Activities Based in Childcare Frameworks

The pictured activity, as noted in the

Forest/Nature Schools framework “Takes place in

any outdoor space, including urban greenspace,

playgrounds” (Child and Nature Alliance of

Canada, 2020, p. 1). This outdoor enclosure is, as

emphasized by Forest/Nature Schools

frameworks, a part of “a sustained process of

regular and repeated sessions in the same outdoor

space, supporting children to develop a reciprocal

relationship with the Land, and an understanding

of themselves as a part of the natural world

(Child and Nature Alliance of Canada, 2020, p.

1). The activity began because the children

verbally expressed the desire to build a snowman,

and so met the standard set by Forest/Nature

Schools frameworks that “children’s play [is]

self-directed, freely chosen, intrinsically

motivated” (Child and Nature Alliance of

Canada, 2020, p. 2). Due to the nature of their

desired activity, it certainly met the Forest/Nature

Schools standard as it “Relies on loose, natural

materials to support open-ended, creative play

and learning” (Child and Nature Alliance of

Canada, 2020, p. 2)

Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care Framework

This interactive puzzle and story engaged the

children on several planes and with the voices of

Indigenous people front and centre as noted in the

Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care

Framework “rooted in First Nations knowledge,

language and culture; guided by Indigenous

practices in childhood development; and

strengthened by partnerships with governments,

service delivery organizations and community

members” (Government of Canada, 2018, p. 1).

There was also care taken to ensure the

distinction was made as the Indigenous Early

Learning and Child Care Framework “recognizes

the importance of implementing distinctions-

based frameworks based on the rights, interests

and circumstances of First Nations, Inuit and the

Métis Nation” (Government of Canada, 2018, p.

5). In this case Anishinaabe First Nation’s Elder

called Edna (Manitowabi, 2020), as her version

of the story of the medicine wheel is shared. First

an acknowledgment and group thank you to Edna

(they all said “Thank you Edna”). Then with the

prop of a stuffed otter and four seashells the story

of Little Boy Water Drum and the otter making

the shape of the medicine wheel in the water as

he swam in all four directions and then to centre,

collecting seashells in each direction. The

children were engaged listening and excited to

give the otter a hug when the softy was done.

Then the book “grandfather what is a medicine

wheel” was read and put on the puzzle table for

further exploration. Each of the seashells had the

teachings of each of the directions and the book

expanded on a beginner understanding of these

meanings like the seasons. To grasp the laminated

photo aids and match them to the page in the

board book they belonged to, gradually gave

them confidence in identifying a visual match and

beginning of meaning. By utilizing all these

methods to tell Elder Edna’s story, the Indigenous

Early Learning and Child Care Framework was

successfully integrated in “Enabling and

supporting flexible ELCC programs and services

that are responsive to the unique needs of a child,

family or community” (Government of Canada,

2018, p. 7)

Anti-Bias Education

This activity was brought to the art table the day

after the children were practicing tracing plastic

letters. There was an array of skin-tone crayons

and sheets of paper. A demonstration was given of

different ways to identify their skin tone and trace

their hand. This prompt was a marker of the

activity landing in the anti-bias framework

because, “planned anti-bias teaching experiences,

[include] mixing paint to match skin color” (Kuh

et al., 2016, para. 4). Every child was able to find a

great match for their skin tone and make some

marks around their hand pressed to the paper. After

each child was finished, they got two stickers one

for their physical hand and one for their drawing of

their hand. This was done for every child who

came to the table. Every colour of hand was able to

be represented and affirmed as equally deserving

of a sticker. The sticker also strengthened their

understanding of the fact that their representation

of their hands and their physical hands are

connected. Overall, it was a demonstration of anti-

bias education as “It helps children learn to be

proud of themselves and their families, respect a

range of human differences, recognize unfairness

and bias, and speak up for the rights of others”

(Kuh et al., 2016, para. 2).