CCC Newsletter November/December 2019
We have been so pleased with the excitement out in the community over the past few months, you have kept us very busy. Early November brings a Learning Event to Calgary and Medicine Hat. Stay tuned for our Edmonton date early in the new year. All of us at Creative Childcare Consulting want to wish all of you the very best of the season, and a Happy and Healthy New Year. Our next newsletter will be delivered to you in January 2020 and we are looking forward to another exciting year working with all of you. WHAT’S NEW! Exciting news you don’t want to miss! We know that your organization is always growing and changing, there may be times where you are looking for outside support. Our team of experienced Early Learning and Child Care Specialists are ready to help. Creative Childcare Consulting offers the following customized administrative products designed specifically for Early Learning and Child Care Programs. Please contact us for additional information and product costs.
Are you looking for Accreditation Support? Whether you are a new program just starting the process, an established program going through re-accreditation or a program finding it challenging to manage your QEP our team of experienced Early Learning Specialists are available to assist you to navigate the process. Please contact us to set up a consultation.
Celebrating with Young Children Festivals and celebrations are important for children and nourishing to family life. Seasonal celebrations help children mark the passage of time and experience the rhythm of the year. Celebrating festivals connect us with the community and brings deeper meaning to our lives. Celebrate National Child Day National Child Day is celebrated on November 20th each year. National Child Day has been celebrated across Canada since 1993 to commemorate the United Nations' adoption of two documents centred on children's rights. Celebrating National Child Day is about celebrating children as active participants in their own lives and in communities, as active citizens who can and should meaningfully contribute to decision-making. As a child under the age of 18, you have the right:
Knowing your rights is powerful and can help you to create the changes you want to see! As a young person under the age of 18, you have special rights, and these rights are protected by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. What is the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child? In 1989, the United Nations adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Convention has been agreed to by almost every country in the world. The Convention says that governments are in charge of making sure that children have rights and that those rights are respected. To learn more:
What does the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child mean for young people in Canada?
SPECIAL AND UNIQUE EVENTS! We tend to think of winter as a time of rest, hibernation, and quiet. But a look at the calendar reveals many holidays around the world that prove this impression entirely wrong. The cold months are clearly a popular time for parties and celebrations. Below are popular traditions celebrated during the winter months around the world to share them with the children. We hope they inspire further discussion and learning, enjoy the tour.
“Celebrating Diversity” Programs will receive a $50.00 discount if this workshop is booked in November. Rolling out a training and development initiative can be a challenge, particularly when you need to consider the needs of each staff member, select the right training content and deliver training that successfully builds skills. When done right, investing in employee training brings a multitude of benefits to the organization, including more engaged employees who are better equipped to tackle the challenges they encounter at work. Organizations with a strong learning culture have employee engagement and retention rates that are 30-50 percent higher than those that don’t.
READING CORNER Everyone on the team at Creative Child Care Consulting is always researching and reading all in an effort to bring you the most up to date and impactful information. We asked all our consultants this month, “What are you reading right now?”
Sharon Ness is currently reading How Remarkable Women Lead by Joanna Barsh and Susie Cranston Traudi Kelm is currently reading The Art of Leadership; Cultivating Curriculum in Early Childhood Organizations. By: Exchange Press
Snowology A snowology expert is a person who studies the snow or is an expert on snow-related matters. As a co-learner and co-explorer with your children, you are promoting a whole new generation of snowology experts!
When Frank Sinatra crooned in that Christmas classic about the weather outside that's frightful, surely, he was thinking of Canada’s prairie provinces. We have all seen the mounds of beautiful snowfall in our provinces. While we long for the sun and warm dry weather, are we missing out on some of the benefits of outdoor play during the winter season? Kids need physical activity every day, and they are healthier when they get to play outdoors. Fresh air, sunlight, room to run, and even just a change of scenery all help kids recharge and refresh after a long day in school. Remember the saying no bad weather, only bad clothing. You are the role model. Ensure that you are prepared to put on your snow pants, hats gloves, and winter boots; that means layers, waterproof boots, overcoats and pants, hats and mittens. Any winter day can be fun with the right clothing. In fact, snowy or rainy days can be some of the most fun outdoor play days. We know that some children will resist outdoor play and we know that quite often winter wear can get lost or forgotten. As a program, you should work together to develop an outdoor play strategy which includes input and policy feedback from parents and children. Once you include them in the process you gain their “Buy-In”. With that buy-in comes the responsibility of ensuring their child’s safety and well-being in all play and that includes outdoor play. "With very few exceptions, if you dress your kids properly if you look at the weather and dress them according to the weather, there really isn't much risk," Toronto-based pediatrician Dan Flanders told the CBC about taking kids outside to play in the cold. "If you look at the pros and cons, if you look at both sides of the argument, it's a no-brainer.” Outside play is okay. Snow play requires creativity, scientific observation and negotiation skills. Think of the creativity fostered as children build snow creatures and use various objects to decorate them. Think of the skills needed as they try to build jumps for sledding or walls for snow forts. When friends play together, they learn the social skills needed for negotiation as they develop the rules for snowball fights or come to understand how to take turns while sledding. Kids learn self-control while they wait for their chance to fly down the hill or hideout for the perfect shot.
Four Crucial Ways Playing Outdoors in Winter Benefits Children Centre for Disease Control and Prevention Canada: https://www.cdc.gov/
"Vitamin D, which is produced in skin exposed to the hormone of sunlight, has been found to change serotonin levels in the brain, which could account for changes in mood," according to a 2008 study conducted by Jaap Denissen about the effects of weather on daily mood. Serotonin is a hormone that plays an important role in regulating mood. Lower levels of serotonin and higher levels of melatonin could correspond with depression-like symptoms. The less exposure you have to the sun, the lower your vitamin D and serotonin levels will be. "Therefore, lower levels of vitamin D could be responsible for increases in negative affect and tiredness," according to Denissen's research. The good news is there's plenty to do in the winter. I'm partial to sledding, building snowmen and ice forts, making snow angels and starting snowball fights. If you're looking to get your heart racing a little bit more, there's also snowshoeing, ice skating, skiing, snowboarding and tobogganing. Here are some links to some snow fun resources: Legislated requirements for outdoor play/environment and physical activity 37 Fun Outdoor Games and Activities https://www.kidactivities.net/games-play-snow/ 20 must-try science experiments https://lemonlimeadventures.com/must-try-winter-science-experiments-for-kids/ Snow and ice science projects https://www.thoughtco.com/snow-and-ice-science-projects-609171 10 Project-Based Learning Ideas Children Will Love https://appletasticlearning.com/2019/01/15/winter-project-based-learning-ideas/ Winter Recreation Safety https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/injprev/Page4862.aspx
Snowflakes are one of nature's most fragile things, but just look what they can do when they stick together. Vista M. Kelly
Social-Emotional Development Emotional intelligence" is a term used to describe someone's ability to express his or her emotions appropriately, to correctly interpret other people's emotions, and to understand the triggers and outcomes of certain emotions. Children with high levels of emotional intelligence are also skilled in their ability to cope with their own or other people's emotions in a way that creates positive social connections. During early childhood, most children rapidly develop these skills. Research in emotional intelligence supports that doing this is a lifelong goal that can help people maintain emotional health and prosocial, cooperative behaviours. Here are some social-emotional habits that you can execute in the classroom that will benefit the children. Infants:
Toddlers
Preschoolers
Out of School These children are highly socialized, but still, have challenges facing them. You can help children by having honest, genuine relationships. This foundation allows children to feel safe confiding in you and asking you for help. These children often struggle with:
Funny of the Month
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