Health and Safety
Supporting Children in Developing a Practice of Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment with kindness and acceptance. When introduced early, it helps children build habits that support calm, confidence, and resilience throughout life. Mindfulness can reduce anxiety, promote well-being, and give children practical tools to manage stress and approach challenges with self-awareness.
Ginette Wilson of ECCDC will share resources and hands-on experiences to highlight the benefits of mindfulness and support curriculum planning for children of all ages.✨
Handouts:
Introducing Yoga in Preschool
Mindfulness Exercises for Kids
Reflection Journal
Why Mindfulness Belongs in the Classroom
Digital Well-Being for Families
Raising kids in today’s digital world isn’t easy. Caregivers all agree that young children’s digital use is spinning out of control, and nearly three-quarters of parents are concerned about the amount of screen time their children have. Technology isn’t inherently good or bad, though — it’s how we use it that matters. But it’s hard to know how to make informed tech choices for little ones. Sesame has developed some wonderful resources to help families navigate a digital world. From screen-time transitions to mindful media use, they’ve created simple, kid-friendly, research-tested strategies that help families build healthy digital habits. Check out these new videos, storybooks, and more here!
6 Mood-Boosting Yoga Poses to Try With Kids
Kids aren’t immune to stress and anxiety. There are a number of yoga postures (asana) and breathing techniques (pranayama) that can benefit children’s mental health and well-being and are easy to do with kids of all ages.Here are six wonderful poses that can help reduce stress and enhance well-being for children.
Toy Safety
Health Canada offers a wide range of resources to help you keep your CNC program safe for children and families. From guidelines on magnets and children’s jewellery to safety tips for soft vinyl toys and small toy parts, you’ll find valuable information to support a safe play environment.
Head Injury in Preschool: Pamphlet for Parents
When a child suffers a head injury, it can be concerning. This pamphlet is intended to provide parents with some information that will help them better understand what has happened, and hopefully alleviate some worries!
6 Active Games You Can Play with a Pair of Socks
Looking for creative indoor active games for your program? Here are a few simple games that kids can play with sock balls with limited space and equipment—including single-player games for the kids to enjoy!
WEBINAR: Creating Social Connections to Address Mental Health
In this Sesame Workshop webinar, participants will explore the benefits of social connections and discuss strategies to foster resilience and kindness to build relationships among young children and families to support their emotional well-being. You'll also find out how kindness can be used as an intervention for loneliness and isolation and get new hands-on tools and resources to support kindness, create connections, and build resilience in your program.
Halloween Safety: Tips for Families
Halloween can be a fun and exciting time for kids. Here are some safety tips to share with parents and children that will help keep everyone safe and happy this Halloween!
Activities for Anxious Kids: How to Help Children Cope with Anxiety Through Play
We all have a range of feelings. We feel happy, sad, silly, disappointed, excited, amazed, surprised, angry, or brave. But we all, including kids, sometimes feel anxious. Anxiety is the feeling of worry, nervousness, fear, or unease. Even if these feelings in kids seem small to adults, they can be very real and important for a child. But they’re also very normal. Parents and caregivers can help by recognizing what anxiety looks like and providing activities and opportunities for play for anxious kids.
Let’s Get Kids Active Every Day!
Canadian kids aged four and under are spending too much time in front of screens. To encourage healthy growth and development, young children need parents and caregivers to encourage an active lifestyle with a healthy balance of rest and physical activity. Children should be participating in a variety of safe, fun, developmentally appropriate, play-based physical activities in different environments every day! Following these Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines through the early years is associated with better growth, health and well-being.