40 Fine Motor Skills Activities
Before a child can learn to write they need strength in their hands and fingers and hand-eye coordination. Here are
40 fine motor activities for babies to five year olds that help to build these skills. These ideas are not only well-explained but are simple, open-ended and make use of art, sensory play and simple manipulative games.
CNC in Action: Helping Parents
Mennonite New Life Centre of Toronto believes it is important to help immigrant parents take an active role in their child’s education. This can be challenging for families who find the school system in Canada very different from what they were used to in their home country. By participating in events through a school’s parent council, they can get to know the teachers and school administrators, and get a better understanding of what and how their children are learning. To help parents of children in the CNC program make that leap, Mennonite started a
Newcomer Parent Council.
CNC in Action: Syrian Refugees
The Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS) CNC Program is no stranger to welcoming newcomer families with open arms. When approximately 100 Syrian refugee families arrived within the same period, the staff had to stretch their arms that much wider. While parents attended workshops, caregivers had to provide short term care to 22 new children at a time. This was in addition to running their regular program. Flexibility and a team approach with all hands on deck were key to
managing the influx of newcomers.
Bundle Up and Get Outside: Why is Outdoor Play Important in Winter?
In the winter weather, play is often limited to the indoors - especially for newcomer children! Adult fears about safety and negative attitudes towards the cold are often a barrier. But outdoor play shouldn't be restricted to warm weather - try these
ideas to welcome the winter with a playful attitude!
CNC in Action: Creating Outdoor Space
One of the struggles when a family immigrates to Canada is outdoor playtime. There are a number of factors working against them. The climate can be harsh, and they may not have proper clothes for the weather. Most live in apartment buildings when they first arrive and do not have immediate access to playgrounds. Also, when parents must watch younger siblings, there may not be as many outdoor opportunities for the older children. Even in childcare programs, it can be difficult to spend time outdoors, because of space or other limitations. Whatever the reasons, the end result is that many newcomer children just don’t get enough time outside. After years of experiencing this reality,
English at First in Waterloo found a solution.
5 Quick Tips for Creating a Sense of Community in Your Newcomer Children’s Program
Early childhood educators have the opportunity and responsibility of helping all children learn to respect themselves and others. When children and teachers speak different languages, they need special strategies to build that sense of community. Here are
5 simple strategies to use every day in your program.
Video: What is Challenging Behaviour?
Over 900,000 people have watched this quick video that explains the difference between behaviour that is difficult, but likely to improve, and behaviour that is challenging and likely to require intervention.
A Syrian family’s long journey to Canada
The Farwan family gave CBC rare access to follow their long voyage from Jordan. Their
powerful story has been captured in photo and a short documentary, giving us a glimpse of their courage, strength and resilience.
A year in Calgary: 3 families with very different refugee stories
CBC News reconnects with three refugee families they first met a year ago. One woman is thriving in her new home, another family is struggling to even get out of the house, and the third family has left town.
Read more...
Connecting to a New Home: Butterflies and Beyond
Extending is an important stage in the program planning cycle. It lengthens children's interests into the different developmental areas. In doing so, it also creates connections to the world around them. For a newcomer arriving in Canada, making these connections can be particularly important. Staff at the Chinese Association of Mississauga CNC program are always looking for new ways to build on these interests. When the children kept going back to the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle,
it gave them an idea.
