Blog & News
How to Help Your Child Transition to Grade School This Fall
How to Prepare Your Child for Grade One: A Guide for Parents As a parent, it can be daunting to think about the transition from kindergarten to grade one in a public or private school. How to help your child adjust and feel comfortable [...]
Daycares Struggling in Ontario: Non-Refundable Daycare Deposits: Challenges Faced When Parents Back Out
Daycare centers play a crucial role in providing a safe and nurturing environment for children while their parents work or attend to other responsibilities. To ensure a steady and reliable income stream, many daycare facilities have implemented non-refundable deposits as a means to secure [...]
Toxic Products for Kids and Their Natural Replacements
Swap Toxic Products for Organic Food and Safe Toy Alternatives As parents, we want to give our children the best life possible, and this includes providing them with safe and healthy food and toys. Unfortunately, many of the products on the market today are [...]
When Is Too Much? The Effects of Excessive iPad Exposure on Your Child’s Brain Development
Too much iPad exposure can have a negative impact on your child's brain development. With the rise of digital media, it can be easy to give in to your child's requests for more iPad time. But how do you know when enough is enough? [...]
Building a Strong Bond: New Dad’s Guide to Expressing Love to Their Babies
As a new dad, you may be overwhelmed with the immense amount of love you have for your baby. However, it can be difficult to express this love in ways your little one can understand. To create a strong bond between the two of [...]
Post-Baby Bliss: Maintaining a Happy Relationship as a Family
Becoming parents can bring a world of joy and happiness to your life. However, as your family expands, your relationship dynamics can change significantly, especially for the relationship couple. It's important to keep in mind that maintaining a healthy and happy relationship takes effort, [...]
WHAT MAKES A FATHER: Beyond Biology and Into The Realm of Love and Guidance
A father is not defined by biology but by the love, guidance, and support he offers to those he cares for. Father figures can be the men who birthed us, the men who loved us later, or even the grandparents who help raise us. [...]
8 Tips to Overcome Postpartum Depression
Postpartum depression is a mental health condition that affects many women after giving birth. It can cause feelings of sadness, anxiety, and detachment from their newborn, making it challenging to enjoy motherhood. It's a real struggle, but the good news is that there are [...]
The definition of resilience within children, and why it must be taught
“The oak fought the wind and was broken, the willow bent when it must and survived.”- Robert Jordan Resilience is the foundation of the human spirit. The world can be dark, and it is in those moments that our resilience must shine through. Resilience, [...]
A busy mom’s guide to food prep for picky eaters
Finding the time to make healthy meals for your picky eaters can be a struggle. But with a little bit of meal planning and food prep, you can make sure your little ones are getting the nourishment they need. This guide will help you [...]
How to Build Connection with Daycare Staff
Who are the key members of the team at a SimplySmart location? For every location, there are four major roles- the children and their parents, then the educators, then the site supervisor, and the executive director. Staff members and educators work hard to create [...]
Embracing Self-Care and Relaxation on Mother’s Day
“Mothers have martyred themselves in their children’s names since the beginning of time. We have lived as if she who disappears the most, loves the most.... When we call martyrdom love we teach our children that when love begins, life ends. This is why [...]
Developmental Milestones Parents Must Watch Out For
Developmental Milestones Parents Must Watch Out For When our baby and child reach developmental milestones, it brings us the greatest happiness and excitement as parents. It will benefit you greatly to know what to anticipate from your child, especially in the early years when [...]
Natural Flu and Cold Remedy Ideas for your Preschooler
Natural Flu and Cold Remedy Ideas for your Preschooler With a nationwide shortage of children’s Advil and Tylenol, parents are looking for alternative ways to treat their preschooler’s cold and flu symptoms. We’ve all heard these stories of parents crossing the border into the [...]
Winter Activities for Preschoolers
Winter Activities for Preschoolers There’s nothing like seeing children’s faces light up when they see snow! Whether creating a snowman, making a snow angel, or simply playing in their own winter wonderland, winter is the perfect time to engage your preschooler in a mixture [...]
Halloween Safety Tips for Preschoolers
Halloween Safety Tips for Preschoolers This year will be many children’s first introduction to Halloween and trick-or-treating. A time to make new memories and have celebrations. New parents may ask, when is the right age for my child to begin treat-or-treating? SimplySmart Child Care [...]
How To Get Your Child Involved This Thanksgiving
How To Get Your Child Involved This ThanksgivingThanksgiving is a special time for many families. It’s a time where making and sharing memories takes place. We gather around the table to enjoy family traditions which may include a Thanksgiving feast of turkey and other delicious [...]
Universal Childcare Funding for Ontario
Universal Childcare Funding for Ontario Increasing access, lowering fees and enhancing high-quality childcare SimplySmart’s eight locations across the GTA have opted in for the Ontario childcare deal, known as the Canada-wide Early Learning and Childcare Agreement. The Ontario childcare deal will significantly benefit the [...]
Toronto Bloor Street West Location Opens!
TORONTO, ONTARIO – Today, SimplySmart’s Executive Director Harleen Laroia, staff and community members celebrated the official opening of the SimplySmart Child Care Centre & Montessori at 2271 Bloor Street West. SimplySmart is a licensed child care centre with the Ministry of Education. The state-of-the-art [...]
What to Expect From a Preschool Daycare Menu
What to Expect From a Preschool Daycare Menu: learn more about the SimplySmart Kitchen Understanding what your preschooler will be eating at daycare is important when choosing where to place your child. Checking what your provider offers as part of the daycare menu should [...]
How Much Is the Cost of Daycare in Ontario?
How Much Is the Cost of Daycare in Ontario? The federal government made a commitment to reduce child care fees by the end of 2022 Today, many parents are struggling to find a new normal. After two years of dealing with the pandemic, their childcare options are [...]
Happy Father’s Day from SimplySmart
Today we celebrate and honourfathers across the SimplySmart community. Across our various GTA locations, our teachers and site managers have put together loads of fun activities, including a bean bag toss with Dad, superhero cape creation, fire truck colouring sheets and root beer and [...]
Happy Mother’s Day from SimplySmart
At SimplySmart, we appreciate that motherhood can come in different ways and pathways that we couldn’t have imagined and is a gift. We all have our own journey and story to tell. Becoming a mother or taking on a mothering role in various capacities [...]
A Day in the Life at SimplySmart Summer Camp
Keeping our children learning and engaged in the summer is imperative to continued development. Not only it is a fun way for kids to spend the summer days, but also an opportunity for them to really hone their skills, learn new subjects and make [...]
Feeding Your Child’s Brain and Tummy
The Nutrition and Brain Connection Starting your child on a path to healthy eating and instilling healthy food habits from the very beginning is just as important as how children learn. Parents and those who help care for our children at a daycare in [...]