Changing from Curriculum-based to Play-based Ontario Kindergartens
Written by Melissa – Parent and Early Childhood Educator Do you remember your Kindergarten days as a kid? Did you know that over the past few years Ontario schools have transitioned to more dominantly play-based programs rather than curriculum-based education? It’s not the kindergarten you remember. The change started in 2010 when the Ontario Ministry […]
Our Kids Need Art!
Written by Jessie Curell Imagine this scene for a minute: Your child has a marker, crayon, or paintbrush in their hand, and they are scribbling or colouring a likely unrecognizable shape or figure in a notebook or on a canvas. They are enjoying themselves and are engaged with the new imaginative world they’re creating. They […]
Brain Development in Your Child’s Early Years
Did you know that from the time your child is born until age five, their brain develops more than any other time in life? So much so, in fact, that by the time your child reaches kindergarten, 90% of your child’s brain is already developed. Compare this to how our bodies grow: at birth, we […]
The Importance of Science In the Early Years
Children are natural born scientists. To nurture this type of learning in children, allow them to explore their environment safely and freely and with plenty of time. Children have this fascinating sense of wonder and curiosity about the world. They build theories, test them, evaluate what worked and what didn’t, then figure out why. They […]
The Importance of Math Before Kindergarten
When I founded CEFA Early Learning schools and designed the curriculum more than 25 years ago, I was very clear that children wouldn’t be learning things just for the sake of knowing them. For example, being able to name every type of dinosaur that ever roamed the earth, or distinguish which ones were carnivores and […]
5 Tips to help your baby learn at home
Even when spending the whole day with your child at home, hours seem short and finding the time to help your child learn new things can sometimes be tricky. The good news is, young children are constantly learning from their environment, whether we facilitate it or not. We don’t consider many of our daily tasks […]
10 Ways to help your child be an excellent reader
Reading is one of the most important habits to instill in a child. It will increase their vocabulary, which will directly improve their performance at school. Reading will also expand their knowledge in every other area and open their minds to so many possibilities! Because children mainly learn the technical phonetic combinations at school where […]
Does early education really promise a brighter future?
Most parents who send their children to an early learning program are very happy with their decision. Some say it is a great way for children to meet friends, some find it an essential step for them to learn to socialize. Some even notice that their children learn a great deal! But few of these […]