Toolbox Homepage - TREES Network

The Early Years Toolbox

Developed in collaboration with partner organizations, The Early Years Toolbox is an original resource that outlines simple conversation topics, caregiving strategies and playful learning activities, providing relevant information about early learning and child development from conception to 48 months.

Early Years Toolboxes are developed in partnership with Indigenous organizations. Only members of these organizations have access to their Toolbox.

In order to access your organization’s Toolbox, please login to the TREES Network website first and then click to select your Toolbox.

If you are having trouble accessing your organization’s Toolbox then please get in touch at treesnetwork@themfi.ca

Select a Toolbox:

Yukon First Nation Education Directorate Early Years

Ilitaqsiniq Early Years

Yukon department of education Early Years

Select a Toolbox:

Maskwacis Early Years

Native Child And Family Services Of Toronto Early Years

Tajikeimik Early Years

Fraser Region Aboriginal Friendship Centre Association Early Years

The Early Years Toolbox

Developed in collaboration with partner organizations, The Early Years Toolbox is an original resource that outlines simple conversation topics, caregiving strategies and playful learning activities, providing relevant information about early learning and child development from conception to 48 months.

Select a Toolbox:

More about the toolbox

The Toolbox is organized by overarching themes: healthy pregnancies, nurturing caregiving, play with children, early language development, enhancing environments for learning and family well-being.

Toolbox cards draw attention to the good things caregivers are already doing, and suggest ideas for how they can further support and nurture their children.

The Toolbox is adapted for every community that implements the Early Years. The illustration process centres on child-caregiver interactions while reflecting and celebrating the community that will use the cards. Toolbox cards are vetted by community members to ensure that the non-Indigenous child development theory presented on each of the cards is applicable and respectful of their knowledge, culture and context.

More about the toolbox

The Toolbox is organized by overarching themes: healthy pregnancies, nurturing caregiving, play with children, early language development, enhancing environments for learning and family well-being.

Toolbox cards draw attention to the good things caregivers are already doing, and suggest ideas for how they can further support and nurture their children.

The Toolbox is adapted for every community that implements the Early Years. The illustration process centres on child-caregiver interactions while reflecting and celebrating the community that will use the cards. Toolbox cards are vetted by community members to ensure that the non-Indigenous child development theory presented on each of the cards is applicable and respectful of their knowledge, culture and context.

The Training & Resources for Early Education & Schools (TREES) Network is a space for delivering and accessing culturally appropriate training, professional development, resources, communities of practice and mentorship opportunities for Indigenous and non-Indigenous early learning professionals working with Indigenous children and families.

By coming together across communities, organizations and cultures, we can impact the bigger picture of Indigenous early education, child assessment and policy in Canada, so that Indigenous children will grow up proud of their culture and knowing that they belong.

The vision of the TREES Network is for early learning professionals to feel supported through training, resources and connections with others. The TREES Network strives to support early learning professionals to ground Indigenous children in their culture, nurturing stronger communities.

ACCESS TRAINING

The TREES Network supports access to culturally appropriate training and professional development for early learning professionals through the Understanding the Early Years course and Early Years Toolbox workshops. View upcoming trainings and workshops for your community through the Events Calendar.

EXPLORE RESOURCES

The TREES Network supports access to the Early Years Toolbox website, as well as access to accompanying resources through the Early Learning Library. Your access to resources is determined by your organization or community affiliation. Explore the Featured Partners page to view resources created by and in collaboration with Early Years partners.

CONNECT WITH OTHERS

To promote relationship-building and relational learning, the TREES Network provides opportunities for early learning professionals to build connections across the country. You can check out the Events Calendar to find events related to the early years, view the Interactive Map of early years services in different regions, or learn more about Supportive Circles as spaces to come together with others locally or across communities to share thoughts, ideas and support.

CREATE IMPACT

The TREES Network strives to create spaces through which we can collectively impact the bigger picture of Indigenous early learning in Canada. Learn about how Early Years sites are doing this through Early Years approach innovations, and about the important work many other organizations are doing to influence policy, curriculum, access to funding supports and program evaluation.