Healthy Kids
Healthy Kids brings together community partners from the business, sport, culture and recreation sectors to respond to emerging needs of children in Brantford. Since 2015, the Healthy Kids program has offered a wide range of programs and awareness campaigns to support child well-being in Brantford, including focused campaigns regarding physical activity, healthy diet, and environmental awareness and reducing screen time. Since that time, over 41,000 children have participated in 576 activities hosted with over 230 community partners.
Healthy Kids Bright Futures
Healthy Kids Bright Futures focuses on activities and education to increase young children’s positive development and school readiness. With a coordinated community effort and Healthy Kids’ broad network of partners, children will be more ready to meet age-appropriate skills and behaviour expectations through participation in activities related to each of the following areas:
| Physical health and well-being |
A child’s physical health and well-being is deeply connected to how they grow, learn, and thrive and parents play an essential role in setting up their lifelong habits. This is achieved through:
By encouraging active play, offering balanced meals, scheduling regular check-ups, and creating an emotionally safe home, parents can help build a strong foundation for their child’s overall health. |
| Emotional maturity |
| A child’s emotional maturity allows them to understand, express, and manage their feelings. This maturity gradually grows with nurturing guidance. Emotional maturity isn’t about being perfectly behaved or never getting upset, it’s about helping children develop self-awareness, empathy, and resilience over time.
To do this, kids need
By modeling patience, encouraging open conversations about feelings, and celebrating small wins in emotional growth – parents can help their child become confident, compassionate, and emotionally intelligent. |
| Communication skills and general knowledge |
| A child's communication skills and general knowledge form the foundation for learning, relationships, and confidence in the world around them. Strong communication includes not only being vocal, but also expressing ideas clearly, and engaging in meaningful conversations.
General knowledge grows through curiosity, exploration, and exposure to diverse experiences like reading, asking questions, and hands-on activities. Parents should encourage and practice the following with their children:
Encouraging dialogue and curiosity can equip kids with the tools they need to express themselves, understand others, and make sense of their expanding world. |
| Social competence |
Social competence is a key part of a child's emotional growth and ability to thrive in group settings. It involves much more than simply making friends—it includes understanding social cues, managing emotions, resolving conflicts respectfully, and showing empathy toward others. Children develop these skills through:
By encouraging cooperative play, talking about feelings, and practicing active listening, can all help nurture strong social competence that supports success both in and out of school. |
| Language and cognitive development |
Language and cognitive development are central to how children think, learn, and communicate with others. These areas grow rapidly in early childhood and are shaped by daily interactions, play, and exploration. Language skills involve understanding and using words to express thoughts, while cognitive development includes problem-solving, memory, and the ability to understand concepts like numbers and cause-and-effect. Parents are encouraged to practice the following to help build a strong foundation for language and cognitive development:
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Learn more about Healthy Kids Bright Futures
B-United: Advancing Inclusion & Empowerment in Brantford
The City of Brantford is partnering with WAKING THE unCONSCIOUS (WtC) to enhance inclusion for everyone in Brantford by hosting free inclusive events for children ages 0-14, and equity and empowerment workshop training for local child-serving organizations.
Healthy Kids All Kids
The Healthy Kids All Kids initiative will support a welcoming environment for all children to participate in local activities. It will provide training and tools to local sport, art, culture and recreation organizations to support them in welcoming and including children from a range of backgrounds and experience. Community events held throughout the next two years will highlight opportunities for all children to participate in programs and demonstrate less traditional activities.
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