Our exclusive "Wee Learn Program" is designed to meet the specific learning needs of each of our children enrolled.  The Wee Learn Program provides the flexibility for each child to participate at his own pace and is designed to allow each child from the youngest Wee Beginner to the oldest Wee Mentor to learn as they play.   As there is a mix of individual and group activities in the homes, the children are also given lots of opportunities to develop their social skills as well.
 
Your Provider is given resources that include age appropriate activities addressing areas of language, cognitive, math/science, fine motor and gross motor development.  These resources include a calendar of theme related activities, an Activity Handbook full of easy homemade activities for each age group, website activity pages to further build on fine motor, math and language skills they have already been working on in their Play and Learn booklets.
 
Each month, take a look at the progress your child is making in his Play and Learn booklet.  These booklets are a great keepsake and give you an opportunity to see the skills such as cognitive, math, fine motor skills your child is working on each and every day.

 

'Tis the season to spark children's creativity

Every child has creative ability just waiting to be tapped. Even infants have budding creative potential. The right educational toys can bring it out and let children enjoy the benefits of creative pursuits at many levels.  Walk through any toy store and you will see walls and walls of toys that are loud -- toys that require batteries, have flashing lights, or that look like your child's favourite movie character. But, what about those of us who want to raise children with imagination and curiosity?  You may want to consider some of the less flashy toys, such as toy pianos, oversized foam building blocks, puppet theaters and puppet stages, people and animal hand puppets,art supplies, children's easels, play tents and more.

Please click on the link below to find out how to foster your child's creativity:

 

Wee Beginners   -   0 - 18 months

Wee Explorers    -   18 months - 3 years

Wee Builders      -   3 - 4 years

Wee Learners     -   4 - 5 years

Wee Experts      -   5 - 6 years

Wee Mentors     -   6+ years

One of the greatest wonders of creativity is how ageless it is. From a very early age, babies respond to colour, sound and movement. Blocks, toys and cushions with bright colours, textures or interesting sounds are designed to help stimulate an infant's natural curiosity.

 
1.    Household Materials:  Encourage babies' safe and creative use of household materials. For example, give them margarine tubs, empty boxes, or large empty spools. When infants use a pan as a drum and hit it with their hands, offer them other things to hit the pan with, like wooden spoons. Show excitement and interest in what they do.

2.    Interactive Toys:  Babies at this stage like to make things happen - they enjoy pushing a button and hearing a song, or seeing something light up. Having the ability to interact with their surroundings is very exciting and once they find something they like, they do it over and over (and over!) again. Anything that responds in some way to baby's actions or makes a noise will become fast favourites and will teach your child about cause and effect.
 
3.    Language Development Toys: Fabric or board books are also good because after reading the story you can give the book to your baby to flip the pages and "read" it back to you.
 
4.    Role Playing Toys: They watch you and will want to start mimicking the things you do. Toys such as play telephones, brooms, shopping carts and steering wheels will be a big hit and will help your baby explore the world of make believe.
 

 

Toddlers have a growing vocabulary and can tell short stories. They also can make up simple stories about pictures you show them.

Toddlers can do much with creative movements. They are learning the names of their body parts and enjoy activities that use these, such as touching toes, eyes, or elbows. Toddlers can do simple creative movements like imitating animals.  Toddlers also enjoy dancing and making their own music with simple instruments like bells and sticks.

 

The fantasy play of toddlers comes naturally. They are still  learning what is real and what is pretend. Fantasy play, pretending to be the mother or doctor, is how young children learn about the world.

 

 

1.    Check your local library for pictures books such as "Do You Want To Be My Friend?" by Eric Carle.    Let the child tell the story to you while looking at the pictures.

 
2.    Take pictures from magazines and mount them on a piece of paper. Ask the child to tell you about it, then write down what he says. Later you can read these stories back to your child.

 

3.    Encourage creative movement in toddlers by pretending you are all: kites blowing in the wind; a kitten with a sore paw; a balloon blowing up and popping; a jet airplane taking off; eating an ice cream cone. Make up ideas of your own. Be creative.

 

4.    Play the "Animal Cracker Game" - A child chooses one cracker; looks at it; then eats it. Then the child becomes that animal for 1-2 minutes.
 
5.    Play pretend games with children. For example, create a traffic jam with the toy cars they use. Make believe you are animals like kittens, dogs, or horses.
 
6.    Let children imitate your activities such as sweeping the floor.

 

7.    Toys to inspire creativity: pedal toys, push-pull toys, blocks,  creative     
materials, water play toys, simple dress-up clothes, dolls, stuffed animals,

and boxes.

  Preschoolers enjoy the same creative materials as toddlers but are able to use them in more complex ways.

Preschoolers also are good story tellers. They enjoy making books of their stories, drawing pictures to go along with their words. They also enjoy telling stories in groups with each person telling a part.

 

The creative movement of preschoolers shows much attention to detail. They enjoy dancing and generally are aware of others dancing around them. They enjoy making up songs and music with instruments.

The fantasy play of preschoolers  is also more complex than toddlers. Preschoolers often direct each other on what to do as they pretend play..."You be the mom, and I'll be the dad...."

1.    As children create pictures, encourage talking by asking questions about size, shape, and colour, or by saying "Tell me about your picture."
 

2.    Let your children help you mix simple art materials, homemade paints and playdough.  Let them see the different colours they create when mixing colours.

 

3.    Add textures to art materials such as rice to playdough or cornmeal to paint.

 

4.    Encourage more complex creative movement in your children by asking how they would move if they were: happy, angry, scared, very heavy, cold, sneaky, very little, etc. Role playing family happenings, everyday activities such as a visit to the doctor, store or bank stimulates creative thinking and is a good way to help children see the viewpoints of others,  explore their own feelings, and handle their emotions.

 

5.    Act out fairy tales or other children's stories like the "Three Little Pigs", "Goldilocks and the Three Bears", etc.

6.    Play "Follow the Leader" - The leader child moves freely about. He or she may
imitate animals, hop, skip, etc.
 
7.    Toys that foster creativity: puppets, farm and community play sets, transportation vehicles of all types, simple construction toys, creative art materials, musical instruments, boxes and sheets, climbing structures, water play toys, balls, dress up clothes, housekeeping props, dolls and character toys.
 

 

Four year olds are enamored by the new toys in advertisements with all the bells and whistles, especially during the months leading up to a holiday.  But often these toys do not have much educational value.  The best toys are those that allow your child to use them in different ways, offer an opportunity to be creative while at the same time educational.   Before you give in to the pressure, why not take a look around the house and make sure there are plenty of old-fashioned ways to inspire your child's creativity.
 
Creativity can be sparked by:
 
1.    Books - Make sure your house has a representation of great fiction books and non-fiction books. Story books are great but don't forget science, history and art books.
 
2.    Felt Boards- You can make your own board from a sheet of felt in a clean empty pizza box.  Then, cut out shapes so they can create ships, houses, people, robots, etc.
 
3.    Blocks and Legos- Children can play for hours building towers, bridges, cities, creatures, and more with these toys that inspire creativity, patience, and small-motor skills.  Let them bring other objects to expand their play such as toy cars, people, etc.
 
4.    Art Supplies- Give your child some crayons, scissors, junk mail, egg cartons, recyclable materials, fabrics and glue. He or she will be entertained for hours.
 
5.    Puppets -Make puppets out of socks, paper bags, felt, cloth, wooden spoons and popsicle sticks. Make a stage and tell stories. Get out the video camera and capture your child's brilliance!
 
6.    Musical Instruments -Teach your child that music can be made from anything, from an old oatmeal container, to scratching two pieces of sandpaper together.
 
7.    Dress-up Clothes -Get out old prom dresses, big hats, shirts and ties, old Halloween costumes (or buy extra pieces after Halloween for year-round fun!). Bring out a box of costumes and watch the shows with your children as the stars.

 

8.    Doll-houses -There is nothing more fun than watching your child make up stories as the family members move around in a doll house.  Using a big box, wallpaper scraps and carpet remnants, children have fun transforming it into a house for their small dolls.
 
9.    In the Kitchen -Give them safe kitchen utensils to play with while you are cooking.  Give children a place to mix, pour, scoop and measure just like adults do.
 

WEE EXPERTS 

As your child grows, you need to relax the controls somewhat.   Adults who constantly exert supervision and control diminish the spontaneity and self-confidence that are essential to the creative spirit. Once they are in school, school work doesn't allow for as much creative time as they were used to make sure you provide as many opportunities as possible for your child to keep the creative juices flowing.

1.    Freedom - your child needs to feel secure in her environment so that she feels it is okay to be herself.  Give her time, space and materials to create whatever she wishes.

 

2.    Inspire perseverance - All the creative energy in the world is useless if the product is not seen through to completion. Show appreciation for your child's efforts. Suppress the impulse to accomplish tasks for your children.

 

3.    Be a good role model - show her that you are open to new adventures, follow your own interests and passions.
 

4.    Respect - let her show her own uniqueness and originality.  Respect her imagination and fantasies.  Be proud of her 3 eyed caterpillar!

 

5.    Achievement not grades - your role is to encourage your child to do his best and to acknowledge his imagination as well.

 

6.    Appreciate creativity - appreciating and acknowledging your child's creative attempts and endeavours fosters more of the same.

 

7.    Have a vision - envision her as a wonderful unique person, celebrate that her imagination strays from the "norm".  Imagine the wonderful possibilities that will be available to her in the future.

 

8.    Maximize success - give your child opportunities to develop new interests, see new things, and build new skills.

 

9.    Have fun and a sense of humour - humour is the key to creativity.

 

10.  Resist the temptation to overcrowd your children with organized activities in an attempt to cultivate their creativity.
 
11.  Don't emphasize end results; get your child engaged in the process. Let her thinking flow in a natural manner, instead of trying to influence it in one direction only.
 
12.  Let your children make mistakes and tell them that errors are a natural part of the learning process. Don't instill in them the need to be perfect, or make them feel they have to be "right" all the time.
 

WEE MENTORS 

 

School age children usually draw recognizable pictures. However, they may exaggerate the parts of the picture that are most important to them. They still leave out details. For example, people in their pictures may have hands, but no arms, or furniture in their pictures may not be on the floor, but rather floating in space. They enjoy colour, but do not always use it realistically. People may have red feet and green faces. Animals might be orange. This is okay! They are being creative!

1.    School-age children are not only able to tell stories, but also write them down and illustrate the stories themselves. Let your child read these stories to you.

 

2.    Offer your child classes in creative movement, dancing, art lessons, or playing a musical instrument.  Allow them to show you what they have been learning.  Show interests in their hobbies and collections.

 

3.    Allow your child to create a snack or meal or decorate the next family birthday cake.

 

4.    Try some simple ball activities using a 6- to 8- inch ball for each person. Ask your child to hold the ball without using his hands, bounce the ball with his body, balance the ball on three different body parts, and catch the ball without using his hands.

 

5.    School aged children no longer need to be the actors in a dramatic play.  They can now be a producer, and help early school-age children put on a play. They can organize props, and plan rehearsals.  Make sure you are ready for their opening performance!

 

6.    Toys that foster creativity:  construction sets, science kits, and craft kits

 

7.    Ask many open-ended questions.  Show your child a picture, and then ask questions to stimulate and create a thinking atmosphere, for example: What do you think they are thinking?  Saying?

 

8.    Ask your children to use their senses.  Have them close their eyes and then guess what you have placed in their hands - a piece of foam rubber, a small rock, etc. Have children close their eyes and guess at what they hear - use such sounds as shuffling cards, jingling coins, rubbing sandpaper, ripping paper, etc.
 

 

We all enjoy gathering with family and friends.  Make sure your family stays safe and healthy when celebrating by taking a few extra precautions.
 
Home Safety:
 
Cooking: Look while you cook.  Wear tight-fitting or rolled-up sleeves when cooking and keep all combustible materials a safe distance from the stove.

Candles: Keep candles in a sturdy holder away from children, pets and combustible materials. Snuff them out before leaving the room.

Christmas trees: Buy a fresh tree and keep the base of the trunk in water at all times. Discard any broken or frayed sets of lights. Lit candles should never be placed on or near the Christmas tree. When the tree starts to dry out, it's time to throw it away.

Space heaters: Keep portable heaters at least one metre away from anything.  Make sure they are inaccessible to children.  Don't use your heaters to dry shoes or clothes.

Smoke alarms: It is the law in Ontario to have working smoke alarms on every level of your home.  Test your alarms regularly and change the batteries at least once a year.

Home Escape Plan: Develop a fire escape plan and practice it with your entire family.

 

Our hectic holiday pace can lead to food safety shortcuts and errors that could cause foodborne illness, those flu-like symptoms following a holiday meal.
 
Food Safety:
 
Plan your holiday menus with food safety in mind. Do you have the refrigerator space to keep cold foods cold? Or the stove space or hot-holding equipment to keep hot foods hot?
 
Food should not sit at room temperature for more than two hours. Serve food on several small platters rather than one large platter and replace frequently. Do not add food to a dish that has been sitting out.
 
Prevent cross-contamination. Don't let bacteria spread from raw meat, poultry or seafood juices to ready-to-eat food such as salads, raw fruit and vegetables, meat and cheese trays and desserts.
 
Wash your hands. Wash your hand! Most bacteria get into food through careless handling. Wash your hands for 20 seconds in warm soapy water before, during and after handling food.
 
When in doubt, throw it out! When the gathering is over, throw out any perishable foods that have sat at room temperature for two hours or more. Store leftovers in the refrigerator and use within two to three days, or plan to freeze.