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Literacy ...
at the Kids Come First Club,
our teachers reinforce the importance
of reading by:
* reading regularly and often
* selecting books with
each child in mind
* making reading exciting
with action & sound
* making connections with
art & drama
* encouraging response and active engagement
Harbour Youth Services “Kids Come
First” Club gives kids
8,640 minutes a year of
literacy-focused activities that help increase their
probability of staying in school. |
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Social skills
are the foundation for getting along with others.
After school programs are the ideal setting for children to
learn and practice social skills. At Harbour Youth
Services, our program teachers are important facilitators
who can help children gain social competency.
We see the hours after school as a
tremendous opportunity to fortify kids with the tools they
need to succeed ... up to
6,480 minutes each year are
spent integrating social skill development into everyday
activities at the Club. These are stepping
stones to help kids make good decisions and build healthy
relationships. |
The
"Kids Get Active" Club.
As the “Kids Come First”
program evolved, we also began to recognize the need for a
“booster” program to reinforce our original prevention goals
for participants as they transitioned beyond grade 3 through
the middle years. The “Kids Get Active” program
expands upon our flagship “Kids Come First” program model by
increasing opportunities for participation in arts, life
skills, sports, nutrition, wellness and service learning
initiatives.
Through funding support from the
Ministry of Health Promotion we are able to provide the
"Kids Get Active" program to children at our Kingsway Park
and Vance Chapman afterschool sites. |
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Physical Activity
...
we recognize that many children have abandoned physical play
after school for the "bright lights" of the computer and
television. The 'Kids Get Active' program is
designed to keep children active, while introducing them to
a range of sports & active games while providing them with
an environment focused on fun, friendship & cooperation.
"Right now,
kids are spending over 40 hours a week in front of screens.
These alarming numbers equate to a very sendentary child, so
we must transform the after school hours into healthy,
active living time"
- Dr. Mark Tremblay, Active Healthy Kids Canada
The key to engaging kids is
finding activities they enjoy. When kids find an activity
that’s fun, they’ll do it a lot, get better at it, feel
accomplished, and want to do it even more! |
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Healthy Eating & Nutrition
...
Healthy eating is one of the most important things affecting
children's general health. Each day at our after
school programs we provide nutritious & tasty snacks for our
members. Members learn how healthy foods can boost
energy and make them feel good, inside and out!
"28% of Ontario’s children are
overweight or obese, putting them at higher risk of
developing heart disease, high blood pressure and Type 2
Diabetes."
- David Sculthorpe, Heart &
Stroke Foundation of Ontario
Hands-on cooking opportunities allow our members to put
what they learn into practice.
From knowing how to safely use a
knife, to recognizing different kitchen utensils, our
members are slowly mastering skills that they will be able
to use for the rest of their lives.
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The
"Kids Care Club".
“The Kids Care
Club”, is a program specifically designed to give kids the
chance to work on a variety of projects that help others.
Over a period of ten months (September to June), members
will play a part in making their community, and their world,
a better place. We currently have "Kids
Care Clubs" operating at both our Kingsway Park and Vance
Chapman after school sites. |
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Helping
Others ... Our members have been enjoying their
participation in kindness projects ... they particularly
like the aspect of conducting random acts of kindness ... in
secret!
"Children need to know that they can make a difference.
Pro-social behaviors build selfesteem, foster connectedness
&
present opportunities for positive recognition. Helping
others and getting involved in helping reinforces being part
of the community."
- The National Association of School Psychologists |
