CANORA - Canora Junior Elementary School hosted the IMPACT Early Childhood Fair on May 29. The event is geared toward children ages three to five who will soon be entering school, according to Kim Gelowitz, community developer for Regional KidsFirst Yorkton.
“This event is meant for kids and their parents/caregivers,” said Gelowitz. “The main purpose is to get kids ready to do well at school, and at the same time helping parents/caregivers understand what children are learning in each activity, and thereby encouraging the adults to do similar activities with their kids at home.”
One example is the playdough station, where, while making shapes, kids develop fine motor skills. This helps them get ready to hold a pencil and learn how to write.
The sensory station for filling, dumping and measuring is where kids use the scoops and containers provided to do some measuring and pouring. They are encouraged to make predictions as to which container will be heaver or lighter. Gelowitz said this type of sensory play helps build nerve connections in the brain’s pathways, eventually helping children understand and perform more complex learning tasks.
At the making a bird feeder station, children are encouraged to pick a pipe cleaner, scoop some cheerios in a container provided and string the cheerios onto the pipe cleaner just like making a beaded bracelet. The ends can then be twisted together in any shape the child wants, and hung on a tree or bush to feed birds. This activity promotes a positive relationship with nature, and also learning to identify different bird species.
The puzzle station encourages adults and children to work together to complete the puzzle, but always making sure to allow the child time to think, process, find the pieces, and figure out where and how they fit together. Children can be asked to count the number of animals in the puzzle, as well as identifying the different animals. By working together to do the puzzle, children are learning skills in language and communication, as well as developing their problem-solving skills.
Along with Regional KidsFirst, other groups involved with putting on the IMPACT Early Childhood Fair included Good Spirit School Division (GSSD), Positive Parenting Program (PPP) and Early Childhood Intervention Program (ECIP).
