The Childrens Place, Author at The Children's Place

Parenting in Ottawa is a resource for parents created by Ottawa Public Health and its community partners. It was designed to make parenting in Ottawa a little bit easier. Browse their website to find information written by local health experts.

“In The Eyes of a Graduate” One of my many proudest accomplishments of my life was earning my college diploma in Early Childhood Education (ECE).  A couple of years ago when my supervisor approached me to ask if I would be interested in taking the apprenticeship program, I wasn’t too sure. But after thinking about it, I am very happy with my decision. At first, I didn’t know what to expect or what I was getting myself into. I had been out of school for some time, and I wasn’t too sure how I would do or if I would…

What kind of car seat should my child be in? Here is a helpful chart to indicate the stages and ages of car seats 😊 Age-Group Type of Seat General Guidelines Infants/Toddlers Rear-facing All infants and toddlers should ride in rear-facing seat until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their car safety seat manufacturer. Toddler/Preschool Forward facing (convertible/harness) This seat should be a 5-point harness and your child should be at least 2 years of age before they are in a forward-facing car seat. School-aged Children Booster Your child can move to a booster seat when they…

Winter doesn’t have to be a bad word when it comes to getting outdoors for some much-needed play time with your children. Some fun activities for cold weather are ice skating, ice fishing, sledding, and skiing/snowboarding. At TCP we love the winter weather! There are many things we do at the daycare to make winter enjoyable. Some of our favourite things are making snowmen, snow shoeing, sledding and of course having hot chocolate! Every year at Kanata the school age children can climb and slide down ‘the big hill’ that gets snowplowed at the back of the 312-parking lot. At…

Every winter, as the temperatures drop, so does the amount of time people spend outdoors. This can be especially true for children where playtime can become limited to the indoors. Well, you may be tempted to hide inside until spring, but remember, outside play is essential for you and your children’s health and over all well-being. Some of the top reasons why we should all get our children outdoors and how to be active this winter! 1. It’s good for them Physical activity is essential to our children’s growth and development. Getting outside is the best way to get moving!…

Reading is an important skill for all. This can start early and here are some fun tips and tricks to have your children enjoying early literacy. Let kids pick out their own books Motivation for reading starts by book choice for young readers. Let your children pick out the books that catch their eyes in the bookstore or library. 2. Set goals and reward reading You can reward reading with more reading, getting the next book in your child’s favorite series can be a great motivator to get through one book. You can also intrigue them with a little treat…

Spooky season is upon us! Here are some tips and tricks to keep everyone safe this Halloween. To prepare for trick-or-treaters: Clean up. Put away tripping hazards, such as garden hoses, toys, and bikes. Clear wet leaves, snow, or other debris from the sidewalk. Turn the porch lights on. Replace burned-out bulbs to ensure visibility at the walkway and front door. Control your pets. Take no chances that your pet might be frightened and chase or bite a child at your door. Consider sugar substitutes. Instead of handing out sweets, try stickers, fun pencils, rubber insects or colored chalk. To prepare your children for…