#FamilyLiteracyDay takes place every January 27th to raise awareness about the importance of reading and engaging in other literacy-related activities as a family. Since 1999, thousands of schools, libraries, literacy organizations and other community groups have taken part in the initiative.
Enjoy the stories, resources and activity ideas from popular posts from our website!
Welcome to The Learning Exchange (TLE) Winter and Holiday Activities page. Here you will find fun and exciting ideas and activities for all ages and members of the family to do! Visit this page for new activities & resources and look for new additions over the holidays.
LET IT SNOW!
These snowman activities and recipes are engaging, fun, and full of literacy skills, math skills, and STEM skills! Children learn to count, follow directions, read, problem solve and experiment or to just have fun being creative!
Books introduce children to the exciting world of stories and help them learn to express their own thoughts and emotions. Find favourites on these free online story sites.
Music stimulates all the senses, helping children learn to recognize patterns and sequence. Early music exposure helps children learn by promoting language, creativity, coordination, social interaction, self-esteem and memory.
DECEMBER HOLIDAYS IN CANADA + AROUND THE WORLD | ACTIVITIES
Few months present as many multicultural celebrations as December. From Christmas to Kwanzaa, the last month of the year is a “world of holidays.” Click on the links below for lots of fun family-friendly activities related to some of December’s holidays around the world.
Please contact TLEliteracy@yahoo.ca for any comments, suggestions or if there is a December or holiday celebration you would like to see included in this section!
TLE FAMILY LITERACY SERIES
Use TLE’s Family Literacy Series videos to help instil a love of reading in your child or family member.
Reading and storytelling with babies and children promotes brain development and imagination, develops language and emotions, and strengthens relationships.
Kid’s painting canvas (You can find this at the Dollar Store) OR a piece of art paper to create a painting
paint + paint brush (included in the package)
Optional: Extra brushes and paint
2 small containers or cups for water to clean the brushes
paper towels or cloth to clean the brushes
paint shirt or smock
Directions:
Make sure your child has a paint shirt or smock on.
Prepare an area for your child to paint.
Fill the small containers or cups with water.
Unwrap the painting and paints.
Carefully open the paints.
Show your child how to use one colour at a time to paint.
Clean brushes in between colours: Dip and swish the dirty brush in the first cup of water. Dip and swish in the second cup of water to have optimal clean brush. Clean brush with paper towel or cloth. Now you are ready for the next colour!
Have fun painting! An artist is born!
Paper Craft Activity
Here is an easy paper craft alternative to the Artist Painting.
Materialsneeded:
Paper
Crayons, coloured pencils or markers
Directions:
Draw a picture of something that makes you happy!
Art Colouring Pages: Select an artist’s painting, download, print and colour.
More Stories
Reading and storytelling with babies and children promotes brain development and imagination, develops language and emotions, and strengthens relationships.
Tools to shape play dough or clay (e.g. popsicle stick)
Foam sheet (for frame)
Markers (to draw on foam sheet)
Optional:
Small roller to flatten play dough or clay
Buttons, gems, yarn, google eyes to decorate the portrait
Directions: Use play dough or clay to create a “Be Me” Self-Portrait.
Use the foam sheet to make your Be Me Self-Portrait.
Flatten and shape some dough to make a face base.
Use different colours of dough and assorted tools to create parts of the face (eyes, ears, nose, mouth, hair, etc.). Add the pieces to the face base.
Have fun and be creative.
A new artist is born!
Easy Paper Craft
Here is an easy paper craft alternative to the Be Me Self-Portrait.
Materialsneeded:
Paper
Crayons, coloured pencils or markers
Ideas:
Draw a portrait of yourself and colour it in. Draw a frame around your portrait.
Draw a picture of yourself as a superhero. Do you have a special costume? Download, print and colour.
More Stories
Reading and storytelling with babies and children promotes brain development and imagination, develops language and emotions, and strengthens relationships.
Welcome to TLE’s Storytime featuring the story In My Heart: A Book of Feelings by Jo Witek, illustrated by Christine Roussey!
Featured Story:
In My Heart
A Book of Feelings
Celebrate feelings in all their shapes and sizes in this New York Times bestselling picture book from the Growing Hearts series!
Happiness, sadness, bravery, anger, shyness . . . our hearts can feel so many feelings! Some make us feel as light as a balloon, others as heavy as an elephant. In My Heart explores a full range of emotions, describing how they feel physically, inside, with language that is lyrical but also direct to empower readers to practice articulating and identifying their own emotions.
With whimsical illustrations and an irresistible die-cut heart that extends through each spread, this gorgeously packaged and unique feelings book is sure to become a storytime favorite.
Reading and storytelling with babies and children promotes brain development and imagination, develops language and emotions, and strengthens relationships.
Welcome to TLE’s Storytime featuring the story TERRIFIC! by Sophie Gilmore!
Featured Story: Terrific!
Five friends are looking for something TERRIFIC to do. But with each having different interests and abilities…what could be terrific for them all?
Climbing? Not for everyone. Swimming? DEFINITELY not for everyone. Hanging from their toes? Absolutely not! Will the friends find something terrific to do together before Snake manages to upend their perfect afternoon?
Scratch art paper and scratch tool (lolipop stick)
Yarn
Hole puncher
Directions:
Use the scratch tool to create patterns and uncover areas on the scratch art paper.
Carefully punch out the animal (pre-cut designs) OR cut along the outline of your animal.
Create or push out the holes in your art animal to use the yarn (provided in some kits) to add fun features to your art, such as a tail. Cut and thread the yarn through the holes to finish off your scratch art.
Easy Paper Craft
Here is an easy paper craft alternative to the Animal Rainbow Scratch Art.
Materialsneeded:
Paper
Crayons, coloured pencils or markers
Ideas:
Draw a picture of something TERRIFIC you would like to do with your friends!
Reading and storytelling with babies and children promotes brain development and imagination, develops language and emotions, and strengthens relationships.
Books introduce children to the exciting world of stories and help them learn to express their own thoughts and emotions. Find favourites on these free online story sites.
Use these resources with your family to learn in the great outdoors! Get outside and exercise both your mind and body together as a family. You can make outdoor time fun family learning time all while enjoying the wonders of Canada’s Great Outdoors!
As part of our Power of Podcast: Encouraging Student Voices project, we are proud to release our first podcast: My 15 Year Overnight Success: An Interview with DJ Corchin.
Throughout the project, students of CDC Vimont and The Learning Exchange will be able to learn how to create their own podcasts through workshops and information videos to have their voices heard! In this interview, students prepared a list of questions for TLE podcast interviewer Chris Shee to ask DJ during the interview. Take a listen!
DJ Corchin is an author and illustrator of many children’s books. He uses his unique humor and wit to focus on socially conscious messages involving kindness and emotional awareness. Some of his other titles include, Do You Speak Fish?, A Thousand NO’s, Half-Cat, and Mystical Rules For My Magical Daughter. DJ has both illustrated his own stories as well as worked with other talented artists such as award winning-illustrator and writer, Dan Dougherty.