Resources
Global Family Day 2025
Apart from welcoming New Year, people across the world celebrate Global Family Day every year on January 1st. This day reminds us all to spend quality time with family, and come together to start the new year off with a positive message of unity to the world. Happy New Year and Global Family Day!
Brain-Building Games to Play: Activities for Infants, Toddlers, and Children
From infancy on, play is an important part of a child’s life. For babies and toddlers, simple, playful interactions with adults help brain development and the building blocks for health and resilience. Through games and playful activities, children can practice and strengthen important skills that will help them throughout their lives. This handout series provides all kinds of great suggestions for games and play-based activities based on a child’s age!
20 Creative Cardboard Box Games and Activities for Kids
Cardboard boxes are one of the greatest and most versatile toys. Yep. You read that right. Before you take those boxes to the recycling bin, think of all the things your kids could do with them. From tissue boxes to shoe boxes, TVs, cereal, fridges, crackers, pizza, and all those online shopping spree items, there are so many ways to DIY these cartons into some fun. Here’s a list of 20 cardboard box craft ideas, games, and activities to get you started.
Do you use a portable space heater?
Health Canada has updated portable electric heater safety standards, and with the colder weather, it's a good reminder to be careful if you use a space heater in your program.
December Fun and Activities: Sesame Workshop
It's a wonderful time of year for families to connect! Sesame Workshop has put together a fun list of books, music, movies and more that you can share with the children and families in your program this month.
NEW! CNC Learning Moments: Simple Tips for Play-Based Programming
CNC Learning Moments is a training series that’s been developed especially for you to reflect on, inspire, and improve your CNC program. In this 30-minute session, CMAS consultant Tricia Kassotis joins us to talk about Simple Tips for Play-Based Programming. This CNC Learning Moment focuses on: 3 elements of play-based learning; simple ways to create a play-based program; 3 different approaches to play-based programming; and how children benefit from play-based programs. We encourage you to watch on your own, or as a team. You’ll also find that each new session includes a list of resource links to extend your learning and further support your CNC team.
50 Helpful Words Have Been Translated into 10 Languages for CNC!
Communicating with newcomer children and their families can be challenging. We translated 50 frequently used words into the l0 languages most commonly spoken in our newcomer programs. The words are available as cards that include pictures and phonetic pronunciations. These can be used as a visual to support language learning and confidence, create cultural connections, and communicate with and involve parents in the learning process. The files are available in a variety of formats, so you can print and/or repurpose them in many ways!
NEW! CNC Learning Moments: Simple Tips for Play-Based Programming
CNC Learning Moments is a training series that’s been developed especially for you to reflect on, inspire, and improve your CNC program!
In this 30-minute session, CMAS consultant Tricia Kassotis joins us to talk about Simple Tips for Play-Based Programming. This CNC Learning Moment focuses on:
- 3 elements of play-based learning
- Simple ways to create a play-based program
- 3 different approaches to play-based programming
- How children benefit from play-based programs
We encourage you to watch on your own, or as a team! You’ll also find that each new session includes a list of resource links to extend your learning and further support your CNC team.
Building a Gratitude Jar Together
Highlight the power of gratitude! Some ideas for self-care take longer to show results, but the more we keep them up, the easier it is to remember them when we need them the most. In tough times, help children pause, notice, and savor the feelings that the good things in our lives bring. In this quick, 5-minute Sesame Workshop gratitude jar video, kids can watch Grandma Nell create a Gratitude Jar to help Tamir and Gabrielle practice gratitude.
VIDEO: Giving Attention to Positive Behaviours
Children get attention when they misbehave, so it's important to also give special attention to children when they are behaving positively. This video encourages viewers to start looking for and acknowledging those positive behaviors!