How To Get Your Kids To Talk About Their Day

All parents know that at the end of the day the last thing their children want to do is talk about their day at school. However, it’s important for parents to know what their kids are doing at school and how they feel about school. It’s also important for kids to talk about their day and share their feelings. These tips can help you get your kids to open up about their school day.

• Avoid asking “How was school today?”— If you want to start a conversation, quit asking this boring and expected question. Ask more specific questions, such as “Who did you sit with at lunch today?” These types of questions will help your children focus on one aspect of their day, rather than their day as a whole.

• Use Artwork or School work as Conversation Starters— When kids bring home their masterpieces from art class or a completed assignment, take the time to look them over and make observations about them to your child. Simple comments or questions will encourage your child to share more details with you.

• Talk About Your Day— Do you want to hear what your child’s favourite part of his or her day was? Start by talking about your day and modeling what you want to hear. After hearing your stories, your child will better be able to relate to you and share a similar story.

• Stop to Actually Listen— It’s important to actually put everything else aside to listen to your child without any distractions. Stop cleaning the dishes and sit down with your child to have a real one-on-one conversation. This time will show your children that what they are saying is important to you. When you’re not distracted, you will also be more aware of your children’s feelings and how they really feel about school, giving you the chance to extend the conversation and dialogue.

• Stay In-the-Know— Read the school newsletters and everything else your children bring home from school. Stay updated on what’s going on in their daily lives and what’s on their schedules. Being involved will help you better understand your child’s life and therefore help you stay connected to your child.

Each child is different and will respond in different ways. Learn what helps your children open up and what causes them to shut down. When does your child talk the most about his or her day, and how do you fuel the conversation?

*This is a guest post by the Sylvan Learning Centre in Mississauga.  Visit the website for the list of Mississauga North and South locations and for more information on a customized tutoring program to help your child.  For more great articles on parenting and education, make sure to visit the Sylvan Mom Minded Blog.

Mississauga North 

Mississauga South

Tales for Tots A Bookclub for Kids

The November Tales for Tots program at momstown Mississauga featured Swamp Water a fantastic new book by Robert Munsch. Sponsored by Scholastic Canada this monthly reading program shares a new book each month with our toddlers along with a related craft. 

Victoria is celebrating her birthday with her grandmother at a very fancy restaurant. She can't figure out what to eat as all her favourite items are not on the menu - even Swamp Water! Did you drink silly concoctions like this as a child? 

Sometimes our friends don't always want to sit for a story - so this mama got her son to listen to the book after the storytime was over by bringing the book to him! They were our winners this month too so will be able to enjoy this great story over and over at home!  

After a craft and a some free play time running on the indoor soccer fields at Canlan Sportsplex the kids were ready to go home for lunch! We meet monthly for Tales for Tots - please consider joining us next time! 

Little Scientists Mix up Colours in Preschool Science Program

Little Scientists, one of the monthly programs with momstown Mississauga, is a fun and interactive way to get your child interested in science!  The program is hosted monthly at Whole Foods Square One in their community kitchen.
Each month we perform simple, toddler-friendly experiments that showcase science principles in age appropriate experiments.  Most recently, our little ones had a chance to learn about colours, and learned the principals about making colours through experiments with primary colours!  

First, the kids were asked about their favourite colours, and then they listed as many colours as they could think of.  Using our primary colours, yellow, blue and red, we tried to make as many new colours as possible.

The kids each had 2 cups of water, and with their mama’s help, they took turns stirring food colouring into each cup.  They then guessed what colour they thought they would make if they mixed the 2 colours together.  They had a lot of fun pouring one colour into the other and discovering the new colour that they made!  Red and yellow made orange, blue and yellow made green, and red and blue made purple.  Purple seemed to be the favourite of the day!

The kids then were able to each document their findings by colouring in a sheet to show the results of each combination.  Our Little Scientists program is not only fun for little ones, but it helps stimulate their senses and exercise their thinking skills.

Just one of the many programs we run monthly at momstown Mississauga and is included in your yearly family membership fee of $45!  We hope to see you next time! 

Mom's Bookclub in November was Sponsored by Scholastic

momstown Mississauga's mama bookclub this month was sponsored by Scholastic Canada. Our group was given 6 books to pick from from Scholastic's Young Adult Fiction section. 

The clear choice from our mamas was Inhuman by Kat Falls. The story is post-apocalyptic tale of a human engineered bio-tech advancement gone wrong. The story was fast moving with lots of twists and turns to keep readers engaged and guessing until the end. 

Reading YA seems to be a popular choice for many in our group as the story is fast moving and easy to read.  

One thing our bookclub has discussed is that it is not always easy to read the books you want to read once you become a parent. Life gets so busy it's hard to fit everything in. Trying new genres such as these Young Adult books has proven to be a surprisingly successful match for many of our mamas. 

Here are a couple of quotes from our message board. 

I loved the book! I've been finding it hard to read in general lately (I fall asleep far too easily!) but I could NOT put this book down.  I never thought I'd enjoy the YA genre, but it's proven to keep me interested.  I really enjoyed the storyline. It was not like anything I'd ever read before.  I found the story easy to follow, but it wasn't too predictable.  The cliffhanger at the end definitely makes me excited for the next one!

It was good - very creative and interesting storyline. 

I loved the idea that the young girl goes on an adventure to save her father and finds the truth of her childhood revealed through the fairy tales her father had told her as bedtime stories. 

Our moms meet monthly for a bookclub with no pressure. Join us next time we are on hiatus over the holidays but will resume in the winter. The cost for momstown is only $45 for the year  and includes a ton of great Mom-only events such as our bookclub. 

Pirates and Princesses: Pretend Play for Preschoolers

Each month momstown Mississauga embraces a new theme, and to celebrate this month’s theme, we threw a Princess and Pirate Party at Taima Zone!  Our moms and kids each brought a peanut-free snack to share and gathered together for some fun free play, Princess and Pirate themed crafts and games and socialization.  

Taima Zone is always a popular spot for our members.  The kids love the open space to run around, the variety of ride-on toys, and the large climbing structure.  During craft time, the girls gravitated towards the Princess Tiara craft, made from pipe cleaners and stickers, while the boys busied themselves making pirate treasure maps.  

The crafts were not only fun for the kids, but they also helped work on their fine motor skills by peeling the stickers, cutting paper and twisting pipe cleaners.  The girls’ tiaras were fit for royalty, while the boys’ treasure maps were destined for adventure!  In keeping with the theme, we also had a dress-up station, so our Princesses and Pirates could ensure they looked the part. 

We would love for your little Pirate or Princess to join us next time, so join today! Our membership fee covers the whole family for one low cost! Sign up on our website and start having fun all month long with momstown. 

Sensory Activities for Babies and Preschoolers

Puzzles and Playdough and cutouts, oh my!  momstown Mississauga moms and excited little ones met at The Creative Kids Place for one of our great sensory programs, Puzzles and Playdough. momstown supplied the puzzles, playdough and fun cookie cutter shapes, while the kids supplied the creativity!  Smiles and giggles flowed as they rolled and molded and flattened the playdough, and then used the cutter shapes to create some silly combinations.  

Some of the kids favourites were the red ducks, green stars and blue dogs!  We decided to sneak in some learning as well, and used the cutouts to help the kids with letter and number recognition.  Their imaginative little minds then took over, as they created some yummy pretend playdough snacks.  They were even generous enough to share with their mamas, allowing them to have a pretend taste too!  

The puzzles were also a big hit with both the toddlers and the babies in attendance.  The toddlers kept their little hands busy, working on their fine motor skills by piecing the puzzles together, while the babies focused on the bright colours and busy patterns.  

Our farm peg puzzle seemed to be the favourite of the day!  Puzzles and Playdough is just one of the many exciting monthly programs we offer through momstown Mississauga.  Why not join us next time? We’d love to see what your little one’s imagination can come up with!

Our membership is $45 for the year and includes all the events, crafts etc. You can purchase yours here or consider giving one as a gift for the holidays! 

Ice Cream Bread - Easy 2 Ingredient Dessert Recipe!

One of the best features of momstown Mississauga is our message board. Our members can talk in person to each other during our programs but when they can't make it to events they can continue the conversation online via our forum.




This recipe is straight from our forum - Crazy Recipes. One of our moms posted it and I just had to try it out. I used PC Pumpkin Pie Ice cream but our mamas have tried cookie dough and thought that was just as delicious. The possibilities are as endless. The dark pieces in the photos to the left are the chunks of graham cracker crust from the pumpkin pie icecream! 

Note: If you don't have self raising flour don't worry just make your own! For every 1 cup of flour add in 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder and 1/2 tsp of salt. 



Ice Cream Bread

Ingredients:

2 Cups Ice Cream - softened
1 1/2 cups self raising flour


Combine the softened ice cream with the flour and spread into loaf pan. Line the pan with parchment or make sure it is lightly greased.

Bake:  350 for 35-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Once cooled enjoy a slice for dessert or an afterschool snack!

Business Development at momstown Fall 2013 Conference in Niagara Falls

momstown owners from all across Canada gather bi-annually for Fall & Spring Business Development Conferences. It is a jam packed 4 day experience full of innovation, team support and motivation. This November's conference marks a turning point for our company. momstown is about to embark on our biggest year yet in 2014.  The energy and passion for next year's plans was reflected in every person.

This conference was hosted at the Niagara Courtyard Marriott. Located right in the heart of Niagara Falls it is close to everything a tourist could desire.  Our group of 28 owners and momstown HQ Staff  enjoyed delicious food both for breakfast and dinner at the on-site Keg Restaurant. The conference amenities of the hotel and  Wi-Fi made it a breeze to get down to work.

Friday night was all about reconnecting. The team got to talk face to face with each other for the first time in 6 months. Our Inaugural momstown Team Awards ceremony recognised the hard work of many of our chapters.

The second day of our conference was a mix of  business development with sessions by Shelagh Cummins from BizTrainHer , and play as we worked to make rocketships - a metaphor for where momstown is headed in 2014. This was done in true momstown fashion out of paper towel rolls and craft supplies.  Saturday's sessions were rounded out with Pizza and Games in our PJs as we enjoyed pedicures by Ah Bella Luna Mobile Spa.




Sunday saw our team connect over our Entrepreneurs Book Club, and more business planning for 2014.  The day was finished off with a tour of the Chateau Des Charmes winery. The group arrived for the tour & wine tasting in style with transportation from GM Canada  in the Chevrolet Equinox. The evening was finished off with headshots from CL Buchanan.

Being a small business owner with a young family can be very isolating at times. Working within a support network comprised of such brilliant entrepreneurs from across Canada is an invaluable part of being a momstown Chapter owner.

A support system is an integral part of what our Chapters create in each of our hometowns for our members,  it is nice that is mirrored in our professional team as well. Everyone's heart is in their job at momstown. Consider joining us today either as a member or perhaps by starting your own business in your hometown.
  

Tales for Tots in October: Family Storytime

momstown Mississauga moms and kids meet over 20 times per month at fun and educational programs that follow our monthly curriculum themes. Our momstown families meet at different sponsor's locations for our programs all over the city of Mississauga.

Scholastic Canada is a monthly sponsor of our Bookclub for Kids called Tales for Tots. We traditionally meet monthly at the Chapters on Vega Blvd for our program. The adorable toys in the kids section and the large selection of books is a great fit for this program.

Octobers's book is Good Night, Sleep Tight by Mem Fox. An engaging story everyone will love to read over and over again as familiar nursery rhymes are featured in the bedtime routine. 

Our bookclub consists of a storytime and crafts and then one lucky child gets to take the book home to build their family library! 

Our lucky winner with her craft! 

October's Rhyme Rhythm & Read: Bookclub for Babies

momstown Mississauga hosts programs for babies 0-12m every month in our Baby Basics Series. This is a weekly program held at the Taima Zone where our mothers meet for fun and support in our baby focused curriculum. 

One of our literacy focused programs is Rhyme Rhythm & Read which is sponsored by +Scholastic Canada. Monthly books are provided for our Moms and their babies! This is a great way for the moms to build their libraries at home! 

October's Book Winning Family! 

The Selection for October is Never Let You Go  by Patricia Storms. An adorable book which matches every new parent's sentiments about always being there for their children even as they go through the journies of life,  exploration, tantrums and all! 

Join us for Baby Basics - different programs are running every week! A yearly program pass is only $45 for a limited time! This includes access to all of our programs, our Mom's Night Out events, the online forums where you can get advice and support from other moms just like you.  In addition there are great member discounts, access to contests and more! 

Sign up today for your membership! 

Rhyme Rhythm & Read: Monthly Program and Bookclub for Babies!

momstown Mississauga mamas and their babies met yesterday for Rhyme, Rhythm and Read a monthly baby literacy program which is sponsored by +Scholastic Canada.   Our moms and babies meet weekly for our Baby Basics programming held at the Taima Zone. 

Rhyme Rhythm & Read is a fun part of our baby programming that is designed just for babies 0-12 months in age. It incorporates fan favourite songs like The Wheels on the Bus, with great action songs like Zoom Zoom Zoom, silly rhymes and parachute time in addition to our storytime. 

This month's +Scholastic Baby Selection is Kiss Kiss Goodnight by Kenn Nesbit. A great title about bedtime routines with beautiful illustrations of different animal families. One lucky mom and baby got to take home their own copy of the book! This little lady was already interested in reading it and immediately flipped it open for a look! 

Join us for Baby Basics - different programs are running every week! A yearly program pass is only $45 for a limited time! This includes access to all of our programs, our Mom's Night Out events, the online forums where you can get advice and support from other moms just like you.  In addition there are great member discounts, access to contests and more! Sign up today for your membership! 

  

Santa Claus Parade in Mississauga and Across the GTA

momstown Mississauga moms and kids are meeting to watch the Santa Claus Parade in Streetsville coming up on November 24th.  There are many parades in our area to take in if you can't make it on the 24th in Streetsville. We have also listed the many tree lighting ceremonies in Mississauga on our blog -  great local and family friendly events to get you in the holiday mood!

Photo Credit: Downtown Streetsville Blog

Mississauga Parade Details:

Sunday November 24th Start time: 1pm. Parade Starts at Queen Street South and Brittania and heads south through the village ending at Queen Street South of Old Station Road.

Brampton Parade Details:

Saturday November 16th there is an evening parade.  Parade will start at 5pm at Sproule Drive & Main Street. Refer to the website for tips on parking and where best to stand along the route.

Oakville Parade Details:

Saturday November 16th the parade starts at 9am sharp rain or shine. Starting on Lakeshore Road East and ending at Fellen Avenue.

Holiday Lights & Tree Lighting Ceremonies in Mississauga 2013

There are many tree lighting ceremonies planned throughout Mississauga this holiday season.  Visit one with your family and celebrate the Magic of the Holiday season.

 

momstown Mississauga Families join together to attend these great local events. If you are looking for company visit our website and get started building traditions within your own community in Mississauga.

Streetsville Village Square: Friday November 22nd at 7pm. Join together at village main street square at 7 p.m. for the traditional lighting of the Christmas tree.  Horse & wagon rides, hot chocolate, sweet treats, and of course Santa! Celebration Square Saturday November 23rd 6-9pm

Bring your holiday cheer and see Mississauga Celebration Square dazzle at the 2013 Tree Lighting Celebration. There will be Food Trucks, Fun for the kids and live music! Tree Lighting at 7:30pm. Clarkson Village Tree Lighting Thursday November 28 7-9pm Location: 1880 Lakeshore Road West, Mississauga Join us 5th annual Christmas in Clarkson sponsored by the businesses in the Clarkson Village. Enjoy hot chocolate & cookies, sing along with the carols,  visit the petting zoo and fire truck. PLEASE BRING A NON PERISHABLE FOOD ITEM FOR THE COMPASS Light Up the Lighthouse in Port Credit Location: Lighthouse on Lakeshore in the village  Join your neighbours for an evening of festive fun for the whole family including a visit from St.Nick. Free crafts & refreshments.  Bring a donation to the Food Bank or a new pair of Mittens for the Mitten Tree!

Junior Chef: Remembrance Day Poppies

Remembrance Day is recognized by all Canadians in different traditions, parades and ceremonies. momstown Mississauga is no exception.  Our Junior Chefs met on Remembrance Day to make “poppies” out of fruits and veggies.  

momstown moms and kids used cherry tomatoes, strawberries and red peppers for the petals, blueberries for the middle and celery and cucumber for the stem.  They were excited to make their poppy masterpieces all by themselves, but their favourite part was eating it once they were done!

Once the kids had their fill of yummy snacks, they were given an opportunity to colour a poppy wreath with the famous poem “In Flanders Field” printed in the middle.  This was a great way for our moms to speak to their children individually about the importance of Remembrance day, and start the conversation about why we take time to remember.

At 11am the mamas agreed to have a minute of silence, to remember and honour those who gave their lives for our freedom. Sensing the importance of that moment, the children followed suit.  Needless to say, we had a group of very proud mamas!

Junior Chef is a monthly program run by momstown Mississauga.  It is a great way to get young kids involved in the kitchen. They have the chance to prepare simple, toddler-friendly recipes in a group setting!  Not only will the children feel accomplished, but it’s also a fantastic way to encourage healthy eating and trying new foods. 

Our mamas have found the group setting makes even the most unadventurous child want to try something new.   We hope to see you at our next Junior Chef next month! All of this is included in the annual family membership - buy yours today! 

Little Scientists Program: Discovering What Floats or Sinks

momstown Missisauga mamas brought their Little Scientists out to Whole Foods Square One to do a fun craft and experiment to discover the principles of sinking and floating.  The kids were given a chance to touch and feel each object. There was a pine cone, an apple, a leaf, coin, rock and a safety pin. 

The children measured each item's  size and weight and then were asked to guess whether each object would sink to the bottom of a vase of water, or float back to the top.  

They were extremely contemplative and took their time to fully assess each item, which paid off since they were correct for nearly every item!  Their favourite part was taking turns to drop each item in the water and shout out the result; especially the apple, since they all got a little wet from the splash! 

After testing each item, the kids each took a cut out of that item and glued it to a paper jar they coloured to look like it was full of water.  The items that floated to the top were glued to the top (pine cone, apple, leaf), and the items that sunk to the bottom were glued to the bottom (coin, rock, safety pin).  

momstown Missisauga meets monthly for this science program, focused on fun, hands-on & toddler-friendly experiments!  We hope to see you next time - join us today! All of our programs (as well as much more) are included in 1 low yearly fee - sign up today!

McDonalds sponsored Tales for Tots: Bookclub for Kids

momstown Mississauga's monthly literacy program Tales for Tots our monthly bookclub for kids,  was sponsored by McDonald's Canada this month. momstown partnered with McDonalds across Canada to help them to announce the new storybooks they are distributing in their Happy Meals. 

Our moms and kids loved reading the cute stories about growing up to be strong and healthy by eating right and getting exercise. These books are a super addition to Happy Meals, enjoyed by both parents and kids. 

Our Tales for Tots event was a hit! Our Clarkson Village McDonalds in Mississauga hosted us and delivered McCafe products, milk and juice for the kids, as well as apple slices and yogurt parfaits for a snack!

The 4 different story books are available until Nov 15th. The momstown Mississauga moms got to take home a great lootbag - supplied by McDonalds & stuffed with coupons for free Happy Meal & free drink as well as 3 of the 4 books and a treat for moms.  

Our toddlers also made a cute craft right in the restaurant (crafts go together with storytime at Tales for Tots). They had fun gluing healthy foods onto a plate, and choosing "sometimes foods" to add around the plate outside. The theme of the Happy Meal books is nutrition and how healthy choices help kids to grow up to be strong and active.

Tales for Tots is just one of the monthly programs run by momstown in Mississauga. We meet all over Mississauga for fun programs that get moms and kids active and trying new things! Join us today - sign up to start having fun with us!

Halloween Events for Families in Mississauga

There are so many fun events happening around Mississauga this month to celebrate Halloween. Here at momstown Mississauga we wanted to share our favourite events in the city and let you know where you can find our moms and kids celebrating! 

momstown Mississauga's Halloween Haunt October 30th 10am -12pm

Lots of Halloween crafts, costume contest, fun preschool and toddler activities like pumpkin bowling, pin the nose on the Jack 'o Lantern, a Parachute & Circle Time, a pot-luck buffet of Halloween treats and gymnastics fun from The Little Gym - East Mississauga - there will be fun for everyone! 

The Trick or Treat Festival October 26 10am - 4pm

The Mississauga Mompreneurs has organized a Trick or Treat Festival at the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga. 

The Trick or Treat Festival is an Event where you can bring your family including your kids to play, shop, and connect with local Mississauga and Area Businesses. This Festival will feature kids in Costumes and Candy of course! FREE ADMISSION with Donation to Eden Food Bank

Clarkson Village Halloween Fun Fest October 26th 10 am - 2pm 

Trick or Treat through Clarkson Village. Colouring contest, Bouncies, magician and more!  Bring a non-perishable food item donation to Lakeshore and Clarkson Rd North. 

Historic Halloween Fun at Benares Museum October 27th 12pm - 4pm

Benares Museum is hosting a Halloween Event. Cost is $15/family. Reptilia shows, live music and entertainment, face painting, children’s crafts, games, tours of the historic house & more! The first 250 kids in costume will receive a loot bag!

Can't make it to one of these events? Click below for great ideas for Halloween Crafts & Treats from momstown! 

Alphabet Play - Now Sponsored by Alpha-Bits Cereal

momstown Mississauga mamas were very excited to have our Alphabet Play program sponsored by Post Alpha-Bits Cereal. Our monthly event will now include a snack station by Alpha-Bits, where the kids can have a snack while making their crafts. 

Our kick off event was held at The Fun Side - a unique Mississauga indoor playground & party centre that caters to the whole family. 

The event started off with a circle time where we sang all kinds of silly kids songs and tried to fit in our letter of the month as much as possible. This month featured the letter "T".  Our moms and kids were smiling trying to figure out what sound a Tyrannosaurus makes on Old MacDonalds farm... never mind the fact it would likely eat the farm... 

Our craft element this month was a leaf craft  T is for Tree. The kids got to choose out some beautiful leaves to stick on the construction paper Ts. Glue and leaves makes for happy kids (and some happy mamas too)! 

From Alpha-Bits each kid had a cup full of the yummy letter shaped cereal to snack on while gluing... then it was back to some free play time. Every family was able to take home a box to enjoy as well!  momstown Mississauga moms & kids meet monthly for this program focused on literacy, learning and FUN! Join us next time. Sign up today on our website or like us on Facebook to see all the fun events we do each month! 
  

When Should My Child Take an Interest in Reading?

The benefits of reading to your children are well documented. While it’s a good idea to do many other things to enhance your child’s education, reading is a simple, effective way to boost brainpower while bonding with your child. 

Here are just a few of the many benefits:

• Reading to children increases their vocabulary. A recent study of eight month old babies conducted by the Child Development Center at Rhode Island Hospital showed that the ones whose parents read to them frequently understood far more words than children who were not read to as often.

• Language, speech and communication skills improve when children are exposed to books. By reading to your children, you will be helping them learn to speak correctly. In addition, you will be improving their mastery of the language, and teaching them different ways to communicate.

• Young children love to snuggle up for a bedtime story, but even older children benefit from reading time with a parent. In today’s hectic world, reading together can be a special time, an oasis that allows you to share a meaningful experience.

• Students whose parents read to them tend to be academically advanced. Several domestic and international studies, including an article published by the British Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, found that children who are read to before preschool have a better chance of performing at above average levels throughout their school careers. That’s because reading helps them to master other skills too, like logic and empathy.

• A love of books is one of the benefits of reading to your children that has lifelong implications. People who love to read will continue learning throughout their lives, and this will enrich their world and make them more interesting people. Teaching your children that books are wonderful and reading is fun is one of the best gifts you can give them.

While the benefits of reading to your children can be obvious, what is less obvious is the best way to make sure they get off to a strong start. 

If you are unsure as to how your child is doing or you want to be certain they are well prepared for JK/SK or Grade 1 then you should consider some outside help.  The Education Directors at the Sylvan Learning Centre in Mississauga have a great deal of expert knowledge and experience and also offers FREE useful online resources at www.sylvanlearning.com.

For children who do seem to be struggling and need a little bit of extra attention Sylvan Learning offers a Beginning Reading program as well as a Handwriting Course to teach a young child how to hold a pencil and to how form letters carefully and confidently. 

If you are interested in improving your child’s reading level at any age or grade or are looking for a reading, writing or math tutor then give your local Sylvan Learning Centre a call. There are three locations to serve you across Mississauga. 

North Mississauga

South Mississauga 

Erin Mills

Mattel Sponsored Mom and Me Game Day

Our momstown Mississauga mamas and kids were treated to a very special event this month at our Mattel Sponsored Game day. Kids 3 + and their moms were lucky enough to be able to try 5 new games. 

There was something for every child and their interest level. Games teach  pre-school kids life skills like how to take turns, sharing, waiting (patience) and how to have fun.    

Chipmunk Choppers was a fan favourite with all the kids. The chipmunk choppers themselves are so much fun to use, they had all the kids excited as they chomped letters off the tree to match with the word cards. Practicing skills like colour and letter recognition were natural in the quest to chomp more letters.  


Angry Birds Knock on Wood was another great game. Fitting together the pieces of wood to make structures for the piggies was just as exciting as launching the birds. 

The tractor with hay-bale launcher proved the highlight during Go Piggy Go! This game had some more complex elements introducing simple strategy perfect for teaching game play and focus skills to the older kids. 

Uno Moo inspired some pretty creative sounds as we encouraged the kids to use their imagination and voices to enhance the game play.  

Parrot Pile Up required the children to slow down and really focus on the best placement of the objects. It also required a steady hand and concentration to complete each turn. 

Our moms and kids loved the games from Mattel and we will definitely be making Game Day a regular event on our calendar using these great pre-school offerings. The moms were thrilled to be able to take home a copy of Uno as a gift. 

Join us for more events like this. momstown Mississauga has sponsored events every month from great local and national sponsors like Mattel.  Membership is only $45 per year for the whole family, purchase one for yourself or a friend today. 

September's Books for Babies: Giggle

momstown Mississauga's September bookclub for babies was sponsored by Scholastic Canada.  Giggle by Caroline Jayne Church was this month's selection. A great board book for babies with a built in giggle "button" that provides laughs the whole way through the book.

Books for Babies is a monthly event for our moms with babies aged 0-12 months. A circle time, story, finger plays, rhymes and a new monthly baby sign are all part of this monthly event.

Starting in October this event will be re-named as part of our consistent across Canada momstown.ca branding to a new title: Rhyme Rhythm and Read.  This month and next we are hosting at The Fun Side a south Mississauga Indoor Playground with a fantastic baby and toddler area.

 

 

 We have a weekly Baby Basics group held at Taima Zone where our moms and babies meet to do fun baby Picassos art projects, hear from speakers and gather to discuss hot topics such as transitioning to solids, breastfeeding, choosing a child care centre and more!

 

 

 

Consider joining us for one of our fun Baby Programs, meet some new friends and enjoy the membership perks like winning a book at one of our Scholastic Canada monthly sponsored events! In October the Mama Bookclub is being sponsored by Scholastic Canada - that's right free books for the moms too! Membership is only $45/family for the whole year! Purchase yours today.