Fall 2009 / Winter 2010 - Best Start Brantford Brant

Fall 2009/Winter 2010
Also inside:
Kindergarten: Learning to Write
Steps & Stages: Raising Healthy Kids
Information,
news, tips, & ideas
for caregivers &
parents.
Brantford • Brant
www.ourbeststart4brant.ca Vol 2.2
A community magazine about doing
the best for our children and our future.
CHILD IMMUNIZATION
Should Your Child Get Needles?
FREE!
TAKE
ONE
HOLIDAY TRADITIONS
Create Meaningful and
Memorable Traditions
Pascal Report
An Overview of the Early
Learning Report for Ontario
BEHAVIOUR
Two Articles Address
Worry & Temperament
SIBLING & BABY
Preparing Your Child
for the Next Child
SPECIAL NEEDS
Supporting Children in
Licensed Child Care
FALL 2009 WINTER 2010 1
PLUS A DIRECTORY OF LICENSED CHILD CARE PROGRAMS

BEST START Greetings
Greetings from The Best Start Network
As the Chair of the Brant Best Start
Network it is my pleasure to bring
greetings from the Network and
update you on Early Years initiatives
since our last publication. Recently a
report by Dr. Charles Pascal, “With
our Best Future in Mind: Implementing
Early Learning in Ontario,” was released. Its
recommendations encompass a vision of an integrated
system for 0-12 year-olds with the child and family at
centre. The Network has provided feedback on this
report and the implementation of full day learning as
well as analyzed impacts within our community. To
this end we participated in a round table discussion
with the Minister of Children and Youth, Deb Matthews,
facilitated by Dave Levac MPP to discuss both
the report and the decrease in Best Start funding resulting
from the cancellation of the federal agreement. Of
paramount concern is the need to maintain what exists
and not to dismantle or erode the programs now available
to families.
It is the Network’s intent to continue advocating at
all levels of government that the Best Start Vision of
“bringing out the best in all of us” is a worthwhile pursuit.
As the Chair of the Best Start Network I can assure
you that we continue our unwavering commitment to
this vision as we work toward making Brantford/Brant
the very best place to raise a child.
As Director of Child Care Services
for the City of Brantford, I would like
to take this opportunity to recognize
and commend all the community
partners that have been part of the
Best Start Network over the past four
years. The success of this initiative
cannot be measured by the number of programs developed
in our community alone. The dedication and commitment
of our community partners working together
to create an integrated system of supports for early child
development and parenting must be recognized.
As we enter our fifth year, the Network has not
lost any momentum. We have, in fact, strengthened
our partnerships so we can continue to build the best
learning environment for families in our community. I
want to leave you with the Best Start Network’s Vision
that truly says it all.
Through coordination, collaboration and cooperation
an array of supports for children (prenatal to
six years of age) and their families will be provided.
Supports include a broader mandate for children aged
0-12 within the child care system. The array of supports
will be provided to ensure that all children will
have the opportunity to achieve success in school and
provide children with the opportunity to reach their
full potential.
Margaret J. Barr
Chair of the Best Start Network
Sue Norden
Director of Child Care Services,
City of Brantford

GREETINGS
contents
Greetings from Best Start
Letters from the Chair of the Best Start Network & the
Director of Child Care Services, City of Brantford
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT
2 The Pascal Report
A Summary of the Provincial Report
DEPARTMENTS
4 Health
Should your child get immunized?
6 Family
Create meaningful holiday traditions
7 Through The Ages
Learn about the different stages of development
7 - Prenatal 9 - Infants
11 - Toddlers 12 - Preschooler
14 - Kindergarten 16 - School Age
10 Best Start Online
Find local resources and info 24/7
17 Behaviour
17 - Worry 18 - Temperament
20 Resources: Community & Culture
Connect to local community, culture, and resources
20 - Stages & Steps 22 - Home Child Care
23 - Special Needs 24 - Child Care Directory
Cover Photo: Marilyn Nieves (mnieves) / iStockphoto Photo: Mark Eberth, Brantford Photographer / www.markephotography.com
Brantford • Brant
The Best in Our Children
The key goals are to care for the Children in
our community in their early years so that they
are ready to learn when they enter school and
thus able to be successful. To help every child
in Brant realize their potential, the community
will offer a variety of early learning and child
care services.
The Best in Our Families
Parents play the most important role in their
child’s life. Best Start is about supporting
parents and families to give them the best opportunity
for their child in the early years of
their life.
Best in Our Community
In Brantford and Brant County, our Community
partners are a dedicated part of an integrated
system of supports for early child development
and parenting. Best Start has strengthened our
partnerships and enhanced them so we can continue
to build the best learning environment for
families in our community.
Best Start Network
(519) 756-3150
www.ourbeststart4brant.ca
beststart@brantford.ca
FALL 2009 WINTER 2010 1

BEST START EDUCATION
The Pascal Report
“With Our Best Future In Mind”
In November 2007, the Premier of Ontario asked
Dr. Charles Pascal, Special Advisor on Early Learning,
to recommend the best way to implement full-day
learning for four and five year olds.
The report, “With Our Best Future In Mind,” was
released on June 15, 2009. It paints an exciting and
bold vision for early learning in Ontario. This report
provides the Provincial government with a comprehensive
plan of action regarding the implementation of the
early learning vision.
Due to the dedication of our community partners
through the Best Start Network, Brantford/Brant is
well positioned to set up a system that integrates with
the current child care structure and our Boards of
Education. Following is an excerpt from the Report’s
summary document.
Four Key Components of Early Learning
This new, comprehensive and transformational early
learning plan for Ontario begins by recommending
better use of the resources we have to create a system
of services for children and families from the prenatal
period to age 12, including the following items.
1. Full-Day Learning for 4- and 5-Year-Olds
Children who attend full-day early learning programs
have improved academic performance and social success
when they enter Grade 1. To help students succeed,
the plan recommends that:
• school boards offer full-day learning for 4- and
5-year-olds starting in September 2010, and that it
be available province-wide within three years;
• parents have a choice about their child’s
participation, including the option of full-day or
half-day attendance;
• fee-based programming (before and after traditional
school hours and during the summer holidays) be
offered at the request of 15 or more families;
• programs be staffed by well-trained teams of
teachers and early childhood educators working
with an established, consistent curriculum and
approach to learning.
The report recommends that the first phase of implementation
include lower-income neighbourhoods as
part of the government’s Poverty Reduction Strategy.
2. Before- and After-School and Summer Programs
for School-Age Children
Quality before- and after-school and summer programming
has been found to bolster academic success,
particularly for disadvantaged children. The report
recommends that new investments for full-day learning
and the consolidation and reorganization of existing
resources will allow schools to offer extended day
and year-round programs for school-age children (6 to
12 years old) at the request of 15 or more families.
Adequately staffed by appropriately trained school
board employees, these programs will offer homework
help and recreational and other activities to enhance
children’s physical, cognitive, social, and emotional
development.
To meet the needs of older students (9 to 12 years
old), school boards may contract with municipal recreation
programs or community agencies to provide
activities.
Programs operating before and after school and
in the summer would be funded by parent fees, and
subsidies for low-income families would be available.
Integrating early learning into a single program would
result in significant savings for parents compared with
the cost of traditional licensed child care for 4- to
12-year-olds.
2 FALL 2009 WINTER 2010

FEATURE BEST START
3. Quality Programs for Younger Children
To support children and families during the earliest
years of development, the report recommends that:
• the many existing child and family programs be
consolidated into a network of Best Start Child and
Family Centres under the systems management of
municipalities;
• the Centres be located in or partnered with schools,
and provide flexible full-day, full-year, and part-time
child care for children up to age 4 (supported by
parent fees and subsidies available for low-income
families);
• the Centres be a one-stop opportunity for preand
postnatal supports, parenting resources and
programs, playgroups, linkages to community
resources, help with early identification and
intervention for children with special needs, and
other early learning services.
Changes to child care fee subsidy eligibility will open
participation to more children.
4. Enhanced Parental Leave by 2020
Enabling parents to spend more time with their new baby
creates a strong foundation for the child and decreases the
need for expensive infant care. The report recommends
that an improved parental leave and benefits program be
established by 2020, and include:
• paid parental leave of 400 days after the birth or
adoption of a child;
• six weeks of leave designated exclusively for the father
or non-birthing parent;
• expanded coverage to include self-employed parents;
• flexibility for parents on work leave to return part-time;
• 10 days of legislated job-protected leave annually for
parents of children under 12.
The report is available at www.ontario.ca/earlylearning.
Article DETAILS
Submitted by: Sue Norden, Director of Child Care Services
for the City of Brantford, www.brantford.ca
Photo: (fatihhoca) / iStockphoto
FALL 2009 WINTER 2010 3

BEST START HEALTH
Immunize
Why Should Your Child Get Needles?
Photo: (geotrac) / iStockphoto
Children are precious. They
depend on their parents to
protect and keep them safe. As a
parent, one way you ensure that
your child stays healthy is to prevent
sickness before it occurs. One
of the best methods to protect
and keep your child safe against
dangerous diseases is to make sure
that your child gets the appropriate
needles as recommended in the
immunization schedule.
Vaccines work to protect infants,
children and adults from diseases
that can cause long-term health
problems or even death. It is true
that some diseases, such as polio,
no longer exist in Canada because
of vaccination. However, vaccine
preventable diseases may be brought
into Canada from people who travel
to or from countries where these
diseases still exist. For example, in
2001-2002 Alberta experienced a
mumps outbreak which originated
with an imported case of mumps
from Bolivia. The affected community
was under-immunized. At least
200 cases of mumps were reported!
Closer to home, as of May 2008,
Oxford County had 275 confirmed
cases of mumps. Children who are
not immunized are at a greater risk
of being exposed to germs and bacteria
that they are not able to fight.
If your child is not vaccinated and
is around someone who has one of
the vaccine preventable diseases, it
is more than likely that your child
will also get sick. Vaccines provide
protection and strengthen your
child’s immune system to produce
antibodies which are necessary to
fight diseases. As a result of vaccination,
your child will be given
a fighting chance against diseases
and illnesses.
Are Vaccines Safe?
Yes! Vaccines in Canada are very
safe. Vaccine safety is a serious matter.
Before any vaccine is approved
for use, it goes through rigorous
testing to make sure it’s safe and
effective. Vaccine side effects are
minor and temporary, such as,
redness, swelling and discomfort
where the needle was given. Your
child may also have a low-grade
fever. Serious side effects such as
allergic reactions can occur but are
extremely rare. It is far worse to let
your child get a vaccine preventable
disease than experience any vaccine
4 FALL 2009 WINTER 2010

Health BEST START
side effects. For example, when your
child gets the measles, mumps and
rubella (MMR) vaccine, it can cause
discomfort and swelling at the injection
site, fever, or mild skin rash.
But research shows that one in 200
children who get the mumps will
develop a brain disorder and others
may become deaf (Canadian Health
Services Research Foundation,
2006). Despite research indicating
that vaccination is one of the most
effective methods of medical intervention
in preventing disease, some
parents are still hesitant to immunize
their child. For more information
on the benefits of immunization,
contact your health professional or
your local health department.
Article DETAILS
Submitted by: Jo Anne Genua, Public
Health Nurse, Brant County Health
Unit, www.bchu.org
IMMUNIZATION SCHEDULE FOR CHILDREN
Diphtheria
Tetanus
Pertussis
Polio
Hib
PneumoConjugate
Measles
Mumps
Rubella
Men C-Conjugate
Varicella
Hepatitis B (2 or 3
dose schedule)
2 months • • • • • •
4 months • • • • • •
6 months • • • • • •
12 months • • • •
15 months • •
18 months • • • • • • • •
4-6 years • • • •
12 yrs/Grade 7 •
Grade 8 girls
14-16 years • • •
Every 10 years • •
Each autumn
Influenza
Human
Papillomavirus
(3 doses)
•
•
The Boys & Girls Club of
Brantford provides a safe,
supportive place where
children and youth can
experience new opportunities,
overcome barriers, build
positive relationships and
develop confidence and skills
for life.
Boys & Girls Club
of Brantford
(519) 752-2964
www.bgcbrant.ca FALL 2009 WINTER 2010 5

BEST START FAMILY
The Holidays
Creating Meaningful Family Traditions
tobogganing or cross country skiing.
Best of all there is no need to
worry about ants.
Photo: Brad Killer (killerb10) / iStockphoto
Do you have special traditions
that your family treasure and
value? Most families do and can
recite them vividly and with gusto.
Family traditions create good positive
feelings. Some are seasonal and
happen only during a special holiday,
but others are repeated throughout
the year. They’re more than routines,
which are ordinary and require little
or no emotion. Traditions are something
to be cherished and looked forward
to. Traditions are often handed
down from generation to generation,
but every family can create its own
traditions as well. This makes them
special and personal to the family.
There are lots of activities or
special events that your family can
do on a regular basis. You just have
to get started. If your children are
old enough to contribute ideas,
encourage their suggestions. When
everyone is involved in the planning,
you will all anticipate the
activities with enthusiasm. Following
are some ideas of things to do
with your family.
Family Outings: Family outings
provide a wonderful opportunity to
spend time together, explore community
services and learn something
new. Why not have a fall or winter
picnic? Take food that can easily
be handled with mittens and
don’t forget the warm drinks. You
can start your picnic with a walk,
Family Night: Designate one night
each week as family night. Many
families choose Friday night. There
are so many ideas that you can
include in your family night plans.
You may want to have a games night.
The entire family can choose what
games to play and what food to eat.
Let the answering machine get the
phone and enjoy an evening together.
Have a family slumber party, rent
movies, tuck under the covers and
enjoy each other’s company. Try a
‘No Hydro Night.’ Turn off all the
lights, use candles and flashlights,
play games or tell stories. Have a
formal dinner. Bring out the good
china, everyone can dress up and
enjoy an elegant evening. Each family
member can make something for
the dinner. Younger children may
want to get involved making placemats
or decorating name-tags while
others help with the cooking.
Family Crafts: Spend time together
making a family hand wreath. Mix
paint with a little dish soap. This
makes it easier to wash off. Make
hand prints on paper or bristle
board. Cut out the prints, glue on
the wreath and hang on the front
door. You may choose a quote to
include such as “We Welcome Our
continued on page 8
6 FALL 2009 WINTER 2010

THROUGH THE AGES BEST START
Prenatal
Preparing Siblings For a New Baby
A
new baby brings excitement
and joy to your family! Older
siblings, however, may not feel the
same excitement and joy that you
do. They may feel anxious, nervous
or jealous. Your challenge as a parent
is not to eliminate these feelings,
but to help your child understand
and deal with them.
Including your child in the
pregnancy and preparation for
the arrival helps them to feel your
excitement. Your child’s age will
determine the ways in which you
include them.
Children under the age of two
will not have much understanding
of what it means to have a brother
or sister. They will, however, feel
your excitement and be excited
too! At this age it is a good idea to
read some simple books that introduce
words such as: “new baby;”
“big sister;” or “big brother.” As
much as possible try to maintain
their normal schedule during your
pregnancy. After the baby arrives,
try to spend special time with the
older sibling every day. This will
probably mean you need to call in
reinforcements—grandmas, grandpas,
aunts, uncles or friends!
Preschool children, ages two
to four years may be very sensitive
to change and feel threatened
by the new arrival. Time
your announcement to the older
sibling carefully. Nine months is
continued on page 8
Photo: Julia Pivovarova (Julijah) / iStockphoto
FALL 2009 WINTER 2010 7

BEST START Through The Ages
Holidays continued from page 6
Guests With Open Hands.” You
can add additional decorations if
you wish and give as a special gift to
your children’s grandparents. They
are sure to love it!
Family Memories: Celebrate your
family and its history with a reflection
time. Bring out those old
photo albums from years gone by
and spend time looking at them
together. Children love to look at
their baby pictures. Why not create
a matching game with baby pictures
of extended family members
and their more recent photos? An
evening spent looking over family
photos of recent and past years will
help to remind everyone of their
own importance and place within
their family’s history.
Families today are diverse in so many
ways. What is important is building
traditions and practices that are
unique and personal to each and
every member that makes your family…
your family! Celebrate these
times together as they will become
the building blocks that will help
make your family strong.
Article DETAILS
Submitted by: The Ontario Early Years
Centre: Brant
www.eycbrant.ca/oeyc.htm
Prenatal continued from page 7
a long time to wait! Try waiting
until the preschooler starts to ask
about mommy’s tummy, but be
sure they hear the news from you
before they hear it from someone
else. Preschoolers need to know
that although babies are cute and
cuddly, they are not yet ready to
be a playmate. Babies take up a lot
of mom’s time and that can be difficult
for preschoolers to accept.
Prepare your preschooler for the
birth. They need to know that you
will be away for a few days, or that
people will be coming to the home
for the birth. Be sure to let them
know who will be caring for them
when you are busy with labour
and delivery.
Changes to your child’s routine,
such as toilet training, switching
from crib to bed, or switching rooms
should be done well ahead of the
baby’s arrival. Even with the best
preparation, you can still expect
children of this age to regress in
some areas after the baby’s arrival.
This is normal behaviour and is
usually your child’s way of making
sure he is still important and loved.
Lots of praise and encouragement
for appropriate behaviour goes a
long way. When people visit or
comment on the new baby remember
to include and pay attention to
your preschooler. This will remind
them that they are as special as the
new baby and do a lot to boost their
confidence in their new role as an
older sibling. Plan ahead, as much as
possible, to have activities for your
older children to be participating
in while you are occupied with the
baby. Special “feeding time” toys
may be just what you need to keep
everyone content and occupied
while you tend to the baby’s needs.
Children five and older will have
a better understanding of what is
happening in their family. They
will have lots of questions. Answer
them honestly and simply and in
language your child can understand.
Include your child in the
pregnancy and preparation. They
may love to come along to a doctor’s
appointment to hear the baby’s
heartbeat. Helping with the shopping
for diapers, and other baby
supplies makes the older sibling feel
included and important. Be sure
they know the plan for their care
at the birth. If possible, have the
older sibling be the first “visitor”
when the new baby arrives. When
you are home with the new baby,
try to include the older sibling in
the day-to-day care of the baby.
Follow the older child’s lead as to
how much involvement they want
to have. Most children don’t want
to have their play interrupted to
help with a diaper change. Try to
spend one-on-one time with your
school age child to remind them of
how special they are and how much
you love them.
With patience, preparation,
encouragement and time you will
have the joy of watching a sibling
relationship unfold before your
very eyes.
Article DETAILS
Submitted by: The Ontario Early
Years Centre: Brant
www.eycbrant.ca/oeyc.htm
8 FALL 2009 WINTER 2010

THROUGH THE AGES BEST START
Infants
Whoever Said Sleep Like a Baby?
You were used to getting a full
night’s sleep, but now you have
a newborn baby and long for those
nights when you could sleep for more
then a few hours at a time.
Most newborns sleep 16-18 hours
a day; however, only for 2-3 hours at
a time. Their ability to sleep through
the night and stay awake during the
day has not yet developed. It’s important
to let them sleep when they want
to instead of trying to force them into
a sleep pattern or schedule. In other
words, don’t expect to be getting a
full night sleep anytime soon!
A baby’s sleep cycles are shorter
than an adult’s, with more light than
deep sleep. They require more of this
light sleep to help with their rapid
brain development. Non-REM sleep,
which is the deep sleep cycle, is not
well developed until at least three
months of age, leaving babies spending
more time in the REM cycle. This
light stage of sleep makes it easier for
them to wake.
Babies remain in the light stage of
sleep for the first 20-40 minutes after
falling asleep. This means if you try
putting them down, they are likely to
wake and you could be trying to get
them back to sleep, again. To tell when
your baby is in a deep sleep, look for
limp limbs. Gently pick up an arm; if
it flops down and your baby does not
wake, he is in a deep sleep. Take this
opportunity to put him down and
tiptoe out of the room.
Finally, enjoy this gift of time for
yourself. Refresh yourself without
feeling guilty; eat a healthy snack,
catch-up with a good friend, or
watch your favourite TV show. Better
yet, turn off the phone and sleep,
sleep, sleep.
Article DETAILS
Submitted by: Shawna Taylor, Brant
County Health Unit, www.bchu.org
Adapted from: “Is your little one
having trouble sleeping?”
Photo: Bijoy Verghese (BijoyVerghese) / iStockphoto
FALL 2009 WINTER 2010 9

BEST START Through The Ages
Best Start Online
Access Resources and Information 24/7
Over the past few years, the Best Start Network
has brought together many organizations and
groups to create and provide new opportunities to
help our children reach their potential.
Part of the Best Start strategy has included the creation
of an online tool accessible at any time. This website offers
another invaluable method for parents and caregivers to
obtain information on resources and programs for their
children.
Designed to address the needs and opportunities
of the local community, the website serves the Brantford/Brant
area. Different organizations contribute to
the online content to
ensure it is relevant and
up-to-date.
The site offers a
wide range of local and
provincial information
including programs and
locations, reports, links,
and contact information.
Past issues of the
Best Start Magazine are
also available online.
You can access it
at anytime online. If
you haven’t visited the
Brantford/Brant Best
Start website in a while,
be sure to check out the
resources and information
available that may
help you find the best
opportunities for your
child.
You can access the
website 24/7 online at:
ourbeststart4brant.ca.
Image: City of Brantford
Article DETAILS
Submitted by:
Child Care Services, City
of Brantford
www.brantford.ca/
childcareservices
10 FALL 2009 WINTER 2010

THROUGH THE AGES BEST START
Toddlers
New Words Everyday!
Children learn new words by
hearing them used and trying
the words out for themselves.
Parents can use new words to teach
their children in conversation or in
books. Among the best indicators of
a child’s potential for success with
reading and writing is their use of
spoken words. (R. Katz, Shankweiler
and Liberman, 1981).
Children are interested in everything
you say and do and they want
the words to go with new experiences.
New words can be found everyday in
familiar activities. In the bathtub,
‘splash’ works for early learners but
can become ‘splosh’ as new words
are needed. A word like ’boat’ can
become ‘ship’ or ‘freighter’ as children
need more vocabulary.
New words present themselves
when the seasons
change. Leaves ‘bud’
and ‘blossom’ in the
spring and turn
‘red or ‘crimson’
in the fall.
Each season or holiday is filled with
new ideas and words. ‘Pumpkin’
becomes a ‘Jack-o-lantern’ once it is
carved. As children grow they need
to learn that different words can
mean similar things, but are used
to describe in new ways. The ocean
could be called ‘big’ but ‘vast’ or
‘enormous’ are even better. Add
a gesture, such as throwing your
arms open wide to make the new
word more meaningful.
Word knowledge is perhaps the
most important requisite for reading
comprehension (R.
Anderson and
Freebody,
1979).
When kids hear a new word in a book,
they need to learn what it means in
the story but also need help applying
that word to their own lives. Once
they do, that word becomes a part of
their vocabulary and they can use it in
new situations.
Repetition is very important; so
use the new words often and have
fun with new words.
Article DETAILS
Submitted by:
Brant County Preschool Speech and
Language System
www.talkingtots.org
Photo: Ana Abejon (aabejon) / iStockphoto
FALL 2009 WINTER 2010 11

BEST START Through The Ages
Preschool
Cooking with Children
Getting your children into the kitchen is a great
way to spend time with them. Children can
begin helping from a very young age by collecting
materials and ingredients, pouring, stirring, and
cracking eggs (into a separate bowl, of course, as this
makes hunting out the shells a little easier).
Introducing your children to cooking as soon as
they can hold a spoon creates wonderful lifelong
learning experiences for them.
Children love to use real kitchen utensils to be just
like you; but it is important to ensure they are appropriate
for small hands. You can stock your kitchen
with child friendly plastic mixing bowls, wooden
spoons, wire whisks, spatulas, plastic measuring cups
and, of course, an apron to keep them clean. Cooking
and baking doesn’t have to take a lot of skills, but will
create a lifetime of memories.
Five blockbuster reasons to cook with your children:
Photo: Thomas Perkins (perkmeup) / iStockPhoto
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Passing on family traditions and keeping your
cultural roots alive by sharing family recipes.
Educational components:
• Math skills - counting, sorting and measuring;
• Health - teaching a healthy lifestyle;
• Language-reading a recipe, making a list and
introducing new words;
• Science - make and test predictions;
• Social studies - where food comes from;
• Muscle skills - chopping, stirring, kneading,
pouring and scooping;
• Social skills - working together and taking
turns.
Cooking is learning that “sticks” and is easily
remembered.
Helps with picky eaters. Children gain a sense of
pride from their creations.
Lastly, quality time. Cooking is an easy way to
carve out time together with our children.
Some of our most precious childhood memories include
time with our families, whether it’s a family reunion or
other special gathering. More often than not, food and
its preparation are involved in these occasions. Positive
experiences in the kitchen will create memories that
last a lifetime.
Article DETAILS
Submitted by: The Ontario Early Years Centre: Brant
www.eycbrant.ca/oeyc.htm
12 FALL 2009 WINTER 2010

THROUGH THE AGES BEST START
Recipes for Kids
HOMEMADE VEGETABLE SOUP
Wash & cut veggies of your children’s choice
Place in a pot
Add 6 cups of water
Add 2 cups of tomato juice
Bring to a boil
Simmer for 30 minutes
Add 6 T bouillon
Simmer for 30 minutes
Enjoy!
KABOBS
Slice bananas, apples, melon
Cube cheese
Put on skewers
Dip in orange juice
Roll in coconut
CELERY WAGONS
Wash celery
Cut into 2 inch strips
Attach 4 carrot rounds for wheels with
toothpicks
Fill with peanut butter or cheese whiz
APPLE SAUCE
Peel and pit 4 apples
Boil in ½ inch of water
Add 3 T of honey
Boil and stir
Sprinkle with cinnamon
Cool and serve
1 cup = 250ml
1 T = 1 Tablespoon = 20ml
Photo: MiquelMunill / iStockphoto
Lansdowne Children’s Centre
provides services to more than 2000
children and youth annually with physical,
developmental or communication needs.
We offer a range of quality services that provide
essential supports and play an important role in
enabling our clients with special needs to develop
to their full potential and have and enjoy opportunities
to fully participate in every day activities.
Our services include:
Rehabilitation programs including
Occupational Therapy,
Physiotherapy, Speech &
Language Therapy, Social Work
Respite Programs including
Special Services at Home
and Kids Country Inn
Recreational Programs including
Every Kid Counts and Camps
Infant and Child Development
Programs, Early Integration
Program, Autism Services
To initiate a referral or for more information, please contact us:
39 Mount Pleasant Street, Brantford, ON N3T 1S7
T: 519.753.3153 ext. 206 | F: 519.753.5927
E: info@lansdownecc.com | www.lansdownecentre.ca
FALL 2009 WINTER 2010 13

BEST START Through The Ages
Kindergarten
Writing Through The Kindergarten Years
Photo: Ekaterina Monakhova (kate_sept2004) / iStockphoto
For kindergarten aged students,
developing an interest in writing
is the key to success. Students
develop writing skills in stages.
The Grand Erie District School
Board Kindergarten programs are
designed to meet the needs of all
learners. The following list outlines
different stages.
• Emergent Writer: Knows that
print is different than pictures.
Experiments with marks on
paper, letters and numerals.
Writes own name. Writes using
environmental print (in, love,
stop). Writes using personally
important print (Mom, Dad,
love). Usually uses capital letters
first.
• Beginning Writer: Writes from
left to right and top to bottom.
Begins to leave spaces between
words, mixes upper and lower
cases. Uses beginning, final
and middle sounds to represent
words. Writes some familiar
words from memory. Uses a
sentence frame or familiar pattern
to write (e.g., I love Mom).
Experiments with different forms
(e.g., stories, letters).
• Developing Writer: Uses capitals
and some punctuation marks
appropriately some of the time.
When spelling, generally can
represent each syllable. Begins
to use vowels and endings.
Writes stories with several simple
sentences. Experiments with
14 FALL 2009 WINTER 2010

THROUGH THE AGES BEST START
different forms (e.g., songs,
poetry, dialogue, reports).
• Transitional Writer: Spells
with increasing accuracy using:
visual patterns (e.g., igh, oo,
ck); phonetic clues; meaning
and memory. Begins to use
quotation marks, commas and
contractions. Uses more complex
sentences to reflect a connection
of ideas. Stories show a basic
understanding of plot, character,
and setting. Makes increasing
use of reference material. Writes
for a variety of purposes. Rereads
own writing to check if meaning
is clear.
During the kindergarten years,
students will be learning to write in
a variety of contexts. Additionally,
they will be developing an awareness
that writing can convey ideas
or messages.
By having students write simple
messages using a combination of
pictures, symbols, knowledge of
the correspondence between letters
and sounds (phonics), and familiar
words, students will begin to
develop their writing skills. By the
end of kindergarten, students will
communicate ideas about personal
experiences and/or familiar stories,
and experiment with personal voice
in their writing.
Writing Development at Home
To help promote writing development
at home parents/guardians can
co-create a grocery list on unlined
paper, make a greeting card for a
friend on the computer, or make
labels for bins and storage areas
(include a picture of the objects
stored). After a trip to the park,
have your child make a drawing of
the day and retell the experience
orally to a sibling.
Article DETAILS
Submitted by: Nancy Norton,
Elementary Program Coordinator
Grand Erie District School Board
nancy.norton@granderie.ca
Breakdown of Writing Stages of the Young Child
1. Imitative Writing. The scribbling shows linearity, leftto-right
writing awareness, working from top to bottom,
and uniformity:
5. Letters grouped to resemble words; beginning use of
vowels:
2. Scribbling with spaces between:
6. Some slight vocabulary used:
3. Use of strings of familiar letters along with scribbles:
7. Use of simple sentences indicating understanding of
some conventions:
4. More consistent use of letters:
8. Growth in sentences—lengthier, correct spelling,
punctuation awareness:
FALL 2009 WINTER 2010 15

BEST START Through The Ages
School Age
Food For Thought
Studies show that children and
youth who are well-nourished
perform better at school and are
able to concentrate longer. Undernourished
children have difficulty
concentrating, are absent more
often, and have lower self-esteem.
Providing a universal student nutrition
program is more than just a stop
gap measure for relieving hunger.
Student nutrition programs are beneficial
in many ways. They help:
• contribute to child’s overall
health;
• improve students’ cognitive
performance and their
educational achievement and help
to improve classroom behaviour;
• provide a safety net for children
and youth who may be at risk;
• provide a vehicle for delivering
nutrition education and consistent
healthy eating messages; and,
• foster a sense of community by
providing a way to involve the
parents of school children and
other agencies.
(Creating a Healthy School
Nutrition Environment: A Resource
for School Decision Makers, Brant
County Health Unit, 2005.)
Did you know that 42% of students
in Brant report that they do not eat
in the morning every day? (2003
Student Health Survey from Brant
Haldimand, Norfolk.) In addition,
36% of students do not eat the
recommended 3 or more servings of
milk products daily, and 45% report
that they do not eat the recommended
minimum 5 servings daily
of vegetables and fruit.
Brant Food For Thought is doing
their part to help children and youth
get a nutritious start to their day.
Supporting 53 student nutrition programs
feeding over 8,000 children
and youth weekly, the programs
primarily operate within elementary
and secondary schools. The success
of the programs stems from the commitment
and dedication of more than
250 volunteers who do the food purchasing,
preparation and distribution
of the healthy snacks and meals.
Brant Food For Thought conducts
bi-annual site visits of every
program to monitor their safety
and efficiency and to verify that
the foods served are as nutritious as
possible, and in accordance with the
current Nutrition Guidelines provided
by the Ministry of Children
and Youth Services.
In addition, we work closely with
public health professionals from the
Brant County Health Unit in the
areas of nutrition and food safety.
We offer a variety of workshops to all
the volunteers, including, Safe Food
Handling, Interactive Menu Planning,
a Grants Application Seminar
and Fundraising 101.
School staff witness the positive
effects of student nutrition programs
in their schools. A principal of a
5-day a week program writes. “They
[students] come in cranky and I feed
them. The more I do this program,
the more I realize that many behaviour
problems are food-related. It’s
not that it fixes everything, but it
sure helps.” A school secretary of a
4-day a week morning meal shares
that, “the attendance counsellor
had noticed an improvement in the
overall attendance at their school
ever since the morning meal program
began.”
Another principal of a snack program
says, that, “All the staff agree
that the program has made a significant
difference to the students. They
are better able to focus and attend
in school. They are happier when
they’ve had something to eat. They
look forward to their healthy snacks
and their response to the introduction
of milk once a week has been
resoundingly positive.”
For more information on how to
participate, contact Brant Food For
Thought.
Article DETAILS
Submitted by: Gisèle Budgell
Program Coordinator
(519) 759 6164
brantfood4thought@yahoo.ca
Photo: Mark Eberth, Brantford Photographer / www.markephotography.com
16 FALL 2009 WINTER 2010

ehaviour BEST START
Worry Problems
Lions and Tigers and Bears... oh my!
Anxiety and fears are normal emotions that everyone
experiences at some time. Anxiety can prompt us
to make positive decisions such as studying for a test,
following the rules to avoid getting into trouble, and
fleeing from a dangerous situation. All children have
typical fears and worries that change with their age and
developmental stage.
Anxiety or fear becomes a problem when children
begin to avoid common activities and situations, such as
attending school and separating from parents, at a time
when they should be developmentally able to handle
them. Such avoidance can interfere with the child’s continued
development of new skills and limit their enjoyment
of life.
Children often express their worries through behaviour
and physical complaints. Some typical physical symptoms
of anxiety in children are stomach aches, head aches, feeling
dizzy and/or nauseous, particularly just before or
during situations in which they are uncomfortable
(e.g. just before school). Behavioural clues
to anxiety may include: avoidance of the feared
situation (e.g. will not go on sleepovers); temper
tantrums or non-compliance regarding
those situations; and nervous mannerisms
such as fidgeting, lack of eye contact, and
biting clothes. Children who exhibit
behavioural cues are often described
as manipulative, non-compliant and
attention seeking when in reality
they may be having difficulty
separating from their caregivers
or adapting to new situations.
What can parents do to help
their children overcome
their fears?
• Give them
reassurance along
with support in
helping them achieve
their objectives (e.g. I know that you can do it!).
• Teach them relaxation strategies (e.g. deep breathing
and positive/realistic thinking) – child yoga is an
excellent example of meditation and relaxation for kids.
• Model for your child the confidence you have in their
ability to cope in the stressful situation (e.g. You’re
going to have fun at the sleepover.).
• Try not to rescue the child or help the child avoid
situations that cause anxiety (e.g. going shopping
without them) as it may reinforce their fear. Instead
make a plan with your child on how they can cope
with this situation (e.g. You can stay at Jane’s house
and play while I go out. If you are worried tell Jane’s
mom and she will help you think of something fun to
do. I will be back in one hour.).
• Keep parental worries or concerns from your child.
(e.g. They should not know of problems with finances).
• Avoid watching the news in front of your
children.
A child’s anxiety and their efforts to
avoid situations that cause them to feel
anxious or unsafe can quickly become a
family issue. Children are not able to avoid
some of these situations (e.g. school) and
may exhibit intense temper tantrums or
become physically ill in order to avoid the
perceived frightening situation. If your
child’s anxiety is affecting their ability
to cope on a regular basis, you should
seek professional assistance by contacting
your local children’s mental
health agency, family doctor or
paediatrician.
Article DETAILS
Submitted by: Marian Travers
Woodview Childrens Mental
Health and Autism Services
www.woodview.ca
Photo: Monika Adamczyk (matka_Wariatka) / iStockphoto
FALL 2009 WINTER 2010 17

BEST START behaviour
Temperament
Understanding the Building Blocks
Children are born with their natural
style of interacting with or
reacting to people, places, and thingstheir
temperament. These traits are
present at birth and have a great effect
on how your child behaves. The nine
temperament traits with strategies for
dealing with challenging behaviours
are outlined below:
Activity Level: Is your child content
to sit and quietly play or observe OR
always moving and on the go? Plan
high-energy activities every day, and
avoid over-stimulating activities in
the evening.
Adaptability: Does your child move
easily from one activity to another
and adjust easily OR is he or she fussy
and resists changes to routines or
plans? Keep daily routines, set consistent
rules and limits, and talk about
changes ahead of time.
Approach: Does your child eagerly
deal with new situations or people OR
shy away from new people or things?
Give your child extra support and
reassurance for something new or a big
change. Talk about a new experience
ahead of time and try to introduce
new things in small steps.
Persistence: Does your child keep on
trying when a problem arises and sticks
with an activity OR is he or she easily
upset or discouraged, gives up easily
and wants lots of help from you? Offer
your child lots of praise and reward
for effort, not just results; break tasks
down into small, manageable pieces.
Mood: Is your child generally a positive
person and usually even-tempered
OR does he or she often express a
negative outlook and shift mood frequently?
Be consistent with your child
if he or she fusses about mealtime or
bedtime-avoid power struggles and
long explanations. Try to ignore complaints
and re-direct your child to a
pleasant activity.
Regularity: Is your child regular in
his or her eating and sleeping habits
OR is it different every day? Establish
a predictable and consistent bedtime
routine. Offer small nutritious snacks
to the inconsistent eater.
Sensory: Is your child bothered by
external stimuli such as loud noises,
bright lights, or food textures OR does
he or she tend to ignore them? Introduce
new foods slowly; become more
aware of what bothers your child and
try to make him or her more comfortable.
(e.g. Cut tags off clothes, let food
cool before serving.)
Distractibility: Can your child shut
out distractions and stay with an activity
OR is your child easily distracted
from what he or she is doing? Break
activities down into small steps and
provide rewards like stickers after each
step. Eliminate distractions as much
as possible. (e.g. Turn off the TV; work
with your child alone.)
Intensity: Does your child react
calmly and quietly to situations, either
positive or negative, OR does he or she
react strongly/loudly? Establish consistent
rules; respond to your child in
a soft calm voice; react to only major
issues, choose your battles.
Being aware of your child’s traits and
your own, can make your job as a
parent easier because you will better
understand how to read and respond
to him or her. To achieve a good fit
between you and your child remember
to: respect your child’s uniqueness,
explain decisions and motives, set limits,
and be a good role model.
Article DETAILS
Submitted by: Infant and Child
Development Program, Lansdowne
Children’s Centre
www.lansdownecentre.ca
Photo: digitalskillet / iStockphoto
18 FALL 2009 WINTER 2010

ehaviour BEST START
Y M C A o f H a m i l t o n / B u r l i n g t o n / B r a n t f o r d
Great Leaders are not born, they’re made.
Welcome to the training ground.
The YMCA in your community is not only a place to build a healthy lifestyle
and have fun as a family. It is also a pre-school child care centre, a before and
after school provider, a newcomer support centre and, above all, a partner in
raising healthy children at every stage of life.
We help individuals reach their potential.
• Parent & Tot Programs
• Drop-In Programs
• Sports
• Health & Fitness
• 8 Licensed Pre-School Child
Care Centres
Let us help you reach yours!
• 10 Licensed Before & After
School Care Sites
• Leadership Development
• Day Camp
• Immigrant Settlement Services
• Volunteerism
Charitable Registration # 10808 3825 RR0001
Brantford Family YMCA
143 Wellington Street, Brantford
519-752-6568
www.ymcahbb.ca
Financial Assistance
As a charitable organization, the YMCA strives to serve all
segments of the community, including those with limited
financial means. Donors to the YMCA make it possible.
If current financial circumstances are limiting your ability
to participate, financial assistance may be provided.
Please contact us for more information. All inquiries will
be held in strict confidence.
www.brantford.library.on.ca FALL 2009 WINTER 2010 19

BEST START resources
Steps & Stages
Raising Healthy Kids at Every Stage
You can make a difference by
raising healthy kids. Yes, we
are often busy and finances can
be tight, yet as parents we know
that what we do with our children
matters.
Never has it been more important
than now to take a step toward
health. With obesity, heart disease,
type 2 diabetes, and other diseases
growing at an alarming rate, you
can do a lot to protect your family
members. Eat healthy. Stay active.
Help your kids feel good about
themselves and others.
Every single step helps. When your
child tries a new fruit or vegetable,
that’s a step in the right direction.
When you take a quick walk around
the block, that’s another positive
step. When you tell your child that
you love her or him, that’s a step forward.
So how can you incorporate
healthy steps into your family’s life?
Let’s get started.
Set healthy family goals
Most people have large goals they
want to reach, like being more
active or losing weight. These are
end goals; however, key is setting
realistic, achievable goals to get
you there. Include specific behaviours
as they tend to be more easily
understood and steer clear of all-ornothing
goals. For example, instead
of “We will walk every day”, try
“We will walk for 20 minutes three
times a week.” Instead of “We will
eat fruit”, try “We will bring a piece
of fruit for lunch.” Goals should
include all the things kids need to
grow up healthy:
• Eating right. By following
Canada’s Food Guide daily
recommendations, your family
can get the fuel they need to
succeed. Daily recommendations
vary by age and gender, and
include: servings of grains,
vegetables and fruits, milk
products, and meat and
alternatives. The key is a variety
of food from all four food groups.
• Physical activity. Health Canada
recommends 30 to 60 minutes
of moderate physical activity
daily for adults and 90 minutes
for children and youth as a step
towards better health and a
healthy body weight.
Photo: Tomasz Markowski (alvar) / iStockphoto
20 FALL 2009 WINTER 2010

esources BEST START
• Family time. Eating as a
family can strengthen your
relationships at home and help
you learn to be a better friend
at school. Build family dinners
into your family goals. Other
ideas might include one-on-one
activity time with child each
day; schedule a monthly lunch
date; or volunteer together.
Plan a variety of activities
To help your family stay at a
healthy weight, protect against
disease, and give you more energy,
make everyday chores and routines
more active. For example, ‘run’ an
errand rather than riding in the car
or put on music and dance while
cleaning up. Plan 10 minute activity
breaks throughout the day so
it all adds up. Do one activity a
week as a family, like a family hike
or rake leaves together, and also
include some more intense activity,
like biking, swimming or a family
gym class.
Celebrate success
Track your family’s progress on
a fridge calendar and be sure to
reward the family when new habits
are achieved.
Use rewards that are low cost,
healthy and can be enjoyed by the
whole family. For example, use
a point system for each healthy
behaviour, turning the family
goals into a game. Reward the
outcomes with a favourite family
activity, plan a special meal, or
buy a new book.
Keep going
Create a new calendar every two to
three weeks and update habits as necessary
so your family can continue
working toward a healthier lifestyle.
As you meet your goals, expand on
them and pride yourselves on the
healthy changes you’ve made.
Healthy living is a continual learning
process and learning together
will take you in the right direction.
Each step is a positive step toward
health. The YMCA is your family’s
partner throughout your journey to
good health.
Article DETAILS
Submitted by: YMCA of Hamilton/
Burlington/Brantford
www.ymcahbb.ca
Assuring High Quality
In Early Learning and
Child Care
What is Raising the Bar?
Raising the Bar is a voluntary accreditation program designed to help
families ensure their children are receiving high quality early learning
and child care programs. The presence of a Raising the Bar certificate
is your assurance that the program you have chosen is committed to
maintaining provincial regulatory and community standards.
Congratulations to the following Early Learning
and Child Care Programs that completed the
process of Raising the Bar on Quality 2008! These
programs implemented the components of Quality
Assurance, Best Practices and Staff Professional
Development.
Who Can Participate?
Early Learning and Parenting Centres
Licensed Child Care Centres
Special Needs Resource Agencies
Licensed Home Child Care Agencies
County of Brant Programs
Just 4 Mom’s & Kids Children’s Centre
Paris Child Care Inc. (PCC)
Paris Child Care: Holy Family Child Care
Paris Child Care: North Ward School Age
Paris Child Care: Queen’s Ward School Age
Brantford Programs
Beryl Angus Municipal Children’s Centre
Our Lady Queen of Peace Montessori Bilingual School
Wee Watch Enriched Home Child Care
City of Brantford Licensed Home Child Care
Ontario Early Years Centre: Brant
Lansdowne Children’s Centre
Family Counselling Centre of Brant
For more information visit www.eycbrant.ca or call the OEYC: Brant at 519-759-3833.
Brantford • Brant
FALL 2009 WINTER 2010 21

BEST START resources
Home Child Care
The “Must Knows” for In-Home Operators
Photo: Chris Bernard (ChristopherBernard) / iStockphoto
Did you know that as a Home
Child Care Provider you have
3 options? You can operate a home
child care program independently of
a Licensed Home Child Care Agency
(often referred to as informal home
child care). You can also subcontract
with a Licensed Home Child Care
Agency in your community (often
referred to as private home child care;
linked to a licensed agency). Lastly,
you can subcontract with a Licensed
Home Child Care Agency and care
for children privately providing you
stay within the maximum number
of children allowed by law.
Abiding by the laws that have
been set in place by the Province
of Ontario.
Home Child Care Providers (not
affiliated with a Licensed Home
Child Care Agency) may provide care
for up to 5 children under 10 years
of age in addition to your own at any
one time. For example, if you provide
care for 3 children during the day, you
may also provide after school care for
2 children. Or if you provide care for
7 children on varying days, you must
ensure that the schedules are arranged
so that you never exceed 5 children at
any one time.
If you are a provider subcontracted
with a Licensed Home Child
Care Agency, there are also specific
regulations that also must be
adhered to that are outlined in the
Day Nurseries Act.
• If you have children of your
own under the age of six, those
children are counted as part of
the five children in care.
• If the agency places a child in
your home that is over 10 years,
this child must also be counted
as part of the five children in
care.
• There are limits on the number
of children in specific age groups
which can be cared for in the
caregiver’s home:
»» 2 children under the age of 2
years (including your own) or
»» 3 children under the age of 3
years (including your own)
What does the law say about
having two providers and
operating home child care?
Even if you hire another adult to
help you run your home child care
business, you can still only have 5
children at any one time. The Day
Nurseries Act states “per premise”.
Any person convicted
of exceeding the
limit
of 5 children is liable to a fine of
up to $2,000 for each day of illegal
operation and /or imprisonment of
up to one year. Anyone with concerns
regarding home child care
can contact the Ministry of Children
and Youth Services. To make
a report call 905-521-7280. For
more information visit the Ministry
website at www.ontario.ca/ONT/
portal51/licensedchildcare.
For more information on home
child care contact the Ontario Early
Years Centre: Brant to access services
and supports for Home Child
Care Providers at 519-759-3833.
Article DETAILS
Submitted by: The Ontario Early Years
Centre: Brant
www.eycbrant.ca/oeyc.htm
22 FALL 2009 WINTER 2010

esources BEST START
Special Needs
Supporting Children in Licensed Child Care
Photo: Tomasz Markowski (alvar) / iStockphoto
The Early Integration Program
(Special Needs Resourcing)
administered by Lansdowne Children’s
Centre is funded by the Ministry of
Children and Youth Services and the
City of Brantford. The primary focus
of the Early Integration Program is to
promote and support the inclusion of
all children 0-6 years of age, in licensed
child care settings.
It is essential for all children to have
environments within their own community
that can meet their needs, and
help them grow and develop to their
fullest potential. Children with special
needs require child care for the same
reasons as all children:
• To grow, develop and learn;
• Friendship building and social
inclusion;
• Parental employment, training,
respite, support.
Inclusion comes from the meaning “to
include”, to hold, embrace, involve,
to count among. An inclusive early
learning and care program strives to
find ways to include all children and
remove barriers that prevent children
from actively participating. The principle
of inclusion goes beyond the
notion of physical integration and fully
incorporates basic values that promote
and advance participation, friendship
and a celebration of diversity.
Approximately 10% of children will
require some level of additional support
to ensure they can participate fully in
community-based child care programs
(Child Care Advocacy Association
of Canada). These “special needs”
can vary dramatically, from physical
disability to intellectual delays, from
social and behavioural challenges to
communication difficulties. Disabilities
may be visible or invisible; children
may be born with them, or they may
emerge later on; the cause may be
known or unknown.
Special Needs Resourcing provides
the support necessary to include all
children in early learning programs.
A team of highly trained Resource
Teachers and Resource Teacher Assistants
work with the child, the parents,
the child care staff and other community
agencies/professionals to bring
specialized support and equipment to
meet these needs.
Program support includes:
• Professional development training
• Developmental screening and
assessments
• Home visits
• Case Management (including case
conferences, transition to school
meetings etc)
• Individualized program plans and
curriculum enhancement
• Mentoring/modeling during regular
visits to centres
• Enhanced hands on support for
children with high needs
• Accessing specialized equipment/
materials
• Information, resources and
linkages to other Lansdowne and
community services
The Early Integration Program consisting
of 11 full and part time Resource
Teachers serve on average 230 children
a year. Approximately one third
of the total is supported by enhanced
staffing which consists of 15 Resource
Teacher Assistants.
Parents can request information or
refer their child to the Early Integration
Program through the Child Care Centre,
Child Care Services or Lansdowne
Children’s Centre. It is the partnership
of these services that enable children
with special needs equal opportunity
to be included in their community. For
more information, contact Landsdowne
Children’s Centre.
Article DETAILS
Submitted by: Rita Stratford
Lansdowne Children’s Centre
www.lansdownecentre.ca
(519) 753-3153
FALL 2009 WINTER 2010 23

BEST START directory
Provider Address City Phone Number Website
The information on contained on these pages is subject to change without notice. For the most up-to-date and accurate information, contact the provider directly.
Brantford
A Child’s Paradise 34 Dalkeith Drive Brantford (519) 756-9880 achildsparadise.ca
A Child’s Paradise Too 16 Morrell Street Brantford (519) 751-2412 achildsparadise.ca
A Child’s Place (W. Ross MacDonald School) 350 Brant Avenue Brantford (519) 752-2499
Academy of Montessori 714 Colborne Street E Brantford (519) 753-1227 academyofmontessoribrantford.com
Bellview Y Childcare Centre 97 Tenth Avenue Brantford (519) 751-0768 ybrantford.com & ymcahb.on.ca
Beryl Angus Municipal Children’s Centre 220 Clarence Street Brantford (519) 756-3150 brantford.ca/childcareservices
Boys & Girls Club - After School Program 2 Edge Street Brantford (519) 752-2964 bgcbrant.ca
Boys & Girls Club - Banbury Child Care Centre 141 Banbury Road Brantford (519) 751-2808 bgcbrant.ca
Boys & Girls Club - Grandview Child Care Centre 68 North Park Street Brantford (519) 752-0683 bgcbrant.ca
Boys & Girls Club - Kiddy Korner Daycare 2 Edge Street Brantford (519) 752-2964 bgcbrant.ca
Brantford Little School Community Child Care Centre 629 Colborne Street East Brantford (519) 751-7559
Centre éducatif Les Petits Chercheurs 60 Clench Avenue Brantford (519) 753-0090
City of Brantford Private Home Daycare 220 Clarence Street Brantford (519) 756-3150 brantford.ca/childcareservices
Creative Minds-Eagle Place Daycare Centre 69 Superior Street Brantford (519) 512-0811
Kidsworld Y Blueridge 59 Blueridge Crescent Brantford (519) 756-0901 ybrantford.com & ymcahb.on.ca
Kidsworld Y Downtown 8 Joseph Street Brantford (519) 753-6447 ybrantford.com & ymcahb.on.ca
Noah’s Ark Y Preschool (Assumption College) 257 Shellard Lane Brantford (519) 753-0832 ybrantford.com & ymcahb.on.ca
Our Lady Queen of Peace Montessori Bilingual School 128 Nelson Street, Unit #1 Brantford (519) 759-3082 brantfordmontessori.com
Ryerson Heights Y Childcare Centre 33 Dowden Street Brantford (519) 756-3791 ybrantford.com & ymcahb.on.ca
St. Gabriel’s Y Before & After School 14 Flanders Drive Brantford (519) 750-2851 ybrantford.com & ymcahb.on.ca
St. Joseph’s Y Childcare 99 Wayne Gretzky Pky Suite 103 Brantford (519) 752-1816 ybrantford.com & ymcahb.on.ca
Three Bears Y Childcare Centre 160 Brantwood Park Road Brantford (519) 759-8890 ybrantford.com & ymcahb.on.ca
Wee Watch Enriched Home Child Care 794 Colborne St. E Brantford (519) 758-2703 weewatch.com
West End Y Day Care 30 Bell Lane Brantford (519) 759-1701 ybrantford.com & ymcahb.on.ca
County OF BRANT
Burford Co-op Preschool & Children’s Centre 11 Mill St. (Brantford Townline) Burford (519) 449-3127 burford-preschool.co.nr/
Jerseyville Langford Co-op R. R. #1, Brantford Jerseyville (519) 512-0095
Just 4 Mom’s & Kids Children’s Centre 51 Simcoe Street Scotland (519) 446-3059 piczo.com/just4momsandkids
Montessori Children’s Academy Inc. 2 Ball Street Paris (519) 442-1440
Paris Child Care 199 Grand River Street N. Paris (519) 442-6680 parischildcare.ca
Paris Child Care - Cobblestone School Age Program 179 Grandville Circle Paris (519) 442-5850 parischildcare.ca
Paris Child Care - Holy Family School 20 Sunset Drive Paris (519) 442-5850 parischildcare.ca
Paris Child Care - North Ward School Age Program 107 Silver Street Paris (519) 442-6680 parischildcare.ca
Paris Child Care - Sacred Heart Child Care 180 Grandville Circle Paris (519) 442-0900 parischildcare.ca
St. George Children’s Centre 39 Beverly Street West St. George (519) 448-1319
St. George Co-op 39 Beverly Street West St. George (519) 448-1835
Village Playschool 9 Beverly Street East St. George (519) 448-1599
Six Nations
Little Treasures Child Care Centre 2303 Third Line, RR#1 Ohsweken (905)-768-4545
Six Nations Child Care Services 21 Bicentennial Trail Ohsweken (519) 445-4411
Six Nations Private Home Day Care P.O. Box 70 Ohsweken (519) 445-0884
Stoneridge Children’s Centre 18 Stoneridge Circle Ohsweken (519) 445-0884
New Credit
Ekwaamjigenang Children’s Centre R. R. # 6 Hagersville (905) 768-5036
24 FALL 2009 WINTER 2010
Note: Child Care Subsidy - If you are requiring financial assistance
with your child care costs, contact City of Brantford Child Care
Services at (519)-756-3150 to complete an inquiry or to apply.

directory BEST START
Provider Age Groups Type of Care Closed Hours of Operation
Program Details (see bottom for legend) IN TO PS SA HD FD PT FX SA SY SH WA Hours M-F
Brantford
A Child’s Paradise ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 6:30am-6:00pm ¬
A Child’s Paradise Too ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 6:30am-6:00pm ¬
A Child’s Place ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 8:30am-4:00pm ¬
Academy of Montessori ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 9:00am-3:30pm (ext. hrs avail) ¬
Bellview Y Childcare Centre ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 6:30am-6:00pm ¬
Beryl Angus Municipal Children’s Centre ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 6:45am-5:30pm ¬
Boys & Girls Club - After School Program ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 3:30pm-6:00pm ¬
Boys & Girls Club - Banbury Child Care Centre ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 7:00am-5:30pm ¬
Boys & Girls Club - Grandview Child Care Centre ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 7:00am-5:30pm ¬
Boys & Girls Club - Kiddy Korner Daycare ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 7:00am-6:00pm ¬
Brantford Little School Community Child Care ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 7:30am-5:30pm ¬
Centre éducatif Les Petits Chercheurs ¬ ¬ 7:00am-5:30pm ¬
City of Brantford Private Home Day Care ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ N1 N1 N1 (locations vary) ¬
Creative Minds-Eagle Place Daycare Centre ¬ ¬ ¬ 6:30am-5:30pm ¬
Kidsworld Y Blueridge ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 6:30am-6:00pm ¬
Kidsworld Y Downtown ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 6:30am-6:00pm ¬
Noah’s Ark Y Preschool ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 6:30am-6:00pm ¬
Our Lady Queen of Peace Bilingual Montessori ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 7:30am-6:00pm ¬
Ryerson Heights Y Childcare Centre ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 6:30am-6:00pm ¬
St. Gabriel’s Y Before & After School ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 7:00am-8:40am;3:25pm-6:00pm ¬
St. Joseph’s Y Childcare ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 6:30am-6:00pm ¬
Three Bears Y Childcare Centre ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 6:30am-6:00pm ¬
Wee Watch Enriched Home Child Care ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ N1 N1 N1 (7 days, evenings, overnight) ¬
West End Y Day Care ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 6:30am-6:00pm ¬
County of Brant
Burford Co-op Preschool & Children’s Centre ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 6:30am-5:45pm ¬
Jerseyville Langford Co-op ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 9:00am-11:30am (Tue & Thu) N1
Just 4 Mom’s & Kids Children’s Centre (Scotland) ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 6:00am-6:00pm (IN: 7am-6pm) ¬
Montessori Children’s Academy Inc. (Paris) ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 7:30am-5:00pm ¬
Paris Child Care ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 6:45am-6:00pm ¬
Paris Child Care - Cobblestone School ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 6:45am-8:40am;3:10pm-6:00pm ¬
Paris Child Care - Holy Family School 3.8 ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 6:45am-6:00pm ¬
Paris Child Care - North Ward ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 6:45am-8:40am;3:05pm-6:00pm ¬
Paris Child Care - Sacred Heart ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 6:45am-6:00pm ¬
St. George Children’s Centre ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 7:00am-6:00pm ¬
St. George Co-op ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 9:15am-3:15pm (M, W, F) N1
Village Playschool (St. George) ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 7:30am-5:30pm ¬
Six Nations
Little Treasures Child Care Centre ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 7:30am-5:00pm ¬
Six Nations Child Care Services ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 7:30am-5:15pm ¬
Six Nations Private Home Day Care ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ N1 (Flexible) ¬
Stoneridge Children’s Centre ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 7:30am-5:15pm ¬
New Credit First Nations
Ekwaamjigenang Children’s Centre ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ 7:30am-5:00pm ¬
IN = Infants
TO = Toddlers
PS = Preschool
SA = School Age
HD = Half Day
FD = Full Day
PT = Part Time
FX = Flexible
SA = School Age
SY = Follows School Year
SH = Statutory Holidays
WA = Wheelchair Accessible
HC = Hours of Care
MF = Monday to Friday
N1 = Call for Details/Hours

The Brantford/Brant
Parent
Best Start
Information Fair
This is an opportunity for parents and
caregivers of children prenatal to 12 years of age
to gain information about resources and
services available in the community.
Entertainment and activities for children will be
provided.
This event takes place:
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Check website (below) for hours
Branlyn/Notre Dame Triple Gym
238 Brantwood Park Road
Brantford, ON
Assistance with transportation is available
Sponsored By:
Brantford • Brant
Bringing Out the Best in All of Us
(519) 756-3150 www.ourbeststart4brant.ca