Letting a child express their creativity through art is an important part of their growth as a child. When creating artistic work whether it is a crayon drawing or a self-portrait, a child is learning to communicate visually. They are learning to express themselves using other means of communicating other than their language.

Art helps to develop both basic and advanced problem-solving skills in a variety of contexts. Think about how many questions we ask ourselves when creating a piece of art. What colours should I use? Should I use pencils, crayons, or paint? If the glue is not working, what else can I use instead? Though these simple questions may seem like nothing, they are really the start of developing problem solving skills.

Children are encouraged to self-express when creating artwork. A happy child may express himself with a cheerful painting of his backyard garden, while a troubled teen may paint his frustrations with a dark and shadowy palette. Sometimes when we can’t say something through words, it is much easier to visually present it on paper. It helps us to let loose our frustrations and express our feelings. Many times this type of therapy is used for troubled youth. When they can’t express their feelings in words, they are asked to draw their feelings on paper.

Participating in art activities can help a child accept others and be involved in multicultural activities. This gives us a chance to teach a child different cultures while also being age appropriate. They can explore aboriginal dream paintings, sew together a Latin inspired doll, or learn Japanese calligraphy.

All in all, Art is an important part of a child’s life and we hope to involve children in amusing activities that let them express themselves in more ways than one.

Our next major fundraiser has been confirmed for November 15, 2012 at the Centre for Social Innovation in downtown Toronto however, for the first time ever, we are going to have guest speakers!

We are extremely proud and honored to announce that the President & CEO of Sick Kids Foundation, Ted Garrard and City of Brampton’s Mayor Susan Fennell, will be speaking at our event!!!

Please save-the-date and visit our website, www.everydaychild.org for future updates!

Believe

 “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.

It’s no surprise that Martin Luther King. Jr. was a man of faith. He respected men and women of all races and backgrounds even if their beliefs were different than his. He not only believed in his faith, but also believed in his values SO much, he fought to the very death.

Be The Change

“Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can’t ride you unless your back is bent.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

To achieve change, you must work hard for it; change doesn’t just happen over night, it’s going to take struggle and commitment. King dedicated his life to racial equality and fighting poverty in his homeland and abroad. He even founded the “Poor People’s Campaign” in 1968, and helped revolutionize the whole system of economics to repair flaws that perpetuate poverty.

Violence Is Never The Answer…Love Is!

“We who engage in nonviolent direct action are not the creators of tension. We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

Throughout his life, King never condoned violence as a means of creating change. With nonviolent tactics, he got his message out to the public without being contradictive. King was convinced that racial equality and justice would be achieved through the use of nonviolent resistance. He even met up with Gandhi in 1959 to gain more insight on this topic.

 You Have A Purpose

“Human salvation lies in the hands of the creatively maladjusted.”– Martin Luther King, Jr.

 King believed he had a purpose. He believed his neighbor had a purpose. He believed YOU had a purpose. No matter where you are located in the world, you are on Earth today for a REASON. No matter of your colour, religion, or appearance, you belong here. Martin Luther King believed every single one of us are special and unique in our own ways; one thing we do have in common though, is our ability to change the world for the better!

There’s No “I” in “Team”

“An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

It’s not always just about us! King wanted us to open our mind and to think outside the box. Individualistic problems are so irrelevant when thinking about the concerns of all humanity. Stand up for what you believe in, be a leader and impact the world!

1.    A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.

2.    After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.

3.    Education is the most powerful weapon, which you can use to change the world.

4.    Money won’t create success, the freedom to make it will.

5.    It always seems impossible until it’s done.

6.    When the water starts boiling it is foolish to turn off the heat.

7.    There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.

8.    If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.

9.    If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner.

10. I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.

Gandhi’s great wisdom and efforts for world peace have made him a household name. His struggle to bring peace to the people of India has made the whole world stop and think. Here are just 11 of his most inspirational quotes. What one(s) makes you stop and think?

1.  The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.

2.  As soon as we lose the moral basis, we cease to be religious. There is no such thing as religion over-riding morality. Man, for instance, cannot be untruthful, cruel or incontinent and claim to have God on his side.

3. There is more to life than simply increasing its speed.

4. We must be the change we wish to see.

5. The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.

6. An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.

7. Hate the sin, love the sinner.

8. Permanent good can never be the outcome of untruth and violence.

9. Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.

10. Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.

11. Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.

Mother Teresa spent over 60 years of her life in the slums of Calcutta where she devoted her life to serving the sick, the poor, dying and abandoned. She faced a lot of incredible difficulties and challenges, yet her faith kept her strong. Here are 3 of her life lessons she has left us that we can incorporate into the teachings for any child.

Always Smile

“Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love.”

Mother Teresa has taught us to trek through anything and always keep that smile on our faces! She endured so many hardships in her life, and has faced so many difficult challenges, yet she always smiled. A smile can bright up someone’s day, and can change the mood of others around you. If you’re having a bad day, just get through it and smile! :)

Let Your Core Values Be Your Foundation

“In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love

Mother Teresa’s solid foundation that kept her strong through the hardships in her life was her faith. She has taught us, that like her, we must have a strong foundation to keep us optimistic. Her core values included forgiveness, acceptance, peace, and respect; values that every human being can benefit from.

Become Apart of Change

“It is easy to love the people far away. It is not always easy to love those close to us. It is easier to give a cup of rice to relieve hunger than to relieve the loneliness and pain of someone unloved in our own home. Bring love into your home for this is where our love for each other must start”

Become apart of something…small or grand! Start with your home and your neighbors. Is there anything you can do to help someone around you? Sometimes it’s easier to help someone from afar than our own loved ones. Find something you stand for and help change the world for the better!

Mohandas Gandhi’s philosophy was based on freedom and complete non-violence. He led nationwide campaigns to expand women’s rights, ease poverty, and build relationships instead of religious boundaries. Here are three important lessons that Mohandas Gandhi has taught us.

 Be The Change

“You must be the change you want to see in the world.”

Why are you waiting for change? Why not BE the change. Become a leader, become active in your community and start the movement that you want to see! If you lead properly, people will follow and together you can change the world.

Always Act

“Have a bias towards action – let’s see something happen now. You can break that big plan into small steps and take the first step right away.”

If you want to make a difference…stop pushing it for another day. That BIG project can be broken down into small steps and progress CAN be made. The future depends on what we do in the present.

Forgive

“The weak can never forgive.  Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”

The strongest people in the world forgive. Gandhi believes we should let go our grudges, and to forgive our loved ones who have hurt us in the past.

 All these lessons are essential in childhood development. At even a young age, children must learn the concepts of peace and non-violence so they can incorporate it into their every life.

Not surprisingly, music has been proven to have many positive effects on a young child’s development. Research shows that music improves a child’s cognitive skills such as memory and spatial reasoning. Along with this, providing children with a stimulating environment for all their senses, including their auditory sense can support healthy growth and development.

Everyday Child wants to incorporate music into the everyday lives of children across the world. Research has shown that playing or singing music can improve a child in many different forms of learning. Not only will their reading and math skills improve, but even their overall focus and control of their bodies. Children who participate in music activities play better with others and have a higher self-esteem.

Let’s face it…children LOVE MUSIC… especially when they enjoy it with others. Making music with other children allows children to feel the sense of belonging to a group. Everyone can freely participate when it comes to a music activity. Not only this, children seem to experience pleasure and joy for playing and listening to music. With little effort, any teacher or leader can bring such happiness to children even after a bad day.

At Everyday Child, we know how important music and social activities are for a child’s development. By adding music into their everyday lives, such as by using a song to greet a child during morning attendance, or using music to teach apart of the curriculum, we can change their lives. Hopefully they will take what we taught them, and teach their loved ones around them. Learn. Earn. Return.

Sports are very important in early childhood development. Not only do children learn physical skills when participating in sports activities, but also gain social and emotional benefits. It provides a greater opportunity for children to develop rules of health and safety while lessening their risk of adult diseases such as heart disease. Children who participate in sports can learn social skills such as teamwork and taking turns. They learn about responsibility in a team and how they are relied on to do their part. Children also learn to take direction from a leader, or become the leader themselves. Most obvious, sports are about meeting new friends and interacting…because let’s face it…sports wouldn’t be the same if you weren’t competing against your friends!

There are a lot of emotional benefits attached to sports as well. Children learn the value of practice and the challenge of competition through sport activities. These values can be reapplied to other non-sporting parts of their lives. Being active also relieves stress and anxiety helping a child to let out their frustrations from the day.

 Everyday Child wants to organize sports activities for children in developing countries. Sports have been proven to boost a child’s self-esteem and self worth. Along with this, social skills can be developed which can benefit a child outside the playing field. With your help, we can give children a chance to be apart of academic and social growth.

 To donate visit: www.everydaychild.org

Developing academic skills in children is important, but children should not forget to play and imagine. There is an immense body of research that shows a link between play and the development of social and thinking skills that are prerequisites for learning.

 Our organization, Everyday Child, will not only put emphasis on academic skills, but not forget that children need to have fun too! Play is linked to memory, self-regulation, oral language, as well as the recognition of symbols. It has been shown that children adjust to school better when given time to play, as well as being able to develop literacy skills at a faster rate.

 When children pretend scenarios, they are adapting to multiple roles and themes. This can help them to prioritize their goals and actions. They can learn to respect different perspectives in life, and the needs of other people. They also learn to regulate their behaviour and solve problems in a healthy way.

Everyday Child will incorporate social activities into the lives of these children. They will learn to deal with everyday situations while participating in a variety of team activities. PLAY is just as important to Learn, Earn, and Return.