VIDEO: What is Executive Function and Self-Regulation?
The Centre on the Developing Child at Harvard University has a new,
5-minute video that explains how we use executive function and self-regulation each and every day to manage ordinary, and sometimes challenging tasks. It also shows how science offers an explanation for how we navigate tasks successfully, and what can send us off course.
4 Sensory Snow Activities to Try
In CNC, it's important that we offer opportunities for children to explore and discover their new environment. One of the best ways to do this is through sensory activities that combine playful fun and constructive learning. Here are
4 fun snow projects are sure to get the children excited about winter weather!
What are ACES and how do they relate to toxic stress?
The term “ACEs” is an acronym for Adverse Childhood Experiences. ACEs research shows the correlation between early adversity and poor outcomes later in life. Toxic stress explains how ACEs can trigger biological reactions that lead to those outcomes. The Harvard Centre on the Developing Child has developed a
simple infographic that explains...
Promoting Healthy Attachments with Children
Attachment facilitates the development of emotional regulation, social skills, and empathy. It plays an important role in children’s overall development and learning. Early childhood educators are consistently
learning and creating opportunities to build healthy attachments with the children in their care and supporting families in their own attachment with their children.
CNC in Action: The Value of Storytelling
All cultures share stories. They are passed from generation to generation, allowing the listener to imagine the characters, scenes and details. Storytelling doesn't cost anything, or require books or toys, but it can often fuel creativity better than anything you buy from the store. It is flexible, and allows you to adapt a tale to the situation, interests, and developmental level of the children with whom you spend time. It’s these personal and cultural connections that make storytelling so valuable!
Find out how one CNC program supervisor
has been spreading this message and practice through the Parent-Child Mother Goose Program.
Why Observe Children at Play?
When we observe children at play, it helps us better understand the strengths and needs of each individual child. It also helps us understand each child's knowledge, skills, and interests, how they are learning and how we can further their learning and development.
What makes a good early learning environment?
The first step in creating an appropriate environment for infants, toddlers, and preschool children is to examine how young children learn and develop. Each stage of development has unique characteristics that influence how a child will experience his or her environment.
Here are some things to consider when designing your CNC space.
CNC Program Brings Holiday Spirit to SickKids Hospital
Each year, many children spend the holidays at SickKids Hospital. The children in the Afghan Women’s Organization (AWO) CNC program wanted to send these patients some cheer and hope for the New Year. With the help of their caregivers, they handcrafted 500 cards. One card will go to each child spending the holidays in a hospital bed. Thank you to the staff and families at AWO for making the season brighter.
Click here to see photos of some of the completed cards.
Voices Of Children Documentary
In this small film with a big heart, we meet young children from communities around the globe, bringing us a glimpse of their extraordinary diversity.
Children from five diverse countries draw us into their worlds through their many voices. Behind their experiences lie messages, both universal and informed by place, time, and culture. The children share their ideas, hopes, challenges, and capacity as they talk, sing, work, dance, and play!
Children take longer to learn two languages at once compared to just one — don’t fret
Some bilingual children from immigrant families develop each language at a slower pace because their learning is spread across two languages. This research shows strong evidence that the rate of language growth is influenced by the number of languages a child is learning - which challenges the belief that children are linguistic sponges who quickly absorb the language or languages they hear and become proficient speakers of both languages!
