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Strong Start Parent & Child Time
Family Connector

Brought to you by your Strong Start Parent and Child Time Facilitators: Elisa, Nicole & Melyssa

It is hard to believe that we have been home from our regular activities for over a month now. We are heartened by virtual connections that we have with some of you, but nevertheless we miss you very much!

 This month we'd like to highlight home and the benefits of nature based play. It is amazing how much nature can inspire creativity. Springtime is a wonderful time to be outside and studies have shown that connecting with nature can ease stress and increase happiness. We hope that you find inspiration and joy in the activities that we have to share with you.

Imagine, Recycle and Create!
Making a Home at Home
We pulled some boxes out of the recycle bin to create this "apartment" for a bear, a gnome and a Lego figure. What materials could you find that might have another life before it goes to the big green bins? 

Soren dreamed up a multi-family home and made it happen with items we already had on hand.  Some of the thicker sections required cutting by grown up hands, but any age can help design, choose a stuffed animal to make a cosy space for, and then decorate!  Sidewalk chalk, markers, paints or even glued-on bits of scrap paper can make a nice outside finish for your house. 

Nature-Made Homes

Collecting items with your child around the yard, the beach and beyond, in nature, can yield plenty of building materials for making a home!  Sticks and rocks, living plants, and other aspects of the garden can provide a perfect backdrop to imagine a life for a gnome, a pet rock, or another companion! 

Growing a Living Outdoor Playhouse

With the season for planting underway, we love the possibilities presented at Healthy Life Box for making a living outdoor play space for the back or front yard!  Depending on what size space you have, you can make a tiny or expansive hangout space, with a few supplies as sticks. string and beans!  See more ideas and examples HERE: https://healthylifeboxx.com/you-can-now-grow-a-living-playhouse-for-your-kids/

Little Apple Seed

(sung to the tune of Itsy Bitsy Spider)

Once a little apple seed

Was planted in the ground 

Down came the raindrops

 Falling all around

Out came the big sun

As bright as bright can be

And that little apple seed grew up

Into an apple tree!

Smell the Flowers and Blow Out the Candle

This activity promotes deep breathing and can be helpful when children need to pause, take a deep breath and relax.


Click on the flowers to see a video of a mom and daughter demonstrating this breathing activity.

Another offering for families that love to sing and listen to stories!
Granny Goose, CBAL and the Nelson Library are teaming up to bring some songs, rhymes and stories into your house!

Join the fun with Melanie and Melodie Rae 

Wednesdays 10:00am May 6 – June 10

To get the zoom link, contact Joan: jexley@cbal.org or 250-505-2361

Sweetened with Maple Syrup! Wheat, dairy and egg-free
Banana-Oat Cookie Recipe

3 cups rolled oats 
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2–3 large ripe bananas
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
2–3 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped pecans or other nuts (optional)
1/4–1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a baking sheet or use parchment paper.
  • In a food processor or coffee grinder, blitz oats until ground up. They don’t have to be finely ground. 
  • In a large bowl, combine the ground oats, baking powder and baking soda.
  • In a small bowl, mash bananas with a fork. Add melted coconut oil and maple syrup. Mix together.
  • Add the banana mixture to the oat mixture. 
  • Fold in pumpkin seeds, chopped pecans and mini chocolate chips.
  • Form cookies into balls and flatten with your fingers into approximately 2–inch cookies.
  • Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from baking sheet and let cool on a cooling rack for 5–10 minutes.
  • Keep in the fridge for up to one week or freeze for up to 3 months.
Join us for circletime and stories via Zoom Mondays and Wednesdays 10-10:40!

The link to join will be sent to you in an email, or for more details contact Elisa at elisashine@nklcss.org.

Heather Hamilton is also available to help anyone who is having trouble connecting to circle time. Heather can be reached at 250-353-3249 from 9am-4pm, Monday through Thursday, or via email at heatherhamilton@nklcss.org.

The well-being of you and your family is important to us, so please know that we are thinking of all of you and we are here for you if you should need any support!

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North Kootenay Lake Community Services Society

336 B Avenue, Box 546
Kaslo, BC, Canada
V0G 1M0
250-353-7691
office@nklcss.org
www.nklcss.org

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