Tag: children

Kids News

More Canadian Kids Taking French Immersion

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More Canadian students are signing up for French immersion, according to a report by Statistics Canada.

Even though the number of students in Canada is going down, the number of students taking French immersion has gone up by 12 per cent in the last five years. That information is based on the 2011 census.

The trend is particularly strong out west. Over the past 12 years, the number of students in British Columbia and Alberta taking French immersion has risen steadily. The number in Saskatchewan and Ontario are also climbing.

French immersion is when a student whose first language is not French, studies in French.

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Kids Sports

Banning Bodychecking Makes Hockey Safer For Kids

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Changing the rules of hockey to reduce aggressive behaviour like bodychecking is the best way to keep kids safer on the ice, according to a group of Canadian researchers.

In hockey, body checking is when one player charges into another player.

The researchers looked at the different ways people have tried to reduce injuries among young hockey players.

They found that the most effective method is to introduce a “no bodychecking” rule, or at least raise the age when players can begin to bodycheck.

The number of young hockey players suffering brain and spinal cord injuries has increased in the past 15 years.

On some teams, as many as one-quarter of the players will suffer a concussion during a season.

These injuries are often caused by bodychecking.

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News Politics

Ontario Teachers’ Strike Actions May Escalate In December

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The “strike actions” that teachers are taking in Ontario may escalate in December.

In this case, “strike actions” refer to things the teachers and their union are doing to bring attention to the issues that are important to them.

In order to get that attention, many Ontario teachers have already chosen to not participate in extra-curricular activities as well as other things on certain days of the week.

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Kids News

Introducing Ukes To Youths

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The kids at one elementary school in eastern Toronto get to play ukuleles every week.

The ukulele lessons are thanks to Melanie Doane and James Hill, two musicians who helped launch the Ukulele in the Classroom program, an ongoing teacher-training program and ukulele teaching method.

A ukulele is a small string instrument that looks like a mini guitar.

It has a long neck and a hollow body, but instead of having six strings like a guitar, a ukulele only has four.

Making music with a uke is a good way for a big group of people to learn about and experience music.

“It’s a springboard into music,” says Doane.

A uke is small and affordable, so people of all ages can learn the basics of how to play, like plucking and strumming the strings.

From there, groups of ukulele players can learn how to play together to create harmony and layers.

After only a short time, even beginners can create melodies. “Because you can make music, it is so exciting,” says Doane.

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News Politics

EU Donates Peace Prize Money To Children Affected By War

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The European Union has decided to put all of the money it won for the Nobel Peace Prize towards projects that help children in war zones.

The EU includes 27 countries in Europe that are closely tied in business and politics.

The EU was awarded the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts in keeping the peace in Europe for more than 65 years.

The Peace Prize is a very prestigious honour; the winner receives a medal and eight million Swedish kronor—about $1.18 million.

That money will be put towards projects that help children who live in areas of the world that are experiencing conflict or war.

“Children are the future of any society and at the same time the most vulnerable,” the European Commission said in a statement about the prize money.

What those projects will be, and how the money will be divided, will be decided in the next few weeks.

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Kids News

World Honours Young Activist With “Malala Day”

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The United Nations declared Saturday, Nov. 10 “Malala Day.”

It was a special day around the world, honouring a brave Pakistani girl named Malala Yousafzai.

Amid terrible opposition, she stood up for the rights of girls and women.

Malala was injured but she has nearly completely recovered now.

In Pakistan, a group of militants and terrorists known as the Taliban believe that girls should not be educated.

In Jan. 2009 they issued a ban that said girls are not allowed to go to school.

When she was 11 years old, in 2009, Malala started writing in an online journal (or blog) that was part of the BBC’s news website.

She told people about the things the Taliban were doing in her village to stop girls from going to school.

Note: This article contains information that some children may find frightening.

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Health News

Ontario Doctors Call For Strong Action To Help Children Maintain A Healthy Weight

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The Ontario Medical Association (OMA) wants the government to put higher taxes on junk food.

Doctors say that higher costs would make it harder for children to buy junk food.

They also want high fat and sugary foods that have little nutritional value, to have more information and even warnings on the packaging.

And they want less junk food advertising, especially targeting children.

These are just three strong actions doctors say will help children eat less junk food, keep their weight at a healthy level and live a longer life.

The Ontario Medical Association said that over the years strong actions like extra taxes and scary pictures on cigarette packages have helped to reduce smoking from 50 per cent, in the 1960s, to as low as 20 per cent in Canada today.

Doctors say this kind of action can help in the same way with junk food.

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News

Rebuilding A Special Community Castle

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Last March a fire all but destroyed a very special playground in Toronto.

The city’s High Park children’s castle had been lovingly built by volunteers. Its destruction resulted in an overwhelming community response–including a day-long community celebration.

Celebrity contractor, Mike Holmes, stepped in with his crew to offer to lead the rebuild–an elaborate new playground structure.

Holmes filmed the rebuild for his television show, Holmes Makes It Right. It’s scheduled to air later this month.

The description for that episode reads:

When a beloved castle playground in Toronto’s High Park is damaged by fire, “Mike Holmes is fuming.

“He leads a legion of crewmembers, engineers, architects and firefighters into battle against extreme heat and construction challenges, all while the clock is ticking.

“With help from the community, Mike and his team overcome major setbacks to rebuild a brand new castle that’s fit for any King or Queen, teaching kids that they can rise above any obstacle and build their own kingdoms.”

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Kids

Spirit Of “Caine’s Arcade” Felt Around The World

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Recently, the spirit of Caine’s Arcade went global.

The Global Cardboard Challenge was held on October 6 and proceeds from the day went to the Imagination Foundation.

The foundation supports creativity and entrepreneurship in children around the world.

Caine Monroy is a nine-year-old boy who lives in a neighbourhood known as East L.A. in California.

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Environment News

The “Average Canadian Family” Has Changed

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Do you think you live in an average family?

According to the latest Census of Population, published by Statistics Canada, “average” has changed.

Every five years, Canadians are asked questions about their families and their life.

For instance, “How many people live here?” and “What are their ages?”

Some new information from the 2011 was recently published.

That census counted 9.4 million families in Canada, up 5.5 per cent from 2006.

The other thing a census tells us is what Canadian families look like.

For instance, in 1961 (according to that census) the average family comprised 3.9 people.

In 2011 (according to the most recent census) the average family comprises 2.9 people.

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