Month: May 2020

As the weather warms up, one activity that can be fun to do is soapy water play.  Water and soap play is always a hit for the children of all ages.  Please keep in mind the importance of supervising children and to reminding them about safety rules when playing with bubbles.

Get out your large size buckets, household cleaning brush, old toothbrush, or sponge, some water and soap, and something for children to wash.   It can be as simple as washing dolls, plastic toy car, or even the patio and backyard fence.  For extra bubbly fun, whip up the soapy solution with hand blender.

Last but not least, make some bubble solutions for children to make some cool bubble experiments.  My go-to recipe is using equal part Dawn® dishwashing liquid (blue) and water, to make my fail-proof bubble solutions. However, there are many other great bubble recipes out there that you can experiment with as well.   Bring out bubble wands or make your own bubble wands using craft pipe cleaner, straws, or wire hangers.   And you will have hours of fun with bubbles with your families.

Singing songs and reciting rhymes is one of my favourite activities to do with children of all ages.  It can be done anywhere and anytime.  From singing birthday songs, to singing lullabies to put your child to sleep, there are many opportunities to sing to children.  All it requires is your voice.  It is free and fun!

Children love to listen to their parents’ voice, especially parents’ singing.  Best part is, you do not have to be a professional singer to entertain your children.  All you need is to start with repertoire of a few simple songs that your child responds to, and sing these songs regularly.

It can be favourite childhood rhymes, or new songs that you make upIf you only know the tune to some songs, consider humming the tune or clapping/tapping the beats to favourite songs.   Make up your own songs and be creative.

Singing songs and rhymes is a wonderful way to interact, sooth, and play with your children.  Regardless of how well you sing, your voice is your child’s favourite voice.  Happy singing.

Many families are making daily walks as part of their family routine.  Walks are great way for families to connect with nature and get some physical activities.

While walking is fun by itself, it might be fun to add some activities to daily walks.

1. Play a game of I-Spy and look for particular objects on walks. Encourage children to look for certain colours, alphabets or numbers that they can find during walks.  See who can spot the most squirrels, raccoons or butterfly while on walks.
2. Encourage children to do some bird watching or listening to the beautiful music birds made. Learn about the types of birds that are in our neighbourhood and the characteristics of the birds.
3. Go for scavenger hunt and find some nature materials available on our walks. From flowers to pine cones, sticks and stones, there are many beautiful materials to collect while on walks.
4. Encourage children to use camera to take toy or actual camera, binocular or magnifying glass for walks, so children can take photos or use their magnifying glasses to closely examine the nature while on walks.
5. Incorporate different moves during walks, such as interval skipping, hopping, running. Encourage children to come up with different moves they can do while going on walks.

Cooking for families can be more challenging than ever during uncertain times.  But it is also a great opportunities to everyone to venture out and try new recipes and cooking techniques.

Cooking together can be a great way to connect with each other. Families can explore the different culture and food through finding simple and healthy recipes, shopping for the ingredients, preparing the food, and eating the delicious creation together.

Children learn about healthy eating, science, and even math in the kitchen.  They are more likely to try the different food if they helped to make it.  More importantly, by preparing the food yourselves, you can select the quality of ingredients in your recipes.

Cooking together with children can be fun and interactive with a little bit of planning and preparation.  Embrace this challenge and enjoy the process learning to cook new and healthy food together.  Remember that food prepared by you always taste better because it has a special ingredient: your love.

Today’s families face more uncertainties in all aspects than any previous generations.  Parenting and navigating in today’s complex and uncertain world can be challenging, thus causing stress and anxiety for families.

However, there are ways to cope with the pressures and for families to thrive in times of uncertainties. This can be great opportunity to learn about ourselves and family, redefine who we are, grow as a family, and develop stronger bonds with each other.  Take the time to learn new skills, explore new ventures, learn valuable life lessons, re-examine one’s priorities, and pursue dreams.

Let us face the future of uncertainties with open heart, open mind, creativity, and flexibility.   Remember that changes often happen for a reason and it often helps us grow and change for the better.  Combined with hard work and faith, use the endless possibilities of uncertainties to create a whole new story for our families and to grow in ways we never imagine.

See below for a list of virtual programs, compiled by ECD Table.  There are great resources for families.

FREE Virtual Programs Spring 2020 Master Burnaby

While digital correspondence, such as electronic mails or texts, are convenient and fast, there is something special about receiving a handwritten note or drawings from friends and family that brings me feeling joy and nostalgia.

Unlike email, writing letters are physical evidence that someone cares about you.  It allows communication with more than just preset fonts on computer screen.  From handwritten letter to handmade cards, or photographs and children’s drawing, these mailed memorabilia are something that are worth keeping and treasured for years to come.

The personal touch of letter can bring people closer together than an electronic mail or e-card can.  Letter writing requires extra thoughts, time, and effort and hence makes it more meaningful for both the sender and receiver.  It can strengthen family ties, especially for extended families and friends in home country, who might not be computer savvy or do not have access to internet.

Moreover, there is something special about sending and receiving mail for children. It gives children a sense of importance to be receiving mail addressed to them.  It also teaches children the importance of being patience and what it means to take extra effort to make the connection.

To introduce children to the art of writing and mailing letters, I made a cardboard mailbox, with opening at back for children to open and take out mails.  I also provided children with stickers for stamps, envelopes, papers, and markers.  Encourage other family members or friends to write to start writing to children and corresponding with each other as another form of communication.

During this challenging times, where social distance is required, what better way to send our love than sending message of love and kindness through writing and sending letters.