BridgeWay Family Centre
1801 Lakeshore Rd W L5J 1J6 Mississauga, ON, Canada

"No one is protected from COVID-19 until everyone is protected." Dr. Theresa Tam, Chief Public Health Officer of Canada, released her 2020 Annual Report on the State of Public Health in Canada, From Risk to Resilience: An Equity Approach to COVID-19. This report examines how the first wave of the pandemic affected Canadians in different ways. To move forward today and to be better prepared for what the future brings, we need to ensure that the way we plan, prepare for and... respond to pandemics also addresses social and economic inequities. View the full report here: https://www.canada.ca//from-risk-resilience-equity-approac

Staying positive about the weather is no easy task, but the way we talk about weather can have an impact on a child's attitude towards it. When talking to your child, try using statements of fact something as simple as "It's raining today" can go a long way! Click: https://www.instagram.com/p/CHGyMHXhSyA/ for a variety of phrases to help get you started!

Children have the right to be #SeenAndHeard! This #NationalChildDay, let’s show our support for all 8 million kids in Canada! Check out www.nationalchildday.org to learn how you can get involved. Children First Canada

Thank you to Delta Bingo Gaming for your continuing support of BridgeWay Family Centre. Your contributions make it possible for families to access support from our social worker and to learn to make healthy meals from our dietitian. Delta Bingo Gaming has been able to continue support us the pandemic with a creative and distanced way of playing Bingo Drive-In Bingo! https://deltabingo.com/

Our personal values affect our parenting styles. Adapting to Canadian parenting can be a cause of conflict and stress for a family. Help build a caring and positive relationship with your children while parenting in a new culture. Join us and @FEC online Wednesday, November 25th at 7:00pm. Click: https://bridgewaycentre.ca//ol-balancing-canadian-parenti/ to register!

Join us online Monday night for BridgeWay Cooks where we'll be making Crispy Tuna Fish Cakes! Cooking as a family helps parents model healthy habits and gets kids interested in cooking and eating healthy meals. You and your family along with our Dietitian will cook a recipe that is: quick, easy, health-conscious, budget-friendly, and customizable from a free meal kit! Register today by calling 647-770-6176. Kits will be available for pick-up November 21st 10am-2pm at Turtle Creek and Heart Lake. We hope to see you there!

All you need is shaving cream for a fun and messy activity! Here are some ways to play with shaving cream: Add scoops, small bowls, spoons, spatulas, and whisks to the shaving cream Use a paintbrush to paint some toys with the shaving cream Add some food colouring to shaving cream and experiment with mixing colours!

Playing outdoors benefits us all improving our overall physical and mental well-being. You can help us spread the word to more families about our outdoor programs and the benefits of outdoor play by sharing your experiences! Send us a private message, comment below, or email us at [email protected] we'd love to hear from you!

Did you know you can choose from a variety of indoor, outdoor and online EarlyON programs in Peel? For BridgeWay's EarlyON schedule go to www.bridgewaycentre.ca/schedules and for all EarlyON centres in Peel go to www.infopeel.ca

EveryMind is hosting a workshop this Monday called Understanding & Supporting Stress in Kids. For more information or to register, check out their post: https://www.facebook.com//a.462008963922/3185456678244256/

Trees make for fun and engaging play while spending time outdoors! Tap the photos below for some ways to play with trees!

November is Woman Abuse Prevention Month. We can help bring awareness to violence against women by reading and sharing this post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CHJEYhXHU3E/

Were staying apart right now to keep each other safe, but we can still play together! Heres how to access our free online programs and stay connected with other families in your community.

Join us for an online Diwali party on Thursday, November 12! Here's what you need to know: 1. Call 647-770-6176 to reserve your spot for the party. 2. We will have free craft kits available for pick-up for children over 12 months (children under 12 months are welcome to attend but will not need a kit). Craft kits will be ready for pick-up Wednesday, November 11 at Brittany Glen, Heart Lake and Turtle Creek between 10 and 2. 3. Each craft kit will have a link and password to j...oin the online event. If your child is under 12 months, we will email you the link and password. 4. There is a capacity of 50 children for the program. We will post an update if the program is full. We hope to see you there!!

Breathing is a great way for children to regulate stress and anxiety but it takes practice! Choose your favourite breathing technique and try practicing it before bed/nap/quiet time. Find 3 child-friendly breathing techniques here: https://bridgewaycentre.ca/calming-breathing-for-children/

When it comes to loose parts, what we see is very different than what children see. We see some odds and ends, while children see all sorts of adventures! Loose parts ideas: boxes spoons baskets ... pipe cleaners buttons stones sticks leaves See more

How would you describe your childs personality in 3 words? Its tough to choose just 3! Share your responses in the comments below

Wishing everyone celebrating Rosh Hashanah all the best for this coming year!

We want to make sure you feel as comfortable as possible before attending our on-site programs. We are hosting online question and answer sessions where you will be able to chat with a Program Manager and Centre Supervisor about our reopening! Click https://bridgewaycentre.ca/what-to-expect-when-you-return-/ for more information.

Follow Family Education Centre for online parenting resources!

Hi everyone, an error occurred with our registration feature. If you registered for one of next weeks outdoor programs before Thursday, September 17th at 2pm, please email [email protected] with the name and date of your program, your phone number, and the number of spots you registered for. Thank you!

The greatest thing about loose parts is how they can be used in any way! From creating a picture out of spoons to playing a game of I-Spy, there are so many ways to play with loose parts. The way each child plays with them will be very different. Here are some ideas to get you started Follow your childs lead and see where their ideas take you!

Until September 30th, when you visit Rona in Brampton on Gilingham Drive you can donate to BridgeWay Family Centre! These donations will go towards moms and moms-to-be who are in need of extra support. Last year, we received over $4000.00 in donations thanks to Lowes Canada and the community! You can learn more about the Lowes Canada Heroes campaign here: https://lowescanada.ca//local-campaigns/lowes-canada-heroes

Our new website is LIVE! Visit www.bridgewaycentre.ca and see what weve done to help you navigate between online, outdoor, and on-site (coming soon) programs!

Hi everyone! Our website is currently down. If you are looking to attend the 3:00pm Online Circle Time at Brittany Glen, please message us for the link. Thank you!

Practice using scissors by cutting all sorts of materials, including the grass! Introducing scissors to your child can help them learn how to safely use them. Start by modelling how to use scissors while explaining that scissors are sharp and we only use them while we are sitting. For children who are new to using scissors, try holding the material theyre cutting while they use 1 or 2 hands to manoeuvre the scissors. As they become more comfortable, allow them to hold the materials with one hand while using the other to manoeuvre the scissors. Try practicing with scissors using materials such as: paper, cardboard, grass, string, and play dough!

Are you a Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE) who has a passion to work with young children and their families? Would you like to work for an innovative, supportive, not for profit agency? If yes, BridgeWay Family Centre is looking for RECEs to join our EarlyON Child and Family Centre team as Early Years Educators. Click: https://bridgewaycentre.ca/now-hiring-early-years-educator/ for details!

Our new website is going live Wednesday morning! Come see what weve done to make it easier to navigate between outdoor, online, and on-site (coming soon) programs.

Read along to this special story all about Grandma! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dF4RvV5Prxs How do you spend time with your grandparents? Do you go to the park, sing together, or video chat every night?! Tell us in the comments below

Happy Grandparents Day to all the wonderful grandparents we have in our lives!

For the month of September, when you visit Rona in Brampton on Gilingham Drive you can donate to BridgeWay Family Centre for moms and moms-to-be who are in need of extra support. Learn more about the Lowes Canada Heroes campaign here: https://lowescanada.ca//local-campaigns/lowes-canada-heroes

A box is not just a box, but a mountain or a castle or a boat! Boxes big and small can become anything you can imagine. What will your boxes become today? You can find a virtual read aloud of Not A Box by Antoinette Portis here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMCKXaFsmCA&t=64s

Follow Happy as a Mother for parenting love and support!

Join COVID-19 Womens Initiative in supporting women in Mississauga shelters through a contactless item drive for womens shelters. Items women are in need of include: toiletries, PPE, diapers, infant formula, cleaning products, pads/tampons, non-perishable foods, kitchen items, and gift cards. The item drive is this Saturday, September 12 from 11am-3pm. Check out this event for details! https://www.facebook.com/events/778045499597829/

We have more workshops coming up throughout September and October! For details and to register: https://bridgewaycentre.ca/schedules/

Masks are here to help us! This video helps explain to children the importance of masks and how they protect us all. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KRuP1QGmhU

Theres still time to register for our Outdoor Stroller Walk in Brampton tomorrow! Be sure to book tickets for you and your little ones at https://stroller-walk-3.eventbrite.com This program is for children 0-12 months, but siblings are welcome to join! Please register each child and adult attending. Thank you!

BridgeWay Family Centre would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Community Foundation of Mississauga for their continued support. Their grants have provided a social worker to support pregnant women in this vulnerable time. Through the financial support from the Pendle Fund, women and babies have improved physical and mental health and a brighter future. You are truly making a difference in the quality of life of our youngest citizens. Lory Wolter, Executive Dir...ector, BridgeWay Family Centre #ECSFund Community Foundations of Canada Employment and Social Development Canada

The objects in your home make great toys for playing and learning! Socks are just one of the many objects you can use in your play. Here are some ideas to get your started!

Just a reminder that no programs are running tomorrow for Labour Day. We look forward to seeing you Tuesday! :)

The first day of school is a big adjustment for many children and this year brings a lot of different challenges. School Mental Health Ontario has some compiled tips and strategies to help navigate stress this coming school year. https://smho-smso.ca//supporting-mental-health-and-wellne/ La premire journe dcole est un grand ajustement pour de nombreux enfants. Cette anne en particulier prsente plusieurs dfis diffrents. Sant mentale en milieu scolaire Ontario a compil des conseils et des stratgies afin daider surmonter le stress de cette anne scolaire. https://smho-smso.ca//soutenir-la-sante-mentale-et-le-bie/

Many in-person activities are opening up again, but lots of us are still spending more time than usual at home. For ways to keep busy at home, check out these articles with play ideas for every week at bridgewaycentre.ca/play-ideas/ :)

Its important for children to see themselves in stories as well as others and not just as a secondary character, but as the hero of the story. Books are a great way to introduce children to different kinds of stories and perspectives while opening discussions about diversity and inclusion. Follow Inclusive Story Time for inclusive childrens books!

With more and more places reopening, children may be feeling a mix of emotions. Getting used to wearing masks, physical distancing, and limiting interactions with friends and family can be difficult for children of all ages. This article provides some tips for talking to your children about these challenges to help make physical distanced outings a little bit easier. https://childmind.org//helping-kids-face-the-challenges-o/

Try this simple "fishing" activity using tongs, toys and a laundry basket or box! While inside the basket/box use tongs to grab toys on the ground like youre fishing! This activity is great for fine motor development and pretend play. Discover more games using tongs here: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-NFhUshFq_/

Todays Outdoor Infant Mother Goose program is cancelled due to rain. Please check our schedule for more outdoor programs!Todays Outdoor Infant Mother Goose program is cancelled due to rain. Please check our schedule for more outdoor programs!

More online parenting workshops have been added to our schedule! For details and to register: https://bridgewaycentre.ca/schedules/

Check out Family Education Centre for parenting resources. Find previously recorded webinars, articles, tips and more about parenting through a pandemic here: https://familyedcentre.org/parenting-through-pandemic/

Scribble fast and slow while listening to music! As the music plays, try scribbling at the same pace. You can even try this idea outdoors by "painting" with water to the sound of the music or drawing with chalk! See if the images change depending on the song youre listening to. Does your child like the freeze dance? Stop the music while theyre creating and freeze to change up the activity! You can find more activities to music here: https://bridgewaycentre.ca/play-with-music-songs-and-activ/

Handmade books are great for any bookshelf and they dont need to be fancy to be a valuable addition to your childs bookshelf! to make them, simply tape together your childs drawings, photos of loved ones, or words your child dictates to you. Handmade books allow children to see themselves while reflecting on their experiences through photos and artworks. Seeing their past experiences helps them to improve their memory while practicing their storytelling skills. Plus, theyre a great chance for your child to create something independently or to get creative as a family! Click https://bridgewaycentre.ca/building-your-childs-home-libra/ for tips on finding childrens books to build your childs library.