Tot Spot in Assiniboia welcomed a visit from Santa on December 22, who along with volunteer Shirley Scott, distributed gifts to the children.
Each of the children received a gift of a toy from Santa and then had holiday photographs taken with him. After some playtime to explore their new gifts, the children enjoyed a gingerbread snack. Parents and volunteers were on hand to assist the children.
Tot Spot had a successful fall, noted Emily Pineda, who facilitates the program and works with the children. Tot Spot has become popular with Assiniboia鈥檚 tiniest residents and their parents. Although it is a drop-in program, many attend regularly.
The program has also included a number of successful excursions around the community. Early in December the Tot Spot group visited the Assiniboia and District Museum for some Christmas season activities. They listened to stories of the holiday season, helped to decorate the Christmas tree and toured the exhibits.
Another memorable visit was made to the Eastside Court residence in Assiniboia on December 20. The children, assisted by Pineda and their parents, sang carols of the holiday season for the residents. The children also presented the residents with a large-sized Christmas card which they made during a previous craft session. The residents proudly hung it in their common room.
For parents, it was a heartwarming moment to see the interaction between the oldest and youngest generations.
These and other excursions provide the Tot Spot participants with an opportunity to learn about the community where they live and to have some fun at the same time. The experiences have been memorable for the children, according to their parents, as well as for the locations where they have visited.
Tot Spot is an indoor play space for parents and their children aged five and under. It is located downstairs at St. George鈥檚 Catholic Church in Assiniboia. There is no fee to attend. The program runs on Tuesdays from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and on Thursdays from 1 to 3 p.m. T
his drop-in program began in the fall and runs to late April, taking a break over the holiday season. Tot Spot restarted in the new year on January 10.
