Family Page

Nature Sprouts Program Bring Kids to Outdoor Adventures

Rosanne Fortier - News Correspondent

The Nature Sprouts program gives children a chance to explore the outdoors. Hub Coordinator for Kalyna Family Resource Network (KFRN-V) Tasha Homeniuk said The Nature Sprouts program is intended for young children under the age of six.

“This program encourages outdoor play, learning about our local environment and the idea of taking care of oneself and the world around us. All of this is done in a fun setting of stories, games and crafts. Nature Sprouts is run seasonally in the winter, spring, summer and fall for four weeks.

(Rosanne Fortier/Photo)

During the four week sessions, children learned about arctic animals, northern Indigenous games, animal tracking as well as local vegetation and how it changes throughout the four seasons we experience in our region.

About half of the time was spend outdoors, and included: nature walks, scavenger hunts, gross motor games and a highlight of the day parachute play. The remaining time was spent indoors warming up with stories, snacks and crafts.

This program is a partnership between (KFRN-V) and Vegreville Centennial Library (VCL).

The first session for the 2022’s Nature Sprouts program was offered on March 14 at Vegreville Centennial Library.

Spoke Program Facilitator for KFRN-V, Litania Sankey said each week they will focus on a different theme. “This week for March 14 we focused on weather and dressing appropriately for each season. In the winter this would include such things as toques, mittens, boots, snow pants and winter coats.”

Library Programming Assistant Valerie Lowes said, “This program gives children the education of how to be outside in winter and what happens in winter. It also gives children a chance to socialize and get out of the house. It is good for them to be in a group and participate in crafts and story time. As well, outdoor play is really great for children,” Lowes said.

Toddling Towards Scientific Knowledge

Rosanne Fortier - News Correspondent

Community Association for Lasting Success (CALS) held its first Mad Scientist session at the Senior Citizens Sunshine Club of Vegreville Centre on April 6.

A total of seven families attended the session, which is one of five sessions that have been planned by CALS.

(Rosanne Fortier/Photo)

CALS Family Literacy Facilitator Jennifer Dixon said the children learned about their five senses at the April 6 session. “There was a touch activity where the children had to find a specific texture hidden in a bag, a blindfolded smell test where they had to guess what they were smelling and if they liked it. There was a taste test where we asked them to describe what the food tasted like, whether it was it sweet, salty, sour and bitter. And we did a sound activity where the children used different objects to hit on the drum to make different sounds.

The Sunshine Club members have been so wonderful and so accommodating and we are grateful for their support and for allowing us to use their space!” Dixon said.