rural

On the teeter-totter: The challenges and opportunities for licensed child care in rural, northern, and remote Ontario
Source: Ontario Municipal Social Services Association, May 2011

...familiarising children with plants and animals, landscapes, seasons and weather...an objective is to develop children's love of nature, an understanding of the interplay of nature and between [hu]man and nature....Nature accommodates a multitude of experiences and activities in all seasons and all weathers.
-OECD Norway country note, 1999

Introduction

Canadian families in rural communities face many challenges in finding quality early childhood education and care opportunities for their children. Like families throughout the country, rural families appreciate the positive social and educational experiences that their children can encounter in quality early childhood education settings. This, combined with the need for flexible child care due to atypical and seasonal working hours and the necessity for child care to address the safety issues of children on farms, makes the lack of rural spaces a