Please look on the Burnaby (SD41) StrongStart website to find a StrongStart near you.

LEAF MATH

There are many lovely places to visit and enjoy the autumn foliage. I know we have all enjoyed the crisp sunny days, and all the stomping and crunching on what nature has placed at our feet. I thought it might be fun to share some leaf activities before the temperatures dip and shift our attention to frost and ice. Brrrrr!

Leaf Hunt: Go outside and collect leaves, see if you can name the trees that they fell from.

Leaf Math: With the leaves that were collected, sort and count. Sort leaves by shape. Group same colored leaves together, then sort by size. If your child is ready to understand patterns, then mix the leaves up and begin to place the leaves in a pattern.

Leaf Rubbings: Place leaves under a white piece of paper, rub a crayon or soft chalk pastel over top to reveal the leaves.

Leaf Finger Print Painting: This is a personal favorite! I would carefully draw the trunk and branches of a tree and then put some orange, red, and yellow colored paint on a plate. Let the child dip their finger in the paint to create the tree’s foliage. Mixing the paint colors is encouraged!

There is so much to do with a simple leaf, and they don’t cost a penny!

If you are looking for a great book about leaves, this one is sure to please. A book that celebrates the natural world. Don’t forget to make your own Leaf Man.

Leaf Man by: Lois Ehlert

If you would like to receive a call from me to connect and discuss how to register your child for StrongStart at one of the many centers in Burnaby, please email me at wendy.linnington@burnabyschools.ca.

Take good care!

StrongStart Information Letter & DHC 2020

DEAR WINDSOR DROP-IN FAMILIES,

StrongStart programs are prepared to welcome you back once again while following a carefully planned set of protocols during the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Please register with the StrongStart program closest to your place of residence. Windsor Family Drop-In is not offering ‘drop-in’ at this time.

Please carefully read the info provided and register online.

Burnaby StrongStart Centres
Burnaby StrongStart Centres are looking forward to welcoming you back in person as early as
October 26, 2020. Although we have been engaging with many families via emails, phone calls,
Blogs, and Zoom it will be wonderful to see you face to face.
Burnaby StrongStart Centres will offer a blended model that will include 3 days a week of inperson programming at StrongStart centres, 1 day a week of outdoor exploration at local parks
or on school grounds, and 1 day a week of virtual outreach to stay connected to families who
aren’t quite ready to visit us in person. Schedules will vary at StrongStart locations and not all
centres will be open for in-person programming.
In-person visits will be limited to four families per day (1 parent/guardian per 3 children
maximum) in order to maintain safe physical distancing. Outdoor explorations will be limited to
ten families per day (1 parent/guardian per 3 children maximum) to maintain safe physical
distancing. All in-person programs will run from 9:30am to 11:00am to accommodate cleaning
and disinfecting protocols.
There is no drop-in StrongStart. All families (new and returning) must register online for the
2020-21 year. The total number of registered families will determine the number of times per
month families can attend an in-person StrongStart program. Burnaby StrongStart programs are
available to Burnaby residents only. Families can attend at one location only.
Registration for StrongStart is now open!
How do I register?
 All new and returning families must register online for the 2020-2021 year.
 Please register for the StrongStart Centre closest to you home.
 Click this link https://registration.sd41.bc.ca/Forms/strongstartregistration, fill out the
registration form and submit.
 Once your registration form is processed, a StrongStart Educator will contact you to
schedule your visits (all visits need to be scheduled this year). Please allow time for your
registration to be processed.

Please CLICK the link above for additional information.

Video of Ms. Wendy singing some favorite fall tunes! Click here!

Hello Families. I took this photo while driving around Stanley Park this morning. The image of a lonely park bench, memories held in the bunch of flowers resting there amidst the unstoppable season of change impacted me deeply.

I have experienced some changes recently and I am excited to share with you that I am in a temporary position at Windsor School as a Youth Connect Worker. I continue to provide outreach for the Family Drop-In while we are still unable to invite families into our school.

I am thrilled to be in the school and working with the school community. Last week I spoke with school children on the playground who told me that their younger siblings are “bored” at home and that they want to come to Family Drop-In. Sometimes I run into parents who tell me that they miss the Drop-In program terribly.  Really what I think we all miss is seeing each other and sharing happy moments.  As we continue to look forward to the changes that will allow in person Drop-In programs to resume, I hope to stay in touch.

I miss HUGS. I miss seeing children’s faces when they receive hugs from their friends. There are a lot of people who are missing hugs from their loved ones. I tell my children that when they have a problem they need to focus on what they CAN do.  This short animated video is about friends who can’t hug. In this video the friends find creative ways to show they care.

* Contains written words that will need to be read out loud to pre-readers.

Hello Families! I hope your summer was filled with good health and happiness. It was a lovely summer filled with sunshine, until the skies filled with smoke from forest fires. Looking outside today I am so much more appreciative of the blue sky and fluffy clouds. There are some things that people can’t imagine life without, for me that would be color. One of my favorite moments this summer was when one of the Family Drop-In moms asked me to help with the flower arc arrangement for a wedding. Working against the blue sky, fresh flowers and greenery was delightful.

I would love to hear how your summer went, if you would like to contact me leave me a message in the comment section below. I hope to hear from you soon!

I was so grateful for the chance to see so many happy, healthy faces at our gathering yesterday! I know you enjoyed it too, because many of you asked if
we could meet up on a regular basis throughout the summer. I will likely be busy driving my teenagers from one thing to another during the week, so you may not see me, but you have each other. So here is the plan!  There is an open invitation to meet-up at 10:30am on Monday mornings near the playground at Rene Park. BYO picnic, towels, chalk, bubbles etc or just come. There is a Tim Hortons around the corner, if you like to grab and go.

Have a great summer everyone!

Ms. Wendy

Hi All.

Anita is the community consultant that frequented our Center this past year. Anita has many wonderful resources to share. Don’t hesitate to contact her, no question is too small and she is just lovely to talk to!

The Daily Resource letter she mentions is full of playful ideas to help you bring extra fun to your child’s summer.

Enjoy!

Anita Olson works for Family Services of Greater Vancouver as Burnaby’s Early Childhood Community Consultant (ECCC). She has been working with families and young children for well over a decade and as a parent herself recognizes the challenges, complexity and delight parenting brings. Understanding the foundational importance of infant and early childhood development, Anita shares information, strategies and practical tools with parents as they begin and continue their parental journey. Focusing on the parent/caregiver and child relationship, Anita’s work with families aims to create and preserve loving connection and curiosity.

If you are looking for parenting support: email your questions or join the daily Resource Newsletter  aolson@fsgv.ca

set up a virtual meeting

phone/text Anita at 604-723-9548

Anita Olson (she/her) ECE, BA, MEd

Early Childhood Community Consultant

T 604 525 9144

M 604 723 9548

3^rd Floor – 321 Sixth Street, New Westminster BC V3L 3A7

www.fsgv.ca

I have to say that it feels a bit weird to be writing you a goodbye letter. I suppose I should know by now to expect the unexpected and that every joyful moment is truly a gift. So although we have not had the year together at Drop-In like we expected, I do remember you and your little ones with fondness. You know all those photo’s I took and never developed?  I can send you a photo of your child at Drop-In so that you can have a reminder of our good times together too. Please reach me at my staff email listed on the Windsor School Website under ‘staff’ contacts.

The weather looks fine for a *BYO picnic.  The Drop-In program is officially closed for the summer but if you feel comfortable with a physically distanced gathering I will be at Rene Memorial Park, 6961 Sperling ave. tomorrow at 11:30am (Monday June 22). I will be bringing sidewalk chalk and bubbles. I have sent invitations through email and via Zoom. We will not be sharing food so please bring your own snack.

*Bring Your Own.

PLEASE NOTE. The Spray Pad is OPEN at Rene Memorial Park, so if you want to allow your child to play in the water, please bring them extra cloths or bathing suit, and a towel.

Have a Great Summer and I hope to see you in September!