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The Power of Playdough

Daniele CasciatoCreate, Play, Talk

Playdough is a powerful learning tool for children. It offers a wide range of learning opportunities and is fun and creative! Here are some ideas and reasons to play with playdough at home:  1. Sensory and Creative Development: Playdough is a blank canvas that allows children to express their creativity and imagination. Simply provide playdough and let your child’s imagination …

Kindergarten: A Big Step!

Daniele CasciatoRead, Talk

Starting school for the first time is a big deal for your child. It brings up many different emotions like excitement, joy, fear, and uncertainty. Here’s how you can talk to your child about these feelings: Be Positive and Create Excitement Tell your child that school is like an exciting adventure. Talk about the fun things they’ll do, like making …

Playing with Letters

Daniele CasciatoCreate, Play, Read, Talk

Learning about letters is more than learning letter names and singing the alphabet song. As children learn to read and write, they begin to notice certain features and characteristics of letters.  Using magnetic letters gives children practice sorting and spelling their name and other important words. There are many more fun things to do with magnetic letters to develop literacy …

Secure and Calm

Daniele CasciatoCreate, Play, Talk

We want children to feel secure and calm.  In our fast-paced, technology-centred world, it is important to provide children with opportunities to experience nature and fresh air.  Outdoor play provides a calming effect on children while boosting their sense of security.The Dalai Lama Centre for Peace and Education provides many resources for families. One resource is Feeling Nature With Our …

Exploring Print in Our World

Daniele CasciatoRead, Talk

  “Hey, mom. You have an “M” in your name – just like in McDonald’s” Early experiences with environmental print, the logos, words, and symbols found in a child’s world, are some of the first exposure children have to written language. Noticing print helps children make sense of abstract symbols and helps them to make sense of written language through …

All About Counting

Brendan LaytonPlay, Read, Talk

by DREME Family Math (Development and Research in Early Mathematics Education) Activity Author : Linda M. PlatasWhat Is Counting? Counting helps us answer the question “How many?” This includes things we can see and touch as well as things we can’t see, like days of the week. Counting also helps us compare things so we can figure out if there …

Talking and Reading Together with Unite Books

Brendan LaytonRead, Talk

Unite for Literacy has partnered with schools, bands, coalitions, and businesses over the last decade to re-imagine the roots of literacy education and grow lifelong readers. These Book Gardens are springing up in communities large and small across North America. Unite for Literacy offers an online library of books, free to everyone as a digital public good. Unite Books Online …