Healthy Child Manitoba

Middle Childhood (Ages 6-12)

 

A child’s developmental path in their middle childhood years (between 6 and 12 years of age) contributes substantially to the adolescent, and adult they will become.

Middle childhood is a stage where children move into expanding roles and environments. Children begin to spend more time away from their family and spend more time in school and other activities. As they experience more of the world around them, children begin to develop their own identity. 

Children in this age group are entering the ‘age of reason’ because they begin to:

• be more flexible in their thinking,
• develop self-awareness, and
• identify and understand others’ feelings or emotions. 

During middle childhood, children work towards four important milestones, including:

(i) adjusting to school;
(ii) achieving new academic skills such as learning to read
(iii) learning to get along with peers; and
(iv) learning the rules of our culture or society.  

Because children experience all of these changes differently, Healthy Child Manitoba works with community partners to provide the following programs and supports: 

Roots of Empathy
Roots of Empathy is an evidence-based, bilingual, universal classroom based program for students from kindergarten to Grade 8 which focuses on building capacity of the next generation for caring and compassionate citizenship and parenting.

Mentoring Programs
We know that positive role models make a difference in the lives of children and youth! Our mentoring programs help to promote healthy lifestyle choices and self-esteem by building positive attachments to a trusted person.

Big Brothers and Big Sisters
The In-School Mentoring (ISM) program is for children at participating elementary schools in Winnipeg, Brandon, Portage La Prairie and Morden/Winkler. The ISM program matches a volunteer with a child and they spend time together doing fun activities that build a positive relationship between the Mentee and the Mentor. The program involves a partnership among Big Brothers Big Sisters and schools. For more information, visit

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Winnipeg
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Brandon
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Portage La Prairie
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Morden/Winkler

New Friends Community Mentorship offers mentoring to children and adolescents in the Lac du Bonnet area of Manitoba. The model is very similar to Big Brothers and Big Sisters.

Community School Investigators (CSI) Summer Learning Enrichment Program (SLEP)
A school-based summer day camp for children in grades one to six. The program is targeted to specific communities in Winnipeg. The program aims to prevent summer learning loss and improve opportunities for children in the summer months. The program is coordinated by the Boys and Girls Club of Winnipeg in collaboration with many partners. Learn more.

COACH
COACH is a 24-hour wrap around program for children with extreme behavioural, emotional, social and academic issues.  The day program (8 children) includes academic and community based components; the evening/weekend component includes family support and community activities. Children are supported to transition from COACH to neighbourhood schools with the ongoing support of the coaches. Learn more.

Community Schools
HCMO partners with Manitoba Education on the Community Schools Partnership Initiative.

Healthy Child Manitoba supports several schools in select communities to help them connect with parents and families. Through this support, these schools are able to provide gathering places where adults and children can come together for educational, social, cultural and recreational activities.

Healthy Schools
Healthy Schools focuses on the development of health promoting strategies for school communities using the principles of comprehensive school health and includes community-based activities, targeted provincial activities, provincial resource development, and other related activities.

Life Skills Training (pilot)
Life Skills Training (LST) is an evidence-based prevention program developed by Dr. Gilbert Botvin (Cornell University) that targets social and psychological factors that may cause youth to initiate high risk behaviours, including substance abuse and violence.

PAX Game (pilot)
Invented by a teacher, the PAX Game is a “recipe” of proven behavioural and brain-enhancing classroom management strategies. It is flexible, easy-to-use and compatible with other programs in schools. PAX immediately reduces disturbing, disruptive, and unproductive behaviours in the classroom. Students have opportunities to engage in a very brief, fun activity which further reinforces regulation.

Healthy Buddies (pilot)
Healthy Buddies is a peer mentoring initiative that pairs younger students with older students who teach younger students about nutrition, physical activity, and positive self-image.

The Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Strategy
The Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Strategy helps with the prevention, intervention and care and support of individuals with FAS or alcohol related birth defects.

Triple P
The Positive Parenting Program is an effective, practical approach to raising children that emphasizes the positive. Triple P is based on strong nurturing relationships, good communication and positive attention to help children develop. It involves creating a family environment that is loving, supportive and predictable.