ROCK

Here is our November calendar full of in-person, outdoor and virtual programs! When registering, please remember to get a ticket for ALL family members attending, as both adults and children need to be registered. To register for a program, please visit www.rockevents.ca

Try dot painting with Q tips as a great activity for hand-eye coordination, concentration, language development & letter recognition. You can model with your child making dots on letter lines, talk about each letter & sound and about other words beginning w/ that sound.

Registration open for this Thursday!

Has your child ever had a meltdown over itchy tags in clothing? Or run away because a room is too loud or the lights too bright? A child’s ability to process sensory input can have a big effect on their behaviour, especially if they don’t yet have enough language to tell you what’s wrong. Kids can be oversensitive to sensory input, under-sensitive, or both. Being a detective and trying to understand what your child is experiencing will help you decode his/her behaviour and ...find ways to make life easier on both of you. What tips have you found to help your sensory-sensitive child? Please share them in the comments below to help other families. If your child has sensory processing challenges, come to our Stepping Stones program! We can tailor the program to meet your sensory needs!

Here's a different way for your child to play with their Lego's while at the same time developing some early math skills and building on their language skills. Cover a box with paper and tape it in place. Cut 5 squares into the top of the box and tape the edges down so they don't rip. Then outline each square with a different colour marker. Have your child sort and drop Lego bricks into the matching coloured cut out square on the box. Talk about the shapes and sizes and colours of each one. Once finished, your toddler will also enjoy dumping out the box and starting this activity all over again!

If your child has a disability, exceptionality, or other sensitivity come to Stepping Stones Wednesday morning to play and connect with others! We would love to see you!

Look at these awesome otters made during Crafty Storytime and Curbside Craft Pick-Up this week!

Post a pose! Pick your animal! You can count on animals to make yoga fun! Use this image to inspire some fun play and movement at home. You could be silly with sounds and big movements for bonding and energy release or be slow and calm to relax before bedtime! ... Some added fun: Dance your hearts out and freeze into your favourite animal pose Cut images of animals and put into a box. Take turns pulling out different poses to try Play Yogi says.. (Yogi says... wag your tail in downward dog) Read a book with animals in for some inspiration Show us your animal pose by snapping a pic and tagging us on our social media to be entered in a draw! Yoga Time! Jungle Safari: Kids Yoga and Nursery Rhymes | Cosmic Kids

Hello Parents! Here is an easy way to make a Christmas sensory bin... How to make the colour rice: have 3 Ziploc bags, add rice with red, green and yellow food colour, add two tablespoon rubbing alcohol into each bag shake it up and leave on a tray with plastic bag on to dry, takes a day. You can then mix all the colours together and add into a container. In a container have coloured rice (red, green and white or yellow) have a ribbon, a bird, wooden round block, red and gree...n twirls, snowflake, some feathers or Christmas Sensory Bin - it contains rice (red, green and white), Christmas buttons (red, green and white in various shapes), jingle bells (red, green and gold), Christmas lights, Christmas erasers (Santa, reindeer and ornaments), peppermints, presents, Santa hats and candy canes. Have the kids make a Christmas wreath to put on the tree. You will need a small paper plate, some red and green pom poms, some bows and glitter gel. Make a snowflake, you need some popsicle sticks 3, glitter glue, glue the sticks in a star shape, use a glue gun to the wool or ribbon on one of the sticks for hanging, then add the glitter gel paint on the sticks and leave to dry. Make a candy cane. You will need a white pipe cleaner and cut in half or not, some red, green beads to thread through the pipe cleaner. Pine cone you can spray paint in different colours and tie a string on the end to hang it. Or glue on glitter gel to the pinecone to decorate.

Post a pose! Lion’s Breath is a fun yoga pose for children that releases energy, and allows them settle into more peaceful feelings. This breathing exercise helps children to calm their bodies, and relax their minds. This one great for the whole family to try. Don’t forget to ROAR while you stick out your tongue!! ... Looking for more mood boosting yoga poses? check out this great list from Active For Life: https://activeforlife.com/6-mood-boosting-yoga-poses/ Just a reminder: Don’t forget to snap a pic and tag us to be entered in a draw. Winner will be announced December 7th on our social media! Good luck! Need a video to follow along to? Check out: Yoga Pose Universe by Cosmic Kids Yoga on You Tube! Lion Pose | Yoga Pose Universe

Mindful Monday: Hugs Did you know a 20 second hug can help you reduce stress? When you are hugging your child, you are reducing their stress levels as well as your own. It’s also just a really good way to bond with your child and make our little ones feel safe and loved! Although we may not be able to physically give all the people we want to hug right now; we can close our eyes and give them a mental hug (while you do this you can send them some loving thoughts while yo...u’re at it!) Send a hug in the mail! Trace your little one's arms, decorate, and send in the mail to someone who could really use an extra hug and kind words right now. Self-hugs are great to! Have you heard of Butterfly Hugs? (Take deep breaths throughout this exercise) Cross both arms over your chest, placing hands over each shoulder. Tap shoulders gently with each hand, alternating hands between tap. Continue doing this until you feel more relaxed. Sending virtual hugs to you all!

Why is early literacy so important? Please join us at our Parent Cafe program on Monday, November 23 from 1:00-2:00 where we welcome Katelyn from the Burlington Public Library. Katelyn will be providing us with some early literacy tips. #BurlOnLibrary #burlonlibrary

Create a musical instrument using a sturdy "Y-shaped" stick, some string and beads/bells. Use paint and/or colourful string to decorate the stick, then string the beads and small bells across the top of the "Y".

New block of tickets open for Tuesday November 23rd from 1:30-3:30pm at Cumberland!