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Learn about the science behind your child’s behaviour and how to nurture healthy and happy relationships with your family.

Did you know, developmental milestones are skills that a child acquires within a specific time frame? Are you interested in information about the important milestones? Join us to discuss resources that will support your child’s development as they master new skills.

There are many areas that make up a child’s whole development. These areas of development can be easily remembered by the acronym S.P.L.I.C.E, which stands for: · Social Development Social development refers to how a child interacts with those around them and their ability to create and sustain relationships. · Physical Development Physical development refers to the development of your child’s gross (large) and fine (small) motor skills. · Language Development Language development refers to your child’s receptive (listening) and expressive (speaking) skills and their beginning understanding of words and print. · Intellectual Development Intellectual development refers to your child’s developing brain! This includes the development of understanding of cause and effect (If I do ___ then ___ happens), the organizing of thoughts, feelings and ideas and their understanding of the world around them. · Creative Development Creative development refers to your child’s ability to think creatively, use their imagination, create with various mediums of art and see the world not just for what it is, but for what it could be. This could be through art, drama, imaginative play-the sky is the limit! · Emotional Development Emotional development refers to your child’s ability to regulate their emotions, “bounce back” from challenging situations and understand and process their emotions and the emotions of others. We know that every child develops at their own rate and pace, but are you wondering how you can support your child in these areas of development? Check out our activity sheets created by our skilled team of Early Childhood Educators here . Norwood Child and Family Resource Centre has supported vulnerable children, youth and families in Edmonton for more than 60 years.  We provide free programming that supports optimal child development, strengthens healthy relationships and well-being, breaks cycles of adversity, empowers people to successfully navigate change and life challenges, and connects people to communities.  Norwood Centre is inclusive and respectful of diversity, recognizing that each family is unique. Our work is strength-based, trauma informed and responsive to the needs of our participants. Our team of qualified Early Childhood Development Subject Matter Experts works to provide tools that caregivers can use to support early childhood development. We hear you! If you have a question or concern, please ask us. We have a variety of Child Development Activities available on our website, including the topics of Social Development, Physical Development, Language Development, Intellectual Development, Creative Development and Emotional Development. Find them at norwoodcentre.com/child-development-activities .  For short-term one-on-one coaching, please call us at 780-471-3737.

It’s that time of year again to prepare children for the first day of school. A part of that preparation is buying school supplies. Below are some resources, at other locations in Edmonton, to help when money is tight.  Please note, Norwood Centre does not provide school supplies. Below is a list of other programs that offer school supplies. Hair Inc Academy - August 23 A school supplies gift basket for the first 300 children and free haircuts for children under 13 years old from 10:00am -4:00pm, at Hair Inc Academy - 7814 Gateway Blvd., Edmonton , on Saturday, August 23. Bent Arrow Summer Barbecue Wednesday, August 20 from 10:00am - 3:30pm at Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society - 11648 85 St, Edmonton Barbecue and school supplies distribution. No registration required. Limited quantities. Kara Family Resource Centre - Kicks for Kids Know a child who can use a new pair of shoes for back to school? Pick up on Saturday, August 23, at Trinity Reformed Church - 13427 57 St. NW, Edmonton. Registration required . Register now at Kara Family Resource Centre by calling 587-525-7279 or emailing familynavigator@kara-frc.ca Tegler Youth Centre ( 3805 118 Ave NW, Edmonton ) This application is for parents or guardians in Edmonton who need help accessing school supplies for their children entering Grades 1-12 in the 2025-2026 school year. Due to limited supplies, filling out this application does not guarantee that we will be able to help provide your family with school supplies. Pick up day will be Friday, August 22 from 11:00am - 5:00pm. Families who were selected in the lottery system will be contacted ahead of time. We're Here For Ya Day 2024 What: Backpacks with school supplies, nutritious food hampers an get a haircut. When: Sunday, August 24, 2025, 10:00am - 5:00pm, line up starts at 6:00am Where: Shadified Salon & Spa12222 137 Ave, Edmonton DROP IN ONLY - FIRST COME FIRST SERVE - ONE DAY ONLY STRICT TAKE-A-NUMBER SYSTEM Every family member must be present to take a number, no exceptions Only 2,000 numbered tickets available Supplies are limited, so please come early Numbers will be handed out to those in line  starting at 6 AM on August 24th Bring a form of government issued ID for each family member. Only children under 18 years old are eligible to receive backpacks and school supplies, and must be present at the event. Adults and children are eligible for haircuts and food hampers. About: For twelve years, Can Man Dan and his partners have been supplying thousands of low-income children and their families with all of the basic necessities for the back-to-school season, which is traditionally a struggling time for families on a limited budget.  This year, free backpacks filled with school supplies, nutritious food hampers, and high-quality haircuts will be made available to families and children who are in need.  Salvation Army Edmonton Community Resource Centre The Salvation Army collects and distributes donations. Call 780-424-9222 for information and availability. Food Bank  Did you know when requesting food from the Food bank you can specifically request snacks for children to take to school. There is no guarantee that snacks will be included in a food hamper. It’s based on availability.   Food banks may also provide back-to-school supplies. Alberta Works and AISH  Did you know that Alberta Works provides parents with extra funding in September to help families with school expenses, based on age and grade? Age 4 or 5 and in Kindergarten - $61 Age 6 to11 or in Grades 1 to 6 - $118  Age 12 or older or in Grades 7 to 12 - $203  For more information go to: https://www.alberta.ca/income-support-what-you-get   http://www.humanservices.alberta.ca/AWOnline/AISH/7263.html    At Norwood Centre our team of qualified Early Childhood Development Subject Matter Experts work to provide tools that caregivers can use to support early childhood development. We hear you! If you have a question or concern, please ask us. We have a variety of Child Development Activities available on our website, find them at norwoodcentre.com/child-development-activities . For short-term one-on-one coaching, please call us at 780-471-3737.

Having your children help you in the kitchen supports their development! Cooking can help children learn and practice some basic math concepts and language skills. It can help build their self-confidence and lay the foundation for healthy eating habits. It may take a little flexibility and some simple prep work but with the right expectations, your time in the kitchen with your child can be an adventure you'll both enjoy. Bringing children into the kitchen and cooking with them can help: Build basic skills.  Counting eggs or other ingredients, pouring water into a measuring cup, and tracking what comes first, second, third all supports the development of math skills. When you read a recipe together, you introduce new words to your child's vocabulary and promote literacy. Following steps in the recipe supports the development of listening skills. Encourage adventurous eating.  Preschoolers are picky eaters and bringing them into the kitchen to cook can help them get excited about trying new food. Encourage children to taste new ingredients and talk about what they like and how healthy foods make a body grow. Help young children explore with their senses.  Children learn by exploring with their senses. Invite them to listen to the whir of the mixer, pound dough, watch it rise, and smell it baking in the oven. Taste the warm bread when it is done baking! Boost confidence.  Preschoolers love to show what they can do and working in the kitchen provides opportunities to gain a sense of accomplishment. If they helped assemble the pizza, let them know that their help was important. You could name the pizza or another dish after your child. Serve "Jalen's Pizza" or "Ella's Salad" for dinner tonight. Even if the results are not exactly what you expected, praise their efforts. Here are some other ways children can help in the kitchen: stirring tearing lettuce adding ingredients assembling a pizza helping you "read" a cookbook by turning the pages chopping soft ingredients (with a child-safe knife)   Cooking can also help with children’s emotional development. It is a great way to spend time together. It teaches patience, problem solving, and responsibility. It builds confidence! Here are some recipes from Karla’s Kitchen you could make together. Beef Stroganoff with Basmati Rice Ingredients: 1 lbs (pounds) beef (steak, roast, or beef stew cubes, cut into one1-inch slices) 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon steak spice 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt 1 tablespoon oil (any type) 1 cup assorted bell peppers (green, red, yellow, thinly sliced) 1 small onion (thinly sliced) 1 cup mushrooms (sliced) 2 cups beef stock (liquid or dissolved in water) 3 tablespoons butter (melted) 2 tablespoons flour For the Rice: 2 cups basmati rice 4 cups cold water 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon butter Instructions: Cooking the Beef: Heat a pan over medium heat and add one tablespoon oil. Add beef slices and season with steak spice, garlic powder, seasoning salt, and soy sauce. Sauté until cooked through, then move the beef to the side. Cooking the Vegetables: In the same pan, add sliced bell peppers and onions. Sauté until tender, then set aside. Cooking the Rice: Rinse basmati rice under cold water until it runs clear. In a pot, combine rice, four cups of water, salt, and butter. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 13–15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit covered for five minutes. Making the Stroganoff Sauce: In the same pan, add mushrooms and sauté until soft. Pour in beef stock and let simmer for a few minutes. Add the already sautéed onions and peppers back into the pan. In a small bowl, mix two tablespoons flour with three tablespoons melted butter to prevent lumps, then slowly stir into the pan to thicken the sauce. Taste and and more seasoning if needed salt pepper steak spice. Return the cooked beef to the pan, mixing everything well. Serve the beef stroganoff over a bed of fluffy basmati rice and enjoy! Chicken Noodle Soup Ingredients: 1 tablespoon butter or vegan butter 2 pieces diced celery 3-4 whole carrots 1 whole diced yellow onion 2 cloves minced garlic 10 cups chicken or vegetable stock 1 teaspoon salt 1.5 teaspoon dried rosemary 2 teaspoon dill 0.5 teaspoon black pepper 1-2 teaspoon chicken or vegetable bouillon 5 cups dry egg noodles 3 cups diced cooked chicken Instructions: Add butter, celery, onion and carrots to a large pot. Sauté for three minutes over medium heat. Add garlic, cook for 30 seconds. Add stock and all seasonings. Taste before adding more. Next add bouillon a teaspoon at a time tasting as you go. Bring broth to a boil for 10 minutes. Add dry egg noodles and cook till al dente. Do not over cook them as they will continue to cook after removed from heat. You can use any kind of chicken for this soup. Just pre-cook and dice it up into bite sized pieces. Add your chicken to your soup and remember to taste your broth again. Season again if needed. Serve with crackers or buns. Banana Bread (Vegan, Dairy-free, Egg-free) Ingredients 2 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons flax mixed with 6 tablespoons water 1 cup sugar 4 ripe bananas 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 cup chocolate chips (optional) 1 cup sunflower seeds Instructions Preheat the oven to 350˚F. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. In another medium bowl cream together the sugar, oil and ground flax. Stir in the mashed bananas and vanilla mix well. Pour all wet ingredients into the dry and stir together until just combined. Optional fold in chocolate chips and or sunflower seeds. Pour batter into a oiled nine by five inch loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for one hour . Test with a tooth pick inserted into the middle of the loaf, if it comes out clean it is done. Place loaves in the pans on their sides to cool for 15 minutes. This prevents the bottoms from getting soggy. Pancakes Ingredients: 1 ½ cups (195g) all-purpose flour,  spooned and leveled 2 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon of fine sea or table salt,  reduce to 1/4 teaspoon if sensitive to salt 1 ¼ cups (295ml) milk,  dairy or non-dairy 1 large egg or ( 1 tablespoon ground flax mixed with 3 tablespoon of water. Let sit for 5 minutes) 5 tablespoons (70g) unsalted butter or vegetable oil,  plus more for skillet 2 teaspoons vanilla extract,  reduce if sensitive to vanilla Instructions: Melt the butter and set it aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract. (Don’t worry if the butter solidifies slightly). Create a well in the center of your dry ingredients. Pour in the milk mixture and stir gently with a fork until the flour is just incorporated. A few small lumps are okay. As the batter sits, it should start to bubble. Place a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Sprinkle in a few drops of water to test if it’s ready. You want them to dance around a bit and evaporate. Brush the skillet with melted butter (this creates crispy edges, but you can skip it if using a quality nonstick pan). Scoop the batter onto the skillet using a 1/4 cup measure or large cookie scoop, and spread each pancake into a four-inch circle. After one to two minutes, the edges will look dry, and bubbles will form and pop on the surface. Flip the pancakes and cook for another one to two minutes until lightly browned and cooked in the middle. Serve immediately with warm syrup, butter, and berries. At Norwood Centre our team of qualified Early Childhood Development Subject Matter Experts work to provide tools that caregivers can use to support early childhood development. We hear you! If you have a question or concern, please ask us. We have a variety of Child Development Activities available on our website, find them at norwoodcentre.com/child-development-activities . For short-term one-on-one coaching, please call us at 780-471-3737.