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Inside this issue:
Providers Page Literacy Page Parenting Page Parenting Page 2 3 4 5

December 2013

Volume 11 Issue 4

Songs/fingerplays 6 Playgroups Workshops 7 8

www.crowoeyc.com

Childrens Resources on Wheels (CROW) programs include : Ontario Early Years Centre Licensed Home Child Care CROW is dedicated to supporting and strengthening childcare, family life, child development and community links in Lanark County We Believe: That programs and services for families should be open to everyone

From Hanukkah to Christmas to Kwanzaa While Christmas is the most widely celebrated in Canada, there are other holidays to commemorate this December including: Hanukkah Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish observance that remembers the Jewish people's struggle for religious freedom. Hanukkah (Festival of Lights) is celebrated for eight nights, beginning at sundown on November 28, 2013. Traditions include lighting one candle of the menorah every night, eating fried foods such as latkes, and playing the dreidel game. Yule Another name for the Winter Solstice, this holiday on December 21 was celebrated centuries before Jesus Christ was born and marked a turning point in the season, when the worst of the winter was over. A live tree was brought into the home and decorated with ornaments and edible treats. Christmas Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25 (although there is no record of his actual birth date) and began as a mass for Christ (hence, Christmas). Christmas traditions include giving gifts (the three wise men brought gifts to the infant Jesus), Santa Claus (derived from Saint Nicholas, a bishop who gave generously to the poor) and a festive meal. Kwanzaa Kwanzaa (Swahili for "first fruits") is a non-religious African-American holiday celebrating family, community, and culture that was started in 1966. It is celebrated for seven days from December 26January 1. Traditions of Kwanzaa include lighting a candle each of the seven days, family gatherings, and festive meals. Gift-giving is not a part of the Kwanzaa tradition. We are looking for a person to join our CROW board. If you are interested please contact Sue Cavanagh at edcrow@bellnet.ca

Please Note: Playgroups close on December 20 for Christmas break. Playgroups start on January 6, 2014.
Please Note: Playgroups will be cancelled when school buses are cancelled. Playgroup cancellations will be announced on Jack FM and Majic 100 radio stations.

Teaching Social Skills to Young Children

Helping young children develop the social skills necessary to succeed is a crucial task for caregivers and parents. Such skills are not only necessary for enhancing social and emotional connections, which promote a feeling of belonging versus isolation and loneliness, but they are also clearly essential in the development of academic success. There is much we can do to foster these crucial attributes and heres how: Promote effective communication. Make sure children understand what you are asking from them and what they are asking of each other. Reframe what children are trying to communicate to their friends, especially if its not obvious to the other child. I think Billy is asking if he can play too. Encourage children to repeat back what they think has been said so the other child can correct any misinterpretation. hardest concepts for preschoolers to learn is their own feelings and needs are valid and, simultaneously, they are not the center of the universe; others have desires and rights too. For young children, this means creating a system of turn taking and keeping in mind who got which privilege when. Observe out loud both positive and negative social behaviour. Think out loud as you solve problems. Im noticing the great solution you figured out! Instead of just sharing the one fire truck you both wanted, you got some other ambulances and police cars and are using them all together. can decide whose turn it is on the computer after weve finished eating. Help children learn whats special about them. Children who feel they have a special talent or skill feel more selfconfident. The talent doesnt have to be something as obvious as throwing a ball or painting a picture. Being a good helper or a caring friend is something children can be proud of, and that feeling of competence can help children both initiate and reciprocate in social situations. Create an atmosphere that encourages discussion. Children need practice both in talking and in listening. Give them that opportunity as frequently as possible. Have them share stories about their cat, brother or friend, or start each daycare day off with a brief update circle where children can share something important about their lives with their friends. Remind children of their better selves. Children often rise (or fall) to the occasion, and adults believing in how hard they are trying will help them feel good about themselves and spur them on to continue trying. Children want to gain our trust and our respect, and if we can nurture these innate tendencies, their social skill repertoire will reap the benefits.
adapted from www.earlychildhoodnews.com

Social skills are necessary to succeed.

Encourage child-driven solutions to difficult situations. Applaud the positive and help reformulate the less appropriate. Ask, What do you think would help? Listen attentively and help modify what might be undoable. Teach children the lanAfter practicing child-driven guage of feelings. It is helpsolutions for several weeks, ful for children to understand you may be surprised to see how they feel in different situ- the combatants can come up ations, not only to help them- with reasonable ideas. selves, but also so they can Stay solution focused comprehend that other chilwhen intervening. Once dren have feelings that must be respected. I know you feel feelings have been explored and everyone has had her frustrated. Its so hard to say, the discussion should build the tower the way you continue until some resoluwant to. Im proud you keep tion has been reached, even trying. if the solution is to reconExhibit fairness and vene later when everyone demonstrate turn taking. has calmed down. Maybe Make sure each child gets a we should all settle down for chance to shine. One of the our usual snack and see if we

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Literacy Page
Letter Knowledge
Letter knowledge is one of the early literacy skills that researchers say is important for children to have in order to learn to read. Letter knowledge is knowing that the same letter can look different, that letters have names and are related to sounds.

Books: books with shapes Books where you have to find things (like I Spy books) Alphabet books Any book!

Book Sharing: With any book, not necessarily adapted from www.ala.org/everychild an alphabet book, you can point out a letter. Trace a letter from the title with your finger and let your Visit your local library for story time. child do it, too. Alphabet books do not necesAlmonte Public Library: www.mississippimills.ca/library/ sarily need to be read from Carleton Place Public Library: www.carletonplace.ca/librarycover to cover. Let your child c234.php choose what letters to talk Lanark Public Library: www.lanarklibrary.ca/ about. Merrickville Public Library: www.village.merrickville When reading an alphabet wolford.on.ca book your child may talk about Pakenham Public Library: www.mississippimills.ca/library... Perth & District Union Public Library: www.perthunionlibrary.ca Smiths Falls Public Library: www.smithsfallslibrary.ca

the picture. Listen, and then also talk about the letter and its sound. Show your child the first letter in his/her name. Look for that letter in the book. Talk about some of the letters in the book. Can you find an uppercase and a lowercase of the same letter? Talk about some of the letters in the book. Choose two letters: How do they look alike? How do they look different? What shapes do they have in them? Encourage scribbling, drawing, and writing.

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Parenting Page
Training
Well we all need a little humour in our lives so here goes. I was reading a post from a nurse friend of mine who is full of love and generosity. She and her partner have no children and so the recipient of her insightful caring at home is a wonderful little dog, soon to be two. Her post was an article on how to keep your dog mentally stimulated. Bored dogs will find ways to amuse themselves causing problems that wont amuse you! Now I tend to see the world through the lens of parenting glasses, so it wasnt a stretch for me to see the wisdom this might have to offer us as we deal with our kids! No, dont send me any passionate messages about seeing our kids as animals (or you dog lovers getting upset for comparing our lovely pets to unruly kids). I am well aware of the differences! If we take a moment to relax and enjoy the ride we may learn something Here's a quick list of how to keep your dog and kids mentally stimulated. As you can see, with training programs, there are some basic guidelines that can apply to both pets and humans.
Dogs Children

Exercise. Lots of exercise

Exercise done through play is good for all of us.

We know exercise (and fresh air) is good for all of us, especially when it is done through play. It reduces stress, builds healthy bodies and raises the spirits! Work the mind Challenge your mind with new experiences and activities. Kids are built for learning. Repetition is good too. Thats how we mas-by Jane Paul, Parent Education Coordinator ter new skills and build confidence. Small rituals done at the same time We all know how much routines help kids to predict what comes of day, every day next and what the expectations for behaviour are. It gives security and stability. When we feel secure we are less stressed and can handle upsets and changes more easily when they do occur. Dogs like to work Kids want to be a part of whatever you are doing. Working together builds relationships based on mutual goals, trust, problem solving, empathy and cooperation. It builds lifelong skills and work ethics and its fun to share and strive with someone else! As children get older, having small chores that are their responsibility is another way to show them they are valued within the family and that their help makes a difference. Praise and reward your dog for a What we focus on is what gets repeated. When we focus on the job well done positive behaviour that is what children will repeat. Praise specific things. I see you have shared a toy with your sister. Thats thoughtful. All the lego is in the box! Well done! Rewards can take many forms. Now that homeworks done, we can have special time together! Would you like to read a story or go for a walk? If you want to know more about dealing with behaviours, try one of our parenting courses or call and talk to our staff at CROW. Well I hope you get at least a little chuckle out of this. Parenting is a tough job at times. Humour can lighten the load. Have fun with your family and friends this holiday season. Celebrate with all your heart, share your culture with the world, and remember to use a little humour to lighten the load. From our house to yours, Blessings and Merry Christmas. Oh yeah, and at our house, well put a little something special under the tree for the dog
Jane Paul Parent Education Coordinator with help from Dogproblems.com/Browning Direct, Inc.

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Parenting Page
Managing Christmas
With the hustle and bustle of Christmas just around the corner, we often find ourselves in a whirlwind of chaos. This busy season can wear on us all and take the fun out of the season. Here are some tips to help you use the festive season as a learning arena and build memories for you and your family. *sing Christmas songsthe rhythm and rhyme of the songs you sing make brain connections for reading. *count the Christmas balls as you put them on the tree. The one to one counting is a fundamental stepping stone to addition. *talk about the decorations that are up high or down low, the presents under the tree. Children need to have a rich vocabulary of concept words to be able to develop a good understanding of the stories being read to them. *make cookies with your children. Reading recipes and measuring ingredients is a great way to teach that we read for information and starts to develop the understanding and words of measurement needed for later math. Besides its fun to bake a Christmas treat as a gift.

Use this festive season as a learning tool and build memories for you and your family.

*assist your child as they cut the wrapping paper and wrap the special gift. *use an advent calendar to count the days until Christmas and begin the concept of the days of the week. This is an excellent way to start the idea of time. How many more sleeps until Christmas! Take a few minutes every day to read to your child. Reading aloud is a time for you and your child to relax and be together at the end of the day and it helps your child become a reader. *most important, doing the above as a family builds relationships and memories that will last a lifetime. Its that time you take with your child now that will be your reward in their future. It wont be the gifts they received each year that they remember but the tradition and time with you as the parent that will be their memory of the season. adapted from Hastings & Prince Edward County newsletter Dark Rain Forest Bark Pack a batch of this irresistible stuff into a fancy

dollar store tin, attach a ribbon and youve made a gift everyone can enjoy. If nuts are a problem, substitute an equal quantity of a mixture of raisins, dried cranberries and chopped dried apricots. 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped 1 tablespoon shortening 2 cups mixed unsalted macadamia nuts, cashews and coarsely chopped Brazil nuts Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or waxed paper. In a saucepan set over a pan of simmering water, melt the chocolate with the shortening, stirring until smooth. Let your child stir in the nuts, then pour the mixture onto the cookie sheet. With a spatula pat the mixture so the nuts are in a single, even layernot piled up in lumps. Refrigerate until the chocolate hardens. Carefully pry the bark off the paper, then break into chunky pieces and pack into tins. Variation: this can be made with milk chocolate or white chocolate instead of semi-sweet chocolate

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Songs, fingerplays and crafts

Submitted by Issie Mullen

Wreath Ornament Tree Materials: one green pipe cleaner, 15 red beads or pom poms with holes in them Directions: Thread beads or pom poms onto pipe cleaners. Once completed join the two ends of the pipe cleaner together and tie a bow at the top. Egg Carton Christmas Bells Make a Christmas bell by cutting an egg carton , you will get 12 bells. Cover each bell shape with aluminum foil. Use yarn threaded on a large needle, insert through the bottom of the bell, then insert through the top and cut the yarn and tie it off. The knot should be on the inside. Give the children some Christmas stickers to stick onto their bells.

Egg cartons are a great resource for crafts.

Santas Reindeer One little, two little, three little reindeer, Four little, five little, six little reindeer, Seven little, eight little, nine little reindeer, Pulling Santas Sleigh!

Down The Chimney Santa Comes (Sung To: Mary Had a Little Lamb) Guess whose beard is long and white, long and white, long and white Guess whose beard is long and white? Dear old Santa Claus. Guess whose suit is red and white, red and white, red and white. Guess whose Suit is red and white? Dear old Santa Claus. Guess who comes on Christmas Eve, Christmas Eve, Christmas Eve Guess who comes on Christmas Eve? Dear old Santa Claus. Down the chimney Santa comes, Santa comes, Santa comes. Down the chimney Santa comes, Dear old Santa Claus.

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Playgroups
Please Note: Playgroups close on December 20 for Christmas break. Playgroups start on January 6, 2014.
Day
Monday Monday Monday Monday Tuesday Tuesday Tuesday Tuesday Tuesday Wednesday Wednesday Wednesday Wednesday Wednesday Wednesday Thursday Thursday Thursday Thursday Thursday Friday

Location
Almonte - Holy Name of Mary School Carleton PlaceCarambeck Community Centre Smith Falls - Duncan J. Schoular School PerthDance Studio Almonte - Naismith School Almonte - Holy Name of Mary School evening Carleton Place - Arena, 75 Neelin Street Montague Rosedale Hall Smith Falls - OEYC Almonte - Holy Name of Mary School Carleton Place - Carambeck Community Centre LanarkMaple Grove School PerthPerth Library Smiths Falls - Trinity United Church Smiths FallsOEYC Almonte - Naismith School Carleton Place - Arena LanarkMaple Grove Perth - Perth Library Smiths Falls - Trinity United Church Smiths Falls - OEYC

Time
9:00 am2:30pm 10:0011:30 am 10:0011:30 am 9:3011:30 am 9:00 am -noon 67:30 pm 10:00 - 11:30 am 9:30 - 11:30 am 9:00-12:00 noon 9:00 am2:30pm 10:00 - 11:30 am 9:3011:30 am 10:0011:30 am 9:30 - noon 9noon 9:00 am2:30pm 10:00 - 11:30 am 9:3011:30 am 10:00 - 11:30 am 9:30 - noon 9:0011:00 am

Staff
Linda Issie Andrea Cindy Linda Linda Issie Andrea Lori Linda Issie Andrea Cindy Lori Parent run Linda Issie Andrea Cindy Lori Parent Run

Dates
December 2, 9, 16 December 2, 9, 16 December 2, 9, 16 December 2, 9, 16 December 3, 10, 17 December 3, 10, 17 December 3, 10, 17 December 3, 10, 17 December 3, 10, 17 December 4, 11, 18 December 4, 11, 18 December 4, 11, 18 December 4, 11, 18 December 4, 11, 18 December 4, 11, 18 December 5, 12, 19 December 5, 12, 19 December 5, 12, 19 December 5, 12, 19 December 5, 12, 19 December 6, 13, 20

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Workshops
WorkshopPre-registration is necessary call OEYC ext 300
Positive Parenting Christmas Make and Take

Date

Time

Location

December 2 December 5

6:30-8:30 pm 67 pm

Carleton Place Childcare Services Maple Grove School, Lanark

Please Note: Playgroups close on December 20 for Christmas break. Playgroups start on January 6, 2014.

Staff Directory
Ontario Early Years Centre
Diane Bennett, Executive Assistant Kathy Boelsma, Early Literacy Specialist Emily Cassell, Data Analysis Coordinator Sue Cavanagh, Executive Director Linda Cybulski, Playgroup Facilitator Jan Forsythe, Finance Manager Cindy Goodfellow, Playgroup Facilitator Janet Wheeler Lackey, Resource Linda Lalonde, Reception/Office Manager Issie Mullen, Playgroup Facilitator Jane Paul, Parent Education Coordinator Andrea Snyder, Playgroup Facilitator Lori Wintle, Playgroup Facilitator

Ext
313 312 316 303 304 302 307 311 300 311 305 318 310

Licensed Home Child Care

Kelli Cassidy, Director Sherry Harder, Accounting & Admin Support Janice LePage, Home Visitor

Ext
309 301 306

Lanark County Child Care Programs Licensed Home Child Care offers home based care throughout Lanark County for children 6 weeks - 12 years. Caregivers Needed We are currently taking applications throughout Lanark County. Contact us for more information http://
www.crowoeyc.com/childcare/providerpage.html

Childrens Resources on Wheels (CROW) 91 Cornelia Street West, Smiths Falls, ON K7A 5L3 Phone 613-283-0095 or 1-800-267-9252 Fax 613-283-3324 Website www.crowoeyc.com