Programs and Activities

Supporting The Settlement Of Young Immigrant Children And Their Families, by Julie Dotsch is now available online!

Do you work with newcomer children and families? Having newcomer children in your care can present unique challenges, but it’s also an exciting opportunity to learn, grow and have a lasting impact on  children’s lives. In her book, Supporting The Settlement Of Young Immigrant Children And Their Families, child care and diversity expert Julie Dotsch shares strategies and ideas from caregivers working in the field of newcomer child care, and builds on caregivers’ professionalism, knowledge and experience to provide a greater understanding of the new immigrant and refugee experience from a child’s and family’s perspective. Now you can download your own copy of Supporting The Settlement Of Young Immigrant Children And Their Families in PDF format!

---

50 Earth Day Activities for Children and Families

Earth Day is our annual reminder to slow down and appreciate the bounty of the earth. Here's a list of 50 Earth Day activity ideas that you can share with families this week to encourage children to create objects from natural and recycled materials and spend more time outdoors.

---

Looking for resources to support English as an Additional Language (EAL) learners?

This collection of EAL teaching and learning resources includes worksheets & activity sheets for teachers, professionals and parents to support them in effectively communicating and helping children learn English as an Additional Language.

---

Podcast: Improving Children’s Attention Spans Through Play

In this episode of The Preschool Podcast, you'll learn about children’s attention spans, and how educators and parents can foster learning and regulated attention through intentional play.

---

Supporting Parents and Caregivers with Trauma Histories during COVID-19

A new Child Trends brief outlines strategies that can be used during the pandemic to support parents who have experienced trauma. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, caregivers have faced many challenges, including unemployment and benefits cuts, loss of child care, and the need to supervise virtual learning. Research shows that chronic stress and hardship can negatively affect parents’ and caregivers’ ability to support and nurture their children, and these effects are even greater for parents who have a history of trauma.

---

How can we help kids develop physical literacy?

To be healthy, children need to move and be physically active. And it’s much more than physical health that comes with being active! Children who move are healthier, happier, and more successful in life. In our digital world, it can be challenging, but here's a simple "recipe" for getting kids moving every day!

---

The Importance of Promoting Diversity in Early Childhood Programs

The concept of diversity takes various forms and is incorporated into many aspects of our life. From religion, gender, culture, family structures, and physical abilities, we are each brought into this world made up of many differences. For years it was thought that children would automatically form positive outlooks about differences, but research has shown that advocating and exposing children to diversity requires active promotion!

---

5 Strategies for Supporting Multilingual Children in Your Program

Multilingualism is an asset to be nurtured in our programs. Here are five strategies for celebrating and extending the linguistic expertise of young children who speak two or more languages.

---

Intentional Inclusion For Multicultural Classrooms

In this episode of the preschool podcast, HiMama chats with K’Sandra Earle, Associate Director of Early Learning Neighbourhood Collective (ELNC), about how to be intentional about diversity in early learning classrooms. K'Sandra shares tips on empowering teachers and involving parents to create a space that celebrates young children and their unique cultural backgrounds.

---

Extending Block Play for Early Learning

There is absolutely no wrong or right way to play with blocks! Every child is unique in the way that they choose to approach materials and blocks can be such a valuable tool to encourage open ended play and learning. This mini guide provides ideas and inspiration for block play, and even has a suggested block play materials list.