September is National Guide Dog Awareness Month. What a perfect time for celebrating guide dogs, and the amazing work they do! One of the best known guide dogs in history was named Roselle. During the attacks at the World Trade Centre on September 11, 2001, Roselle led her handler, Michael Hingson, down 78 flights of […]
Get ready, Toronto, because it's that time of year! The Leafs are in the playoffs and our dreams of the Stanley Cup are alive once again. Kids are lucky because they don't have as many memories of the Leafs' playoffs history as we do. But let's not spoil it for them because it's fun to […]
It's happening, sports fans! Despite the naysayers, the Raptors are in the playoffs. I have to say, I'm not surprised. Even without any big names like Kawhi or Kyle, this team is phenomenal. I don't know about you, but as a paren’t, I would like to request that we don't face any west coast teams. […]
What does accessibility mean to you? Often that word reminds us of ramps, automatic doors and modified washrooms. These are important, but accessibility goes far beyond physical spaces. For us, it also includes our collections, services, programs and digital platforms. Children with all kinds of disabilities visit our branches every day. We want to be […]
Lately, picture books about embracing differences have been abundant. These books encourage kids to accept differences in others and be comfortable with being different themselves. Below we have compiled some of the best representations of these books. They are arranged in order of their intended audience, with books for younger children listed first. While important, […]
October is Learning Disabilities Awareness Month. Learning Disabilities (LDs) are hard to measure, but statistics show that 2 to 10% of Canadians have one. It is the second most common disability in youth, following only mental illness. While there are many different types of learning disabilities, the focus of this post is reading disabilities. Dyslexia […]
Grab your controllers, gamers, because Sunday, September 12 was Video Games Day. Video games really do deserve their own day. Actually, in 2021, maybe even a whole month. Video games have entertained us endlessly during lockdowns. They have kept us connected to friends we couldn’t see in person. And studies are increasingly showing that gaming […]
Iconic children’s book author and illustrator Eric Carle has died at age 91. One of the best known children’s books creators of all time, Carle produced more than 70 books over 50 years. His brightly-coloured mixed-media collages are recognizable for their unique style and child-friendly design. Born in Syracuse, New York, Carle grew up in […]
May 20, 2021 is the tenth annual Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD). This is a great day to think about digital inclusion. Approximately 1 billion people worldwide have disabilities. Despite the numbers, web designers don't always consider their needs. Removing barriers to technology enables people. As Apple CEO Tim Cook says, accessibility democratizes technology. Digital […]
For many of us, there's something idyllic about gazing out the window with a cup of hot chocolate while the winter weather rages outside. But when it comes to kids, it usually doesn't take too long for a bad case of cabin fever to set in. So "weather" you like it or not, this winter […]