Parents and Families External Resources
Free Online After-School Program for School Age Kids
Brainworx! is a free, interactive and empowering online after-school program where children in grades 1-6 can learn and have fun in a safe online environment - so it's a great resource to share with the newcomer families with school-age children in your program! The program is hosted 2x per week after school, and each group is led by live volunteer coaches and mentors. It even incorporates physical activity and helps create a sense of belonging and community by keeping the groups consistent and small - so everyone can get to know one another. By providing a flexible enrichment opportunity for students, Brainworx! allows children to improve their literacy and Social Emotional Literacy skills without in-person barriers. Be sure to share this opportunity with the families in your program today!
Family Literacy Day 2025: Let’s Have a Family Party!
| Family Literacy Day takes place every January 27th. The theme this year is “Let's Have a Family Party!”. You can check out ABC Life Literacy Canada’s website, join the celebration virtually, find community events, and download free resources to share with parents! |
Global Family Day 2025
Apart from welcoming New Year, people across the world celebrate Global Family Day every year on January 1st. This day reminds us all to spend quality time with family, and come together to start the new year off with a positive message of unity to the world. Happy New Year and Global Family Day!
Brain-Building Games to Play: Activities for Infants, Toddlers, and Children
From infancy on, play is an important part of a child’s life. For babies and toddlers, simple, playful interactions with adults help brain development and the building blocks for health and resilience. Through games and playful activities, children can practice and strengthen important skills that will help them throughout their lives. This handout series provides all kinds of great suggestions for games and play-based activities based on a child’s age!
December Fun and Activities: Sesame Workshop
It's a wonderful time of year for families to connect! Sesame Workshop has put together a fun list of books, music, movies and more that you can share with the children and families in your program this month.
10 fun autumn activities for kids
Cool but comfortable autumn weather is a great time to encourage families to get active outdoors and enjoy everything the season has to offer here in Canada! As a way of saying thanks to autumn, Active for Life has 10 fresh ways to play that you can share with families this season... because developing physical literacy is a year-round journey.
WEBINAR: Micro-Moments of Connection! Moving beyond Negativity and Judgement to Strengthen Relationships with Families
A child’s learning and development are best supported when caregivers and parents, or other caretakers have strong, trusting relationships. Establishing effective and collaborative relationships can be challenging. This webinar will guide you in utilizing impactful strategies to enhance your connection with parents. You will be inspired to find new ways to illuminate and share special moments as a way to reduce negativity and judgment that can cause stress and fuel misunderstandings.
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.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.