Parents and Families

Helping Newcomer Parents Start the School Year Strong

There are lots of multilingual resources on our website for you to share with parents to help start the school year strong!  We’ve compiled a list of our favourites.

WEBINAR – Nurturing Transitions: Supporting children and families in the new school year

Looking to strengthen transition practices to ensure new children and their families feel a strong sense of belonging in your program this year? This webinar provides essential tips and strategies to foster confidence and belonging for both children and families. In it, you will learn about effective communication, relationship building, how to nurture emotional well-being and belonging throughout transitions, and how you can tailor your approach for individual children.


Fun No-Equipment Outdoor Game Ideas

Here are some tried-and-true outdoor game ideas that don't require any equipment. The list includes traditional games, fun variations on old-time favourites, and some new activities. Whether you’re looking for outdoor games for a big group or just a few, this list is a great go-to guide for fun active outdoor games that you can set up on the spur of the moment, no gear or equipment necessary!


No Backyard, No Problem… Families Can Bring the Outside In!

No backyard? No problem! If the only outdoor space families have access to is a balcony or concrete patio, they can still access nature and its healing powers by bringing it indoors through crafts, gardening, books, and online resources. Here's a list you can share with parents, full of fun and simple nature-themed ways for children to stay curious about the natural world indoors.


June 1 is Global Day of Parents!

Each year on June 1, Global Day of Parents provides an opportunity to appreciate parents for their selfless commitment to their children and their lifelong sacrifice towards nurturing this relationship. Find resources and learn more about Global Day of Parents here.


Tips for Families Raising Children to Speak More Than One Language

Experts encourage parents to speak the language that is most comfortable to them to help babies and children develop important language areas of their brain and build strong bonds. The Canadian Children's Literacy Foundation has put together a list of resources to help parents, including a colourful tip sheet/poster full of tips for families raising children to speak more than one language.


May is Mental Health Awareness Month

When children experiencing emotional distress receive support from caring adults in their lives, they’re better able to build a strong foundation for emotional well-being. For Mental Health Awareness Month, Sesame Workshop has launched a new set of resources to support children experiencing emotional distress. The new resources include animated videos, Sesame Street Muppet videos, printables, a digital storybook, and more.


The Newcomer Health Hub

Although Canada is a global leader in refugee resettlement, we still have room to improve in meeting the unique and complex health challenges experienced by newcomers. To raise awareness about the unique health and social challenges at a local and national level, three medical students at Western University's Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry have started an online resource centre that provides culturally-specific health information for newcomers and refugees to Canada. The Newcomer Health Hub is a resource for community members and frontline healthcare workers looking to treat, advocate for, and empower newcomers to Canada. It provides evidence-based, culturally competent resources to promote impactful interactions between newcomer patient populations and the health care system.


Mental Health Skills for Preschool Children: Video Series

This series of 5 short videos introduces important ideas, taught the way young children learn best: through entertaining, relatable stories set in a vivid, imaginary world! The Healthy Minds, Thriving Kids Pre-K Project video series is based on mental health research, created to make important mental health skills available to preschool children (age 3 to 5). Each video features a memorable song that reinforces the key messages. We invite you to watch the complete series with the children in your program. You can also download the free companion guides that summarize key ideas and include an activity that can use to help kids practice the skills they’re learning. 


Multilingual Spring Activities Scavenger Hunt

This active scavenger hunt will get children moving outside this spring... and it’s available in 10 languages, so it’s a perfect resource to share with parents this spring!