Hello Baby (Bonjour Bébé)

Are you a new parent and want to raise your child in French right from the start?  Hello Baby (Bonjour Bébé) is an outreach service for families expecting a child or a child between birth and 2 years old.  Once registered, a consultant will contact you to organize a one on one visit, to inform you about early childhood French programs, services and resources available in your community.  The visits are confidential and are offered in a variety of formats to accommodate your families needs. More info..

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Healthy Baby (Bébé en santé)

Are you expecting or do you have a child between the ages of birth and one year old? Healthy baby (Bébé en santé) is a support program for pregnant mothers, their partners and their children from birth to year old.  This program is offered in several communities and offers an opportunity to learn and share with other parents on various themes related to pregnancy, postpartum, and other developmental milestones. More info...

Ready to Grow (Prêt à grandir)

Are you a new parent and want to raise your child in French right from the start?  An extension of  the Hello Baby (Bonjour Bébé), Ready to Grow (Prêt à grandir) is a program supporting parents with children between the ages of one and two years old.  This program allows families to learn and practice the concepts of each session of the program.  A variety of topics are discussed, such as nutrition, safety and child development. More info...

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HIPPY

Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) provides a free 30-week preschool program to French-Speaking Permanent Residents and Conventional Refugees. More info...

ABC come and play (ABC...Viens t'amuser)

(“A, B, C… Come and Play, is six fun-filled workshops, each lasting one hour, designed to foster children’s language development and curiosity.  The workshops begin with a nursery rhyme, followed by storytime, and ending with games or crafts to consolidate learning.  The program is focused on reading and writing and awakening little imaginations.

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Petits chefs

You’re never too young to start exercising those taste buds! At Petits chefs (“Little Chefs”) children aged 18 months to five years are introduced to cooking and nutrition.  Each one-hour workshop lets children explore their five senses through the different colours, smells and even sounds of a host of ingredients.  Accompanied by an adult, children discover the joys and pleasures of cooking through simple and tasty recipes, which they get to take home.

Bouger avec bébé

Flex those tiny muscles! Each Bouger avec bébé (“Moving with Baby”) workshop starts with a warm-up, then moves on to exercises that help develop flexibility and both fine and gross motor skills in babies from birth to two years of age.  This 45-minute ‘workout’ is an energetic, respectful, and French-speaking experience: what better way to bond with your baby?  The exercises can easily be repeated at home to continue strengthening the baby’s muscles and confidence in their abilities.

Bouger en famille

(“Moving as a Family”) aims to address the lack of physical activity among children and promote a healthy lifestyle. This physical literacy program for preschoolers and accompanying adults offers an hour of active play and learning about nutrition. Ranging from unstructured play to singing, Bouger en famille activities are a great way to move your body and learn how to play in a group.

Petits Picassos

Interested in nurturing your child’s artistic abilities?  Try Petits Picassos (“Little Picassos”), a one-hour program designed for adults and their children aged two to five.  In a relaxing and safe environment, many different visual art medias are explored, including watercolour, collages/cutting, sculpture and sewing.  Budding artists develop their creativity, imagination and emotional management skills.

Éveil à l’écrit

(“Awakening Interest in the Written Word”) is all about getting little ones from zero to two years old excited about reading and writing, and showing parents how to foster interest in the written word in children right from birth.  In six 90-minute workshops, parents learn how to stimulate their toddlers’ learning and enjoyment of reading and writing, while children get to socialize in a rich and stimulating environment.

Jouer en français

(“Playtime in French”) This program promotes early language learning in children from birth to five years old. The workshops are conducted in French and last 90 minutes each. The goal is to develop cultural identity and foster a sense of belonging to the francophone community, in a positive environment. The activities provide opportunities for interaction between adults and children and introduce young and old alike to French vocabulary.

La fanfare

Music is a fundamental part of learning for toddlers, a fact that La fanfare (“The Band”) takes full advantage of.  In each of the six one-hour workshops, children aged two to five learn a different multicultural song and play games and music.  Children delight in trying out musical instruments from around the world, and create their own musical instruments using recycled materials.

Petits scientifiques

A passion for science can start at any age!  Petits scientifiques (“Little Scientists”) is a chance for children aged three to five to whet their appetite for learning. Six one-hour workshops offer participants clear explanations of a variety of scientific concepts. Each workshop consists of three activities focused on a specific theme, including a demonstration illustrating the concept.  A great family activity!

Toi, moi et la mère l’Oie

(“Mother Goose“ in French) is an ‘oral transmission’ program. What does that mean? Simply put, the participants (adults and their children from birth to five years old) come together to learn and enjoy nursery rhymes, songs and stories. The gatherings also include snacks and an opportunity to socialize in French in a relaxed and upbeat atmosphere. Families get a written copy of the rhymes learned in the workshops to bring home.

Petit philosophe

 Assisting children in the development of their critical thinking skills.  The petit philosophe (little philosopher) is a program designed to promote creative, empathetic and critical thinking as well as the management of emotions in children aged three to five years old.  Based on a story read or the tale told, the children will ask questions to later discuss and exchange their points of view.  One emotion per workshop will be discussed in order to provide strategies for managing their emotions in all environments.  The children will be accompanied in their reflections in order to help them develop their reasoning skills in the workshops. 

Les Mini-franco-fun

In 1971, a group of mothers from the Norwood neighborhood of Winnipeg decided to give their children aged two to five years old a chance to meet and play together in French. This group also gave the mothers an opportunity to share their experiences and ideas. The format and concept of Mini-franco-fun quickly spread across many francophone communities within Manitoba.  Mini-franco-fun is organized by and for parents with the support of and access to resources from the FPFM.

For more information, or to start a Mini-franco-fun group in your neighborhood, please contact the Programs Coordinator at 204 237-9666 ext. 204 or email programmes@lafpfm.ca