachers’ Toolkit: Including Refugees in the Classroom
Teachers are facing new challenges in making sense of forced displacement and its complexities. Teaching newcomers often comes with specific needs relating to language acquisition and adaptation to a new culture and environment. Some refugee children may suffer from stress or trauma preventing them from participating fully in school activities, and requiring specific support. To help, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has released a free
Teachers’ Toolkit, professional development and guidance to help teachers understand the needs of refugee children, as well as a collection of
adaptable teaching materials on refugees, asylum, migration and statelessness.
5 Steps for Brain-Building Serve and Return
Child-adult relationships that are responsive and attentive—with lots of back and forth interactions—build a strong foundation in a child’s brain for all future learning and development. This is called "serve and return." Harvard Centre on the Developing Child has
a quick video that explains "serve and return," and 5 important steps to follow when you're interacting with children.
