Resources

200+ activities ideas you can do at home with kids

Many programs across the country are closed in order to slow the spread of COVID-19, and kids are staying home due to the pandemic. Thankfully, learning doesn’t only happen in classrooms. Even while social distancing or self-isolating, children can keep on learning through play, using active games to keep them moving and learning at home. Here is a helpful article and list of over 200 activities ideas you can share with families to help them stay active at home!

Fine Motor Activities for Preschoolers and Toddlers

We all know that fine motor skills are important, but are we making sure our curriculum integrates them enough into our early childhood activities? They are not just helpful for writing, but they are essential for everyday activities like feeding, dressing, and other hygiene activities.

Here is some fine motor fun you can implement into your curriculum or home to strengthen those muscles that control your child’s hands, fingers, and thumbs.

WEBINAR: Energizing Storytime with Children

This HiMama Helps webinar explores the idea of storytime as a powerful way to introduce the child to language, feelings, sequence, and new ideas. Storytime activates a child’s imagination and expands his or her world. When children engage in stories, they are on their way to becoming life-long readers and learners!

We are different, we are the same: Activities that teach young children about diversity

Diversity activities teach young children to respect and celebrate the differences in all people. Learning about different cultural aspects offers new experiences for children. It also helps them realize that we’re all humans, despite differences in how we look or dress, or what we eat or celebrate! Games and activities are a fun way for young children to learn about differences and similarities and to introduce the concept of diversity.

CMAS WEBINAR: Colouring Outside the Lines with Bookmates

In this webinar recording, Bookmates joins us to explore the idea of creativity as an important bridge to learning and development for young children. This session is designed to share practical skills, tips, and resources for how CNC staff can engage children with open-ended process art activities to extend literacy concepts.


Supporting The Settlement Of Young Immigrant Children And Their Families, by Julie Dotsch is now available online!

Do you work with newcomer children and families? Having newcomer children in your care can present unique challenges, but it’s also an exciting opportunity to learn, grow and have a lasting impact on  children’s lives. In her book, Supporting The Settlement Of Young Immigrant Children And Their Families, child care and diversity expert Julie Dotsch shares strategies and ideas from caregivers working in the field of newcomer child care, and builds on caregivers’ professionalism, knowledge and experience to provide a greater understanding of the new immigrant and refugee experience from a child’s and family’s perspective. Now you can download your own copy of Supporting The Settlement Of Young Immigrant Children And Their Families in PDF format!


FILM: Reflecting on Anti-bias Education in Action- The Early Years

A new film, Reflecting on Anti-bias Education in Action: The Early Years, features vignettes of anti-bias strategies in early childhood classrooms interspersed with teachers reflecting on their practice. The film shifts the focus away from the talking heads of experts and on to the voices of teachers committed to equity on a daily basis. By taking viewers into diverse early childhood classrooms, the film demonstrates the importance of teacher reflection on identity, context, and practice in anti-bias education and provides a much-needed resource for teacher education and professional development. It also includes an accompanying viewer guidebook and suggestions for using the film for professional development for your team!

50 Earth Day Activities for Children and Families

Earth Day is our annual reminder to slow down and appreciate the bounty of the earth. Here's a list of 50 Earth Day activity ideas that you can share with families this week to encourage children to create objects from natural and recycled materials and spend more time outdoors.

Looking for resources to support English as an Additional Language (EAL) learners?

This collection of EAL teaching and learning resources includes worksheets & activity sheets for teachers, professionals and parents to support them in effectively communicating and helping children learn English as an Additional Language.

Podcast: Improving Children’s Attention Spans Through Play

In this episode of The Preschool Podcast, you'll learn about children’s attention spans, and how educators and parents can foster learning and regulated attention through intentional play.