Our Philosophy
The Infant and Child Development Program at Bethany Hope Centre celebrates the importance of play in a child’s life. Play paves the way for learning.
In play, children learn by combining their ideas with experience. They create ideas about their world and share them with one another. Play allows children to understand what they are experiencing and discover the joy of friendship.
When play is self-directed, it leads to feelings of self confidence. Play nourishes every aspect of a child’s development. It is the foundation of the skills necessary for success in school and in life.
Meet the Team
Infant & Child Development Worker
Enriched Childcare
Whether you are studying with the Learning Coach Program, attending a parenting class, personal support session or cooking with our Nourish Family Food Centre, you can feel safe knowing your children are being cared for by qualified and caring, Infant and Child Development Workers with:
- Infant and Child Mental Health Training
- First Aid and CPR Certification
- Nutritious snacks
- Developmentally-appropriate toys and activities
- Availability for children 4 months of age to 6 years (or the start of school)
To set-up a child care spot, please contact:
Sarah Wilgress
sarah-jane.wilgress@salvationarmy.ca
Infant and Child Development Worker
613-725-1733 ext 203
Infant and Child Assessments
Using a number of recognized assessment tools, our staff are trained to recognize when your child needs a referral to a specialist.
- Nutritional assessments
- Speech and language development
- Infant development
- Parent/child attachment
- Child development
- School readiness
If you have any questions or concerns, please talk reach out to one of our Infant & Child Development Workers.
613-725-1733 ext 203
Playgroups
Why Playgroups are Good for Children
Social interaction – Babies and toddlers benefit from the opportunity to interact socially with children of a similar age. This will greatly help them to understand, adapt and cope in different situations, situations that they might not be used to within their own home.
Confidence building – Children seem to have a natural ability to be confident. You can stand a child in front of an audience and ask them to sing a song, and usually they will be happy to do so. As an adult, it can be a lot more difficult, likely because we’re more aware of things around us and what others might be thinking. Social interaction within playgroups encourages a lot of confidence-building, which is essential for children as they grow up.
Meeting other parents – Playgroups don’t just benefit babies and toddlers, but also parents. Moms and dads get to enjoy the benefits of adult interaction, meeting and engaging with other parents and learning new things. Seeing how their children cope in different environments and situations can lead to a better understanding of their needs.
Meeting their mental and physical needs – Playgroups are great for encouraging stimulation in babies and toddlers. As parents, we know how important stimulation is in meeting children’s needs, both mentally and physically.
Give your children a head start for pre-school – Finally, another benefit of taking your child to playgroups is that it prepares and gives them a good head start for pre-school, amongst other things.
Source: http://www.justicefordadsuk.com/benefits-child-playgroups/
When are playgroups?
Current playgroups can be found on our program calendar.