3. The Private School Expo
An effective preliminary search should leave families with a better idea of what they are looking for and what is offered in their area. A relatively new tool for a curious family researching private schools, expos bring together students and representatives from all types of schools across a city for parents to use as a one-stop source of information. School administrators are on-hand to answer any questions parents have, general or specific, and kids can talk [...]

by Our Kids Media.
With fewer kids and a better understanding of the educational system, parents today know exactly the kind of education they want for their child, and private schools are becoming an accessible, affordable, and popular option. Offering much more than tradition, prestige or religious instruction, qualities which were highly valued in the past, they’re catering to modern parents who are more concerned about finding a particular educational approach that suits their child. With a range of schools as [...]

Kids love to laugh and that’s exactly what the parents of Marc Rowland, from Montreal Improv, gave him with improv classes as a kid in Montreal. Find out how learning the ABC’s of improv at an early age made Marc a story-teller and a team-player through exciting games and activities….and got him in on the joke!

I’d like to thank my parents for encouraging me to do improv when I was 13.  I’ve learned a lot of things from practicing and [...]

Cheesecake or Brownies? Why choose? Michele McAdoo for the Kraft Kitchens shares a recipe for Cheesecake Brownies. They are a satisfying combo AND a smart dessert choice. This version calls for apple sauce instead of oil and egg whites instead of whole eggs. Enjoy!

How early should I start my child in music lessons?
What instrument should my child play?
How much instruction should I give my child?

I have a neighbour named Kevin who is currently enjoying retirement. After I told him I ran a music school in Montreal, he recounted how much he loved music but despised piano lessons in his youth because of the rigid curriculum of reading and repeating. I responded that he probably did not have the right teacher.

In Canada, there is [...]

We know a child’s brain is not fully formed at birth, but instead continues to develop during the first years of life and is highly influenced by experiences the child has during those formative years. This concept is true for music as well. Children who grow up in an enriched music environment are better able to understand and enjoy music for the rest of their lives!
Consider how children learn language. The best way to learn language is to be immersed [...]

Tired of saying No! No! No! to Gimme, Gimme, Gimme? Looking for a way to change the conversation?
Try introducing your kids to the MoonJar. Created by a thoughtful young mother in Seattle, the Moonjar makes it easy for children as young as three years old to start learning about money – starting with three simple choices – Save! Spend! Share!  Research has shown that kids who learn to save between 3 and 5 years old grow up to be savers. [...]

-by Dr. Shelagh Robinson, Psychologist

Do bookworms emerge fully formed, ready to read, and equipped with extra flashlight batteries? Or are they nurtured and encouraged into genuinely enjoying books? I hold out hope that any child can love to immerse themselves in stories.  It’s a matter of how to get them tuned in to the adventure.

Here is one, very new, very interactive, idea that lures even reluctant readers to story-time: Mirror Read Books.

Printed in reverse, the letters and words are flipped [...]

Are you a pool owner?  Make sure your little swimmers are safe this summer!

Being a pool owner comes with the responsibility of preventing drowning of members of your family, friends and neighbours. Quebecers do not fare well on this account. While we represent only a quarter of Canada’s population, we have 44% of all the backyard pools in the country. This leads to our having the largest number of drowning deaths in private pools, averaging 11 per year, and more [...]

“Camp Y Kanawana is the best thing that ever happened to me!” This is how Spiro Trent summarizes his experience with The YMCAs of Québec summer camp for kids, located in Saint-Sauveur, near Montreal. He literally grew up there; now 17 years old, this young man will be spending his 11th summer at the camp this June.

When she registered her son at age 7, Spiro’s mom was hoping that this summer camp would become a second family for him, and [...]