It’s also celebrated where Chinese communities and those countries' overseas communities can be found. We, at Jenny & Andy, personally are of Chinese descent (based in Toronto, Canada), so we’ll be referring mainly to traditions that interpret Chinese New Year similarly!
So without further ado, here are 8 things you might not have known about Chinese Lunar New Year:
The date of the Lunar New Year is determined by the lunar calendar. The holiday falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice on December 21.
Each year, the Lunar New Year falls on a different date than on the Gregorian calendar. The dates usually range sometime between January 21 and February 20. This year, in 2024, it starts on February 10.
It’s important to note:
Many countries share the interpretation of the Chinese Lunar calendar, such as South Korea, Vietnam, and Malaysia, and therefore celebrate their Lunar New Year at the same (or almost same) time.
However, there are many other countries or cultures which use their own lunar calendars, with New Years falling at different times. Mongolian lunar calendars, as well as Islamic and Jewish ones, for example, all have different months and cycles, and therefore celebrate Lunar New Year on different dates.
Learn more about Lunar New Year traditions in other countries!
Chinese New Year, also called the Spring Festival, is technically 15 days. But celebrations start on New Year’s Eve (making it 16 days). You can also say that the holiday season starts in (lunar) December with the Laba Festival (腊八节 / là bā jié). That’s 40 days of celebrations!
These countries have public holidays (of varying durations) during Lunar New Year: China, Indonesia, The Philippines, Vietnam, South Korea, Malaysia, North Korea, Singapore, and Brunei.
One of the most important part of Lunar New Year is the family reunion. Millions of people working or studying out of their hometowns will be hurrying home to reunite with families at this time. The migration back home during this time is called chunyun (春运), or Spring Migration.
Fun fact: the earliest you can buy train tickets in China is 60 days in advance, resulting in a mad rush of literal fighting for tickets. In 2015, statistics showed that around 1,000 tickets were sold each second.
Showering, sweeping, throwing out garbage, and general cleaning is frowned upon on New Year’s Day. This is to make sure you don’t wash away the good luck!
On the other hand, there’s a day before Lunar New Year that's dedicated to cleaning. This is the day is to sweep the bad luck away and make room for the good.
Many cultures have symbolic foods, such as the Yule Log cake. But in Chinese culture, lucky food is another very important part of the Lunar New Year celebration. People will prepare a variety of traditional dishes that have symbolic meanings.
These meals are more than mere dishes; they're symbols of luck and prosperity:
There are twelve zodiac animal signs and each undergoes a 12-year cycle. Your Ben Ming year (本命年 / běn mìng nián) refers to the year of zodiac animal in which you were born, and of the 12-year cycle, it is the unluckiest for you.
So, every twelve years, you will meet the year of your birth sign. 2024 is year of the Dragon, so those born in the year of the dragon meet their Ben Ming Nian this year.
It's said that the during your Ben Ming Nian, you are likely to encounter Tai Sui, the legendary God in charge of people's fortune. In meeting him, many bad things such as illness, financial loss, extramarital affair etc. may happen.
During your Ben Ming Nian year, your weapon of defense is the colour red. Just as you can decorate your home in red for protection and fortune, you can also wear red clothing. Some even wear red underwear every day of the year.
HOWEVER, according to the Chinese customs, the red underwear should be sent by others instead of buying for themselves. Only then can the effect of frightening away evil spirits be strengthened!
Learn more about your Chinese zodiac horoscope!
Chinese legend has it that Nian, a half-dragon, half-lion monster, comes out of hiding and attacks people (especially children) during the Lunar New Year.
A long, long time ago in ancient China, there was a fearsome beast called Nian 👹. Its head looked like a lion 🦁 with a sharp horn on it, with the body of a dragon 🐉. It lived at the bottom of the sea most of the time and would go ashore on the last day of the lunar year to eat livestock and people, especially children.
One day, an old man with silver hair arrived to the village and claimed that he could drive the cruel beast away 👴🏻. However, all of the villagers were too scared to believe him and still took off for hiding before nightfall.
Come nightfall 🌖, Nian broke into the village as usual and just as it was ready to attack, suddenly the sound of firecrackers arose together with bright flares 🧨. Nian trembled and stopped in his tracks. Then the old man appeared dressed in red, and this sent Nian into a frenzy. It was terrified and quickly ran away.
When the villagers returned home and found their houses and livestock were safe and sound, they came to realize that the old man was a celestial being who had come to help them. The old man told them the three secret weapons to drive Nian away: items that are red in colour 🛑, bright lights 🚨, and firecrackers 🧨.
From then on, on the last day of the year, people put up red decorations, hung up red lanterns, and set off firecrackers to keep safe from Nian 🏮. As time passed, this custom spread to almost every corner of China and thus developed into one of the most important festivals of Chinese people, the Lunar New Year's Eve.
Sources:
The way kids play is naturally based on their personality. For example, my daughter Charlotte, is more laid back and enjoys life at a slower pace - she enjoys more open ended play with minimal supervision. Compared that to my niece, Lee, who is more energetic and focused on order, so she prefers activities that feature specific instructions and rules. To try and gain a better understanding of why kids play differently we looked at the different types of “play personalities” as outlined by Dr. Stuart Brown, founder of the National Institute For Play.
Dr. Brown narrows it down to eight dominant modes of play; the collector, the competitor, the creator/artist, the director, the explorer, the joker, the kinesthete, and the storyteller. It’s important to note that it tends to be trickier to try and fit younger children into these categories as their personalities and cognition are still rapidly developing. So while we can make guesses as to what play personality they are leaning towards based on our observations of their behaviors, those behaviors are changing as rapidly as their development.
That said, let's delve into these modes of play and see which one resonates with you and your kiddo the most!
🔍 The Collector
A collector is someone who gets their thrill from holding an interesting collection of objects or experiences, anything from coins, toy trains or cards, etc. The simple act of collecting triggers a state of play for this personality. In young children this may manifest as a fascination with a certain theme (i.e they watch/see or must have anything to do with dinosaurs). If you notice that they derive a certain level of joy from each object collected that fits within this theme there is a high probability that they are a collector. This personality type may enjoy this type of play as a solitary activity or may enjoy connecting with others through this shared passion.
🎨 The Creator/Artist
When a person finds joy through the process of creating something, whether it be through visual arts, performance arts or just working with their hands, they are considered to have the creator/artist play personality. Whether they decide to share their creations with the world or keep it to themselves, the goal for this play personality type is to simply create or build.
💪 The Competitor
This personality type derives their joy from participating in a competitive environment (usually through the form of a game) with specific rules or instructions. They enjoy being able to keep score and are in it to win it. The competitor personality can enjoy solitary games or team sports or may even prefer to be a spectator. Usually competitors make themselves known in social settings where they enjoy the challenge of being the “top person”.
🎬 The Director
For this play personality, the act of planning and executing is where they find the most joy. While they may not always be aware of it they gain happiness from having the power to make things happen. They thrive as organizers and as the anchors of their social circles. However, something to watch out for is that they tend to view the world as their stage and the people around them as players in their game.
🧭 The Explorer
Each and every one of us is born with the drive to explore from the moment we enter this world. However, over time that drive for most of us tends to taper off but for some it stays strong throughout their life. It becomes their preferred method of play. There are many ways one can explore, there’s physical exploration where one literally goes to explore new physical places, emotional exploration in search of new feelings, or mental exploration which can be experienced through research of a new subject or point of view.
🃏 The Joker
This play personality plays by acting silly. In social environments they use their ability to make others laugh as a way to be accepted by others.
👟 The Kinesthete
This type of play personality is defined as someone who needs to be constantly moving. Instinctively they are always trying to push their bodies to see how far or fast they can go. While this type of play personality often leans towards participating in sports more, unlike the competitor play personality, they are not in for the competition it is just a way for them to engage in movement.
📖 The Storyteller
Using imagination is how this play personality unlocks the joys of play. A storyteller comes in many different forms; novelists, playwrights, screenwriters, poets, singers, dancers, etc. Whether they are telling a story or listening to one they find themselves fully immersed with the thoughts and emotions of the characters in the story. Because this method of play is in the eye of the beholder, they are not restricted to a specific type of activity. They will find excitement in almost anything. For example they could be playing a game of basketball but in their mind each player on the opposing team is a villain trying to capture the princess who is stuck in the net. While a competitive personality would play the game for the thrill of the win, a storyteller is playing for the excitement.
It’s important to note that this is just one theory of how play is interpreted by different personalities. Other popular options include:the Myers-Briggs personality types or Jungian Psychology tests (the basis of that theory being that symbols can mean different things to different people). The main takeaway here is that everyone plays differently, even if we are all doing the same activity. The outcome is always going to be different based on one's personality because we all derive joy differently.
For example, my daughter who finds her joy in creative freedom, meaning she is the most happy when she is able to color outside the lines with zero adult guidance. Whereas my niece only finds joy in coloring inside the lines as she requires order in her play. There are instances where she refuses to color herself and only allows adults to do the coloring for her because it is important to her that it is done properly. There's no better or worse, just different! And a helpful way to understand our kids just a little bit better.
So, what type of play do you and your little one(s) enjoy?
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Parents, siblings, neighbours and friends can all participate, which makes this activity super versatile. If the weather cooperates, you can even take the fun outdoors!
To begin, we gave my daughter a set of bunny ears. Then, we let Lee decide on which components she wanted to incorporate in the obstacle course, as well as the 'rules'. For instance, she decided that you must complete the entire course only by hopping, and could not exceed 20 hops in total! And halfway through the course, she would direct you to move your bunny headband to your midsection (yes, it was considerably harder to maintain that position as an adult!)
Another non-edible way to reuse those plastic Easter eggs! If you have a set of magnetic numbers or letters, they are a perfect fit inside the eggs. Have you child look for the hidden eggs, once they find and open the egg, mark off the letter they found on the master list. And the hunt continues until all 26 letters have been found.
As they become more advanced, you can have them find letters to spell words too.
Happy Easter! 🐰
]]>Last year for World Down Syndrome Day, we chatted with Charlotte's parents Hillary and John, to learn about their experience with Down syndrome (read here).
We wanted to check in again to see what they've been up to lately, especially since the arrival of baby Harrison and Charlotte's new role as big sister!
Check out our interview below.
We welcomed our son, Harrison, in May 2022. Charlotte has been loving her new role of big sister. Harrison is 10 months now and Charlotte is 2 1/2 years old. They love to play and explore together.
Charlotte has made a lot of progress with her speech in the last year. Speech is difficult for kids with Down syndrome because of their low muscle tone, facial structure, and developmental delays. Charlotte has come really far in her receptive language. She understands most of what is said to her. We are now working really hard to help develop the tools for her to communicate back. Expressive language is something that she is getting increasingly frustrated by. Right now, she mainly communicates through sign language. But being the social butterfly that she is, she gets frustrated when she is trying to play with other kids and they don’t know her signs. She is making progress everyday and we are so proud of how hard she is working.
Not at all, we knew Charlotte would be an amazing big sister. In fact, we look forward to giving her more siblings one day. We always wanted a bigger family and her diagnosis hasn’t changed that plan.
We played a lot with dolls to help get her ready. Although sharing mom and dad was definitely an adjustment for her, she did really well adapting to and embracing the role of big sister. She loves to help out in her own little ways (like handing us the wipes when we change him).
She loves it! We haven’t faced many challenges outside of the normal adjustments of going from 1 kid to 2. To be honest though, I do fear the day where he will surpass his big sister with milestones. I worry about what that will do to her confidence and I worry about what that will do to their relationship. Right now he looks up to her so much. He pushes himself because he is so desperate to keep who with her. He is so close to walking and all credit goes to her for that.
Harrison will never know a life without a sister with special needs. I think what we will need to prepare him for the most, is the judgement she might face out in the world. When he’s old enough, we will talk to him about what Down syndrome is, how to advocate for his sister and educate others who might have questions.
We will teach him not to limit her and that she can accomplish all the same things as him, she just might have to work harder. By seeing how much harder Charlotte has to work to achieve things that might come easy to him, I hope that will instill in him a respect for people living with a disability. To look at people with disabilities as strong, resilient and hardworking, instead of looking down on them with pity.
You can follow Charlotte on Instagram @lifewithcharlottem!
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This age may be a difficult age to handle. You may find that your four-year-old is now a big ball of energy with increased drive, bossiness, belligerence, and out-of-bounds behaviour. Four-year-olds may also enjoy using inappropriate words and love to see how you react to them.
Although she may seem to be chasing off in all directions at once, she’s still learning from all of these experiences. Don’t worry, eventually it will get better and slowly, but surely, a more confident, calm child will emerge the next year.
Keep in mind that the actual age when a typically developing child reaches a milestone really can vary. Each child develops in their own unique way, so there's no need to worry unnecessarily if your child isn't hitting a milestone right away, especially if your child is hitting most milestones in other domains.
That being said, you are your child's best advocate. If there is an issue, it's always best to act early, so if you have any concerns about your child's development, please speak with your pediatrician.
By four years, your child should have an active social life filled with friends. He may even have a “best friend”. Take the initiative to encourage your child’s growing relationships and have him invite friends over. It’s important for him to “show off” or introduce his home, family, and possessions to other children. This will help him establish a sense of self-pride and confidence.
It’s also important to recognize that at this age, his friends aren’t just playmates, but have an active influence in his thinking and behaviour. He now realizes that there are other values and opinions besides yours and may test this discovery by demanding things you’ve never allowed him before. Just know that some sassiness can be a positive sign that he’s learning to challenge authority and test the limits of his independence. Your child still has an extremely simplified sense of morality, and so when he obeys rules rigidly, it’s not necessarily because he understands or agrees with them, but more likely because he wants to avoid punishment.
Your four-year-old’s fantasy life will remain very active. However, he’s now learning to tell the difference between what’s real and what’s not and he may move back and forth between the two without confusing them as much.
At age four or five, your child may begin to show an interest in basic sexuality, both his own and that of the opposite sex. He might ask the famous question “where do babies come from?” and about the organs involved in reproduction. He might want to know more about the differences in girls’ and boys’ bodies. When confronted with these questions, answer them in a direct and simple way using the correct terminology. A four-year-old may not need to know the details about intercourse, but he should feel free to ask questions and know he’ll get a direct and accurate answer.
Many children at this age:
Your child’s language at age four will begin to blossom. She’ll be able to pronounce most of the sounds in the English language with a few exceptions (/f, v, s, z/ may still be difficult and she may not fully master /sh, l, th, r/ until age six).
Your preschooler’s vocabulary will have grown to around 1500 words now and will grow by another 1000 over the course of the year. She’ll now be able to tell elaborate stories and will be able to tell you about things that happened to her, things she wants, and also about her dreams and fantasies.
Many children at this age:
Your four-year-old is starting to explore lots of basic concepts that will be taught in more detail at school. For example, he’ll now understand that the day is divided into morning, afternoon, and night and that there are different seasons. By age four to five, he’ll understand basic counting, the alphabet, size relationships, and the names of geometric shapes.
Be sure to respect and encourage any special interests or talents your child may have. This will help open his horizons even further and encourage a joy of learning so that he will be self-motivated when his formal education begins.
Many children at this age:
Your preschooler now has the coordination and balance very close to an adult’s. However, her motor skills will be way ahead of her judgement, so you’ll need to remind her to wait when she runs ahead or hold your hand when crossing the street.
Her coordination and ability to use her hands are almost fully developed too. She’s now becoming able to take care of herself and brush her teeth, get dressed with little help, and may be able to tie her shoes.
Because of this growing control over her hands, arts and crafts in general are becoming more exciting for her now. When she draws, she’ll probably take more care and attention and decide in advance what she wants to create and then go ahead with it. His people drawings may have legs sticking out of the head, but they’ll have eyes, a nose, and a mouth and represent people to your child.
Many children at this age:
Three-year-olds are frequently picky eaters, and may continue into their fourth year, and your child may be more vocal about her food preferences. She might be more insistent about refusing to eat certain foods. Her nutritional needs are similar to what it was last year, but she may have unpredictable emotional responses to the foods put in front of her. Try to maintain a well-balanced meal as often as possible and present enough wholesome choices to keep her healthy.
At this age, a common nighttime issue is night terrors. During a night terror, your child will be in bed appearing to be awake and upset, maybe screaming and thrashing, eyes wide open and terrified, but he won’t respond to you. He is neither awake nor having a nightmare.
This can be disturbing as a parent because the child looks and acts so differently from his usual self. The only thing you can really do at this point is hold your child to protect him from hurting himself and reassure him softly. Eventually, he’ll settle down and go back to sleep. The next morning, he will remember nothing about the occurrence.
Many children at this age:
Sources:
As March break is upon us again, you may be preparing to go on a trip with your family. Whether you are travelling by car, boat, train or plane (or all of the above!) we wanted to share a few tested solutions to keep your child entertained while on-the-go. Every child is different, and the way every family copes and does things is also different. A strategy for one family might not be the right fit for someone else; but this is what’s working right now for us, with our 3 years old daughter! For tips on travelling with a younger child, refer to our post Trains, Planes and Automobiles from last year.
Keeping my daughter entertained is an ongoing goal! When my husband and I are able to play along, we find the game usually has a longer lifespan. Some group games that are currently working well for us are:
This game can be applied to luggage and bags as well if you’re going through the airport.
When it’s time for my daughter to self entertain on-the-go, there are some activities that we routinely turn to as well. Toys and activities that she can use and reset on her own are key to prolonging independent play. Of course, imagination inducing, open ended toys play a big part in holding her attention as well.
One of our favourite open ended toys for travel:
Best activity books and art options for travel:
In order to stay connected to friends and family that your child might miss, we found a helpful work-around for destinations that have a time difference. Have your child make a video to send to family and friends who aren't travelling with you. And have them reply with pre-recorded videos that you can save to play for your child when they wake up or before bed. This mimics the cadence of regular video calls they might be used to, and missing.
Have you travelled with a toddler? How was your experience and what did you find helpful? We'd love to know. Leave us a comment on this post below!
Why is it easier to share the struggles rather than the easy wins?
I was always taught that boasting about your successes is a faux-pas. Instead one should be humble and if you’re going to accept any praise, accept graciously but quickly move on. While I agree that one should remain humble and not get hung up on your successes, at what point is it ok just to accept the wins in life and not feel guilty about them?
As a mom I really struggle with this especially when other moms are open enough to share their struggles with sleep training, feeding, difficult pregnancies, developmental roadblocks, etc. At times, I am struck with guilt when I haven’t shared in the same struggles as my peers, or that in comparison, my journey so far has been relatively easy.
If I am being honest it’s this guilt that has really stopped me from wanting to share my own parenting experiences. Instead I feel like I need to hide the fact that my daughter has slept through the night since infancy, or that I had a pretty smooth and easy pregnancy, or that her illnesses so far have been relatively mild and haven’t resulted in any trips to the ER or even the doctor’s office.
This isn’t to say that I haven’t experienced my own struggles or that everything has always been smooth sailing. Toddler tantrums are something I experience almost daily, meal times are a constant battle (and can last HOURS), and patience is tested daily. But why is it so much easier to commiserate in your struggles and when it comes to the wins, sharing often leads to feelings of guilt instead? Especially when these wins aren’t a result of a long period of struggle or persistence, I am left feeling like I should hide my experiences, instead of acknowledging and appreciating them.
Learning to take the wins
What I’ve learned is that I need to learn to let go of this guilt, and to just take the wins of having an easy-going kid. It’s just as important to celebrate the kid that you have and to accept that you get what you get (the good AND the bad). Ultimately, it isn’t necessarily about you as a parent and what you’ve done right or wrong - sometimes it’s just the kid that you have.
So yes I have a kid who loves sleep, who is happy to sit and play quietly, doesn’t operate at a mile-a-minute, who can easily go with the flow and is CHILL. This is just who she is, not because of any parenting strategy, hacks or tricks. Spending time comparing yourself to others usually ends in frustration and is generally unfruitful. For me, parenting has been about embracing the ebbs and flows of the high and lows.
While my experience so far has been relatively manageable and smooth, I know it’s just a matter of time before I devolve into complaining and commiserating with my peers (let’s face it - those teenage years are going to have us all running for the hills), so for now I’m going to take the win and enjoy it.
]]>Check out our spotlight featuring kids' toys by Canadian brands below.
This game is great for both indoor or outdoor use. Teach your child counting, practice gross motor skills and movement, and creative play. Giant Snakes & Ladders is similar to the tabletop game we all know and love, just giant sized! Take turns tossing the inflatable die and move yourself-about on the board (you can be the game piece). Included are the game mat (measuring 3x3 meters), 1 giant inflatable die, pegs for securing the mat if playing outdoors, a storage bag, and rules and instructions.
Use code JAGAMES to get 25% off! (valid until Mar 31, 2023)
Shop Giant Snakes & Ladders for $89.99 $67.49 →
The Transformable Pikler Triangle is designed according to Montessori furniture principles of independence building. This is a universal climber that develops a kid's motor skills, physical strength, dexterity, spatial imagination, giving freedom in the game, self-confidence, and the joy of achievement.
Ideal to keep the kids busy and reduce screen time.
When the kids finished playing you can easily store it, just by removing the locking mechanism and dismantling it into four smaller ladders.
True Little North uses FSC-certified plywood, which is responsibly sourced, as well as Eco-Friendly Packaging.
Shop the Transformable Triangle Pikler for $499 $374.99 →
This is a play-based learning kit makes learning letters and numbers fun for the whole family! With number learning, it’s important to practice counting and also have a good understanding of the meaning of numbers. As with letters, it's important to start practicing letter recognition early so that your little one has a strong foundation to build on when it comes time to learn to read and write.
The components in this activity kit will help your kiddo develop their fundamentals for learning letters and numbers. Our downloadable activities act as a guide for play based learning as well. The kit includes the following:
Jenny & Andy Number Cubes
Our plush cube is made of organic cotton and hemp, decorated in our custom Chinese number print (1 to 10). Teach baby new characters as you play, also a great toy to use for capturing weekly and monthly growth milestones!
Resin Number Set
Need a fun way for your children to learn and work on their number recognition? This set is a perfect learning tool to inspire children with their number recognition, a great aid for practicing printing numbers and early math skills.
Play Dough by Dough Parlour
This beautiful pastel coloured dough, with silver glitter, is scented like Marshmallows! Handcrafted in Canada. Made from 100% non-toxic ingredients. After opening: store well-sealed in the refrigerator to optimize shelf life. Each pot is approximately 100g.
LMNO PEAS by Keith Baker
Get ready to roll through the alphabet with a jaunty cast of cute and busy little peas in this Classic Board Book edition of Keith Baker’s hit concept book. This fresh and fun alphabet book features bright colors, bouncy rhyming text, and silly pea characters who highlight the wide variety of interests, hobbies, and careers that make the world such a colorful place!
Complimentary Activity Downloads
We created a collection of dynamic activity downloads to showcase different learning opportunities for each component included in this kit! For example: Colour by Number, Number Songs, Shake & Find and Tag & Touch games!
Shop the Fundamentals Kit for $55 →
These Alphabet Tracing Boards are a wonderful way to introduce letters and writing to your child. There are upper case letters on the front and lower case letters on the back. You can even use rice, felt balls or play dough for an added sensory bonus!
Practice a wide range of skills like:
Each board is 16 inches by 7 inches and made of durable hardwood.
Shop the Alphabet Tracing Board for $75 →
We love donuts, and this donut teether makes for a great on-the-go toy! LouLouLollipop’s silicone donut teether is made of 100% premium quality food-grade silicone and features nubby textures on both sides to soothe sore gums. Silicone is more durable than plastic and and doesn’t break down into microplastics or produce harmful by-products.
We love that it’s dishwasher safe and free of BPA, PVC, phthalates, lead and cadmium. All of their teethers are third-party tested for ASTM & CSPIA safety compliance.
Shop the Donut Teether for $16 →
Coco Bean’s luxury baby mats are for both baby and mom to enjoy. With its design of soft raised sides and a soft foam base it allows baby to have a space to relax and play, even on hard surfaces like tiled floor and hard wood.
The arches have space for a total of 10 hanging toys to spark your baby’s attention and develop motor skills and hand eye coordination. We love that the bars are removable, making the mat multi-functional - great for tummy time! It’s made from 100% cotton and is machine washable.
It includes:
Your child is now becoming more independent and responsive to other children. During this time, your child will mature in many areas, including toilet training and participating in more organized games and sports.
She’ll also have mastered the basic rules of language and has built a large vocabulary that will continue to increase every day as she experiments with words.
With an increased vocabulary and independence, your three-year-old will now be more vocal about her wants and needs, especially during temper tantrums. Be prepared for your relationship to change dramatically as she is now able to view you as separate person with feelings and needs she’s beginning to understand.
Read about our personal experience with our "threenager".
Keep in mind that the actual age when a typically developing child reaches a milestone really can vary. Each child develops in their own unique way, so there's no need to worry unnecessarily if your child isn't hitting a milestone right away, especially if your child is hitting most milestones in other domains.
That being said, you are your child's best advocate. If there is an issue, it's always best to act early, so if you have any concerns about your child's development, please speak with your pediatrician.
At age three, your child will be much less selfish than she was at age two. She’ll also be less dependent on you, indicating that her own identity and sense of self is stronger and more secure. She’ll begin to play more cooperatively with children, rather than just playing side by side. And in the process, she’ll recognize that not everyone think exactly the same as she does and that different playmates will have their own unique qualities.
Three-year-olds spend much of their playtime in fantasy activity, which tends to be more cooperative than play that’s focused on toys or games. Your child may may enjoy assigning different roles to one another for an elaborate game of make-believe using imaginary or household items. This type of play helps children develop important social skills like taking turns,paying attention, communicating, and responding to one another’s actions.
Your three-year-old’s vivid fantasy life will help her explore and come to terms with a wide range of emotions, from love and dependency to anger, protest, and fear. Many three-year-olds also have imaginary friends, which is actually a very creative way to sample different activities, lines of conversation, behaviour, and emotions.
Back in real life, let your chid know that you’re proud of her new independence, skills, and creativity. Talk with her, listen to what she says, and show her that her opinions matter. Give her a sense of importance and help her make decisions by offering her choices whenever possible (i.e. food, clothes, activities and games, etc.).
Many children at this age:
At this age, your child should have an active vocabulary of 300 or more words. She can use sentences of three or four words and imitate most adult speech sounds. Language allows her to express her thoughts, and the more advanced she is in speaking and understanding words, the more tools she’ll have for thinking, creating, and telling you about it.
Your three-year-old is still learning to master pronouns like “I”; “me”; “mine”; and “you”. She may often use her name instead of saying “I” or “me”. To minimize confusion, avoid correcting her and instead model correct pronoun use in your own speech.
At this stage, your child’s speech should be clear enough that even strangers can understand most of what she says, but may still mispronounce as much as half the speech sounds she uses. For example, it’s common for kids this age to use /w/ for /r/ (“wabbit”), /d/ for /th/ (“dis”; “dat”), or /t/ for any sounds she has trouble with. The sounds /b, p, m, w, h/ may emerge a little later on and may take some time for her to perfect them.
Many children at this age:
Your three-year-old will likely be very inquisitive, spending much of his time questioning everything that happens around him. She'll love to ask “Why do I have to…?” and she’ll pay very close attention to your answers as long as they’re simple and to the point. You shouldn’t feel the need to explain your rules fully.
When faced with specific learning challenges, your child’s reasoning skills are still rather one sided. She can’t yet see an issue from two angles or solve problems that require looking at more than one factor at the same time.
Your child’s sense of time will become much clearer during this period. She’ll know his own daily routine and understand that certain special events, like holidays and birthdays, only happen once in a while, although she will still have no real sense of the length of a year.
Many children at this age:
At age three, your child is now quite agile, whether he’s going forward, backward, or up and down stairs. He uses a regular heel-toe motion, taking steps of the same length, width, and speed. He can also ride a tricycle easily.
But, not everything comes easily yet. He may still need to make a conscious effort when standing on her tiptoes, while getting up from a squatting position, or while catching a ball.
Your child is developing both the muscular control and the concentration he needs to master precise finger and hand movements. He will be able to move each finger independently and together like an adult. He’ll also be able to trace a square, copy a circle, and scribble freely.
Your child will also be very interested in learning what she can do with craft tools like scissors, paper, clay, paint, and crayons. He can now manipulate these objects and is beginning to experiment with using them to make his own creations.
Many children at this age:
As a preschooler, your child should have a healthy attitude toward eating. Ideally, this includes no longer using eating (or not eating) to demonstrate defiance, nor does she confuse food with love or affection. She’ll now view eating as a natural response to hunger and meals as a pleasant social experience. However, it is still normal for children at this age to have specific preferences in food which may vary from day to day.
When it comes to bedtime, your child may feel some FOMO (fear of missing out), knowing that you and any older siblings are still up. These feelings are understandable, and there’s no harm in giving your child some flexibility, but remember that most children at this age need at least ten to twelve hours of sleep every night.
Most preschoolers sleep through the night, but some may wake several times to check their surroundings before falking back to sleep. There may be some nights when your child’s active dreams wake him. These vivid dreams may reflect some impulse or inner fears that comes to surface by way of dreams. He’ll be better able to understand that these are only dreams when he’s a little older, usually by age five or six.
Many children at this age:
Sources:
Inspired by their current exhibition, Canadian Modern, visitors are invited to collaborate, ideate, and innovate with exciting design-focused activities that will help educate on the ways we can reduce our impact on urban wildlife.
Mark your calendars also, T.rex: The Ultimate Predator exhibit is slated to open March 11!
Other event and program highlights:
The AGO offers a great deal with their Annual Pass. Get a full year of unlimited access to the AGO Collection and all special exhibitions for only $35! Pick up a copy of AGO PLAY - a kid-friendly activity booklet that outlines adventures to see and do inside the Gallery -- from art making challenges to a scavenger hunt and close-looking activities.
The following activities will require you to sign up in person – first come, first served:
Whether you are a seasoned skater or just trying it for the first time, this is a great family activity. There are tons of drop-in skate options all across Toronto. Check here for the closest rink located near you and their drop-in schedules.
For those looking for an adventure further afield, Arrowhead Provincial Park houses a magical outdoor Ice Skating Trail. The 1.3 km trail winds through the thick Muskoka forest, and on select Friday and Saturday evenings, there is an option for night skating where the trail is illuminated by hundreds of tiki torches lighting your way.
(Photo courtesy of Evergreen Brick Works)
The Giant Maze is Canada’s largest winter maze pop-up experience of its kind, made entirely of reusable wood spanning over 14,000 sq-ft. Starting February 11th you can make your way through this maze either in Toronto at the Evergreen Brickworks or in Milton at Country Heritage Park.
Buy your tickets here (starting February 11th until March 19th, open daily from 11am - 4pm).
In honour of their 85th anniversary, the Model Railroad Club of Toronto is offering the public a chance to visit its clubhouse. Inside, you'll see the club's large model railway in action, as trains pass through small-scale versions of 1950s Central Ontario landscapes.
According to the club, the model uses over 4,000 feet of track, showcasing model trains barreling through tunnels, over bridges, and passing through small towns.
The Model Railroad Club of Toronto will be hosting their anniversary event at 11 Curity Ave.
The event runs from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Feb. 26. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for children, $12 for seniors, and $45 for families, and can be purchased at the door.
]]>Over the last few weeks, we've been struggling with some classic unwanted behaviour from my 3-year-old daughter: tantrums that appear out of nowhere that leads to pushing, hitting, and even spitting.
As I've been madly searching for coping mechanisms, fellow parents and online sources have introduced me to the term 'threenager'. It denotes the awkward in-between stage that children go through when they reach their third birthday. They're not a baby or even a toddler anymore, yet still lack some of the key cognitive and motor skills to help them feel and act like a 'big kid'.
This painful transition time is often accompanied by a lot of sass and attitude from the offending threenager. My experience with my daughter looks like this: she swings from playing normally to a level 10 melt down, without warning or provocation, in unpredictable moments. So, as her parents, we cannot seem to anticipate or apply reason to the madness! This has been happening on repeat over two weeks, as documented below.
The first week, we endured because she had a virus that had caused her upper body to break out into a rash. We thought maybe her behaviour was linked to her physical discomfort. This will pass.
As we started into week two of this continuous behaviour, some despair began to set in. I found myself frequently reaching deep to find any remaining ounce of compassion and patience. By the end of week two, there wasn’t much left. As we rounded into the weekend, my family witnessed crying and screaming - from me this time. Will this pass??
Thank goodness for the support network, because they saw and heard my frustration loud and clear and reached out with help. My mom and sister took my daughter for a sleepover to give me and my husband a break. It was deeply needed and we were so grateful to be able to rely on our family for support.
Parenting is so hard because there are times where I struggle to show up as the parent I want to be. I am naturally a solutions-oriented person, but in many of these situations, there’s not much of a solution. In calmer times, we have tried a variety of methods including:
But in this current hurricane, few devices or coping mechanisms are sticking. The best I can do most days is to remember that this will pass. This stage may ultimately be linked to a growth spurt - both physical and cognitive growth. This can create a lot of change that’s difficult for a toddler to process. It’s part of their early development, and unpredictable to a certain degree.
As author Joan Ryan said: “parenthood is about raising and celebrating the child you have, not the child you thought you’d have. It’s about understanding your child is exactly the person they are supposed to be. And if you’re lucky, they might be the teacher who turns you into the person you’re supposed to be.”
Can you relate to any of this? Do you have a threenager at home? What did you find helpful in a situation like this? Let us know in the comment box below. We’d love to hear from you!
]]>In honour of their 85th anniversary, the Model Railroad Club of Toronto is offering the public a chance to visit its clubhouse. Inside, you'll see the club's large model railway in action, as trains pass through small-scale versions of 1950s Central Ontario landscapes.
According to the club, the model uses over 4,000 feet of track, showcasing model trains barreling through tunnels, over bridges, and passing through small towns.
The Model Railroad Club of Toronto will be hosting their anniversary event at 11 Curity Ave.
The event runs from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Feb.19, 20 and 26. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for children, $12 for seniors, and $45 for families, and can be purchased at the door.
Inspired by their current exhibition, Canadian Modern, visitors are invited to collaborate, ideate, and innovate with exciting design-focused activities that will help educate on the ways we can reduce our impact on urban wildlife.
These Family Day activities (Feb 18 - 20 @ 11am - 4pm) are included with regular admission :
The City of Toronto offers great seasonal camps for kids. While March break registration is predominately full, summer CampTO programs just opened for registration on February 11, 2023 so be sure to check those out before they fill up!
The City of Toronto also runs great programs for kids of all ages all year round that are super affordable (in some cases even FREE).
All available programming can be found on the Toronto FUN site. Be sure to read the class descriptions carefully as age ranges can differ depending on location.
The AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario) offers a great deal with their Annual Pass. Get a full year of unlimited access to the AGO Collection and all special exhibitions for only $35!
These Family Day activities (Feb 17 - Feb 20) are included with regular admission:
The following activities will require you to sign up in person – first come, first served:
Whether you are a seasoned skater or just trying it for the first time, this is a great family activity. There are tons of drop-in skate options all across Toronto. Check here for the closest rink located near you and their drop-in schedules.
For those looking for an adventure further afield, Arrowhead Provincial Park houses a magical outdoor Ice Skating Trail. The 1.3 km trail winds through the thick Muskoka forest, and on select Friday and Saturday evenings, there is an option for night skating where the trail is illuminated by hundreds of tiki torches lighting your way.
(Photo courtesy of Evergreen Brick Works)
The Giant Maze is Canada’s largest winter maze pop-up experience of its kind, made entirely of reusable wood spanning over 14,000 sq-ft. Starting February 11th you can make your way through this maze either in Toronto at the Evergreen Brickworks or in Milton at Country Heritage Park.
Buy your tickets here (starting February 11th until March 19th, open daily from 11am - 4pm).
]]>
During this time, your toddler’s physical growth and motor development is still slowing down, but you’ll see huge growth intellectually, socially, and emotionally. His vocabulary will grow, and he’ll try to increase his independence from other members of his family.
This period may be emotionally challenging for both you and your toddler, especially when it seems like his new favourite word is “no”. He will be flip flopping between his reliance on you and his need to assert his independence, making it frustrating when he wants to cling to you when you try to leave him and when he runs the opposite direction when you want him to listen to you.
By acknowledging and accepting all the positives and negatives of these changes, you'll make it easier for both of you through the next few hectic years. Through the encouragement and respect you show him, your appreciation for his accomplishments, and the warmth and security you offer him, he'll learn to feel comfortable, capable, and special. This will help in later years as he goes to school and meets new people. Most important, they'll make him proud of and confident in himself as a person.
Keep in mind that the actual age when a typically developing child reaches a milestone really can vary. Each child develops in their own unique way, so there's no need to worry unnecessarily if your child isn't hitting a milestone right away, especially if your child is hitting most milestones in other domains.
That being said, you are your child's best advocate. If there is an issue, it's always best to act early, so if you have any concerns about your child's development, please speak with your pediatrician.
At age 2, your toddler may view the world almost exclusively through his own needs and desires. Because he can’t yet understand how others might feel in the same situation (also called theory of mind), he assumes that everyone thinks and feels as he does. On the occasions when he realizes he’s out of line, he may not be able to control themselves. Because of this, using statements like “How would you feel if she did that to you?” won't be effective and should be saved for when he's older.
Toddlers at this age understand and use the word "no" as a way to assert themselves. Sometimes, calmly redirecting your child or stating a request in a different way can help this behaviour. But a child can also stubbornly resist direction. Temper tantrums may often reflect related frustrations and competing feelings. It may sometimes be difficult to follow the ups and downs of your two-year-old. One moment, he’s smiling and laughing and the next he’s crying for no apparent reason. Often, these mood swings are just a part of growing up. They’re signs of emotional changes that are happening as your child struggles to take control of actions, impulses, feelings, and his body.
Two-year-olds are very interested and excited about being with other children. But they still engage largely in parallel play. They likely have not yet mastered sharing and other co-operation skills but may show emerging signs like handing things to others in play.
Many toddlers at this age:
Your toddler will use at least 50 words and start putting two words together, like “dog sit” or “daddy up”. Over the course of this year, she’ll graduate from two- or three-word sentences (“eat toast”; “mommy come sit”) to those with four, give, or even six words!
Your toddler might also speak with a mix of made-up words and understandable words. It may seem like they speak a language that only parents and caregivers can understand at times! But at this age, your toddler’s language acquisition will be like a sponge. She’ll repeat words overheard from movies, the radio, and overheard adult conversations!
That being said, it’s important to avoid comparing your toddler’s verbal abilities with those of others her age. At this time, there’s more variation in language development than in any other area. Some toddlers develop language at a steady rate while others seem to master words in an uneven manner. And some toddlers are naturally more talkative than others. Remember: This doesn’t mean that the more verbal children are necessarily smarter or more advanced than the quieter ones. In fact, the quiet child may know just as many words but are choosier about speaking them.
Many toddlers at this age:
In your child’s infancy, that was a time when he learned about the world by touching, looking, manipulating and listening. Now, as a two-year-old, the learning process is becoming much more thoughtful. His understanding of language is increasing and he’s starting to form mental images for things, actions, and concepts. He is also able to solve more problems in his head, performing mental trial-and-error rather than having to physically manipulate objects to solve problems. And as his memory and intellectual abilities develop more, he’ll start to have a better understanding of concepts like “You can play after you eat.”
Your two-year-old is also starting to understand the relationship between objects. He’ll be able to match similar shapes and objects and recognize the purpose of numbers in counting objects. His play skills are also becoming much more complex. For example, he’ll start stringing together different activities to create a logical sequence.
As you may begin to discover, reasoning with your two-year-old is often a major challenge. After all, he views everything in extremely simple terms. By the end of this period, he may often confuse fantasy with reality unless he’s actively playing make-believe. Therefore, be sure to choose your own words carefully, as comments that you think are funny or playful (“If you eat more cookies, you’ll explode”) may actually cause panic since he won’t know you’re joking.
Many toddlers at this age:
Your toddler’s growth rate will slow between her second and third birthday but she will continue her remarkable physical transformation from baby to child. The most dramatic change will occur in her bodily proportions. As an infant, she probably had a relatively large head and short legs and arms. Now, with changes in rates of growth, her body and legs will look much more in proportion.
At this age, your child will seem to be continually on the go - running, kicking, climbing, and jumping. This can be tiring for you, but know that her activity level will strengthen her body and develop her coordination, so the more running and climbing your games involve, the better. Children at this age love piggyback rides, rolling on mats, going down slides, and climbing activities.
In the months ahead, your child’s running will become smoother and more coordinated and she’ll learn to kick and direct the motion of a ball, walk up and down steps by herself while holding on, and seat herself confidently in a child-size chair. With some assistance, she’ll even be able to stand on one leg.
Jenny & Andy’s Organic Plush Rattle Cubes are perfect for building both fine motor skills and gross motor skills. With a convenient handle, soft plush, and bell inside, it’s the perfect toy for grasping, shaking, throwing, rolling, and even kicking!
At age two, your child will be able to manipulate small objects easily, turn the pages of a book, build a tower of six blocks high, pull off her shoes, and unzip a large zipper. She’ll also improve her coordination of wrists, fingers, and palm so that she’ll be able to turn a doorknob, unscrew a jar lid, use a cup with one hand, and unwrap paper from a candy.
Many toddlers at this age:
As mentioned earlier, your two-year-old won’t be relying on using his senses as much to understand his world. But sensory play and sensory activities are still important learning tools throughout childhood.
When your child reaches age two, you’ll probably be eager to potty train him. But just remember: pushing him too early, before he is ready, may actually prolong the process. In order for a toddler to be successfully potty trained, he needs to be able to sense the urge to go, be able to understand what the feeling means, and then be able to communicate that he needs your help to make it to the toilet and actually go. Waiting until your child is truly ready will make the process much faster and more pleasant for everyone.
At age two, your child may sleep from nine to thirteen hours a day, and most children at this age still need to nap during the day. Your toddler will now be familiar with his bedtime routine, and if you change the routine, he may complain or have trouble going to sleep. But even without changes in routine, your toddler may still resist going to sleep and cry for you. Before bed, try giving your child a feeling of control by letting him make as many of the choices as possible at bedtime, for example choosing which pyjamas to wear or what book he wants to read.
Many toddlers at this age:
3 years (coming soon)
4 years (coming soon)
Sources:
The Chinese Zodiac is an integral part of everyday life in Chinese culture and is popular in many other Asian countries like Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand.
A new Chinese zodiac year starts in either January or February according to the lunar calendar. Because the dates of Lunar New Year change every year in January or February, individuals born in those months will need to pay special attention to their birth date in addition to their birth year in order to determine their zodiac animal.
So, if you were born in January or February in the years 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, or 2009 you might be a Rat or an Ox.
Drawing from a few different sources, we’ve compiled personality descriptions, horoscopes, and other fun tidbits for each zodiac animal.
To find out which animal you are, match your birth year with the zodiac animal years below. If you were born in January or February, click your potential animal and check the specific dates provided.
Zodiac |
Zodiac Years |
1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020 |
|
1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021 |
|
1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022 |
|
1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023 |
|
1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024 |
|
1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025 |
|
1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026 |
|
1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027 |
|
1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028 |
|
1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029 |
|
1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030 |
|
1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031 |
Rat Year |
Date |
2032 |
Feb. 11, 2032 – Jan. 30, 2033 |
2020 |
Jan. 25, 2020 – Feb. 11, 2021 |
2008 |
Feb. 7, 2008 – Jan. 25, 2009 |
1996 |
Feb. 19, 1996 – Feb. 6, 1997 |
1984 |
Feb. 2, 1984 – Feb. 19, 1985 |
1972 |
Feb. 15, 1972 – Feb. 2, 1973 |
1960 |
Jan. 28, 1960 – Feb. 14, 1961 |
1948 |
Feb. 10, 1948 – Jan. 28, 1949 |
People born in the year of the Rat like saving and collecting, so they rarely have hard times financially and live organized lives. As a Rat, you don’t look for praise and recognition. You are very sensitive and know when there is trouble. When you do take risks, you're usually successful.
This year will bring good luck in many aspects of your life. You'll find success in your career and love life and many things will work in your favour. This will be a transitional year for you and you'll be able to make many positive changes in your life.
However, be advised to not let the negativity around you hinder your progress and focus on your life ahead. Be sure to make time for the things that matter and make you happy in 2023. But in this quest of doing the things you love, you must not ignore others' needs.
Lucky Numbers: 2, 3
Lucky Colours: Gold, Green, Blue
Lucky Flowers: African Violet, Lily
Unlucky Numbers: 5 and 9
Unlucky Colours: Yellow, Brown
Richard Nixon: born January 9, 1913
Ozzy Osbourne: born December 3, 1948
RuPaul: born November 17, 1960
Wayne Gretzky: born January 26, 1961
Carmen Electra: born April 20, 1972
Gwyneth Paltrow: born September 27, 1972
Prince Harry: born September 15, 1984
Avril Lavigne: born September 27, 1984
Zendaya: born September 1, 1996
Ox Year |
Date |
2033 |
January 31, 2033 – February 18, 2034 |
2021 |
February 12, 2021 – January 31, 2022 |
2009 |
January 26, 2009 – February 13, 2010 |
1997 |
February 7, 1997 – January 27, 1998 |
1985 |
February 19, 1985 – February 8, 1986 |
1973 |
February 3, 1973 – January 22, 1974 |
1961 |
February 15, 1961 – February 4, 1962 |
1949 |
January 29, 1949 – February 16, 1950 |
Oxen are patient and honest, although very stubborn. It's difficult to change your mind when you have already decided on something. As an Ox, you are usually calm, but can lose your temper when you're at your limit.
In 2023, you will be able to achieve balance in your life because of your commitment and dedication like never before. Things will finally start to fall into place, so embrace yourself for positive changes.
This year, Oxen will achieve their greatest potential. However, you must not stop pushing yourself and working hard. 2023 will also be the year when you decide to pursue your passion and use your creative side.
Lucky Numbers: 1 and 4
Lucky Colours: White, Yellow and Green
Lucky Flowers: Peach Blossom and Tulip
Unlucky Numbers: 5 and 6
Unlucky Colours: Blue
Billy Joel: born May 9, 1949
Bruce Springsteen: born September 23, 1949
Meg Ryan: born November 19, 1961
Jim Carrey: born January 17, 1962
Tyra Banks: born December 4, 1973
Kiera Knightley: born March 26, 1985
Michael Phelps: born June 30, 1985
Chrissy Teigen: born December 4, 1973
Kylie Jenner: born August 10, 1997
Tiger Year |
Date |
2034 |
January 19, 2034 – February 7, 2035 |
2022 |
February 1, 2022 – January 21, 2023 |
2010 |
February 14, 2010 – February 2, 2011 |
1998 |
January 28, 1998 – February 15, 1999 |
1986 |
February 9, 1986 – January 28, 1987 |
1974 |
January 23, 1974 – February 10, 1975 |
1962 |
February 5, 1962 – January 24, 1963 |
1950 |
February 17, 1950 – February 5, 1951 |
People born in the year of the Tiger are independent and have high self-esteem. You enjoy being the leader and protector of others. You have a strong sense of justice and never back down in an argument. You are authoritative and never go back on the things you've said.
This year will bring abundance, good luck, and power in the lives of Tigers. You will be happy to see the direction your life will take this year.
There is no room for giving up in 2023. Be confident and strong while facing any challenges. Your career will be better as you learn how to put your skills and talent to better use. Pursue your passion and you'll be surprised to see what it can do for you.
The year will start with a bang and you'll achieve success in every aspect of life. The year of the Rabbit will bring favourable outcomes for you!
Lucky Numbers: 1, 3 and 4
Lucky Colours: Blue, Gray and Orange
Lucky Flowers: Yellow Lily and Cineraria
Unlucky Numbers: 8, 7 and 6
Unlucky Colours: Brown
Marylin Monroe: born June 1, 1926
Stevie Wonder: born May 13, 1950
Steve Irwin: born February 22, 1962
Michelle Yeoh: born August 6, 1962
Elizabeth Banks: born February 10, 1974
Jimmy Fallon: born September 19, 1974
Robert Pattinson: born May 13, 1986
Usain Bolt: born August 21, 1986
Shawn Mendes: born August 8, 1998
Rabbit Year |
Date |
2035 |
February 8, 2035 – January 27 2036 |
2023 |
January 22, 2023 – February 9, 2024 |
2011 |
February 3, 2011 – January 22, 2012 |
1999 |
February 16, 1999 – February 4, 2000 |
1987 |
January 29, 1987 – February 16, 1988 |
1975 |
February 11, 1975 – January 30, 1976 |
1963 |
January 25, 1963 – February 12, 1964 |
1951 |
February 6, 1951 – January 26, 1952 |
If you were born in the year of the Rabbit, you are gentle, quiet, patient, and intelligent. Your sense of responsibility and attention to detail lead to great successes in your career. You are faithful to those around you but are reluctant to show what’s on your mind.
2023 is the Ben Ming Nian (Zodiac Year of Birth) for people born in the year of the Rabbit. In Chinese astrology, Ben Ming Nian is one’s unlucky year and they should be more cautious than usual. Traditionally, people wear red underclothes in their Ben Ming Nian to decrease the influence of the bad luck.
This year, you should not believe in others too easily and do your own work with wholeheartedly. Financially, you may earn a little more than last year but unexpected expenditures may wait for you ahead, so trim the unnecessary shopping down and save some for possible rainy days, but don't forget to be generous as well.
Rabbits, try your best to show off your talents and do your work well. For those in leadership positions, your leadership skills and abilities will improve. However, influenced by the bad luck of the Ben Ming Nian, you may experience many challenges and difficulties while achieving your goals.
Lucky Numbers: 6, 4 and 3
Lucky Colours: Purple, Blue, Pink and Red
Lucky Flowers: Jasmine and Plantain Lily
Unlucky Numbers: 8, 7 and 1
Unlucky Colours: White, Dark Yellow and Dark Brown
Billie Holiday: born April 7, 1915
Marvin Gaye: born April 2, 1939
Lisa Kudrow: born July 30, 1963
Whitney Houston: born August 9, 1963
Nicolas Cage: born January 7, 1964
Angeline Jolie: born June 4, 1975
Michael Bublé: born September 9, 1975
Elliot Page: born February 21, 1987
Dragon Year |
Chinese Zodiac Years Calendar |
2036 |
January 26 2036 – February 2037 |
2024 |
February 10, 2024 – January 28, 2025 |
2012 |
January 23, 2012 – February 9, 2013 |
2000 |
February 5, 2000 – January 23, 2001 |
1988 |
February 17, 1988 – February 5, 1989 |
1976 |
January 31, 1976 – February 17, 1977 |
1964 |
February 13, 1964 – February 1, 1965 |
1952 |
January 27, 1952 – February 13, 1953 |
1940 |
February 8, 1940 – January 26, 1941 |
Dragons, you have a heart full of adventure and romance. Gifted with innate courage, tenacity, and intelligence, you are enthusiastic and confident. You are not afraid of challenges, and willing to take risks.
The year of the Rabbit will bring good luck for the Dragons in various aspects of life. You will witness an improvement in your financial life and find new ways to sail through different situations. Many great things are lined up for you, so be prepared to appreciate what is coming.
This year, you'll perform well in achieving your dreams. Surround yourself with people who motivate you in doing better. Be open to changes as change will bring new opportunities for you this year.
2023 will be a year of happiness and bliss and you will enjoy yourself to the fullest. However, you must not make hasty decisions and ensure that you're walking in the right direction. Also, let go of people or things that hinder your progress.
Lucky Numbers: 1, 6 and 7
Lucky Colours: Gold, Grayish White and Silver
Lucky Flowers: Dragon Flowers and Bleeding-Heart Glory Bower
Unlucky Numbers: 3 and 8
Unlucky Colours: Blue and Green
Maya Angelou: born April 4, 1928
Martin Luther King Jr.: born January 15, 1929
Al Pacino: born April 25, 1940
Mr. T: born May 21, 1952
Liam Neeson: born June 7, 1952
Sandra Bullock: born July 26, 1964
Keanu Reeves: born September 2, 1964
Rihanna: born February 20, 1988
Adele: born May 5, 1988
Snake Year |
Date |
2037 |
February 15, 2037 – February 3, 2038 |
2025 |
January 29, 2025 – February 16, 2026 |
2013 |
February 10, 2013 – January 30, 2014 |
2001 |
January 24, 2001 – February 11, 2002 |
1989 |
February 6, 1989 – January 26, 1990 |
1977 |
February 18, 1977 – February 6, 1978 |
1965 |
February 2, 1965 – January 20, 1966 |
1953 |
February 14, 1953 – February 3, 1954 |
1941 |
January 27, 1941 – February 14, 1942 |
1929 |
February 10, 1929 – January 29, 1930 |
People born in the year of the Snake are idealists. On the outside, you may seem cold but, deep inside, you are warm and enthusiastic. Snakes represent the symbol of wisdom. You are intelligent and wise. You are good at communication but say little. Snakes are usually regarded as great thinkers.
The year of the Rabbit will bring significant changes in the lives of Snakes. Things will become better than before as your hard work will finally be recognized and pay off. Positive changes will enter as a ray of hope in your life. You might also come across people who will help you explore a new world of endless possibilities.
However, try to avoid doubting yourself and keep moving in the right direction. It is up to you to make your life better and worthwhile. You know what is best for you; so go ahead and do what needs to be done to make a better life for yourself.
You will come across things that ignite a spark in you. Nothing can hold you back if you don’t let it. Be determined to bring positive change in your life!
Lucky Numbers: 9, 8 and 2
Lucky Colours: Red, Yellow and Black
Lucky Flowers: Cactus and Orchid
Unlucky colours: brown, gold, white
Unlucky numbers: 1, 6, and 7
Bernie Sanders: born September 8, 1941
Pierce Brosnan: born May 16, 1953
Oprah Winfrey: born January 29, 1954
Shania Twain: born August 28, 1965
Patrick Dempsey: born January 13, 1966
Tom Brady: born August 3, 1977
Elizabeth Olson: born February 16, 1989
Brie Larson: born October 1, 1989
Taylor Swift: born December 13, 1989
Horse Year |
Date |
2038 |
February 4, 2038 – January 23, 2039 |
2026 |
February 17, 2026 – February 5, 2027 |
2014 |
January 31, 2014 – February 18, 2015 |
2002 |
February 12, 2002 – February 18, 2003 |
1990 |
January 27, 1990 – February 14, 1991 |
1978 |
February 7, 1978 – January 27, 1979 |
1966 |
January 21, 1966 – February 8, 1967 |
1954 |
February 4, 1954 – January 23, 1955 |
1942 |
February 15, 1942 – February 4, 1943 |
1930 |
January 30, 1930 – February 16, 1931 |
Those born in the year of the Horse are never one to surrender. You are always positive and energetic, and push yourself forward. Your biggest desire is to have the freedom to do what You like and be able to express yourself. However, Horses are bad at keeping secrets and lose interest quickly.
Horses will enjoy good health and financial prosperity this year. Luck will favour you in financial related matters. You will find new sources of income that will benefit you in the long run.
However, you are advised to approach life with a positive attitude. Being sad and gloomy will only take away good moments from your life. Allow yourself to enjoy life and let it grow on you. Surround yourself with people who bring out the best in you and make you happy.
When an opportunity knocks at your door, grab it; there is no other way to do it. This year will be full of surprises for you and you must be ready for it!
Lucky numbers: 2, 3, 7, and numbers containing them (like 23 and 37)
Lucky colours: yellow and green
Lucky flowers: calla lily and jasmine
Unlucky colour: blue, white
Unlucky numbers: 1, 5, and 6
Nelson Mandela: born July 18, 1918
Neil Armstrong: born August 5, 1930
Aretha Franklin: born March 25, 1942
Barbara Streisand: born April 24, 1942
Mike Tyson: born June 30, 1966
Salma Hayek: born September 2, 1966
John Legend: born December 28, 1978
Emma Watson: born April 15, 1990
Jennifer Lawrence: born August 15, 1990
Goat Year |
When |
2039 |
January 24, 2039 – February 11, 2040 |
2027 |
February 6, 2027 – January 25, 2028 |
2015 |
February 19, 2015 – February 7, 2016 |
2003 |
February 1, 2003 – January 21, 2004 |
1991 |
February 15, 1991 – February 3, 1992 |
1979 |
January 28, 1979 – February 15, 1980 |
1967 |
February 9, 1967 – January 30, 1968 |
1955 |
January 24, 1955 – February 11, 1956 |
1943 |
February 5, 1943 – January 24, 1944 |
1931 |
February 17, 1931 – February 5, 1932 |
People born in the year of the Goat are kind and pure of heart. You would rather suffer silently than argue and ruin someone else’s mood. However, even in silence, you still hold onto their own opinion. Goats may look gentle on the surface, they are tough on the inside. You have a strong inner resilience and excellent defensive instincts.
Goats will have to face some challenges this year, but don’t be scared of these challenges as they will make you explore and exploit your full potential. It will also make you realize that hard work and will power is all you need to achieve your goals.
You'll be rewarded for your hard work in the form of a successful and peaceful life. All the challenges you face this year will make you stronger. Put your talent and abilities to good use and you'll be surprised to see how things turn out.
You will see a significant improvement in your financial life in the year of the Rabbit. You might get a raise at your workplace and the investments you made earlier will also give great returns!
Lucky numbers: 6, 4 and 3
Lucky colours: Blue, Pink, Purple and Red
Lucky flowers: Jasmine and Plantain Lily
Unlucky numbers: 8, 7 and 1
Unlucky colours: Dark Yellow, Dark Brown and White
Frida Kahlo: born July 6, 1907
Pierre Trudeau: born October 18, 1919
Christopher Walken: born March 31, 1943
Jim Morrison: born December 8, 1943
Steve Jobs: born February 24, 1955
Bruce Willis: born March 19, 1955
Kurt Cobain: born February 20, 1967
P!nk: born September 8, 1979
Zooey Deschanel: born January 17, 1980
Ed Sheeran: born February 17, 1991
Monkey Year |
When |
2040 |
February 12, 2040 – January 31, 2041 |
2028 |
January 26, 2028 – February 12, 2029 |
2016 |
February 8, 2016 – January 27, 2017 |
2004 |
January 22, 2004 – February 8, 2005 |
1992 |
February 4, 1992 – January 22, 1993 |
1980 |
February 16, 1980 – February 4, 1981 |
1968 |
January 30, 1968 – February 16, 1969 |
1956 |
February 12, 1956 – January 30, 1957 |
1944 |
January 24, 1944 – February 12, 1945 |
1932 |
February 6, 1932 – January 25, 1933 |
Monkeys are full of energy and are extremely curious about the world. You value relationships, but spoiling children may be your weakness. You are also a practical jokester and you love to play. Although you don’t have bad intentions, your pranks could end up unintentionally hurting other people’s feelings.
Monkeys will enjoy a successful, peaceful, and blessed year. If you are willing to put in work this year, it will pay off for you. Your friends and family will be proud of you and you'll be supported by them at every step.
In 2023, the more hard work you put in, the better results you'll get. You have been afraid to explore the uncharted territories for a while, but this will be the year to let go of your fears and explore new things in life.
In the year of the Rabbit, you will make major changes in your personal and professional life. This will ensure the perfect work-life balance for you and you'll get to spend time with your loved ones while working hard at the same time.
Lucky numbers: 4 and 9
Lucky colours: white, blue, gold
Lucky flowers: chrysanthemum, crape myrtle
Unlucky numbers: 2 and 7
Unlucky colours: red, pink
Elizabeth Taylor: born February 27, 1932
Rod Stewart: born January 10, 1945
Homer Simpson: born May 12, 1956
Bob Saget: born May 17, 1956
Céline Dion: born March 30, 1968
Hugh Jackman: born October 12, 1968
Gisele Bündchen: born July 20, 1980
Ryan Gosling: born November 12, 1980
Selena Gomez: born July 22, 1992
Zodiac Rooster Year |
When |
2041 |
February 1, 2041 – January 21, 2042 |
2029 |
February 13, 2029 – February 2, 2030 |
2017 |
January 28, 2017 – February 15, 2018 |
2005 |
February 9, 2005 – January 28, 2006 |
1993 |
January 23, 1993 – February 9, 1994 |
1981 |
February 5, 1981 – January 24, 1982 |
1969 |
February 17, 1969 – February 5, 1970 |
1957 |
January 31, 1957 – February 17, 1958 |
1945 |
February 13, 1945 – February 1, 1946 |
1933 |
January 26, 1933 – February 13, 1934 |
Those born in the year of the Rooster are empaths, able to sense what other people are thinking or feeling. Roosters make great friends, but some can be quite cunning. You are creative and talented in the arts. You are also talkative, outspoken, frank, open, honest, and loyal.
The year of the Rabbit will be full of ups and downs for the Roosters. Some aspects of your life will see positive changes while others will witness challenges. You are advised to be ready for whatever life throws at you.
Many things will happen in the life of the Roosters simultaneously this year, and may overwhelm you at times. This year, you'll ponder more about improving your relationship with others. It's been hard for you to forge relationships as you find it comforting being on your own. But this is the year to change that.
Your financial life will see some negative changes. Also, you must cherish your relationships with close friends and family. This year will also be about retrospection and this is the year to become the best version of yourself.
Lucky numbers: 5, 7, and 8
Lucky colours: gold, brown, and yellow
Lucky flowers: gladiola, cockscomb
Unlucky colour: red
Unlucky numbers: 1, 3, and 9
Betty White: born January 17, 1922
Yoko Ono: born February 18, 1933
Larry King: born November 19, 1933
Catherine Zeta-Jones: born September 25, 1969
Meghan Markle: born August 4, 1981
Beyoncé: born September 4, 1981
Ariana Grande: born June 26, 1993
Dog Year |
Date |
2042 |
January 22, 2042 – February 9, 2043 |
2030 |
February 3, 2030 – January 22, 2031 |
2018 |
February 16, 2018– February 4, 2019 |
2006 |
January 29, 2006 – February 17, 2007 |
1994 |
February 10, 1994 – January 30, 1995 |
1982 |
January 25, 1982 – February 12, 1983 |
1970 |
February 6, 1970 – January 26, 1971 |
1958 |
February 18, 1958 – February 7, 1959 |
1946 |
February 2, 1946 – January 21, 1947 |
1934 |
February 14, 1934 – February 3, 1935 |
People born in the year of the Dog are conservative and have a strong sense of justice. Because of your loyalty, you are valued in the workplace.
Because of your loyalty, you do everything for the people who are important to you. You may not be great at communication, so it night be difficult for you to convey their thoughts and feelings to others. For that reason, people think you're stubborn.
Dogs will be favoured by luck in the year of Rabbit. Most aspects of your life will see growth. You are lucky to be surrounded by people who motivate you and root for you, and this year you will feel blessed to have them in your life.
However, you must be patient and confident in yourself and try to incorporate activities in your life that will enhance your skills. Work hard to achieve your goals and try to set a higher standards for yourself. You must be proactive and don't miss any opportunities that come your way.
2023 will be a period of bliss and happiness as you will learn to express yourself in front of others. If you have been stressed in the past, you will manage to get rid of it too this year. Spend some time with nature to open up your mind and think clearly about the things that bother you, as nothing is more satisfying than living a peaceful, balanced, and happy life.
Lucky numbers: 3, 4, 9, and numbers containing them (like 34 and 49)
Lucky colours: red, green, and purple
Lucky flowers: rose, cymbidium orchids
Unlucky colours: blue, white, gold
Unlucky numbers: 1, 6, and 7
Mother Teresa: born August 26, 1910
Donald Trump: born June 14, 1946
David Bowie: born January 8, 1947
Melania Trump: born April 26, 1970
Constance Wu: born March 22, 1982
Kim Jong-un: born January 8, 1983
Justin Bieber: born March 1, 1994
Pig Year |
Date |
2043 |
February 10, 2043 – January 29, 2044 |
2031 |
January 22, 2031 – February 10, 2032 |
2019 |
February 4, 2019 – January 24, 2020 |
2007 |
February 17, 2007 – February 6, 2008 |
1995 |
January 30, 1995 – February 18, 1996 |
1983 |
February 13, 1983 – February 1, 1984 |
1971 |
January 27, 1971 – February 14, 1972 |
1959 |
February 8, 1959 – January 27, 1960 |
1947 |
January 22, 1947 – February 9, 1948 |
1935 |
February 4, 1935 – January 23, 1936 |
People born in the year of the Pig are logical thinkers and are diligent, compassionate, and generous. Your only obvious fault is that you lose your temper easily. Generally speaking, Pigs are relatively calm when in the face of trouble. No matter how difficult the problem, you can handle things properly and carefully.
2023 will be a year full of luck and bliss for the Pigs. Everything that you have been waiting for will be yours this year, you just have to set your sights on your goal and keep moving forward.
Don't to lose hope if you fall down. As it is said “Fall seven times, stand up eight”. Be hopeful and things will fall into place.
It is not too late to make positive changes in your life. You own your destiny and walking on the right path will get you where you want to. Most parts of the year will bring growth and prosperity for you, so be ready to embrace positive change. Trust your abilities and don’t let others tell you that you are not good enough. Turn your dreams to reality and surprise everyone!
Lucky numbers: 2, 5, 8, and numbers containing them (like 25 and 58)
Lucky colours: yellow, gray, brown, gold
Lucky flowers: hydrangea and daisy
Unlucky colours: red, blue, green
Unlucky numbers: 1, 7, and numbers containing them (like 17 and 71)
Ronald Reagan: born February 6, 1911
Woody Allen: born December 1, 1935
Arnold Schwarzenegger: born July 30, 1947
Tupac Shakur: born June 16, 1971
Elon Musk: born June 28, 1971
Justin Trudeau: born December 25, 1971
Kendall Jenner: born November 3, 1995
The Chinese zodiac has a great influence on several other Asian countries, such as the South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, and Myanmar. In some countries, the zodiac signs are the same as the Chinese ones (South Korea, North Korea, Singapore, and Cambodia), while some of the animals differ in other countries.
From January 20 to February 5, 2023, get 50% off our Organic Plush Number Cubes. What better way to celebrate and teach our little ones about new traditions.
Hurry, while supplies last!
AstroSage: “Chinese Horoscope 2023: Chinese 2023 Yearly Predictions”
Travel China Guide: “Chinese Zodiac Story”
China Highlights: “Chinese Zodiac”
Chinese New Year: “Chinese Zodiac”
It’s also celebrated where Chinese communities and those countries' overseas communities can be found. We, at Jenny & Andy, personally are of Chinese descent (based in Toronto, Canada), so we’ll be referring mainly to traditions that interpret Chinese New Year similarly!
So without further ado, here are 8 things you might not have known about Chinese Lunar New Year:
The date of the Lunar New Year is determined by the lunar calendar. The holiday falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice on December 21.
Each year, the Lunar New Year falls on a different date than on the Gregorian calendar. The dates usually range sometime between January 21 and February 20. This year, in 2023, it starts on January 22.
It’s important to note:
Many countries share the interpretation of the Chinese Lunar calendar, such as South Korea, Vietnam, and Malaysia, and therefore celebrate their Lunar New Year at the same (or almost same) time.
However, there are many other countries or cultures which use their own lunar calendars, with New Years falling at different times. Mongolian lunar calendars, as well as Islamic and Jewish ones, for example, all have different months and cycles, and therefore celebrate Lunar New Year on different dates.
Learn more about Lunar New Year traditions in other countries!
Chinese New Year, also called the Spring Festival, is technically 15 days. But celebrations start on New Year’s Eve (making it 16 days). You can also say that the holiday season starts in (lunar) December with the Laba Festival (腊八节 / là bā jié). That’s 40 days of celebrations!
These countries have public holidays (of varying durations) during Lunar New Year: China, Indonesia, The Philippines, Vietnam, South Korea, Malaysia, North Korea, Singapore, and Brunei.
One of the most important part of Lunar New Year is the family reunion. Millions of people working or studying out of their hometowns will be hurrying home to reunite with families at this time. The migration back home during this time is called chunyun (春运), or Spring Migration.
Fun fact: the earliest you can buy train tickets in China is 60 days in advance, resulting in a mad rush of literal fighting for tickets. In 2015, statistics showed that around 1,000 tickets were sold each second.
Showering, sweeping, throwing out garbage, and general cleaning is frowned upon on New Year’s Day. This is to make sure you don’t wash away the good luck!
On the other hand, there’s a day before Lunar New Year that's dedicated to cleaning. This is the day is to sweep the bad luck away and make room for the good.
Many cultures have symbolic foods, such as the Yule Log cake. But in Chinese culture, lucky food is another very important part of the Lunar New Year celebration. People will prepare a variety of traditional dishes that have symbolic meanings.
These meals are more than mere dishes; they're symbols of luck and prosperity:
There are twelve zodiac animal signs and each undergoes a 12-year cycle. Your Ben Ming year (本命年 / běn mìng nián) refers to the year of zodiac animal in which you were born, and of the 12-year cycle, it is the unluckiest for you.
So, every twelve years, you will meet the year of your birth sign. 2023 is year of the Rabbit, so those born in the year of the Rabbit meet their Ben Ming Nian this year.
It's said that the during your Ben Ming Nian, you are likely to encounter Tai Sui, the legendary God in charge of people's fortune. In meeting him, many bad things such as illness, financial loss, extramarital affair etc. may happen.
During your Ben Ming Nian year, your weapon of defense is the colour red. Just as you can decorate your home in red for protection and fortune, you can also wear red clothing. Some even wear red underwear every day of the year.
HOWEVER, according to the Chinese customs, the red underwear should be sent by others instead of buying for themselves. Only then can the effect of frightening away evil spirits be strengthened!
Learn more about your Chinese zodiac horoscope for 2023!
Chinese legend has it that Nian, a half-dragon, half-lion monster, comes out of hiding and attacks people (especially children) during the Lunar New Year.
A long, long time ago in ancient China, there was a fearsome beast called Nian 👹. Its head looked like a lion 🦁 with a sharp horn on it, with the body of a dragon 🐉. It lived at the bottom of the sea most of the time and would go ashore on the last day of the lunar year to eat livestock and people, especially children.
One day, an old man with silver hair arrived to the village and claimed that he could drive the cruel beast away 👴🏻. However, all of the villagers were too scared to believe him and still took off for hiding before nightfall.
Come nightfall 🌖, Nian broke into the village as usual and just as it was ready to attack, suddenly the sound of firecrackers arose together with bright flares 🧨. Nian trembled and stopped in his tracks. Then the old man appeared dressed in red, and this sent Nian into a frenzy. It was terrified and quickly ran away.
When the villagers returned home and found their houses and livestock were safe and sound, they came to realize that the old man was a celestial being who had come to help them. The old man told them the three secret weapons to drive Nian away: items that are red in colour 🛑, bright lights 🚨, and firecrackers 🧨.
From then on, on the last day of the year, people put up red decorations, hung up red lanterns, and set off firecrackers to keep safe from Nian 🏮. As time passed, this custom spread to almost every corner of China and thus developed into one of the most important festivals of Chinese people, the Lunar New Year's Eve 🇨🇳.
Sources:
The notion of New Year’s resolutions always made us feel anxious. So for 2023, we are trying something different - we are setting intentions instead!
2023 is our year to:
The definition of connection is a bond, a link or tie to something or someone. Our J&A community is connected through our mutual desire to create safe and educational environments for our children to thrive in. It is one of our intentions this year to connect with more like minded people to grow our community and to also continue to foster our relationships with our current community members.
As the saying goes, you are never too old to learn! We hope and intend to continue and share our educational journey this year through our fellow parents/caregivers within the J&A family, as well as continue to learn from experts in specialized fields that share our passion for child development.
We all learn the importance of exploration from the time that we are born. Whether it be physical exploration or exploring personal interests, exploring is essential to personal development both in children and adults. This year, our intention is to continue to explore topics and issues that are important to us and our community to help build a stronger knowledge base, so that in turn we can better serve our J&A family.
Caregivers/parents are often the most under-appreciated group, so it is our intention this year not only to find different ways to express our gratitude towards one another but to also simply remember to regularly communicate our appreciation for one another.
Over the years we have been the recipient of many acts of generosity and kindness from our community. This year our intention is to find more ways to reciprocate these acts so that each and every one of you can feel the love, support, and kindness that we have felt.
This is what we aspire to do and how we hope to behave as parents and small business owners this year. We’re especially looking forward to connecting with and learning from you, our fellow parents and community 💙
Let’s start now - if you want to connect with us, leave a comment below - we'd love to hear from you!
Check out our Holiday Gift Guide featuring kids' toys by Canadian brands below.
These Giant Dominoes are great for both indoor or outdoor use. Teach your child math concepts, matching, and creative play. The jumbo size makes them great for kids of all ages. Included are 28 Giant Dominoes measuring 6x3 inches, a storage bag, and rules and instructions.
Use code JAGAMES to get 25% off! (valid until Dec 31, 2022)
Shop Giant Dominoes for $49.99 $37.49 →
The Learning tower is designed according to Montessori furniture principles of independence building. It allows little ones in your lives to enjoy being a part of the activities in the kitchen in a safe and fun way.
We love that it’s super easy to assemble and it has an easy mechanism that allows you to adjust the height as your child grows. True Little North uses FSC-certified plywood, which is responsibly sourced, as well as Eco-Friendly Packaging. Made in Canada. Maximum weight - 120 lbs.
Shop the Kitchen Helper for $349 $299 →
Jenny & Andy’s Holiday Toy Box is the perfect made-in-Canada gift this holiday season. Alongside our goodies that fill the box, we’ve also included access to ideas for creative kids' crafts to upcycle the box itself. To help ensure baby's playtime routine is full of fun and help with developmental milestones, inside this gift set, you'll find:
Crinkle Toy
Designed for small hands to grasp, crinkle and crunch! Engage in sensory play as baby begins to recognize sound and texture through simple sensory stimulation. Machine washable and made with GOTS-certified organic cotton.
Plush Rattle Cube
Designed to aid in the development of hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and cognitive ability. Use this soft and gentle toy to engage in sensory play as baby begins to recognize sound and texture. Machine washable and made of GOTS-certified organic cotton and hemp with a handle for easy grip.
Affirmation Cards
Affirming positive messages are acts of kindness and love towards oneself, allowing children to build self-esteem with a lifetime impact. The set includes: 10 cards - 2 introduction/instructional cards, 6 positive affirmations with the signature Jenny & Andy panda print, and 2 blank cards to create your affirmations!
Dough Parlour Dough
This Disney® Frozen® inspired Frosty Scoops by Dough Parlour is a beautiful pastel minty-blue colour with silver glitter, AND is scented like Marshmallows! It’s handcrafted in Canada and made from 100% non-toxic ingredients.
Embossed Acrylic Roller
Embossed rolling pins are the perfect play dough accessory. Laster etched with fun designs and simple for kids to use.
Resin Numbers
These resin numbers are great for introducing numbers and practicing counting. Also a great addition to play dough for both sensory play and improving cognitive skills.
Plus one of the following books:
Shop the Holiday Toy Box for $100 →
These Alphabet Tracing Boards are a wonderful way to introduce letters and writing to your child. There are upper case letters on the front and lower case letters on the back. You can even use rice, felt balls or play dough for an added sensory bonus!
Practice a wide range of skills like:
Each board is 16 inches by 7 inches and made of durable hardwood.
Shop the Alphabet Tracing Board for $75 →
We love donuts, and this donut teether makes for a great stocking stuffer! LouLouLollipop’s silicone donut teether is made of 100% premium quality food-grade silicone and features nubby textures on both sides to soothe sore gums. Silicone is more durable than plastic and and doesn’t break down into microplastics or produce harmful by-products.
We love that it’s dishwasher safe and free of BPA, PVC, phthalates, lead and cadmium. All of their teethers are third-party tested for ASTM & CSPIA safety compliance.
Shop the Donut Teether for $16 →
Coco Bean’s luxury baby mats are for both baby and mom to enjoy. With its design of soft raised sides and a soft foam base it allows baby to have a space to relax and play, even on hard surfaces like tiled floor and hard wood.
The arches have space for a total of 10 hanging toys to spark your baby’s attention and develop motor skills and hand eye coordination. We love that the bars are removable, making the mat multi-functional - great for tummy time! It’s made from 100% cotton and is machine washable.
It includes:
Even if you're not quite there yet with your little one, I've got some helpful tips on how to encourage your toddler to begin building solid verbal communication skills. In this post I will go over what is known as Communication Temptations. Communication Temptations are basically ways to tempt your child to communicate or talk. In other words, it gives them a reason to talk.
With over 5 years of experience as a speech therapy associate and behaviour therapist, I want to share some tips I've learned along the way to help encourage your young toddler to talk!
Sometimes it’s tempting to try to get your child to say words or repeat after us randomly and out of context, usually because it’s convenient for us or we want to show off their newly learned words to friends and family.
You might be excited to show off your child's new verbal skills, and immediately when in front of someone new, you tell your child to say "elephant" meanwhile your child is in the middle of playing with blocks, not elephants.
Practicing words in context just makes more sense and gives your child more reason to talk. Even though your child might comply and repeat “elephant”, practicing words in context will better help with solidifying learning and making associations for vocabulary building.
If you’re practicing animal words with your child, do it while playing with actual animal toys. You can even change up the context and practice some more at snack time with animal crackers!
Motivation is key, and learning to talk and use words as a new skill is really hard for emergent speakers! So if it’s not going to be fun, why would they want to do it?
Use what motivates your child (hence the “temptation” part of Communication Temptation) to your advantage. Is your child motivated by food? Practice words during meal and snack times! Does your child love trucks or animals? Practice during playtime!
When you make learning fun and enjoyable, it will motivate your child to continue learning and talking!
Using the bit-by-bit strategy is a super effective way to create lots of opportunities to practice your target words.
For example, if you’re practicing food vocabulary or function words like “open” and “more”, you can use the bit-by-bit strategy during snack time. Instead of giving your child their snack all at once, offer it to them bit-by-bit. This will give your little one a reason to keep on asking for more snacks using the target words.
During playtime, you can do something similar by making desired toys visible but inaccessible. For example, put a toy car in a clear container that your child can’t open. Your child will now need to ask you for help, the perfect opportunity to practice words like “help”, “open”, and “car”. Continue the play and pretend to drive the car up high onto a shelf. Another opportunity for Little One to practice the new words and ask for your help!
At the end of the day, the most important thing to remember is to make learning FUN. Keep in mind that you don’t want to push your child too hard and make it frustrating for them. For example, during snack time, you don’t have to use the bit-by-bit strategy for the entire meal, just enough to practice a few times or as much as your child will tolerate.
Keep it fun, and happy talking!
➡️ Which words or phrases are you practicing with your little one? Let us know in the comment section below!
About the author:
Samantha Lai is Jenny & Andy’s Marketing Coordinator. Before she joined Jenny & Andy, she was a speech therapy associate and behaviour therapist who spent 5 years working with young toddlers with autism and other exceptionalities and their families.
Her therapy sessions required her to work collaboratively with Speech-Language Pathologists, Board Certified Behaviour Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Teachers, and Registered Early Childhood Educators.
Make a pumpkin patch with us! We turned some cut-in-half apples into pumpkin stamps. Such a fun and interactive way for kids and families to celebrate the fall season! This craft is ideal for kids ages 3-6.
Crafting is fun and can also positively impact children's development. These apple/pumpkin stamps are great fall-themed craft to improve kids' fine motor skills, creativity, counting skills, and even emotional regulation (through identifying and/or copying the pumpkins' emotions and facial expressions).
Pro tip: If your child needs extra support for dipping and stamping the apples, you can adapt the stamp by poking a fork into the apple to use as a handle.
You'll need:
Most Jenny & Andy products are screen printed. We wanted to learn about the process and in particular about the ink used. So we visited our local facility that we use to print our bath towels, wash cloths, plush rattle cubes, and crinkle toys.
Check out the video of them printing on a t-shirt below:
Now to delve further into the process, we are going look at the types of ink used in screen printing. There are 2 main categories of ink that are used: plastisol ink and water-based ink.
For many years, plastisol inks were the most common choice for screen printing garments. Plastisol inks were the preferred choice over water-based ink mainly because water-based ink tends to dry up faster making them harder to store and keep in stock.
Unfortunately, it's not the most sustainable or eco-friendly option. Plastisol requires a lot more chemicals for cleanup and contain PVC and phthalates which are harmful to the environment. This is why we have always opted to use water-based ink on our products.
Using water-based ink is definitely a step towards improving the health of our communities and planet by reducing the negative impact that regular plastisol ink has.
Water-based ink, while not completely free of plastic, is mostly water-soluble. Water-based ink is defined as ink which uses water as a solvent base to carry the pigment. During cleanup after printing, you don’t need any harsh chemicals to remove the ink from the screen as you would with plastisol ink.
So when it comes to more eco-friendly printing, water-based inks come out ahead of plastisol inks.
It's important to note that water-based printing is usually more expensive (in terms of the cost of ink, effort, and time required) compared to using plastisol, but when it comes to moving towards more sustainable practices to help preserve our planet, we think it's worth it.
As a conscious consumer, you can feel good about the fact that every time you reach for one of our toys, you are reducing the amount of plastic in landfills and minimizing your ecological footprint.
At Jenny & Andy, we always aim for sustainable practices every step of the way, which is why we insist on making our products as eco-friendly as possible, even when it comes down to the ink we use.
Being conscious about the ink we use may seem small, but any step in the right direction is a step towards a better future.
Pick-your-own fruit is a beloved family tradition for us, and it is officially apple picking season! Fruit picking is a great way for the whole family to spend time together and learn about food and the importance of nature.
Some farms and orchards also offer tons of fun activities like wagon rides, petting zoos, markets, cafés, corn mazes, and country stores where you can get some pies, ciders, and other sweet treats.
Apples can be picked between August and October, depending on the weather and variety of apple. Please check with each location to confirm times, availability, and cost.
Applewood Farm has been in the Passafiume family for almost fifty years. What began as one of the first pick-your-own strawberry and apple farms in Stouffville, today includes 32 acres of apples and 5 acres of strawberries.
Along with pick-your-own fruit, Applewood Farm also offers a corn maze in September, wagon rides, a market area, cute animals, and more.
The first day for apple picking at Applewood starts on Saturday September 3, 2022.
Cost:
📍 Location:
12416 McCowan Road,
Stouffville, Ontario
L4A 4C5
Website: www.applewoodfarm.ca
At Organics Farm, you can pick your own apples and strawberries! Their fruits and vegetables are also Certified Organic. Organics Farm is the only Certified Organic farm in the GTA operating a wood-fired bakery.
Apple season at Organics Farm starts on Monday, August 22, 2022.
Cost:
📍 Location:
7550 19th Ave,
Markham, Ontario
L6B 1A8
Website: www.organicsfarm.ca
Chudleigh’s Farm was first opened to the public in 1967. In the beginning, it was a place where families could pick their own apples and savour a few hours of country life. Since then, visiting the farm has become an annual ritual for generations of kids and kids at heart throughout the region around Milton, Ontario.
Chudleigh's has over 47,500 trees across 60 acres in the orchard. Along with apple picking, you can also enjoy farm animals, nature trails, fire pits, food events, the farm kitche, the silo bar, the market, and more.
Chudleigh's peak picking season is in September and October, and early apples are ready mid to late August. You'll need to purchase tickets online in advance.
Cost:
📍 Location:
9528 Regional Road 25,
Halton Hills, Ontario
L9T 2X7
Website: www.chudleighs.com
Downey’s Strawberry & Apple Farm is a family farm, owned and operated by Greg Downey which grows fruits and vegetables. Greg is a 7th generation farmer in the Region of Peel and 3rd generation Downey on Downey’s Strawberry & Apple Farm. In total, he farms 206 acres which also includes sweet corn, pumpkin, squash, soybeans, wheat and apples.
Apple season at Downey's starts on August 20, 2022.
Cost:
📍 Location:
13707 Heart Lake Road,
Caledon, Otario,
L7C 2K7
Website: www.downeysupickfarm.ca
Albion Orchards was established in 1967 and is located in Caledon – just outside of Toronto, north of Brampton. Here, you can pick your own apples, pumpkins, and even Christmas trees! Make sure to visit their country store for fresh apple cider, frozen meat pies, squash, zucchini, and other seasonal vegetables, honey, maple syrup, unique gifts, and more.
Apple picking is on a first come, first served basis and starts on Tuesday, August 23, 2022 at Albion Orchards.
Cost:
📍 Location:
14800 Innis Lake Road,
Caledon, Ontario
Website: www.albionorchards.com
]]>After mealtime, clean-up involves wiping up my daughter’s face and hands, wiping the high chair, clearing the bib of food debris, emptying containers, washing dishes, and clearing the steamer and other cooking appliances.
After that’s finally done, I head into her play space where I immediately trip over her blocks and land on a pile of stuffed animals that she dumped from their bin earlier that day. At least it was stuffed animals today. I may not be as lucky tomorrow and I could land in a pile of Legos instead. Aaaaand the cycle repeats. Multiple times a day. It’s relentless and constant. And worst of all, it feels like you can never win or get ahead.
First of all, recognize that, while the house is a mess, we are not a mess. Ultimately, here's what matters: kids who are content and loved ones who feel supported. Are we having more happy moments than tantrums? Are we able to field the small wins and big losses together? If yes, then let’s recognize it as a victory! If not, don’t let your focus get thrown off course by the small things that hold relatively small significance in the bigger picture. And if you need extra help, there's no shame in asking and turning to your support system. You can even check out our resources page.
Second, change your expectations on what is acceptable. For me, this meant limiting the “big” clean up to only once or twice per day and instituting a rule where everyone, parent and child alike, chips in on the clean-up before leaving a room. Our guideline is that each person should put away at least 2 things before leaving a room. It helps to know that everyone is helping and that we’re all in this together.
Did you know that when cleaning up becomes part of your child’s routine, it can positively impact them in several ways?
An obvious benefit is that it prepares children for expectations in various environments: at home, at school, and even at a friend’s or relative’s home. Cleaning up is part of many transitions in early childhood and there are expectations that children can carry out these tasks relatively independently. Practicing clean-up skills at home can help transfer these skills to other environments where cleaning up is also expected.
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Clean-up time can also present many learning opportunities for young children, such as practicing turn-taking, matching, sorting, language, and fine motor skills.
For example, you can take turns putting objects into a bin; you can have your child find and put away one category of item (by colours or shapes, fruits, vegetables, etc.); you can give multi-tiered instructions (“give me the big, red block” and “first put away bunny, then put away puppy.”) This is also a great way to make clean-up into a fun game.
You can help improve your child's concept of time and planning with clean-up. When you instruct your child to clean up one activity before starting the next (i.e. “First clean up the blocks, then we can play cars.”), your child will be better able to anticipate future events and plan accordingly to make them happen.
Having to remember that they have to clean up before starting a different activity also exercises their working memory, an important executive functioning skill.
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We hope you learned a few tips and, at the very least, can rest easy in knowing you're not the only one. The struggle is real. But let this be your reminder that there are strategies to help you stress less about the mess!
Can you relate? Comment below with your coping strategies!
Our native language is Cantonese, and as such, we felt it important for our own children to grow up learning Cantonese too. Here are some free Cantonese resources for kids we'd like to share with you that we personally use with our kids.
Learn Chinese Numbers (Free Activity Download)
If this piqued your interest, don't forget to check out our Fundamentals Learning Kit for even more learning.
Below are some fun Cantonese songs, some classic and some newer, accompanied by cute animations and videos.
Check out the Rhythm 'N' Rhyme's full Cantonese Nursery Rhymes playlist.
《一盅兩件》 is one of the popular songs in Locy's class! Not only children but also parents love singing it. The idea of the song is to introduce our Cantonese food culture 點心, alongside our unique colloquial Cantonese adjectives: 軟腍腍 (jyun5 lam4 lam4), 香噴噴 (hoeng1 pan3 pan3), 黐立立 (ci1 lap6 lap6), 脆卜卜 (ceoi3 bok1 bok1), 滑捋捋 (waat6 lyut1 lyut1).
Check out Locy Lee's YouTube channel and her Spotify channel!
Check out more videos by Sunshine Nursery Rhyme.
Check out more videos by Lil Ashes.
Check out more videos by Lil Ashes.
Below are some cute and engaging stories narrated in Cantonese that we love.
SleepyPigStory is the first online children's radio program in Hong Kong. Updated every Saturday, these stories are used to help children get to know themselves and the world better. Suitable for young children to elementary school children.
Check out SleepyPigStory on Spotify.
A farmer is gifted an apple tree and he becomes concerned about protecting its fruits. He decides to plant it in a place to hide it away, with sad and disappointing results. Shared at the end, the moral of the story is that by planning to take away the benefits from others, sometimes everyone loses.
Check out more awesome Cantonese stories by Mi-Chu World.
A cute story about bed time routines featuring animals who all take a humorous approach to impending sleep.
Check out more Cantonese story time videos by Storybear.
Below are some cute and engaging stories narrated in Cantonese that we love.
Check it out on Sun-Ya Publications.
Outschool is an innovative education platform that offers a variety of engaging, small-group classes online. Unlike traditional classes, Outschool classes give kids the unique opportunity to explore their interests in-depth via interactive, live video by experienced, independent educators.
Becca is an excellent teacher who has many courses available on Outschool. Becca was born and raised in Hong Kong, is a native Cantonese speaker, and holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Toronto.
Check out her Outschool profile and her Instagram page @cantonese4parents.
Michigan Cantonese Storytime offers online Cantonese classes for children. They
have Cantonese Classes, Beginner Cantonese classes, and Bilingual Circle Time.
Check out Michigan Cantonese Storytime's YouTube Channel for more Cantonese learning videos.
]]>In our constant quest to find good kids' content, read on for our favourites from the NFB library. Our selections cover topics that teach kids about culture, family, perseverance, and more.
Jaime Lo, Small and Shy, Lillian Chan, provided by the National Film Board of Canada
Jaime Lo is a shy Chinese-Canadian girl whose father must travel to Hong Kong for a year-long work assignment. In order to cope with his absence, she must use her creativity and love of drawing. In the meantime, Jaime learns all about the exciting city of Hong Kong.
This story offers us a lighthearted glimpse into a common dilemma that many immigrant families face, where one parent must work overseas in order to provide for the rest of the family back home.
Lights for Gita, Michel Vo, provided by the National Film Board of Canada
This animated short, based on the book by Rachna Gilmore, is the story of Gita, an 8-year-old girl who can't wait to celebrate Divali - the Hindu festival of lights - in her new home in Canada.
But it's nothing like New Delhi, where she comes from. The weather is cold and grey and a terrible ice storm cuts off the power, ruining her plans for a party. Obviously, a Divali celebration now is impossible. Or is it? As Gita experiences the glittering beauty of the icy streets outside, the traditional festival of lights comes alive in a sparkling new way.
I Want a Dog , Sheldon Cohen, provided by the National Film Board of Canada
In this animated short by Sheldon Cohen, young May wants a dog more than anything else in the world. She thinks about dogs all the time; she talks about them, reads about them and covers the walls of her bedroom with dog pictures.
But every time she asks her parents for a puppy, they tell her to wait till she's older. But sticking to her motto "If at first you don’t succeed, try again," May comes up with an ingenious idea to change her parents' minds. Based on the book by Dayal Kaur Khalsa.
Roses Sing on New Snow, Yuan Zhang, provided by the National Film Board of Canada
In this animated short, based on a story by Paul Yee, Maylin cooks mouth-watering meals at her father's restaurant in Chinatown, but her father and brothers take all the credit. When a dignitary from China visits and tastes one her dishes, Maylin finally earns recognition.
]]>As parents, we do our best to model the type of behaviour we hope our children will internalize. However, when it comes to taking the initiative to spend time outside and helping our children learn to appreciate the outdoors, it can be a struggle. But research shows just how important it is to make sure children get as much outdoor play time every day as possible.
Studies have also shown that nature has helped people cope with isolation in particular, especially over the past few years. There are a number of health benefits that scientists continue to explore linking the great outdoors to our wellness.
With this in mind, I turned to one of my most reliable sources of outdoor education for insight - Christina Tutsch, the creator of Wonder Outdoor School.
Photo courtesy of Wonder Outdoor School
Wonder Outdoor School is an inclusive and respectful community that strives to empower everyone to access the outdoors. Programs on offer include outdoor education consulting, coaching services, one-on-one planning, and custom courses.
Personally and professionally, adventuring in the outdoors has been a capstone of Christina’s life. She has dedicated her career to outdoor education and guiding, most recently as Head of Outdoor Education at St. George’s School. She has lived in British Columbia for the last 11 years and has explored much of it by canoe, kayak, skis, bike, or by foot.
On July 27, 2022, she'll even be doing a FREE online class (Outdoor Play Backpack Essentials and other Q&A) for the Jenny & Andy community.
Christina grew up in Ontario, where I met her almost 3 decades ago. Having skied, canoed and hiked alongside this woman, I know firsthand that her experience and guidance is calming and inspiring.
Photo courtesy of Wonder Outdoor School
We spoke with Christina to get her thoughts on connecting with nature, the importance of being outdoors, and camping with babies.
Tell us about your experience as a teacher, mother and student of nature.
For as long as I can remember, being in a natural environment has helped me to feel relaxed and at ease. I was so fortunate as a kid to spend my summers in Muskoka and then in middle school I started going on canoe trips in Algonquin park through an outdoor education program at school.
I loved these trips so much and that set my trajectory to become an outdoor educator, teacher and guide. I worked as an elementary school teacher, weaving the outdoors into everything we did and eventually worked at a private school as a full time outdoor educator running programs for kids of all ages, whether it was a day trip to the beach or two-week sea kayak trip.
Over time, I grew my skillset to be a sea kayak, hiking and canoe guide. When I became a mother I decided to start my own business teaching outdoor skills to adults and families to help everyone get outside and achieve whatever goals they want.
For me, being a mother has only deepened my relationship with nature, as children’s sense of wonder is contagious.
What does it mean, to you, to connect with/experience nature?
There are different levels of connecting with nature for me. At a basic level, it’s just paying attention. Ah, look at the moon tonight. Or noticing the wind shift or a flower bloom. However, this connection only gets deeper the longer that I am out in nature.
After five days I find my body relaxes into the rhythm of nature and continues to deepen. Then it becomes difficult to come back to life where I sleep indoors! Long, immersive experiences are powerful but we can connect with nature every day, just looking out the window.
Why is it important for families to get out and experience nature together?
There are so many reasons for families to get out into nature together. The first is physical and mental health. The positive impacts from being outside are well researched; but we don’t need that research to know that we all feel better with fresh air and natural beauty around us.
Also, it’s a time to connect with each other, away from devices, we can play and see what we’re naturally drawn towards, allowing us to know each other better. It inspires play, which is so important for children and adults. We get to see non-human creatures like squirrels or seals, which kids love.
Lastly, we are in a climate crisis and I truly believe that we need to be connected to nature to decide to value it enough to change our actions.
At what age is it appropriate for a baby to be brought on a camping trip?
This is different for everyone and depends on previous experience camping, what time of year it is and the health of the baby and the mother. If everyone is healthy, I think that anytime after 3 months is a good time.
Babies need happy, healthy parents and if parents are happy and healthy when camping, I think it’s a great thing to do as a family. In many ways, this is the easiest time to camp with a baby because they sleep lots and can’t get into much trouble crawling and walking around a campsite.
Some consider glamping to be "cheating" at camping. What are your thoughts?
Well I don’t see anything as cheating, to be honest. Language like that contributes to intimidation, gatekeeping and keeping the outdoors as a place that you need to be “hard core” to deserve. That’s not the reality.
I am actively a part of a strong movement that is trying to make the outdoors more accessible for everyone. If “glamping” is what a family needs to spend time outside, then go for it! That being said, some of the value of being outside can come from removing our regular life comforts so that we live a simpler life, more in touch with which is happening in the moment. A lot of benefit can come from that. So, it’s “challenge by choice” - where are you at?
What are your top recommendations for Canadian parks/conservation areas etc. to visit?
There are too many to list! I’ve spent the most time in BC and my favourite places to go are the Tofino/Pacific Rim National Park/Clayoquot Sound area. More inland, I like EC Manning Provincial Park. I also love northern BC and the Liard River Hot Springs Provincial Park and Kluane National Park. Banff National Park is, of course, amazing.
In Ontario, I love Algonquin Park and Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Park in Temagami. There are so many areas of Canada that I would love to visit; many more in BC, but also on the east coast of Canada and the north.
What advice do you have for parents who are hesitant about camping with their babies and young children? (due to concerns about safety, inconvenience, etc.)
I would say to keep it simple. Start with a night in the backyard or even just a day. Then go to a campsite close to your house. It’s helpful if it’s a place you’ve been before and extra helpful to go with another family or friends. There will be challenges, but you’ll problem solve and get better with practice and babies will learn so quickly.
As far as other concerns go, narrow in on your concern and come up with a plan. For example, are you worried about bears? Well, bring some bear spray and put all your food in a food cache at night. Are you worried about the baby being warm enough? Bring extra layers and a sleeping pad with a high r-value. Sometimes, we, as parents, need to let go of control and trust that we’ll all be fine and the experience is worth it.
Babies are so adaptable and they will be ok if they have a later nap, get a bug bite or put a rock in their mouth. And, feel free to reach out to me and I’ll do my best to support you.
What are a few things that people don’t know (or underestimate the value of) that we gain by being outdoors?
Peace, connection, health, resilience. Honestly, I think our future on this planet depends on it. Nature is medicine and brings us in connection to ourselves, our family/friends and the planet.
Thank you so much to Christina for answering all our questions about nature, camping, and family. For more about Christina and more information on her outdoor education services, visit www.wonderoutdoorschool.com.
If you'd like to learn more about camping with babies, we summarized some of Wonder Outdoor School's blog posts here!
Photo courtesy of Wonder Outdoor School
Camping is an amazing way to get outdoors, spend time with family, refresh your appreciation for nature, and also to teach your children about nature. Recently, children are opting to spend more and more time in front of a screen and less time outside. So when we introduce our children to nature from a young age, we instill in them a deeper love and appreciation for nature, not to mention all the benefits children can gain from playing outdoors.
Photo courtesy of Wonder Outdoor School
Owned and operated by Christina Tutsch, Wonder Outdoor School is an inclusive and respectful community which empowers everyone to access the outdoors.
Personally and professionally, adventuring in the outdoors has been a capstone of Christina’s life. She has dedicated her career to outdoor education and guiding, most recently as Head of Outdoor Education at St. George’s School. She has lived in British Columbia for the last 11 years and has explored much of it by canoe, kayak, skis, bike, or by foot.
Christina offers various programs as well as coaching services, including outdoor education consulting, one-on-one planning, and custom courses.
On July 27, 2022, she'll even be doing a FREE online class (Outdoor Play Backpack Essentials and other Q&A) for the Jenny & Andy community.
Photo courtesy of Wonder Outdoor School
We summarized Wonder Outdoor School’s awesome blog posts Camping with Babies Part 1 and Camping with Babies Part 2 for you to get you started on your family camping trip:
Photo courtesy of Wonder Outdoor School
What about camping or getting more outdoor time while pregnant? In their post Pregnancy in the Outdoors, Wonder Outdoor School encourages people who are pregnant to stay active in the outdoors, but only if they feel up for it, making sure to listen to our bodies.
“Nature has a great deal to teach us as pregnant people (and our partners). It teaches us about strength and surrender… To be in nature while pregnant is healing, guiding and supportive.”
The post ends with beautiful encouragements and well wishes:
“My wish for all pregnant people is to get into nature in whatever way feels most nurturing. If that’s continuing to backpack or do multi-day trips, then that’s great. But if it is simply to sit and watch the birds then that is equally valuable. Listening to our bodies and what they need is important for learning to birth and parent; for me, these lessons and practices really started in pregnancy.”
Camping presents many wonderful opportunities to show love and appreciation for our camping mates, whether it's a partner, best friend, or someone you’re getting to know. Wonder Outdoor School shares the universal love languages, but through the lens of camping, that will make the trip extra memorable:
"The most important thing is to just give it a try. Start in the backyard and add distance, length and challenge from there. Don’t forget, babies are adaptable and the more they do something, the better they get at it! The most important things is to share your joy with them."
Thank you to Wonder Outdoor School for providing such insightful tips and tricks for camping with babies. It might not exactly be an easy feat, but the experiences and lessons you can teach your children through camping and spending time outdoors will be invaluable.
For even more insight, we personally spoke with Christina Tutsch, the founder and owner of Wonder Outdoor School, about her experiences and love for nature. Be sure to check it out here!
Bugs can be creepy and crawly, not to mention ouchie when they bite or sting, but not these super adorable googly-eyed painted rock bugs. This summer, get some outdoor time with the kids and create some buzzing crafts.
Crafting is fun and can also positively impact children's development. It's great for kids' fine motor, creative, and executive functioning skills, and with these little bugs, kids can practice imaginary play, role playing, and cooperative play (if crafting with more than one child).
This craft is great for kids ages 5-8. Younger kiddos will also love these cutie bug rocks but might need some extra help. Offer help and cater this activity depending on your child's abilities!
You'll need:
Ta-daa! Enjoy your new bug friends! What should we name these guys? Give us some name suggestions in the comments below!
Indigenous peoples—First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples—are the original inhabitants of the land of Canadian soil. They have distinct, rich, and diverse cultures, traditions, and history, and their identity, culture, and language is deeply rooted in the land.
But with colonization and white settlement, the lives of Indigenous peoples were changed forever, with impacts still felt today. Colonial practices and policies, such as the Indian Act, pass system, reserves, and Residential Schools, sought to control and assimilate Indigenous peoples. These practices and polices, combined with racism, acts of segregation, loss of land, and unequal access to resources and public services, have had devastating consequences on the health and socio-economic well-being of Indigenous peoples.
The struggle for sovereignty and human rights in Indigenous communities is an ongoing and complex issue that needs to gain recognition from the wider population.
Canadians can do so much more to get educated about the issue of Indigenous rights and learn how they can help. Here are five things to consider doing now as an ally.
Much of Indigenous history in Canada is not widely known. It is Canada's "hidden" history.
Indigenous history is an integral part of the history of any nation with a history of colonialism. It’s not a pretty subject, and can be uncomfortable, but it's important to learn about it in order to become a better society, and better people, in the present day.
Under the Indian Act, First Nations people were confined to the reserve through the pass system. Education was segregated with day schools and Indian Residential Schools, along with health care. These rules were enforced by the RCMP.
Residential schools aren’t far in the past; the last one only closed in 1996. Many Survivors are still coping with the trauma of punishment, abuse, coercion, and control. The intergenerational impact is still felt through communities.
The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) estimates that there are 80,000 Survivors of Residential Schools in Canada today. Canadians need to hear their stories and find ways to ensure our collective future rests on a solid foundation of respect, openness, and trust.
The best way to get an accurate view of indigenous history and issues is through first-hand accounts of actual Indigenous people, tribes, and organizations.
Wearing an orange shirt reminds us of the impact of Residential Schools that is still felt today. Wear an orange shirt in recognition of the harm the Residential School system did to children, as an opportunity to discuss its effects, and to affirm a commitment that every child matters and everyone around us matters.
The significance of the orange shirt references a real orange shirt taken from a Residential School Survivor, Phyllis Webstad. Learn more about Phyllis and the origin of Orange Shirt Day at Orange Shirt Day
Where you can buy an orange shirt:
Who doesn’t love movies? And there are tons of films to educate us about current events and issues as well as Indigenous-made films. The Indigenous film lens presents us with new and important perspectives for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people alike.
Be sure to check out:
As a small business ourselves, we understand how important and meaningful it is to have wonderful people like you support us, not only through purchasing products, but also by making meaningful connections and showing support through social media.
Here are some Indigenous creators, artists, and business owners to check out and follow on social media:
In 2015, the NCTR published a summary of its final report, Honouring the Truth, Reconciling for the Future. The report includes the 94 Calls to Action, urging all levels of government to work together to change policies and programs in an effort to repair the devastating impacts of Residential Schools and move forward with reconciliation.
Inspired by the stories shared by over 6,000 Survivors, the 94 Calls to Action contains a comprehensive plan for accepting responsibility and seeking forgiveness in a spirit of reconciliation.
Read the 94 Calls to Action here.
As important as it is to educate ourselves and others on the harrowing history of colonialism in Canada and its effects on Indigenous peoples, it’s also important to remember that in focusing the conversation of Indigenous history around colonialism, you participate and maintain a euro-centric worldview.
Instead, learn about the diverse Indigenous culture, tradition, spirituality, and history outside of the colonial narrative. Indigenous people are here, right now. Throughout Canada's history, Indigenous peoples helped shape this land into the country we know today, and continue to do so now. For example, despite being exempt from mandatory military service when that existed, Indigenous peoples have voluntarily enlisted in every conflict Canada has been involved in and continue to do so.
We must disrupt the “people of the past” narrative by actively participating in positive change as a part of your conversation. Consider:
Finally, one of the main things you can do is keep the conversation active. Just like with any history lesson, you don't just talk about it once and drop it afterward—the conversation and learning is ongoing with new lessons and topics of discussion.
After all, indigenous culture is so rich and diverse—impossible to tackle it all in one day.
Sources:
The Tutsch Family / Photos provided by family
"What is the role of a parent?" I find myself asking this question more often than I ever expected since I became a mom. Intuitively, the answer is that a parent’s main role is to keep our kids safe and guide them on their life journey. But when faced with real trials and tribulations, what does that look like?
Tim Tutsch and his family tackled these questions head on when his daughter, Isabella, began experiencing liver failure. Read on for more details about how this courageous family showed strength and tenacity when it was most needed.
Isabella Tutsch — Izzy for short — is a 5 year-old girl living in Toronto. Her parents are Tim and Elizabeth and she has 3 siblings.
In December 2019, Izzy had an elective surgery to remove a cyst outside of her liver. While the procedure was considered routine, complications arose that led to severe sepsis, which is when the body has an extreme, and potentially deadly, response to an infection. An emergency surgery followed and recurrent infections kept Izzy in and out of hospital for 2 years.
By August 2021 — a day after her fifth birthday — Izzy's parents were told by doctors she would need a liver transplant. Both Tim and Elizabeth were screened, but neither were a match. Their family members also were tested, but no one proved to be a match either. A community outreach campaign began and miraculously a donor was found.
By October 2021, Izzy received the life-saving transplant she needed thanks to her generous living donor. The human liver has regenerative abilities such that both Izzy and her donor, Karen, will regain full liver function. Over the course of this process, Tim and Izzy spent weeks and months in the hospital together while Elizabeth balanced time at the hospital and with their other three kids.
Check out the CTV News segment in the video below:
I spoke to Tim about fatherhood, creating the Team Izzy campaign, and what life is like today, post-Izzy’s surgery: