PLASP Child Care Services wishes everyone a happy and safe summer! With the return of high temperatures and the end of another school year, parents and caregivers are looking for ways to keep children active, occupied and entertained during the summer months. With a little imagination, there are endless options. To get creativity ignited, PLASP has a few ideas and resources to share below.

Outdoor Activities:

The municipalities PLASP serves are home to many fun and free outdoor experiences for the whole family! Here are some popular destinations by location.

Children enjoying a local splash pad to beat the summer heat!

Brampton:

• Chinguacousy Park offers many family-friendly activities. For a full list, click here!
• Gage Park – parts of the park are currently undergoing improvements, however, the splash pad, playground and public washrooms remain open.

Caledon:

• The Movies in the Park series runs from June to October 2024 weather permitting. Bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on and enjoy a family-friendly movie free of charge.

Mississauga:

• Free fitness classes will help encourage you and your child to stay active and perhaps try something new! Classes are being offered at both Celebration Square and Bradley Museum.
• Other free activities at Celebration Square include movie nights, sporting events on the big screen, the fountain/splash pad in front of City Hall, and Open Air Storytime - which PLASP will be attending (stay tuned to our blog for more info coming soon!).

Toronto:

• The City of Toronto is the largest city in Canada and home to many parks and green spaces for you and your child to explore! Some family-friendly options include High Park and Toronto beaches. A full list can be found here.

Other great outdoor activities include exploring your favourite or a new park, packing a picnic, and kite flying. Don’t have a kite? Learn how to make your own using a plastic bag (such as a clean garbage bag), sticks, tape, and string in this link.

Kite flying is a great way to stay active and engaged outdoors!

Make a splash!

Children run through the water at a local splash pad.

Splash pads are a great way to stay cool during the hot months and are free of charge. Click the links below for splash pad locations near you:

Brampton

Caledon

Mississauga

Toronto

Indoor Activities:

Re-creating characters from the children’s book “The Day the Crayons Quit”.

Creating art based on your child’s favourite book:

Brainstorm with your child about how items found around your home can help bring to life their favourite storybook. In the example above, children use crayons, pipe cleaners and googly eyes to recreate characters from the book “The Day the Crayons Quit” by Drew Daywalt.

Visit a Library:

Local libraries offer plenty to read, plus much more to discover!

Local libraries offer a variety of books, technology, and more for you and your child to explore at no cost! To find a library near you, click on the links below.

Brampton

Caledon

Mississauga

Toronto

Visit a PLASP EarlyON

A mother and son play at a PLASP EarlyON Centre.

PLASP EarlyON Centres offer free, high-quality programs for families with children from birth up to 6 years old. When visiting an EarlyON Centre, please note that a caregiver must stay with their child for the duration of the visit.

EarlyON Centres provide inclusive and welcoming programs that embrace the 12 Guiding Principles of Family Support and Ontario's pedagogy for the early years, How Does Learning Happen?.

At an EarlyON Centre, you can talk to qualified staff to learn about child development, receive parenting supports and resources within the community that meet your family’s needs. It is a place to meet other families and enjoy quality time with your child in an inclusive high-quality environment.

Once again, PLASP wishes you a wonderful summer!