Programs and Activities CMAS Resources

NEW! LET’S PLAY: Math Activity Ideas

Do you have a child in your program who is interested in math and counting? A team of CNC staff put their heads together and came up with over 100 math and counting activity ideas for CNC… and now you can find them here! Special thanks to the CNC team that worked on the new content.


Webinar: Trauma-Sensitive Care for Infants, Toddlers, and Twos

This webinar helps caregivers and advocates of young children recognize the many types of stress and maltreatment that infants, toddlers, and twos may experience, and know how to create positive caregiving environments that set children on a positive developmental trajectory. In it, you'll learn about the role of rhythm and movement in building healthy brains, the importance of predictable, consistent interactions, the key elements of an emotionally safe environment, and more!

New Activity Ideas have been added to LET’S PLAY!

New activity ideas are being added all the time! Do you have a child who’s really interested in textures? Or maybe you have a group of children who really love to dump and pour? Do you ever feel like you’ve run out of activity ideas to extend their play and learning? We gathered a team of experienced CNC staff to put their heads together and our collection of inspiring play extension activity ideas for CNC is growing every month! You can find them here, in LET'S PLAY: CNC Activity Ideas

CNC in Action: How to Make Roti

Have you ever made roti with the children in your program? The North York Community House CNC program has developed a fun little How to Make Roti video - and we've added it to the LET'S PLAY: CNC Activity Ideas section of our website!

A new way to find and share CNC activity ideas…

Do you have a child who’s really interested in building with blocks? Or maybe you have a group of children who really love to dump and pour? Do you ever feel like you’ve run out of activity ideas to extend their play and learning? We gathered a team of experienced CNC staff to put their heads together and develop a collection of inspiring play extension activity ideas for CNC. Now, these programming ideas can be found at LET'S PLAY: CNC Activity Ideas


CMAS Webinar Series: Modelling Flexible Ideas About Gender in an Early Childhood Setting

We come from different families. We come from different cultures. We grew up in different decades. We each have our own individual experiences. We probably all see and experience gender in a slightly different way. Gender “refers to the attitudes, feelings, and behaviors that a given culture associates with a person’s biological sex” (American Psychological Association).

CMAS is pleased to present an opportunity for CNC staff to learn more about Modelling Flexible Ideas About Gender in an Early Childhood Setting. This two-part webinar series will include information about gender and child development, and will centre around the ideal of creating the best possible environment for nurturing the social and emotional development of children of all genders. Watch Part 1 and  Part 2.

Note that live sessions are only open to CNC-funded programs that are working with CMAS, but the recordings will be available online for everyone this fall.


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!


CMAS Webinar: The Art of Storytelling with James Funnyhat

In this new CMAS webinar, James Funnyhat, an expert storyteller and musician, shares some tips and inspiring ideas for capturing the imagination and keeping children's attention... even when the shows are online!

CMAS Webinar: How the Environment You Create Affects a Child’s Behaviour

In this new CMAS webinar, Ann Hutchings discusses how the environment you create affects children's behaviour. She also shares lots of inspiring ideas for child-centred spaces that encourage creativity, learning and development!

CMAS Webinar- Communication: Looking Through the Lens of Behaviour

In this new CMAS webinar, Shanda Burnett discusses how behaviour and communication are linked. She also explains the importance of relationships and observation, and how an ABC chart can help us understand the function of behaviour in our programs.