MOOSE JAW — The family-friendly Winter Wonderland adventure returned to the Early Years Family Resource Centre this month and was proudly supported by the Moose Jaw Health Foundation (MJHF) for the second consecutive year.
This year’s event was held recently and an early estimate confirmed the attendance of at least 76 families — lower than the 90 confirmed in 2023, but still a respectable turnout.
“It’s a day for families to come and get together, play and explore many winter and snow-themed activities, make memories together, and have a good time,” announced Wanda Peakman, a co-ordinator at the resource centre.
The Early Years Family Resource Centre provides a welcoming space for families with children from prenatal to age five. The centre offers drop-in and group programs that focus on early learning, family wellness, and caregiver education, all while connecting families to valuable resources and referrals in the community.
The returning Winter Wonderland event helps spread awareness about these services.
“For me, the goal of the event is just to bring families together in a really playful and fun way to enjoy the day,” Peakman shared. “For some, it’s the first time meeting with us at the Family Resource Centre.”
The day included a full lineup of family events including horse-drawn wagon rides provided by Prairie Percherons, show shoes and sleighs outside, and a music and movement space, gingerbread hunt, and more indoors.
“We’ve had activities with our partners here, such as the Moose Jaw Public Library, Kids First Mobile Early Learning, and we also have a speech pathologist here,” announced Christina Hinds, a facilitator at the resource centre.
As well, Holy Trinity Catholic School Division representatives were in attendance as well as the Moose Jaw Literacy Network and the resource centre’s own autism team. Events were organized into separate rooms ranging from arts and crafts to a quiet space for babies.
Hot chocolate and cookies were also served, and were provided courtesy of the Moose Jaw Co-op — an organization well known for its charitable work and community involvement.
Although the Winter Wonderland initiative isn’t new, this marks the second consecutive year where the MJHF is supporting the project and its director, Kelly McElree, said he hopes to continue with this partnership.
“It’s great to see so many families coming out to the Family Resource Centre where they can play and share together,” McElree said during the event. “Parents and their children have a wonderful holiday activity and there are so many bright smiles here today.
“It’s a wonderful way for people to be introduced to all the wonderful services of the Family Resource Centre, and the foundation is just so pleased to sponsor this. We’ll be happy to sponsor the event next year as well.”
Peakman concluded with a message of appreciation. “I want to give a big thank you to the Moose Jaw Health Foundation, the Moose Jaw Co-op, and all the visiting professionals who came here today with their activities to support, set up, and meet and share with families,” she said.
For more information about the MJHF, visit MJHF.org or call 306-694-0373.
To learn more about the services offered by the Early Years Family Resource Centre, call 306-691-0202, email [email protected], or visit MooseJawFRC.ca.
You can also check for new programming options on the centre’s Facebook page, ‘Moose Jaw Early Years Family Resource Centre.’
The Early Years Family Resource Centre is located at 1250 Eleventh Avenue Northwest.
