Niagara College has found a way to offer Early Childhood Education students an opportunity to connect with children and help fill a community need at the same time.
Typically, college students would be getting hands-on learning experience through work placements, but due to the pandemic, that option isn't possible.
Instead, the school has launched a 'virtual pre-school' featuring a variety of pre-recorded activities and programs created by the students.
The offerings include storytime, dance parties, and science experiments to keep kids learning.
Second year student Hunter Caroll says, "The main thing we are taught in this program is to follow the children's lead. This is much harder to do when there are no children to follow. However, when working with kids, you have to be flexible. Children are going to surprise you and do things that you don't expect so you have to be able to adapt - and that is what we are doing through this Virtual Preschool."
New programs will be added each week.