Resources

39 Fun Ways for Families to Play Outside This Spring

The sun is getting warmer, birds are singing, and my children are shedding their winter gear all over our backyard. Spring is in the air! After the long sleep of winter, nature is filled with a flutter of activity and new energy. Trees are exploding with blooms, insects are buzzing, and critters are busy building nests. The kids are full of energy too! Thankfully, spring offers many simple, easy, and fun outdoor activities for children to get their wiggles out. On that note, here are 39 free and easy activities you can share with parents to get them outside with the kids this spring.

NEW! LET’S PLAY: Math Activity Ideas

Do you have a child in your program who is interested in math and counting? A team of CNC staff put their heads together and came up with over 100 math and counting activity ideas for CNC… and now you can find them here! Special thanks to the CNC team that worked on the new content.


Canada’s New Toll-Free 1-844 POISON-X Number for Poison Centres

Health Canada, in collaboration with poison centres servicing most provinces and territories, is implementing Canada’s toll-free number, 1-844 POISON-X (or 1-844-764-7669), to facilitate access to poison centre services. Poisoning is a major cause of illness and death in Canada and internationally. In 2020, Canada’s poison centres managed 215,589 cases, of which more than one-third involved a child aged 5 or under. Be sure to share this new number with parents and colleagues so they know who to call in a poison emergency!


Covid Generation: Putting Them on the Path to Well-being

It’s hard to believe that children under five have spent half their lives growing through the stress and uncertainty that came with the pandemic. What can we do to make sure that they are on the path of emotional well-being? Here are some ideas for how we can help this generation recover from the socialization lost during this time.

Childhood Resilience – Trauma-Informed Care

Do you know the signs of childhood trauma, what to do, and what not to do? Caregivers cannot support children in developing coping skills, nor can we be part of the responsive relationships that children need, unless we have done the work ourselves. We can start this important work with this list of things to do and what to avoid when supporting children dealing with trauma.

How caregivers can help build children’s emerging language skills

Research shows that children’s early language skills have a long reach in affecting later life outcomes. Because when children develop the ability to understand language, as well as speak and communicate, it helps them to interact with others and learn about the world around them. Here are three simple ways that we can help build children’s emerging language skills in our programs and families.

Magic Moments: Active Problem Solving with Young Children

Every problem, large or small, is an opportunity for young children to learn and grow. From spilled glue to a conflict in the block corner, problems are an unlimited natural resource generated inside our own classrooms. This insight-building webinar will explore how early childhood educators can take the problems, mistakes, and accidents that inevitably occur in every early childhood program, and turn them into teachable moments.

12 Spring Traditions Around the World

Spring is a time of rebirth, renewal, and warm-weather activities. Baby animals are born, flowers bloom, and families around the world welcome spring with their own traditions. Through food, festivals, and various activities, the spring celebrations are endless. Here’s a list of how 12 different countries welcome spring.


WEBINAR – Art in the Trauma-Informed ECE Classroom: Process over Product

Open-ended art is a creative process of self-discovery that literally grows the brain. Why then, do many teachers deliver cookie-cutter crafts as art? Process art builds the brain in early childhood and serves to both calm the nervous system and release emotions. These calming and releasing functions have important implications for trauma-informed classrooms. Art is a safe way to experience choice and control, make our own decisions, take risks, and express our thoughts and feelings. In many ways, all art is self-discovery. This webinar will share key practices that to help reduce the use of cookie-cutter crafts in favor of true art that reflects children’s authentic thoughts and feelings.

57 Fun Physical Activities for Little Ones

Children between 2-4 years old don’t only need a lot of movement, they also need a lot of variety of movement. This age group is ready to move in new and exciting ways! So while it’s essential to make time for unstructured, active playtime, it’s also important to have access to plenty of fun, simple activities that you know will help them get active and develop skills in many different ways. Here's a list of 57 fun activities for kids that might help!