We recently had a very special visitor to our Family Child Care Home! Julie Lewis, of Sassy Tuna is a trained animator and designer who teaches art classes to adults and children. She teaches and demonstrates drawing in a very personalized and patient way, and was wonderful with our children, going through the process step-by-step.

We painted self-portraits, and our little ones loved it!

Art plays an important role in early childhood education. Art fosters sensory perception, offers children a chance to experiment, create, and build, strengthens their ability to think and make decisions, and helps children make sense of the world around them. And art is fun! Children have a natural tendency to create. We see this daily in their play, and art is one medium through which children can satisfy this need to create and express themselves.

As always, with children’s art activities it is more about the process than the final product, but we think our children are pretty talented!

The Discovery Toys company was founded by an early childhood educator in 1978 and it continues to grow from a passion for education. Discovery Toys is committed to bringing fun, safe and developmentally appropriate toys and products to children and adults of all abilities. Their products have useful applications for children and adults with developmental disabilities.

Discovery Toys combines multiple levels of learning in every toy.  Various elements of math, science, and language are incorporated into all of their products and they are designed to engage and develop a child’s motor skills and higher levels of thinking.

Discovery Toys strives to incorporate a unique play experience into each of their products that stimulates multiple centers in the brain simultaneously – an experience that promotes both critical thinking AND open-ended imaginary play.

Veronica Vardy is an Independent Discovery Toys Educational Consultant.  She recently visited Little Tulips and brought in a selection of toys for our children to explore!

For more information or to contact Veronica, visit her website HERE.

Shop Discovery Toys exclusive collection of award-winning Toys, Books, and Games!
“These high-quality toys are so much fun, the kids will never guess they are LEARNING!”

“Miss Debbie” (Debbie Hanlon) is a well-known local political figure, children’s author and performer.  She recently came to visit our children as part of her “Miss Debbie – I’m No Bully” tour!  Her tour has been focusing mainly on primary school aged children, but she graciously tailored her show to suit our little ones!

“The Miss Debbie, “I’m No Bully” show is an entertaining, educational and interactive 45 minute show that teaches primary school aged children about the problem of bullying and how they can help stop it. During her show, special emphasis is put on the important role of the bystander, as there are far more bystanders than bullies or victims.  Miss Debbie and her critters help children understand bullying, its causes and repercussions, and helps empower them to try and stop this growing problem among school aged children.”

Our children were captivated while Miss Debbie read her book, “The Adventures of Gus and Isaac: Backyard Bullies”.

“Bullies roam the backyards, scaring and picking on everyone they find. So, when Isaac the bob-tailed cat moves into a house in the neighbourhood, you know he’ll be the next target. It’s only by forging an unlikely friendship with Gus the seagull, who’s afraid of heights, that the two can face their fears and stand up to the backyard bullies.”

Find out more here – http://www.missdebbie.ca/