Connections Early Years Family Centre
795 Giles Blvd. E. N9A 4E5 Windsor, ON, Canada

Here is our November calendar! Our EarlyON programs are reopening to in-person services and livestream activities will continue! Readers Are Leaders free early literacy packages are still available for curbside pick-up every Thursday!... For more info or to preregister for programs, call 519.252.9696 or e-mail [email protected] #connectwithus #stayconnected #yqg

Don't forget that every Thursday, we offer curbside pick-up of FREE early literacy and numeracy packages personalized for your family! To reserve your package and arrange for a pick-up time, please contact EarlyON staff at 519.252.9696 or [email protected]

Perseverance is a skill we all need to push through life’s challenges and difficulties - it’s about trying and failing without giving up. A study has shown that children can learn the value of hard work through perseverance as young as 15 months if their parents/caregivers model the behaviour. Here are some tips from the article on how to help children develop perseverance: Allow children to face more and more challenges, like working out a tricky new toy rather than showin...g them how to work it. Give children encouragement and praise for effort; make notice of when a child is persisting by making it possible for them to persist. As parents, talk to children about your own feelings of disappointment or frustration and how you manage to motivate yourselves again. Source: https://www.firstfiveyears.org.au//learning-to-persevere-w

This week we will explore body tracing and the different effects this has on your child's development including sensory, fine motor skills, perception and open-ended creativity!

"I give back to Connections every week donating a portion of my allowance." Travis, 15, is our youngest and most loyal supporter! Find out why he chooses to give to the Centre. If you are interested in making a donation to Connections' Elevator Fund this year, please visit:... https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/53787 Donate on or before December 1st and matching partner Jason Campbell of Sterling Mutuals Inc. will DOUBLE funds raised up to our $1,000 goal! http://jasonrcampbell.com/ #connectwithus #SupportLocal #GiveLocal #YQGgives #GivingTuesdayCA

Here is our October calendar! We are continuing our weekly Facebook Live and videos series with fun activities and helpful resources for families with young children: Sensory play... Literacy activities Physical activities & healthy snack ideas Story time Outdoor learning Speech & language Please note: In the coming weeks, we will be working towards providing a broad range of child and parent engagement opportunities virtually and in person. Updates will be posted on our website and social media. #connectwithus #stayconnected #yqg

As a parent myself, I know I would want my child at a place that I feel comfortable with, that the staff is warm and caring and kind to my child and that my children really love to come to. Amy is a Registered Early Childhood Educator who has been a staff member at Connections for more than 20 years. She talks about some of the key features of the Be Back Soon program, how it works and what parents can expect. Be Back Soon provides free, short-term, unlicensed child care fo...r children 0 to 6 years old. Care is provided for parents who qualify at no cost while they attend medical, legal, social service or counseling appointments, job interviews or workshops. A variety of times is available. For more information or to book an appointment, please call 519.252.9696. The Be Back Soon program is funded by Pathway 2 Potential: Social Investment Windsor-Essex. https://www.citywindsor.ca//pathway-to-/Pages/default.aspx Special thanks to Pathways to Prosperity: Canada for providing the footage and highlighting the Be Back Soon program. For more about Pathways to Prosperity, please visit www.p2pcanada.ca

Play and learn through MUSIC! Singing & rhyming Singing and rhyming can help children develop important language and phonological skills while having fun and making memories. ... Here are some tips and benefits of singing and rhyming with children as recommended by the National Association for the Education of Young Children: https://www.naeyc.org/ Play and sing music made for children Many musicians write and sing about topics of interest to young children. Their song lyrics and melodies are catchy, repetitive and easy to learn. Develop reading readiness skills through rhymes When children listen to, repeat and create rhymes, they learn to match the sounds of language. As you listen together, repeat the rhyming words and encourage your child to do the same. Expand vocabulary Listen for new words in song lyrics and talk about what they mean. #connectwithus #stayconnected #yqg

We like to think of our champions and idols as superheroes who were born different from us. It is more motivating however, to think of them as relatively ordinary people who have made themselves extraordinary." Carol Dweck

Inspire your children to be CITIZEN SCIENTISTS! Learn different ways that you can observe and track the weather as citizen scientists and the ways that this will benefit your child’s development. Through the creation of a weather journal, your child will begin to learn the science behind the changing of the seasons and what this does to the environment around them. Track rainfall with an easy measuring cup rain gauge or see what direction the wind is blowing with a DI...Y windsock. Ask your child what they think these changes mean and why they are happening to engage their innate curiosity and practice using their critical thinking skills. For those looking to expand on their exploration of the weather, do not be afraid to add a book about clouds or the earth turning on its axis. By allowing your little one to take the role of citizen scientist, you will help them develop independence and inquiry-based thinking and become comfortable with basic scientific concepts. Further resources: This is a link to a thorough yet accessible weather journal to help your child learn about the weather by tracking it. For a variety of different options, simply Google weather journal for young children or create your own. https://almelhornportfolio.weebly.com//weather_journal-pag This is a link to a fun DIY windsock activity. It is easy and child-friendly, however, if you are looking for something simpler and less time-consuming, see the re-used bag windsock in our video. https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/diy-tissue-paper-windsock-c This link is a great one for any little ones interested in science and even the ones who are not! From building storm jars to exploring the water cycle, this website has a plethora of weather-based experiments for preschoolers. https://www.howweelearn.com/weather-activities-for-prescho/

A spider-themed story time! Today Altjenka is doing a felt story of "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" by Maddie Frost followed by "The Very Busy Spider" by Eric Carle.

Today we've got a spider-themed story time for you! At 10:30 a.m. join Altjenka on Facebook Live for a felt story telling of "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" by Maddie Frost followed by "The Very Busy Spider" by Eric Carle.

Today’s healthy snack was delicious and beautiful! Watch Juanita’s fresh fruit salad recipe here: https://www.facebook.com/ConnectionsEYFC/videos/375578503615959/

Let's join in Altjenka's Musical Action Game! Then Juanita will show you a recipe for a fresh fruit salad using exotic fruit. Check out the nutritional value and origins of some of them here: https://www.metro.ca//our-fruits-vegetables-/exotic-fruits

FREE SHORT-TERM CHILD CARE IN WINDSOR FOR PARENTS WHO QUALIFY Do you need child care while you attend appointments or workshops? The Be Back Soon program at Connections Early Years Family Centre provides free, short-term, unlicensed child care for children 0 to 6 years old. ... Children are cared for by Registered Early Childhood Educators and trained staff in a stimulating environment with enhanced safety protocols. Care is provided for parents who qualify at no cost while they attend medical, legal, social service or counseling appointments, job interviews or workshops. A variety of times is available. For more information or to book an appointment, please call 519.252.9696. PARENT TESTIMONIALS "The Be Back Soon program helped when I had to arrange appointments, go to school and get a job." "I always notice the staff are very caring, playful with the children, attending to their needs. It is a safe environment." "I have no one close by to help with child care so this program made a huge difference for me. I was able to visit the dentist and attend valuable workshops." "My children love Connections. They run to the program when we come. That shows me how much they enjoy it." "I can attend important workshops to help me here in Canada. The program is very important in supporting me to be an independent woman. I feel safe bringing my children here." "While my daughter was attending the Be Back Soon program, I was able to job search and found a job. Now I'm working and she's attending daycare. She is doing so much better with her speech and socializing...She is having the best time of her life and it is because you helped her get there."

Do you have questions about receiving speech-language services virtually? In this video, Talk 2 Me staff Kelly and Sarah talk about virtual care and the fun activities that have been developed to keep your child engaged. For more information on the Talk 2 Me program, call us at 519.252.0636 or visit: https://connectwithus.ca/programs/t2m/

Join Altjenka in the EarlyON Centre where she is doing a reading and rhyming activity for this week's Family Literacy livestream.

Today we're reading and rhyming! Join Altjenka over Facebook Live this afternoon at 1:30 p.m. in the EarlyON Centre for Family Literacy. #connectwithus #stayconnected #yqg

What do parents say about Be Back Soon? Check out these testimonials from parents who have used the program. Be Back Soon provides free, short-term, unlicensed child care for children 0 to 6 years old in a stimulating environment with enhanced safety protocols. Care is provided for parents who qualify at no cost while they attend medical, legal, social service or counseling appointments, job interviews or workshops. A variety of times is available. For more information or to ...book an appointment, please call 519.252.9696. #connectwithus #stayconnected #familysupport #childcare #windsorontario #yqg

Parenting Reflections "Learning music helps development of brain areas responsible for language development, sound, reading skill and speech perception." Neurochild Community

Get ready for a super fun sensory activity! Today Jillian is making Moon Sand in the EarlyON Centre. This simple recipe requires just flour and baby oil or vegetable/coconut oil. Moon Sand gets its name from its crumbly texture resembling the surface of the moon. It is soft and very mouldable, making it great for open-ended play! For the recipe, visit: https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/moon-sand-space-senso/

We're making MOON SAND today! Check into our Facebook page this morning at 10:30 a.m. for a live video on making Moon Sand for sensory play.

Bubbles are a go-to activity that speech therapists use in their sessions. Amy tells you why bubbles are used in therapy and how you can use them to help expand your child's speech and language skills. Amy is a Communicative Disorders Assistant for the Talk 2 Me Preschool Speech and Language program at Connections. Questions about speech and language? E-mail us at [email protected]

Parenting Reflections Allow time for children to engage in independent, meaningful play. While children play, they learn important life skills and develop their physical, social and cognitive abilities. #connectwithus #stayconnected #yqg

Let's go outside and explore all the changes that are happening as Fall gets underway! This week we encourage you and your little one to get outside and observe some of the seasonal changes of Fall. Try looking for different types of leaves falling from the trees and seeing if you can guess what kind they are. Look around your garden for signs of animals preparing for winter digging burrows, hiding nuts and sometimes sunning themselves in the reduced hours of sunlight. De...velop your child’s critical thinking and observation skills as you ask them what changes they notice as the weeks go by. Introduce concepts such as different temperatures, changes in wind and weather and the concept of layering clothes to be dressed appropriately for the season. By helping your child learn about proper dressing for the outdoors, not only do you make it fun and interactive, but you can also give your little one the skills to be independent and prepared. For a great addition to your outdoor time, add in a book or two about the changing of seasons and all the fun activities of Fall that await! The book Jillian shows in this video is "Seasons of Love" written by Janet Parsons and illustrated by Claire Richards and Janet Parsons. Further resources: This link is a great one to plant some seeds for different activities you can do in the upcoming weeks as Autumn gets underway: https://happygreylucky.com/10-outdoor-fall-activities-for-/ This link is good for getting some ideas going on outdoor fall activities, including fun math exercises using natural materials like acorns: https://funlearningforkids.com/outdoor-fall-activities-pre/ Click this link for an interactive scavenger hunt to help you and your kids recognize some early signs of the seasons changing: https://rhythmsofplay.com/signs-autumn-scavenger-hunt-kids/ #connectwithus #stayconnected #outdoorlearning #outdooreducation #yqg

Welcome Fall! Today Altjenka is reading "Seasons of Love" written by Janet Parsons and illustrated by Claire Richards and Janet Parsons.

Help us spread the word to more Windsor families with young children! The BE BACK SOON program is back! Connections is now accepting appointments for the Be Back Soon program with enhanced safety protocols in place.... Be Back Soon provides free, short-term, unlicensed child care for children 0 to 6 years old. Care is provided for parents who qualify at no cost while they attend medical, legal, social service or counselling appointments, job interviews or workshops. A variety of times is available. For more information or to book an appointment, please call 519.252.9696. #connectwithus #stayconnected #familysupport #childcare #windsorontario #yqg

Let's learn the ABCs yogi-style! Join Altjenka live from the EarlyON Centre for alphabet yoga poses using "The ABCs of Yoga" by Teresa Anne Power. Follow her into the kitchen where Juanita shows how to prepare Healthy Fudge Brownies from Yummy Toddler Food. For the recipe, visit: https://www.yummytoddlerfood.com//healthy-fudge-brownies-/ Altjenka is listening to Elephant Rock by Kimbo Children's Music.

WEEKLY CURBSIDE BOOK PICK-UP! Get your FREE personal "Readers Are Leaders" package available for curbside pick-up! Please call 519.252.9696 and leave a message if we are unavailable or send an e-mail to [email protected] ... #connectwithus #stayconnected #yqg

Let's go on a scavenger hunt! Altjenka is demonstrating ways to include literacy in your outdoor exploration.