Child Care Resource & Referral Parent Summer Newsletter

Transcription

1 Child Care Resource & Referral Parent Summer Newsletter July August 2015 Child Care Resource & Referral th Street Maple Ridge, BC V2X 8G8 Phone: Fax: Jo-Anne MacKenzie, ext.122 JoAnne White, ext.124 Anita Galvin, ext.121 Lyndsay Steen, ext Website: Child Care Resource & Referral Program We offer support and referrals to parents/guardians seeking child care in Maple Ridge or Pitt Meadows. We assist parents with their Child Care Subsidy applications, will fax forms & copy ID FREE of charge. We provide support, education and lending resources to parents in the community. Toy Lending Library At the CCRR toy lending library, you and your children can choose from hundreds of quality toys, games, and puzzles to borrow just as you would borrow books from a library! The annual membership fee is $5.00. Check out the list of items in our catalogue: pages/files/maple-ridge---pitt- meadows/ccrr-toys-activities- Puzzles-Games-Inventory.pdf Office Hours: Monday Friday 9 am 4 pm Office Closures: Wednesday, July 1, 2015 Canada Day Monday, August 3, 2015 B.C. Day Looking for child care in your community then go to: for access to all the CCRR programs throughout BC. Funded by the Province of BC

2 Summer Safety Tips Page 2 Prevent Falls from Windows and Balconies: Don t Leave Children Unattended With windows and balcony doors open during the warm weather, remember to keep it safe for young children. Talk to children about window and balcony safety. Window screens are not strong enough to hold the weight of a child they keep bugs out, not children in. Move furniture and planters away from windows and balcony edges to discourage children from climbing, especially cribs and beds. Install and maintain window safety devices - ensure there is a safe release option in case of a house fire. Keep windows open 10 centimetres or less children can fit through a space as small as 12 centimetres. Don t leave children unattended on balconies or in higher floor rooms with open windows. prevent-falls-from-windows-and-balconies Safe Swimming at the Pool and Beach: Never Swim Alone Whether it s swimming or boating, enjoying time with family and friends around the water is a great way to spend warm summer days. Unfortunately, sometimes these happy summer outings end in a preventable tragedy. Approximately 80 people die each year in British Columbia as a result of drowning. Drowning can happen fast, sometimes in less than 2 minutes after a person s head is under water. Swim safe and don t be a statistic. Never swim alone. Always swim with a buddy. Children require constant supervision around pools. A child can drown in seconds in only a few inches of water. Never swim farther or in deeper water than you can handle. Never dive into unknown water. Underwater objects may appear deeper than they are. If you own a pool, install a fence around the pool with a gate that cannot be opened by a child. Also child proof or lock doors that open directly to a back yard pool area. Learn life saving techniques including artificial respiration at your local community centre or pool. Be vigilant out on the water. When boating, always wear a lifejacket or PFD (personal flotation device) and carry the required safety equipment in your boat. Get licensed by law, all boaters need proof of operator competency. Get trained training gives you knowledge to make smart choices when on the water. Keep an eye on the weather patterns can change quickly and without warning. Avoid alcohol and drug-related injuries - do not operate a boat while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

3 The Value of Outdoor Play Page 3 There is an emerging body of evidence on the developmental significance of contact with nature and its positive impact on children s physical and mental well-being. Natural landscapes in the outdoors typically provide: rich, diverse, multisensory experiences. opportunities for noisy, boisterous, vigorous, physically active play. opportunities for physical challenge and risk taking that is inherent in the value of play. rough, uneven surfaces, with opportunities for the development of physical strength, balance, and coordination. natural elements and loose parts that children can combine, manipulate and adapt for their own purposes. (excerpt from article: Let the Children Play: Nature s Answer to Early Learning by Par Jane Hewes, PhD.)

4 Summer Fun Activities: Page 4 Easy to make Pom-Pom Caterpillars: What you need: Pom-poms (assorted colours) Wooden clothes pegs White glue Wiggly eyes Flower Prints Get crafty with a few flowers and water-colour paints to form this simple creation with your tot flower prints! It doesn't matter if you have a field of wildflowers in your back yard or a great florist around the corner; this activity is wonderfully easy and perfect for kids of all ages. Bring in the science by discussing parts of the flower while creating the colourful prints, and then use finished prints to adorn the front of cards, or pop in a simple frame to brighten a room! What You'll Need: Fresh flowers White drawing paper Eight-color set water-colour paints Paintbrush Small container of water Sheets of scrap paper Directions: 1. Gather the flowers to use for making the flower prints. Daisies work really well, but any type of fresh flower will work. Select flowers that have distinct petals for the best results. 2. Remove the stems from the flowers to help them press flat while making the prints. This is a great opportunity to chat about the parts of the flower with your tot! Discuss how the stem provides water and nutrients to the flower from its roots as well as holds up the flower. 3. Get out a sheet of paper, as well as a few sheets of scrap paper, the watercolor paints, a small paintbrush, and cup of water. Invite your lil one to select one flower and then gently paint, flower side up, with the water-colour paint. Along with creating something pretty, she's honing her fine motor skills! 4. Now she can flip the flower and position on the paper, painted side down. Place a sheet of scrap paper over the flower and gently press. Remove the scrap paper, lift the flower, and check out the pretty print! Your child can continue painting and pressing flowers until her entire paper is filled with beautiful prints. While she's working, you can share how the petals attract insects to pollinate the flower, which helps create more beautiful flowers!

5 More Ideas: Page 5 Sun Catchers from Nature Start these nature sun catchers by going on a nature scavenger hunt with your child. Its a great craft for toddlers to do! After you have collected items, place them on contact paper (available at most dollar stores) Frame with a paper plate with centre of plates cut out. Hang them in a sunny window and enjoy! Ice Cube Sailboats A simple but fun summer activity. Make ice cubes (you can add food colouring to the water for a different effect) place a short straw into the ice cube mid way before it freezes. Once the ice cubes are frozen, add a little sail and you are ready to go!

6 What s Happening in Your Community Page 6 The Maple Ridge Act offers Bursaries to families in need. For more information check out their website: bursary Summer Art Programs at the Act This summer we are offering lots of creative and cutting-edge camps for children and teens. You can pick up a printed copy of the Summer 2015 Arts & Recreation Guide at The ACT in the lobby or check out their website to view details on-line. Register now! Maple Ridge Caribbean Festival Saturday, August 1 & Sunday, August 2 Maple Ridge Fair Grounds all day. FREE event for all ages. Music, food and Kids Zone! Country Fest and 1St Annual Pitt Meadows Blueberry Festival Saturday, July 25 FREE Family Event at Albion Fairgrounds Livestock and pet shows and Lego Mania, activities and more for everyone! Parking is $2.00 Osprey Days Live music, face painters, children s performers, live acts and other activities. Saturday, August 8 From 11 am to 2 pm At Osprey, Barnston View Road, Pitt Meadows

7 Page 7 More Community Events and Activities: 1, 2, 3 let s Go! (0 5 years) Memorial Peace Park From 10 to 12 (noon) For more community family activities check out the Ridge Meadows Early Childhood Development Committee website for a complete calendar of summer activities: Runs every Tuesday and Thursday in July and August. An outdoor program with parents, caregivers & daycare providers participation. Run and jump our way through fun games and obstacles. Cost $1.00 Mother Goose at: Maple Ridge Park Runs 10 am to 11 am every Tuesday until August 25 Meet by the horseshoe pit. Older siblings welcome. Will cancel due to rain. Puppets in the Park Memorial Peace Park 6:45-7:15 Wednesdays, July 15, August 5 & August 19 Pack your dinner and bring it along for fun family entertainment in the park! Mother Goose at: Whonnock Lake Centre Runs 9:30 am to 10:30 am Every Wednesday into the fall Avenue, Maple Ridge.