Added Advantage 

Research shows that young children thrive in an environment that supports their whole body?s growth and development and as a result the program engages in both indoor and outdoor activities that promote opportunities to engage in fine and gross motor activities and a chance for children to use their bodies in various ways as their learn and master movement, balance and cardio health.

The program spends at least two hours a day where children have the opportunity to be engaged in physical activity, both child directed and educator supported, allowing a chance for them to run, climb, jump, roll, balance and enhance hand eye coordination through sports games and co-operative games and so forth.

Weather permitting this activity occurs outside in the fresh air of nature as we explore the backyard which is equipped with various size balls, parachute, tunnels, skipping ropes, ride on toys, bean bags and an array of open ended materials that can be used to create obstacle courses and games to keep us active and moving.  In addition we visit various community playgrounds that offer different opportunities for mastery of skills in climbing, balance, running and agility that the backyard might not offer.

However when the weather is inclement to safe outdoor play we will make use of various community playgroups with large space or the playroom will be rearranged to allow us to engage in some Salsa Tots movements, creative movement exercises to music or to engage in some indoor physical activity games with the parachute that allow us to get our heart rates going while working within the confines of indoor space.

Inclement Weather Determination

The Environment Canada Weather Channel forecasts for London Ontario will be used daily to check for UV rating, Air Quality, Temperature including wind-chill and any weather warnings that might be in effect from thunderstorms to air quality concerns.

During the winter months the program will make an attempt to get outside daily as long as the temperature does not drop below -10 degrees Celsius. The effects of a wind chill will be taken into consideration dependent on how much wind is actually being experienced in the backyard. The duration of the outdoor play in the winter will also depend on how well all the children are dressed for the weather and their ability to remain engaged enough to remain warm and their extremities protected from the cold. 

During the warmer months the program will be outside daily unless there is a heat advisory issued by the City of London requesting that children and elderly do not spend ANY time outside. Otherwise on the really warm days we will be outside to engage in physical activity but limiting our time from early in the morning and later in the afternoon to avoid the high UV times between 11 ? 3 pm as well as engaging in water based activities to help us be active while still remaining a cool core temperature. Children will also have access to water and purred fruit pops to help maintain hydration during warm months.