How we care for our children during their early years, those before age six, sets the stage for their lifelong learning, behaviour and health.

Ontario Early Years staff offer a variety of free services and programs for parents of children up to the age of six. They can help you: teach your child to read; get ready to be a parent if you are going to have a baby; learn new parenting skills; meet the needs of your family by offering information about other community programs.

Free early learning and parenting programs for parents and caregivers and their children (from birth to six years of age) include:

• 1-2-3-4 Parents - parents of children 0-4 learn effective discipline & parenting techniques
• Bedtime Issues - help parents & children move from crib to bed
• Car Seat Safety - make sure your little one is "road safe"
• Children, Separation & Divorce - learn to help your child cope with these issues
• Getting Ready for K - prepare your child for a successful transition to Kindergarten
• Nobody's Perfect - learn parenting tips & techniques
• Nutritious Snacks/Lunches - get great ideas for making snack & lunch time fun & nutritious
• Shaken Baby Syndrome - learn the dangers of shaking infants & toddlers
• Shaking/Hitting/What to do Instead? - learn positive discipline skills
• Sibling Rivalry - prepare your child for a new little brother or sister
• STEP - Systematic Training for Effective Parenting - discover practical parenting skills for parents/caregivers of children 0-6
• Toilet Training - discover how to begin & know when your child is ready

NEW PROGRAMS:

• Mother Goose - making a connection with your child ages birth to 3 years
• Safe Child Program - teaching personal safety to kids 3 to 6 years
• COPEing with Toddler Behaviour - helping parents with the challenges of raising children 18 months to 3 years
• You Make the Difference - learn how to encourage speech and language in your child age birth to 3 years

Programs are fun for children and teach parents new activities to do with their children at home; parents and caregivers have opportunities to ask questions about their child's development. A resource library of books and videos on parenting skills, as well as children's books are available for loan.

A variety of programs are offered at our Main Centre in Clinton every weekday morning from 10-11:30 AM.

Call 519.482.8505 or 1.888.371.5718 for more information about our programs or to find out when they are being offered.