Free Stay at Home Resources
During these times of social distancing and #StayHome initiatives, it may be challenging to find alternative options for usual out-of-home activities. How do we keep our family engaged from the safety of home as we all work to do our part
Virtually Junior, Big Thoughts for Growing Minds
We are thrilled to introduce Virtually JUNIOR, the online edition of Toronto’s international children’s festival, which stimulates big thoughts for growing minds. Get ready to join us for exciting new ways to enjoy some of JUNIOR’s talented artists – virtually. We’ll
How to set up parental controls on children’s tablets
The internet is a valuable tool that can benefit kids. But as parents know, the internet also can be a danger to youngsters. As hard as parents may try to govern their children’s internet usage, kids’ curiosity often compels them to
Raffi’s Earth Songs marks Earth Day 50th
To mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, Raffi has released a retrospective video compilation of “Earth Songs” he has written and recorded during the 40 years since the release of his classic song and album, Baby Beluga. The 14 minute
77 ways to keep kids busy during self-isolation
The ultimate list of things to do, explore and make By Jennifer Cox It can be hard to constantly think of ways to keep your kids entertained at a time when staying at home has become the norm – for now. Check
Routines help keep families happy
The following are some ideas from Larissa Mills, director and founder of IparentGen.com, for parents who are spending a lot of time at home with their kids during the COVID-19 pandemic. By Larissa Mills 1. Keep bedtime routines! Of all of the
PAMA is Your #MuseumFromHome
During this uncertain time in history, the Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives (PAMA) wants to help you stay connected to your community through arts and culture.
February Bookshelf
The Return of Thelma The Unicorn By Aaron Blabey The Return of Thelma The Unicorn by Aaron Blabey is the sequel to Thelma the Unicorn. Blabey’s use of pictures and rhymes makes reading the story all that more enjoyable. Thelma and Otis
Winter is the time to get crafty
Planning a party or activities for your kids can be a tricky task, especially during the winter months. While the kids are cooped up inside occupy them with an easy and enjoyable winter craft project - try some of these
January Bookshelf
Where’s Baby? By Anne Hunter Mama and Papa Fox can’t find Baby so Papa heads out on a search. While kids learn concepts like up, under and around as Papa explores the forests and asks its creatures if they’ve seen baby, they
Make play a priority this school year
Between attending classes and homework the school year is a busy time for kids. One thing that may fall off the priority list is how to keep kids active when there is limited free time. As a parent or guardian, it’s
November Bookshelf
The Shortest Day By Susan Cooper, illustrator Carson Ellis Two award-winners have come together to create a seasonal treasure by presenting a poem that welcomes the winter solstice with illustrations that capture the magic of the returning light. From early hunter-gatherers
Celebrating Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day is a hard one for me to talk about with my kids. First of all, neither they nor I have any direct connection with war. It’s something we see on the news, but not something we’ve ever had to
Halloween evolved
Halloween has definitely evolved in our house over the years. It used to be that we made a pretty big deal of it. We’d carve pumpkins for everyone, then roast the seeds. We’d make some sort of homemade treat to hand
Playing with the adults
One of the coolest things about my kids getting bigger is that they can come and join me in my activities rather than always needing me to come and join them in what they’re doing. For example, everyone in our family
Art that is all about the making
By Meri Cherry As a working mom, I wanted some way to connect with my girls in the limited time we had together. With Process Art, I found my answer. In simple terms, Process Art is art that’s all about the
Making a List
One of the things I’ve written about in this space before (and that I also talk about with parents all the time), is not just scheduling every minute of your kids’ summer, but allowing them unstructured time to hang out
Learning Hospitality
Most weekends during the summer, if we’re in town, we invite a few friends over for a barbecue at our house. Things are usually pretty low key – we pick up a few drinks, throw some sausages on the grill,
Learning to be a better parent
One of the curious side effects of fostering and adopting is that you usually end up with a whole lot more parenting instruction than if you have biological children. Whereas it’s possible to get pregnant on a whim (or even
Wedding Season and the mini-guests
It’s getting into the season where your weekend calendar will be filling up with weddings. And for parents some of these events welcome your littles to attend as mini-guests or to play an important role in the big day. The
