The Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) team is excited to announce the Early Learning Education Kit launch. The Early Learning Education Kit has been developed to foster a deeper understanding of Métis culture and way of life within Early Learning environments across Ontario. The Kit is intended to be utilized by early learning educators within their learning environments to enhance an understanding of Métis culture for all children in a culturally appropriate and inclusive way. The MNO ELCC team has identified the importance of developing resources to support early learning professionals. We are thrilled that this Kit will be offered to educators and organizations across the province.

Items included within the ELCC Education Kit have been chosen for early learning environments to support exploration and connections to Ontario documents, How Does Learning Happen? Ontario’s Pedagogy for Early Learning, and The Ontario Kindergarten Program.

MNO has chosen to distribute a free ELCC Education Kit to select early learning educators across Ontario. Selected educators across the province have already been contacted and support early learners in the following areas:

  • Provide direct service delivery to children 0-12 years old;
  • Provide direct service delivery to Métis Nation of Ontario citizens, including Métis Registered Early Childcare Educators;
  • Early Learning Environments including child care centres, family and child support programs, EarlyONs, school boards, etc.
  • Provide programming through MNO’s Regional offices.

MNO has ensured that Métis National Partners and MNO’s Community Councils are included in the free kit distribution.

The MNO is currently not offering any additional free ELCC Education Kits. 

Please see below for a list of frequently asked questions. For all other questions/inquiries on the ELCC Education Kit, please contact ELCCpartnerships@metisnation.org.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is the purpose of the ELCC Education Kit?

Providing culturally appropriate early learning resources to educators across the province is a commitment identified in the MNO ELCC’s 5-Year Work Plan. Early learning educators have expressed the need to include Métis culture and way of life in their learning environments. They have identified that they require additional capacity building in a culturally sensitive and appropriate way.

As part of the ELCC Education Kit, educators will receive a resource guide that includes historical information, lesson plans/activities, and curriculum connections to ensure that the Kit can be utilized and incorporated into all learning environments. The MNO ELCC team has identified the importance of developing resources to support early learning professionals. We are thrilled that this Kit will bridge Ontario’s Métis early learning resources gap.

Items included within the ELCC Education Kit have been chosen for early learning environments to support exploration and connections to Ontario’s documents, How Does Learning Happen? Ontario’s Pedagogy for Early Learning, The Kindergarten Program, and Early Learning for Every Child Today.

The following items are included in the ELCC Education Kit:

  • Large, heavy cotton canvas boat-style tote bag
  • Education Kit Resource Guide
  • Métis fiddle tunes
  • Small Assumption sashes
  • Small blue and red Métis flags
  • Wooden spoons
  • Ball and cup game
  • Métis dolls
  • Animal finger puppets (moose, bear, fox, beaver, rabbit)
  • The Story of the Tamarack by Tobias Clarke
  • My First Métis Lobstick by Leah Dorion

No. This ELCC Education Kit has been developed for agencies and organizations working with children 0-12 in various early learning environments across the province. If you would like additional information regarding the current Education Kit, please visit this link: K-12 Métis Education Kit – Métis Nation of Ontario (Métisnation.org)

This ELCC Education Kit is for children 0-12. Is there a kit available through the MNO for older kids?

Currently, the MNO offers a K-12 Education Kit through the K-12 Initiatives team. For additional information about the Kit and how to apply for the K-12 Kit, please visit: K-12 Métis Education Kit – Métis Nation of Ontario (Métisnation.org)

Currently, the MNO offers a K-12 Education Kit through the K-12 Initiatives team. For additional information about the Kit and how to apply for the K-12 Kit, please visit: K-12 Métis Education Kit – Métis Nation of Ontario (Métisnation.org)

We proudly offer the ELCC Education Kit Resource Guide in English and French. Each Kit includes both an English and French version of the resource guide. Currently, the Métis early learning books included in the Kit are unavailable in French.

The MNO has allocated a select amount of free education kits to be provided equability to early learning environments across Ontario.

MNO ELCC has contacted selected organizations across Ontario to receive a free ELCC Education Kit. However, it has not yet confirmed contact information for all eligible organizations. For this reason, it is possible that your organization is eligible for a free Kit but may not have been added to the list to receive one. If your agency has not received a Kit by (the date that Kits would have been distributed), please get in touch with ELCCpartnerships@Metisnation.org.

The ELCC Education Kit will be available for purchase once the stock has been replenished. When Kits become available, all waitlisted applicants will receive information on how to purchase one. There will be no limitation on who can purchase one.

The MNO has selected early learning professionals/environments carefully to ensure that the ELCC Education Kits are equability distributed across the province. The MNO will directly contact selected organizations to arrange their Kit delivery.

Yes. The MNO is developing professional development opportunities to facilitate discussions on the ELCC Education Kit. For more information on professional development opportunities, please reach out to ELCCpartnerships@metisnation.org.