Kayla's Children Centre
36 Atkinson Ave L4J 8C9 Thornhill, ON, Canada

Our classroom ITs in action! One of the unique features of the our school is that we believe behaviour, self-regulation and social skill goals require on-going teaching, modelling and reinforcing. By having a full time Behavioural therapist as part of the classroom staff team, these essential skills are practiced and tracked in natural settings all day, every day.

Preschool 2 has spent the week learning about Kites! We began with reading Kite day by Will Hillenbrand Swipe to check out all our followup Kite themed activities. We ended off the week by heading out to the field to fly our own giant kite! Who would have thought we would need our gloves and hats while learning our spring unit?

We’ve sent our talented physiotherapist @lowolz to complete advance training on the @therasuit method, and we’re excited for all the children who will benefit from this therapy! (Plus the outside view isn’t too bad either )

Meet Dylan! Dylan has recently joined the KCC family and his fun loving personality lights up our hallways. Did you know Dylan is the youngest child in Canada to be diagnosed with Narcolepsy? Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder that includes overwhelming drowsiness and sleep attacks. Dylan requires a heavy dose of medication and effort to stay awake through the day. For Dylan, Narcolepsy is further complicated with a Cataplexy diagnosis which affects his motor control and... movements. It’s quite amazing to learn about his rare conditions and understand how much this kiddo has to overcome on a daily basis. Like so many of our KCC parents, his mom is an awesome advocate, raising awareness through education and a good dose of humour -check out her blog @wakeupdylan / #wakeupdylan to follow along his journey! Welcome to the KCC family Dylan!

Jump into the weekend! Jumping on the trampoline is great for deep pressure, balance and core strength! It is also a great motivator and FUN!

Today we celebrated 16 years strong with Rach! With the many people who love this girl both in person and on zoom, the room was filled with joy and applause for a teenager who continues to defy the odds and always lets us know who’s boss! And yes, she did get her whole class to wear Pjs to her party!

We are disappointed to hear that the Toronto school closure will include special Ed students. We know how critical structure and intervention is, contact us if you’d like to book therapy sessions in our clinic while your child is out of school. We offer Music, OT, PT, SLP, ABA and biking therapies. Link in bio.

We love seeing kids get involved in the Ride for KCC! Sign up with your family today! rideforkcc.com #REPOST @rsfloraldesign Last year, my 9 year old daughter rode the 50 km bike ride in support of @kaylaschildrencentre. This year, my 7 year old daughter will also be riding in the 26km ride. They are both helping to raise much needed funds for KCC! To support KCC, and my daughters, 20% of all RS Floral sale proceeds this week will be donated to KCC.

We can all use some snoezelen calm with the recent announcements and closures... KCC school and therapy clinic remains open at this time. Sending good vibes to all

Meet Josh and Zach - identical twins with triple the amount of energy! Both of these happy, loving boys have Autism and have been working really hard learning to communicate with their AAC devices. They may be hard to tell apart but once you get to know them, you realize how unique they are in their personalities and preferences. Josh and Zach attend our ABA based school program and love all of our sensory spaces- especially the swings!

Peek inside our Occupational Therapy Clinic! Working with Karloyn, O.T, Adina is seated on a bolster to maximize balance, posture, core and shoulder strength. Using a magnet wand encourages crossing midline and eye-hand coordination while keeping Adina motivated and engaged! So many skills wrapped up in to one activity, way to go Adina!

We are so thankful to Hush Blankets for their donation and visit to our Centre, in honour of World Autism Day last week.

All kids need is a little help, a little hope and someone who believes in them. - Magic Johnson Join us in spreading the message of love and acceptance on World Autsim day.

Jay rides 1 km!! After training hard all winter, this determined kid accomplished his goal- to ride home from school on a regular, non adapted bike! He pedalled straight into his mom’s arms with our incredible bike therapist, Moira cheering him on. Set yourself a goal friends, and pedal like crazy until you get there.

A break in routine can be challenging! School breaks are a great opportunity to try something adventurous outside of your child’s regular schedule. We love seeing what you’re up to! Tag us on trips or share your kid friendly trip ideas below

Did you know that our Therapy Clinic remains open throughout the Passover holiday? We are so thankful our clients can maintain their therapeutic goals even during school breaks!

Our children have been hard at work these past couple weeks getting ready for Pesach! Watch to see a peek inside each track as they show off all their hard work! Chag Sameach!

This is it. We've made it so far. When we originally discussed replacing the annual Fashion Show with a virtual event, we voted against it. We just knew it would be impossible to capture the magic and energy that happens on our runway through a screen. We dared to set the fundraising goal for the Red Carpet Campaign for the exact amount brought in by the fashion show last year. And you know what? We're almost there. Our campaign is nearly over, and we are 95% there. There are just 2 days left in 2020, we are so close. Can you get us to 100%? https://kaylaschildrencentre.org/red-carpet

Did you subscribe to our newsletter? Click this link to sign up! https://kaylaschildrencentre.org/newsletter/ Stay in the know for all our latest news & updates!

A sign and a story... 15 years ago Zareinu attempted to launch a building campaign and Barry and Honey Sherman were one of the first to pledge towards a permanent home for the school. A handwritten note from Barry specified that when the time came for the building to be built, he would contribute 2 million dollars. Their untimely death coincided with our building campaign and to our amazement, the Sherman children were quick to fulfil their parents’ decade old commitment for the children of Zareinu/KCC. 3 years have gone by since they passed but the Sherman’s philanthropic legacy lives on in the heart of Kayla’s Children Centre.

Once the sign is up- it's real! Infants and children are being treated right here in our centre, to book a consult, inquire about the services or find out if your child can benefit from CME/ MEDEK fill out an online form here- https://kaylaschildrencentre.org/therapy-clinic-intake

Our hearts beat for Ezriel! While our little warrior recovers from major cardiac surgery all the way in Boston we wanted to show him and his whole family some love his team of therapists, nurse and teachers and of course his siblings and father are all cheering him on with their #TeamEzriel T-shirts. ... #chdwarrior #chdawareness #cardiacsurgery #familysupport #specialneedstoddler #downsyndrome #feelgood #goodvibes See more

Attention Winter Campers! Keep an eye out for these awesome bags coming your way! A huge thank you to @hillelryerson for organizing this creative activity & Zoom call. We can’t wait to see everyone on Thursday!

Gore Mutual is giving 10 charities $5000! Go to their post and nominate Kayla's Children Centre! Use the hashtags #GoreMutual and #GivingTuesdayCA and tell them how KCC has made a difference in our community.

For many organizations, Covid-19 meant huge learning curves and overwhelming decisions. For us, it wasn't ever a question. We've never allowed road blocks get in the way of supporting our children, and a pandemic couldn't stop us either. This is our Covid-19 story.

Triston Hunter Step Ahead Physiotherapy it’s so great seeing the KCC inspiration reach all the way to Australia!

It is hard to keep a routine during Winter Break, here are a few tips and tricks written by our Director of Behavioural Services, Shira Karpel: Start by writing down the basic routines and daily expectations eg: make your bed, have breakfast, etc. Then, try to come up with some activities that you can schedule for your child, even if it’s something as simple as ‘colour for 15 minutes’ or ‘play a Guess Who game’. For some children, this is a great time to practice some of their independent activity schedules (IAS). Throw in some chores and responsibilities for the older kids eg: wash the dishes, take out the garbage, etc. And don’t forget to think about What’s in it for them? and include some reinforcement for following the schedule! Comic by Kovy Frankel, student in the Ner Satellite class

Sundays of the past had our building brimming with campers and volunteer teenagers,bonding over bubble tubes and basketball games. Our centre has been empty on Sundays since a drop in program posed too many complications with Covid-19 policies but starting today, KCC families will have a program and volunteer delivered to their door. It’s not the same, but the message is clear-we will always find a way to be there for our families. #virtualprograms#respitecare#specialneedsfamily#pandemiclife#pivot #volunteering

Toronto has been applauding our fashion show for 15 years. We can't stop now. The KCC children have always stolen the show, waltzing down the runway to a standing ovation year after year. Now, more then ever we need your support. Please consider donating to the Red Carpet Campaign. Our services remain vital, though our costs have significantly increased due to the Covid-19 restrictions. Right from the start of the pandemic, we made a promise to o...ur families- we would not allow finances to get in the way of us supporting their children. We need your help. Donate today. https://kaylaschildrencentre.org/red-carpet/ #KCC #RedCarpetCampaign #supportourchildren

KCC Community Give Back! Sponsor and lead our upcoming school wide special activity in honour of your birthday or Bar/Bat Mitzvah. Email [email protected] for more information on future initiatives and how YOU can get involved! #KCC #KCCgiveback #getinvolved #community

Headbands is a great game that encourages ‘wh’ questions as the player tried to guess what picture they are wearing! They might ask ‘What colour is my animal?’ Or ‘how does it move’. Cognitive and conversational skills rolled in one! . . . #cognitivedevelopment #specialeducation #speechlanguagepathologist #gamestagram #preschool #earlychildhoodeducation #earlychildhoodeducator #autism #asdawareness #communication

We are so excited to share the news of our nursery class program naming! Read more about this beautiful dedication by sibling Joseph and Tami Rutman, Laila and Manny Alter, Yoni and Hana Rutman, Ezra and Reena Lauterpacht, Shoshana and Maurice Iankelevic and Gedalia and Chava Rutman in honour of their grandparents. Joseph Rutman Tami Rutman Laila Rutman Reena Lauterpacht Maurice Iankelevic Shoshana Rutman Chava Korobkin Rutman Gedalia Rutman https://mailchi.mp/kayl/kcc-monthly-newsletter-october-2020

When the pandemic hit, we knew we needed to increase the technology for our students in order to enable them to continue learning, even from a distance. A huge thank you to TELUS and their foundation, TELUS Friendly Future Foundation for granting us the funds to purchase Chrome Books and iPads that are now integrated in all of our classes and make learning so much more engaging and accessible! #KCC #KCClearning #accessible #techology #classroomtech #distancelearning #chromebooks

The key to learning is ENGAGEMENT! Here at KCC our staff know this well. We spend time in September getting to know our students and having fun with them...and then the real learning can begin!

! Limited space ! We are starting a new session of our highly successful social skills program. This is perfect for boys who just need to learn the tricks and skill of emotional regulation in order to succeed at school and at home. . . .... #socialskills #emotionalhealth #mentalhealth #emotionalregulation #behavioranalysis #behaviormodification See more

We did it!! In less then 24 hours you all reminded us of the community we are blessed to be a part of. In the midst of writing yet another Covid protocol, fielding dozens of calls, assessing symptoms - you have allowed us to take a break and do what we love most- bring joy to the kids who deserve it most. I can’t wait to go tell Jay he can have that bike every recess!!

Learning together about the upcoming holidays is not something we take for granted anymore! For our students especially, hands-on learning is so valuable! The full sensory component of visuals, texture, smells and sights of Rosh Hashana brings the lessons to life in the classrooms. Check out our preschool division as they get ready for the new year! . . . #preschoolactivities #earlychildhoodeducation #earlyintervention #sensoryplay #specialeducation #jewisheducation #jewishnewyear #inclusion

It was a glorious day on the farm - we spent time grooming, riding and zipping around on the tractor. Horses are such intelligent and social animals, it is so therapeutic for our students to bond with them in nature, looking forward to next week!

Did your kids start school this week? Check out how KCCs first week went! #KCC #KCCproud #School #Therapy #Learning #TherapyGroups #Science #Judaics #FriendlyFaces #SmallGroup #IndividualTherapy #Disinfecting

Our new playground is finally open for PLAY! We thought long and hard about how to incorporate accessible and sensory stimulating products into our design, we are very excited to see our students enjoy the new equipment! When people think of an accessible playground they often picture ramps - we chose options that would give kids space to come out of their chairs and join in the motion! Thank you ABC Recreation Ltd. for your patience and great customer service throughout this process!

It was almost like we never left.... so happy to see everyone back!

Kaylas Children Centre is ready for school! This year, more then ever, we are grateful for large spacious classrooms, small classes and an excellent team who have spent the last week setting up magnificent learning spaces. See you tomorrow kids!

From our family to yours - Shana Tova! And while KCC has always been a family, the past few months has felt like so many of your joined in, embracing our efforts and being part of the magic. Thank you, and may we all have a happy sweet new year!

Urgently seeking full time or part time driver for our 18 seater school bus. Must have 5 years bus driving experience and be able to obtain a letter of experience from previous employer. Must have clean driving record and love children.

Ride for KCC 2020 Check out our Ride for KCC highlights video! Stay tuned on RideForKCC.com for updates on next year’s ride! #KCC #RideforKCC #RideforKCC2020

It might look like a pile of boxes but really its a reminder of the community that is KCC. When a parent asked to install an air filter system in his sons classroom he didnt just drop one off. He researched the different brands and then insisted on covering the cost of one for every single KCC classroom. Because around here its never just about my kid or your kid, its always about all of our children

Did your kids start school this week? Check out how KCC’s first week went! #KCC #KCCproud #School #Therapy #Learning #TherapyGroups #Science #Judaics #FriendlyFaces #SmallGroup #IndividualTherapy #Disinfecting

It was the most beautiful day for #rideforKCC and for an event that was almost entirely planned before we even knew if it would be allowed to happen, it sure was perfection. This ride, like everything else at KCC, proves that nothing could get in our way!

More beautiful than the $50,000 cheque that accompanied this letter is the heartfelt message this donor took the time to convey. When a person outside of our organization understands the very essence of our values, it inspires us to keep doing what we do, no matter what comes our way.

This time the video is personal. Today we say goodbye. And not just to a summer full of memories and good times. Today feels like the end of a moment in time that will never come back. See, the end of camp is always sad for us- there is a special energy that is reserved only for the 8 weeks of summer camp. Yet this year, its something entirely different that we are ending. We are ending 8 weeks of courage. Of daring to go against the tide. Of believing that no matter what, ...KCC must be there for our families. Today we end a summer of commitment and resilience in the face of a global pandemic. There was a certain feeling of awe-inspiring togetherness in camp this summer. It was like a silent pact had been formed between the administration, the parents, the camp staff and the community at large- we were going to give these kids their precious camp, no matter what. And give them camp we did. If only I could bottle up the feelings and emotion that accompanied our families to the carpool lane each day, Id sprinkle that warmth and gratitude all over the world... You wont need to look for swag to know who worked at camp this summer - well all be wearing that pride in our hearts, forever.

Kayla Serruya and family were our shabbat angels this week! We had delicious pre-packaged frozen yogurt from @yogenfruz for our shabbat party! We miss our big dance parties but its heartwarming to have donors and friends help us celebrate.

Camp 18 - Week 7 Hey,Hey! Its week 7 and we are not winding down...check out this weeks video and just wait to see what we have coming next week! #KCC #Camp18 #tripweek #takeapicture #loveithere #feelthemagicintheair

What is it about gardening? It seems that specifically the kids who seem to need highly sensory activities to engage, have taken such interest in caring for our vegetable garden. Perhaps it truly is a therapeutic experience. Thank you @ujagenesis and @healthygardenco for this gift!

Our younger bunks enjoyed the day at the farm, while our older bunks ventured all the way to Centre Island. We love the new experiences we have on our off ground trips!

Tomorrow. This was supposed to be us tomorrow. And I know there are many things Covid took from us over the last few months, yet somehow, this one is especially hard to swallow. It isnt about boat rides, bonfires and ropes course. Its about an entire years worth of joy, built-up excitement and miracles all jammed into one magical week...Well be back @camp_frenda!

We got glammed and glitzed and of course we topped last weeks waterslide to beat the heat today!

#feelgoodfriday What an awesome crew of kids! They ran a camp and decided to donate a portion of their money to our camp at KCC! It all starts with the kids and these ones sure make the world brighter. @aykay_14 @nochiweinberg14 @beadazzledbylee @beekay5 @thedesignhousetoronto @shevyweinberg @nickyweinberg

Camp 18 Week 6 When we heard this song we knew it would be PERFECT for our video. Turn up the volume and sing along! #KCC #Camp18 #camp18proud #feelthemagicintheair #perfectday #partyweek #cottagetrip

Thank you to Moaz and Marrisa Kassam and family for hosting our campers for an incredible day on the water! Your generosity and kindness made us feel so welcome and loved. We may have arrived as strangers, but left feeling like old friends! Shoutout to Dean Marks for getting everyone on a tube!

Glow party, foam party, Pj party....never ends here...

We had a glo dance party today with @dj.salty and for a couple of hours it felt like overnight camp right here on Atkinson. It was a loud messy blur of colourful dancing, just the way we like it!

Camp 18 Week 5 Welcome to session 2! This week we welcomed in new campers and staff to the Camp 18 family! #KCC #Camp18 #Camp18Proud #feelthemagicintheair

Ending off our week with cool treats thanks to this weeks shabbat party sponsors Julie and Gil Gonik ! Thank you @gonikmaya for sharing all that Ice cream with us! Shabbat shalom to all

I love this neat little OT activity encouraging kiddos to stay in a downward dog position by having them wait until the car drives under them! Always a great trick to keep it exciting and motivating during OT groups! . . . #occupationaltherapy#yoga#earlyintervention#therapy#intervention#grossmotor

Theme activities, water play, therapy groups, biking...all part of the day!

Is there anything cuter?? Today is Rosie appreciation day. Rosie joined our infection control team and spends her day keeping surfaces clean and keeping all of us safe!

A fantastic story capturing the magic of our summer camp this season! #KCC #Camp18 #camp18proud #feelthemagicintheair https://www.cbc.ca//special-needs-camps-programs-covid-19-

* Zones of regulation Boys group starting this week at KCC * Does your child need some social skills and emotional regulation help? The Zones is a fantastic program run by a Behavioural therapist that can get your son ready for back to school! This group has 2 spots open for ages 5-7. Inquire for details by sending a DM or emailing our Director of Behavioural Services [email protected]

This Is Why We Ride for KCC! Watch this 2 minute video to really view the incredible intervention that happens daily at KCCs Camp18. When you sign up to ride for KCC, you enable THIS ALL to happen! For more information and to register now visit RideforKCC.com #Camp18 #Camp18Proud #summercamp #summerishere #feelthemagicintheair #KCC #RideforKCC2020 #CovidFriendly #torontobiking #torontoevents #vaughanevents #gtaevents