Maggies Place

This program is offered during the summer months just for kids.

Kids in the Kitchen is a great program which promotes Independence and pride in children.

It is a program for children ages 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12 years. Each age group attends one session to learn how to help make their own snack, and sample it when they are finished. The group also includes a story, art and songs.

The Transition to School program is offered during the summer months for children entering Primary in September. Program sessions usually run from 10am-2pm, Monday to Friday, however, the number of sessions may vary according to the particular summer schedule.

The program provides preschoolers with an opportunity to practice the skills they need when entering the school system such as:

• Socializing
• Following rules
• Team work
• Healthy eating
• Fun activities

In most Cumberland County communities, the Transition to School program is held at the local school, utilizing the Primary classroom if available. This program is made possible thanks to a partnership with the Chignecto Central Regional School Board. Spaces are limited.

People Savers is a Red Cross program designed to familiarize elementary school-aged children with injury prevention and first aid knowledge and skills. It gives them the confidence to respond appropriately to emergency situations.This program is usually held during the summer months for various age groupings.

This 6-8 week after school program for children ages 5-8 years, focuses on healthy lifestyles for children. Children will engage in a variety of physical activities and healthy snack preparation. Games and art are also part of the fun.

The Red Cross Babysitter’s Course is designed for young people 12-14 years old who are interested in babysitting. The goal is to help young people learn childcare, injury prevention and basic first aid skills. This program is held at the centre and in outreach on occasion.

Currently Maggie’s Place is offering an after school youth group twice weekly to children ages 9-12 years. The purpose of the group is to assist these young people with social skill development and provide them with positive experiences/activities. With all Maggie’s Place programs there is an emphasis on healthy living and healthy snacks are provided or prepared by the participants. It is the hope of the facilitators that this program will assist these young people in becoming healthy, contributing members of society as the program also has an emphasis on taking pride in your community and volunteerism.  This program provides a safe and supportive place for youth to go where they participate in activities that they are interested in.  Youth in the program do all of the activity, snack and meal planning.  Being a part of a group that promotes health, cooperation and fun is invaluable for these youth and will contribute towards a safe and healthy community.

Currently Chicks Night Out is offered in partnership with Cumberland Early Intervention’s Parenting Journey program.  The objective of the group is to provide a fun, safe place for girls to be involved in all aspects of planning and life skills.  The group meets weekly and either cook a meal, do an activity or volunteer in the community. The catchment for the group is Cumberland County and serves girls of diverse backgrounds.  The girls are involved in activities such as cooking, they plan the menu, prepare the food and do the clean – up.  All activities are youth led and often involve self-esteem / self-help or life skills development. Community representatives attend the group at the girls request such as Ruthie Patriquin from the Sexual Health Centre for Cumberland County, local veterinarian etc.  The group has worked on local and global community projects, ex. fundraising for the animal shelter or sending supplies overseas to children.

The Roots of Empathy program is a well known program that promotes healthy relationships and helps prevent bullying. This program is offered each school year in two or three classrooms at the Elementary Schools in the Amherst area. Maggie’s Place staff members who are trained in the Roots of Empathy program make weekly visits to the classroom while a mother and baby attend once per month. Children in the classroom learn skills and develop empathy for others by looking at the world through the context of the baby and his or her needs.

Offered weekly (September-June) in communities throughout Cumberland County, POP-UP is a drop-in, outreach preschool playgroup for parents, caregivers and their children ages 0—6.The playgroup meets to create art, enjoy free play and participate in rhymes, songs, stories and finger plays. Children also enjoy a nutritious snack each week. 

A skilled Early Childhood Development staff is available to facilitate the group and to provide information to parents and caregivers on a variety of parenting topics as well. A great place to meet other families in your community and to have lots of fun!

POP-Up is made possible through funding from the United Way of Cumberland County, local community health boards (SOAR, SPAR and Pugwash and Area) and the Municipality of Cumberland.

Monday:
Advocate 9:30am - 11:30am, Computer Room, Advocate District School
Parrsboro 12:30pm - 2:30pm,  Library, Parrsboro Regional Elementary

Tuesday
Northport 9:00am - 11:00am, Gym, Northport Elementary
Wentworth 12:00pm - 2:00pm, Multi Usage Room, Wentworth Consolidated School

Wednesday
Wallace 9:00am - 11:00am, Cafeteria, Wallace Elementary School
Oxford 12:30pm - 2:30pm, YMCA Preschool, St. James Presbyterian

Thursday
River Hebert 9:30am - 11:30am, YMCA Preschool Room, River Hebert District High School

Friday
Springhill 9:00am - 11:00am, Dr. Carson & Marion Murray Community Centre 

Pugwash 9:00am - 11:00 am, YMCA Preschool Room, Cyrus Eaton Elementary School

A weekly drop-in program held at the Four Father’s Memorial Library in Amherst. Once Upon a Time is a group that meets each Wednesday morning from 10-11.  

Children and their parents and caregivers get together to read stories participate in songs, rhymes, finger plays, and have a snack. A great place to promote early learning and to encourage language development in young children.

Reading, talking, singing and playing with young children are vital to healthy child development and the acquisition of early language skills.  During this playgroup parents can meet other families, children can socialize with peers and parents and caregivers can benefit from positive interaction with their own children.

Each Friday morning between 9:30 am and 11:30 am children and their parents or caregivers gather at Maggie’s Place to participate in a weekly drop-in playgroup. During the playgroup children and parents or caregivers participate in free play, circle/story time, create art and enjoy a nutritious snack.

Friday Fun Times emphasizes the importance of play and positive interaction between child and caregiver for the healthy development of children.

Friday Morning Fun Times is a great place to meet other families and to learn new activities, games, and stories to have fun with at home. The playgroup also allows children opportunities to practice social skills in a safe, caring environment.

Occasionally on a Saturday morning between 10:00 am and 12:00 pm, children and their parents or caregivers are invited to participate in a special playgroup made possible through a Maggie’s Place partnership with CAN-U.

Together We Can Days each have a special literacy based theme with special activities to go along with it. The playgroup emphasizes the importance of play and positive interaction between child and caregiver.

Together We Can Days are a great place to meet other families and to learn new activities, games, and stories. Each child receives a take home activity bag based on the theme so that the fun and learning can continue at home. The playgroup also allows children opportunities to practice social skills in a safe, caring environment

Occasionally on a Saturday morning between 10:00 am and 12:00 pm, children and their fathers or male caregivers gather at Maggie’s Place to participate in a special playgroup.

Me & My Dad Days each have a special theme with special activities to go along with it. The playgroup emphasizes the importance of play and positive interaction between child and positive male role models in the healthy development of children.

Me & My Dad Days are a great place to meet other Dads and to learn new activities, games, and stories to do at home.  The playgroup also allows children opportunities to practice social skills in a safe, caring environment.During playgroup children and fathers or male caregivers participate in free play, circle/story time, art and enjoy a nutritious snack.

Alphabet Soup is a six week program for parents and preschoolers (2-5 years) to participate in together. Join us for a program that focuses on teaching preschoolers and their parents the basics of healthy eating through the love of reading rhyme and song. This program takes place at Maggie’s Place and in outreach locations occasionally.

This is a six week program for parents and preschoolers (2-5 years) to participate in together. It builds on the Alphabet Soup program by integrating physical activity into the program agenda along with the healthy eating components. This program also takes place both at Maggie’s Place and on occasion in outreach locations.

An eight to ten week parenting program, Nobody’s Perfect provides support for parents and caregivers of young children. The program addresses the specific needs of each parent in the group. Experienced and skilled facilitators provide information and lead discussions on:

• Nutrition
• Safety
• Play
• Parenting Skills
• Self-esteem
• Discipline
• Temper tantrums
• Nutrition
• Parenting styles
• Health

Group needs are addressed in a sensitive manner.  Parents and caregivers are encouraged to discover new parenting skills and to consider new strategies for coping with everyday challenges. The program is offered regularly at Maggie’s Place and occasionally in various outreach locations.

Anger can be your friend—or foe; it all depends on how you express it.  Anger Management is a five week program for parents. During the two hour program sessions the following topics will be discussed:

• What is anger?
• What are the causes of anger?
• Body reactions and emotions
• Following the steps to keep anger under control
• Practicing to be assertive
• Healthy ways to deal with anger
• Taking care of ourselves

The program is offered regularly at Maggie’s Place, and occasionally at various outreach locations. 

A nine week program that helps the parents of adolescents/teens to help themselves and their families through the transition to adulthood.  Adolescence and the teen years can be a particularly difficult time for the whole family.  Hey! Who’s In Control? Is a program that balances education and support by providing a forum for parents and caregivers to share their experiences. The program focuses on relationship areas such as communication, problem solving and problem ownership, discipline and anger management.  

Hey! Who’s In Control? aims to meet the needs of parents and caregivers, including those of teens who are involved in “high risk” activities.  Parents will be encouraged to set goals to develop their potential as parents and to recognize their own parenting strengths.  The program is offered regularly at Maggie’s Place, and occasionally at various outreach locations in Cumberland County.

This 10 Week program focuses on promoting positive behaviours in school aged children, problem solving for both parents and children and reducing inappropriate behaviours. Join our facilitators and other parents of 6-12 year olds for information and support.

First Aid & CPR/AED skills are applicable in your daily life, both at home and at work, to prepare you to act on, control and manage life’s emergencies. Before a professional responder arrives to help, you can make all the difference in helping someone in need. A variety of topics are covered from basic first aid such as choking, airway and breathing emergencies and prevention of disease transmission, cardiovascular emergencies, CPR Level C,  to more severe sudden medical conditions and injuries to the head and spine.  A presentation on how to use an Automated External Defibrillator (and certification) is also provided with the course. CPR/First Aid is offered at Maggie’s Place and occasionally at other locations around the county.

Two hour workshops on a variety of topics of interest to parents and caregivers are held each programming season at Maggie’s Place. These workshops are occasionally rotated throughout the county as well. Workshops may include but are not limited to some of the following examples:

• Nutrition: “Ketchup is not a Vegetable!”
• Separation and Divorce: “Parenting from Two Homes”
• Budgeting: “Don’t Break the Bank!”
• Parenting: “I’m the parent, you’re the child….that’s why!”
• Healthy Relationships: “Dealing with Family Conflict”
• Child Development: “Easy at home games and activities to enjoy with your Preschooler”

Check the newsletter each season to see the topics being offered.

This program for parents is an eight week community based food skills program developed by Maggie’s Place Family Resource Centre and Public Health.  Explore how to buy and prepare low-cost nutritious meals for your family. The program emphasizes learning how to get the most from your food dollar, food preparation and cooking, keeping food safe and overall healthy eating and nutrition. Participants will be offered a grocery store tour.  You will learn and practice skills relating to food, cooking and budgeting.

Each week we will cook and enjoy a meal together based on a theme for the day.  Come and share your knowledge and skills with others. The program is offered regularly at Maggie’s Place and occasionally at various outreach locations.

Each Monday from 9:30 am to 11:00 am Maggie’s Place offers a weekly drop in designed to give support and information to parents and caregivers.  They can come to exchange ideas, information, support, comfort and fun.

Each Week there will be different topics such as nutrition, crafts, parenting, childcare and current events. Maggie’s Place staff members will lead this informal drop-in. A healthy snack will be provided each week during the session.

First time pregnant Moms and their partners come together weekly at Maggie’s Place to share the ups and downs of pregnancy, learn about healthy choices for Mom and baby, build on existing knowledge and talk with our on-site CPNP coordinator in a warm, supportive environment. Transportation, milk tokens and prenatal vitamins are provided as needed.Live in another Cumberland Community?  Join anyway!  We offer other services such as:

• Home visits
• Books for loan
• Breast pumps for loan
• Videos for loan

Graduates of the Babies Come First Club come together weekly to share ideas, concerns, ask questions and learn new information about babies, parenting,health and early childhood development. Snuggle Bugs offers ongoing encouragement and support to parents with babies up to 1 year old.

Celebrate life with your toddler! The toddler years are often challenging for parents. They are also the time in your child’s life to begin building healthy, lifelong relationships. Together we will learn about child development during the toddler years while increasing our skills and confidence as parents. This program is open to parents with children between one and three years old.

Each Thursday afternoon new parents and caregivers can bring their babies to the centre for a fun, informative Baby Friendly Drop-In from 1:00 pm — 3:00 pm. Public Health Nurses and the Maggie’s Place CPNP coordinator are available to weigh babies and answer questions for each family on an individual basis.The Drop-In is a great place to meet other new parents and caregivers in the community. New parents can discuss infant care and receive breastfeeding support while having an opportunity to share and learn with other new parents. Maggie’s Place staff are available to assist you with your other children during this program, so please bring older siblings along for the visit!

Are you a pregnant or breastfeeding mom? Come and join the breastfeeding peer support moms to share ideas, have questions answered and support one another in your choice to breastfeed your baby. The group meets weekly at Maggie’s Place.