Do you support families who may be “neurodiverse” (parents and/or their children who may be on this spectrum)?

Neurodiversity describes the idea that people experience and interact with the world around them in many different ways; there is no one “right” way of thinking, learning, and behaving, and differences are not viewed as deficits.  Knowledge about neurodiversity and respectful language is also important for clinicians, so they can address the mental and physical health of people with neurodevelopmental differences.  (from Harvard Health Publishing)

This Lunch and Learn will explore what may be considered “neurodiversity”, and consists of ideas and information curated by the C4F team in how to ensure parent-child programming maximizes it’s accessibility for all families. We will briefly discuss:

• the main types of “disorders” that may be categorized as “neurodiversity” (i.e. Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder, and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder)
• why the “disorder” label misguides people to focus too much on weaknesses rather than strengths and what we can do to help switch that focus
• how to assess program accessibility
• tips on how to communicate openness to accommodating diverse needs without forcing people to disclose medical diagnoses
• possible resources for service providers to support their work with families

The goal of this session is to inspire thought and engagement about how our programs and services may not feel as accessible to some people due to neurodiverse needs, and to consider ways to change this.

Have lived experience with this? Please feel free to share as we learn together as a community. Discussion will be welcomed.

Join us!  You are also welcome to stay for our regular monthly Coalition meeting, resourcing agencies serving downtown Winnipeg families.

Wiggle, Giggle & Munch leader training

February 27, 28, 29 2024

Feb. 27 (online – theory) 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Feb. 28 (in person – practice) 10:00 am – 1:00 pm @ WestEnd Commons, 365 McGee St. Winnipeg
Feb, 29 (online – practice) 9:30 am – 12:30 pm

Wiggle Giggle & Munch promotes physical literacy and healthy nutrition while having fun for children 1-4 years old and their families.

• This facilitator training teaches you to run WGM.
• Day 1 includes teachings that are delivered virtually.
• Day 2 and 3 include teaching and demonstrations.  You can choose to participate virtually and/or in-person.
• Day 1 and one of days 2 and 3 are required to complete the training and receive your certificate.

There is a $10 fee for those working with Downtown families.  If you are outside of Downtown Winnipeg, the cost is $65 (plus cost of manual if you prefer a hard copy).

Mentoring to help you run an exceptional WGM program is included in the training cost.

Register here.

Wiggle, Giggle & Munch leader training

February 27, 28, 29 2024

Feb. 27 (online – theory) 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Feb. 28 (in person – practice) 10:00 am – 1:00 pm @ WestEnd Commons, 365 McGee St. Winnipeg
Feb, 29 (online – practice) 9:30 am – 12:30 pm

Wiggle Giggle & Munch promotes physical literacy and healthy nutrition while having fun for children 1-4 years old and their families.

• This facilitator training teaches you to run WGM.
• Day 1 includes teachings that are delivered virtually.
• Day 2 and 3 include teaching and demonstrations.  You can choose to participate virtually and/or in-person.
• Day 1 and one of days 2 and 3 are required to complete the training and receive your certificate.

There is a $10 fee for those working with Downtown families.  If you are outside of Downtown Winnipeg, the cost is $65 (plus cost of manual if you prefer a hard copy).

Mentoring to help you run an exceptional WGM program is included in the training cost.

Register here.

Wiggle, Giggle & Munch leader training

February 27, 28, 29 2024

Feb. 27 (online – theory) 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Feb. 28 (in person – practice) 10:00 am – 1:00 pm @ WestEnd Commons, 365 McGee St. Winnipeg
Feb, 29 (online – practice) 9:30 am – 12:30 pm

Wiggle Giggle & Munch promotes physical literacy and healthy nutrition while having fun for children 1-4 years old and their families.

• This facilitator training teaches you to run WGM.
• Day 1 includes teachings that are delivered virtually.
• Day 2 and 3 include teaching and demonstrations.  You can choose to participate virtually and/or in-person.
• Day 1 and one of days 2 and 3 are required to complete the training and receive your certificate.

There is a $10 fee for those working with Downtown families.  If you are outside of Downtown Winnipeg, the cost is $65 (plus cost of manual if you prefer a hard copy).

Mentoring to help you run an exceptional WGM program is included in the training cost.

Register here.

All people experience the world differently from one another. One way to make our programming more accessible to all potential participants is to consider how to accommodate a broad range of needs in terms of sensory experiences.

While sensory-related accommodations can be critical for many children and caregivers who are “neurodiverse”, everyone can benefit from positive sensory experiences. In this special in-person lunch and learn, we will talk about the different areas that accommodations may be important and offer practical tips that you may wish to incorporate into your programs. We will also talk about communicating your inclusive, affirming intentions to potential clients.

Please come with your lunch, but be prepared to “Munch and Mingle” with other service providers during the session.  No registration is required.

Mindful Munchkins is a program geared toward identifying emotions and how to manage them. So often we forget that our little ones don’t have the language to express how they’re feeling, so they use actions instead. This program teaches children about various emotions, self-regulation, problem solving skills, positive self-esteem and empathy. All of this takes place while developing strong and positive parent-child relationships!

This workshop will share mental health resources to use in your programs with families with young children.

NOTE:  Registration for this workshop closes on April 10.

If you have taken our WGM Facilitator Training, you are invited to a Wiggle, Giggle and Munch (WGM) Peer Group Meeting, where you will have the opportunity to meet other WGM Leaders in our first-ever online meeting!

The topic of this session will be Food! Do you think is there something such as “picky eaters” or this could be related to sensory integration and child development?

Come to discuss with other leaders’ ideas and challenges about food and get a fun recipe for your program. Take a sneak peek of our Wiggle, Giggle and Munch’s Food workshop.

Our first Networking Peer group session will be on June 18 at noon (until 1:30) via Zoom.

The best part? It’s free for all WGM leaders, but registration is required. Please use the following link to register.

Join us for our Annual General Meeting.

Theme:  Growing Connections

Taking programs outdoors: Sensory Play

We all know about the 5 senses, but did you know that there are more than 5 senses?

No? Then attend this session to find out more about our internal senses, and why outdoor play helps develop these during the critical early years of child development.

Yes? Then attend this session to learn more about how you can actively promote sensory experiences during outdoor programming, and pass this knowledge on to the families you work with.

We’ll explore the topic: “Where Everyone Belongs: Building Programs That Celebrate Diversity”.

Join us for a fun and interactive chat about how to create programs that truly welcome everyone!

We’ll celebrate all the amazing ways people experience the world—different sensory needs and different ways to process information, embracing neurodiversity. We’ll also explore how to support newcomers with low English proficiency, sharing ideas to make spaces more inclusive, accessible, and joyful for all!”. Let’s collaborate to create programs that are inclusive, welcoming, and empowering for all children and their caregivers! 🤝✨

The meeting will start with short presentations, followed by an open discussion about the challenges we face in our programs and how we can solve them together.

Register for this free event here

Family Literacy and Loose Parts (in celebration of I Love to Read month)

For our next Munch and Mingle, we plan to explore how early literacy can be promoted using loose parts for play and storytelling. “Loose parts play” is a common theme in early years education, but how can this concept be embraced when supporting young children to gain foundational literacy-related milestones? Save the date for 12:00-1:30 on February 19th to listen, share ideas, and network!

In McLeod Hall at 400 Edmonton St. (Mosaic Family Resource Centre at Knox Church)

Taking Programs outdoors – focusing on risky/empowered play