This past Monday, on February 3rd, 2025, a crew from TOYBOX made up of research assistants and community members were invited to host a workshop at the First Nations Early Learning and Child Care Conference. The event was attended by around 40 people involved in early childhood education. The TOYBOX team gave a short presentation about the project, followed by a strategy-making workshop; opening the conversation to involve Indigenous voices in TOYBOX strategies and how to incorporate play into children's early learning.. Each person in attendance was given a bag of five plastic animals native to Manitoba and asked to come up with ideas for literacy, numeracy, and wellness activities. While some team members circulated the tables to join in with discussions about activities, others prepared a giveaway for the end of the workshop, which included Taylor’s first ribbon skirts as gifts.
Taylor’s Reflection
I was honoured to be invited to this amazing event with people who shared the common interest of children. Incorporating Indigenous knowledge with the animals, such as what animals are traditionally hunted and what is not. I enjoyed sitting next to various tables, discussing animals, and learning how people use play to teach children essential life skills such as cooking, cleaning, and caring for themselves.
Once discussions concluded, we hosted a giveaway that involved giving away two of the first ribbon skirts that I made. The first skirts you make are traditionally given away to get better at the craft. I gave away my first skirts at this conference because I was gifted my first sewing machine last year. I did not attempt to touch it until Sheri was looking for items to give away at future events. I offered to make two skirts inspired by TOYBOX’s characters, Litty (yellow) and Nume (blue). This led me down the road of skirt making and sitting with my relations to teach myself skirt making. These skirts were then kept in my closet until the discussion of a giveaway for this conference was brought up and we decided this was the time. The skirts given away on Monday are by no means perfect, but they hold the teaching that nothing is going to be perfect and that this is the start of my journey of creating.
Callie’s Reflection
My favourite part of the presentation was the activity portion because it allowed me to connect with and learn from Indigenous members of our province. It felt like there was a great level of reciprocity in our presentation because in response to teaching the listeners about TOYBOX, I learned a lot about their varying Indigenous languages and their daycare teachings that have great cultural relevance to Indigenous communities. I was touched through stories that were told and laughs that were shared among everyone around the room while we were creating more Indigenous play-based activities for our project.
Maggy’s Reflection
I had a wonderful time attending the First Nations Early Learning and Child Care Conference with TOYBOX this past week. At the conference, the team and I had the opportunity to collaborate with those attending the conference to come up with ideas for new strategies, with a focus on incorporating Indigenous knowledge and teachings into TOYBOX. With a set of five plastic animals for inspiration, it amazed me how many ideas people were able to generate for literacy, numeracy, and wellness activities. Some ideas had to do with the habitats of Manitoban animals, others were about how to categorize animals by how they travel, their speed, colours, and so much more. Those who attended the conference were very thoughtful when sharing their ideas, including personal stories, experiences, and perspectives that were new to me.
I was also so pleased to experience this conference alongside other research assistants and community members from TOYBOX. I always feel a special sense of community when we all come together for events like this one. I am so grateful for all that I learned at this conference, and I look forward to the next one!
Written by: Maggy, Callie, and Taylor
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