Written by Kathy Eugster, MA
Written by Lorrie Holmes – story originally published in BC Parent!
We have recently spoken with three child development experts who all agree that children learn best through play. Beginning with renowned counsellor, scientist and storyteller, Dr. Deborah MacNamara, along with early childhood education college instructors, Candiss Brown and Nika Jibrael – according to all three, play is where it all begins.
BC PARENT: Why is play so important to the development of young children?
DR. MACNAMARA: The research on the science of play finds there are three key areas it serves when it comes to a child’s development. Play is central to overall brain integration, with motor and sensory systems networking with language and emotional centres. In play, a child’s sense of agency is enhanced as they explore and make sense of their world, developing as a separate self in the process. The discovery of personal preferences, wants, wishes and desires is based upon this type of examination of the world, up close and personal.
The first thing that struck me when I entered through the front doors of Asland Academy in Vancouver West, was the combination of warmth and organization. The structure of an early learning academy was definitely there though it was offered in a way that was inviting to the children, and myself. When I was first introduced to this Reggio-inspired preschool academy, I was quite surprised to learn that it was run out of a home – especially after having a conversation with School Manager, Natalie Qiu, who was very professional when sharing their philosophy and curriculum. In fact, I was so intrigued that I decided to go pay her a visit in person.
Approaching the front door, I was greeted by a cute little lion and asked Natalie about it. She asked me if I had ever read The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe. I noticed the twinkle in Natalie’s eye as she patiently waited for my reply. Of course, Aslan The Lion! Natalie smiled and nodded. “That’s right”, she added.
by Lorrie Holmes
GIVE AN INJURED, SICK OR ORPHANED MARINE MAMMAL A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE THIS VALENTINE’S DAY WITH A SYMBOLIC ADOPTION.
I had so much fun creating this story for BC Parent Newsmagazine and am happy to share it with all of you here at Kids News & Reviews. Be sure to also check out our past story about the Vancouver Aquarium written by one of our Kids Who Write!
Internationally renowned for it’s groundbreaking stranded marine mammal medical program, the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society (VAMMR) responds to over 300 marine mammal emergencies annually and runs Canada’s only dedicated marine mammal hospital facility. Over the 60 years in operation, VAMMR has successfully rescued and rehabilitated over 3000 marine mammals.
Are you looking for a fun playlist of songs to use in your classroom this Valentine’s Day? I am so excited to introduce you a very special two-part song that I used in my own classes. One version of this song starts with babies and the second part grows into the concepts for toddlers and preschoolers to practice. Next, I’ve included a list of five song recommendations that I used time and again in my own music classes.
So many kids get lice in January and it has nothing to do with their hair type, colour, gender or household income – it happens just after certain times of year when they gather in larger groups – like during the holidays.
Dawn Mucci, Founder of Lice Squad
The fact is that head lice are an incredibly common affliction, and no-one is immune! Lice can happen to anyone at any time regardless of hair type, hair colour, gender or household income. Lice are common in schools, in daycares, in camps – pretty well anywhere kids (or adults) gather.
SOME FACTS ABOUT HEAD LICE!
A day in the life of a little Sapling is one filled with joy, connection, and so much imagination.
Written by Shannon Emery, Forest Educator
HEADING OFF FOR SOME OUTDOOR DRAMATIC PLAY!
We head off to the forest for a day of dramatic play with our packs loaded up with snacks, water bottles, and extra gear. The supplies we bring with us depend on our group and the current interests and inquiries that weave their way throughout our outdoor play time together. Sometimes it’s our magnifying glasses and clipboards so we can observe and document our findings, other times it’s a mud kitchen set to create a myriad of delicious pies, cakes, and soups. Whatever we bring with us, it’s minimal. After ample time exploring the forest with the same group of 3-5 year olds, there is little reliance on non-natural materials. The relationship they’ve built with the natural world is a thing of magic, and their play is inspired as much by their lived experiences as the forest landscape around them. In a world where we are conditioned to think more is best and consumerism has arguably reached an all time high, nature reminds us that we don’t need all that extra ‘stuff’ to keep us happy and content. The more time we spend outside with our group of Saplings, the more we see this to ring true. In the forest, a bucket of pinecones, leaves, and some mud transforms into a delicious batch of cupcakes. A long stick becomes a magic wand, ready to grant wishes and turn our friends into mystical creatures. An open space between trees is a house, a castle, or a secret hideaway. A low hanging branch is the perfect hiding spot when trying to surprise your friends. The list goes on, and on.
Never before has it been as evident, the relationship between food and connection to our loved ones. Not until digesting each page of the book Nourished by Dr. Deborah MacNamara, Counsellor, Scientist, Storyteller, Teacher, Guide, and Mother. Your can order this book with my affiliate link here!
Dr. MacNamara has given us such a beautiful gift this holiday season which is not only the understanding that relationship and attachment are the most important fundamental needs we all have – even above food – but also, that once we understand this, as caretakers, we can give ourselves permission to relax a little bit about nourishing our children with food and focus more on nourishing them through our love.
Hi, my name is Andrea and I am a teen author creating stories for preschool kids inspired by my love for my little sister.
When I was three years old, my parents signed me up for dance classes, ballet to be exact, and I just loved it. The little pink leotard and tutu were everything to me and wearing them made me feel like a true ballerina. Ever since then, dance became my passion and all I wanted to do was dance, because from a young age, I knew dance was my happy place. Into my teen years, I also know dance to be my safe place, as everything feels just right when I dance.
Training competitively since the age of 5, and performing at numerous regional, national, and international competitions, as well as being part of professional performances, such as “The Nutcracker” by the Toronto International Ballet Theatre and “Inhale” By NLC Dance Company, to name a few, made me want to expand my reach and try dancing on camera. This is when I collaborated with Merey Ismailova to choreograph a beautiful ballet piece and worked with Kareem Byfield from Chemistry Dance Completion as the DOP and Ricardo Araújo from To Photography as the photographer, to capture it on camera. I included my little sister Gabriela, known as Gabi, as a way to enhance the story, where she finds a doll at the beach and it transforms into a beautiful ballerina (me) in her imagination, and share my love for the arts with her. She absolutely loved it and kept asking when we can do it again. This is when I came up with the idea to make this into a mini series of short dance films, also to give other dancers an opportunity to showcase their talent and gain on camera experience, as a step towards their professional goals. The main objective of this self-produced mini web series is to inspire the audience (targeted at little children and teens alike) to pursue dance and the art of movement and encourage them to dream big and have the confidence that anything is possible, starting with their imagination and beyond.
“Little Girl, Big Imagination” dance film series launched in 2022 with 3 episodes and is about exploring and enjoying the world around us in an artistic and creative way. It is about noticing the little things and giving them an entire life of their own in a little girl’s head. Episode 4 in now in post-production with Ricardo Araújo as the DOP and episode 5 is in being planned.
From these short dance films, and my mom asking me to read with my little sister Gabi over the summer, came the idea to transform these little stories and concepts into Childrens Books. We had these beautiful pictures by Ricardo already, and as I was looking at them, and rewatching the short dance films, the story came to me easily. What took some time was to make it simple enough for Gabi to be able to read and I thought that if she saw and read the same word or words over and over, she kind of memorizes it and can then easily recognize it on another page. So with my mom and I, we reworked it a bit to repeat a few key words throughout the book to make it into an early literacy tool for young pre-school kids like my sister, and those going into grade 1-2 or so. Not going to lie, the final editing and formatting, the cover and putting it on Amazon and Barnes & Noble and Google Books – all that was mom. I just remember the feeling of happiness and pride when we got our first proof, that this is something the three of us kind of worked on, my little sister Gabi being the instigator (all of this to help her read), and my mom taking my story and doing the hard work of formatting the book and publishing it – this feels so amazing and I am so proud of us. We’ve even added the key words at the beginning and at the end of the book to kind of prepare the kids for an easier and more enjoyable reading, then wrap it up at the end that yes, they can indeed read those words on their own. It seems to work on my little sister 😊
My goal now is to share this with as many young readers as possible, hoping to contribute to their learning and making their reading experience enjoyable and fun. I also hope they can relate to the real pictures of my sister and I in the first book and maybe even ask their parents to take them to dance class where they can find their happy and safe place as well.
As I start high school, I plan to convert the remaining short films into children’s books as well, for a total of 5 books/episodes in grade 9, and who knows, maybe more in the future. I am also thinking of translating these into French, to reach a wider audience all throughout Canada, but this is probably a project the summer before grade 10.
Thank you for reading my story and helping to spread the word about my ‘”Little Girl, Big Imagination” project.
The links to where the buy the books in paperback, hardcover or EBook formats is on my website https://www.andreamatei.com/author
Short films are available for free on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@littlegirlbigimagination
The first book is self-published and available on E-Book, Paperback and Hardcopy formats as follows:Amazon: E-Book & PaperbackBarnes & Noble: E-Book & PaperbackLulu: HardcoverKobo & GoogleBooks – Ebook (Applebooks in progress) All links can be found at www.andreamatei.com/author
I ALSO HAVE A NEW CHRISTMAS STORY OUT!
“Little Girl, Big Imagination: By the Tree” is meant to transport young readers to a world filled with holiday wonder, where they can journey alongside the young protagonist as she embarks on a magical adventure, by the Christmas Tree. The story emphasizes the power of imagination, the joy of giving, and the true spirit of the holiday season.
Visit my website at andreamatei.com to order my books and watch my films!
