Events were held across Canada on November 20 to celebrate National Child Day, and one such event was held at the Family Resource Centre in Kamsack.
Families with children age 0 to prekindergarten were invited to participate in activities for National Child Day that included crafting a calm-down bottle, a musical activity and a nutritious snack. KamKids Daycare and Wild Pigeon Daycare of Cote First Nation were also invited to participate in the day’s activities.
Organizers were Andrea Veregin and Megan Peters, early years facilitators at the Family Resource Centre.
Jackie Washenfelder of Yorkton, a music therapist who operates Positively Music Therapy of Yorkton, was there and, along with her daughter Halle, led the youngsters in a spirited session of music in which the youngsters were encouraged to participate and move along to the music.
Peters led the youngsters in a crafting project where each youngster made a “calm down bottle,” explaining that the exercise was all about “self-regulation,” and was part of the My Curious Brain program from the Saskatchewan Prevention Institute.
National Child Day is celebrated on November 20 each year, said information found on the website. National Child Day has been celebrated across Canada since 1993 to commemorate the United Nations' adoption of two documents centered on children's rights: the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child on November 20, 1959, and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child on November 20, 1989.
By ratifying the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1991, Canada made a commitment to ensure that all children are treated with dignity and respect. This commitment includes the opportunity for children to have a voice, be protected from harm and be provided with their basic needs and every opportunity to reach their full potential.
“Celebrating National Child Day is about celebrating children as active participants in their own lives and in communities, as active citizens who can and should meaningfully contribute to decision-making,” the information concluded.
