Programs We Offer

Moe the Mouse

Developed by the BC Aboriginal Child Care Society (BCACCS), Moe the Mouse is an innovative, Indigenous-based speech and language program. While it began in British Columbia, its reach has expanded across Canada as a premier tool for fostering a love of language through storytelling, culture, and play.

The Power of “Moe” and Friends

The program centers on Moe, a small mouse puppet who lives in a special den. Moe is shy and only speaks to children who are quiet and listening, which naturally teaches self-regulation and attentive listening skills.

Moe’s friends represent a diverse cast of Canadian wildlife, each serving a specific educational purpose:

  • The Animal Cast: Children meet characters like Moose, Loon, Frog, Wolf, Bear, Beaver, and Squirrel.

  • Phonetic Awareness: Each animal is associated with specific speech sounds. For example, children might practice the “F” sound with Frog or the “W” sound with Wolf, turning phonetic practice into a game rather than a lesson.

  • Cultural Connection: The characters and stories often incorporate Indigenous perspectives, helping children develop a sense of belonging and respect for the natural world.

Interactive Learning Tools

Moe the Mouse moves beyond traditional worksheets by engaging all five senses:

  • The Curriculum Box: Educators use a specialized “curriculum box” filled with animal toys, felt stories, and music CDs that bring the adventures to life.

  • The Adventure Workbook: Children are provided with their own workbooks to document their journey. This bridges the gap between oral storytelling and written literacy.

  • Moe’s Visits: Moe often “visits” the classroom or goes on adventures with the children. These visits encourage children to narrate their day and “write” (or dictate) stories about their experiences with Moe, building early composition skills.

Why Literacy Matters

By focusing on the importance of sounds and songs, the program addresses key developmental milestones:

  1. Vocabulary Expansion: Learning the names and traits of diverse Canadian animals.

  2. Auditory Discrimination: Learning to distinguish between different animal sounds and human speech patterns.

  3. Social-Emotional Growth: Building empathy through the shared adventures of Moe and his forest friends.

Our Goal: By integrating Moe the Mouse, we provide a “language-rich” environment where children don’t just learn to read—they learn to love the way language sounds and the stories it can tell.

If you would like more information you can check out their website here at acc-society.bc.ca

Tea Tree Tells

To ensure the highest standards of safety and protection for the children in our care, we utilize the Tea Tree Tells curriculum—an age-appropriate child abuse prevention program. This program aligns with the core pillars of the Commit to Kids initiative by empowering children with the vocabulary and confidence to speak up.

Program Core Concepts

Using Tea Tree the Turtle as a relatable guide, children engage in structured lesson plans and activities designed to build foundational safety skills:

  • Trusted Adults: Identifying who to go to when they feel unsafe.

  • Feelings & Intuition: Recognizing the “uh-oh” feeling in their bodies.

  • Anatomical Accuracy: Using correct names for body parts, including private areas.

  • Boundaries: Understanding that their body belongs to them.

  • Secrets vs. Surprises: Learning that safety should never be a secret.

Why This Matters

As noted in the program guidelines:

“Child sexual abuse is a serious problem within our society and occurs more frequently than people realize… Research shows that teaching children safety skills during their early years increases the likelihood they would disclose sexual abuse.”

Our Commitment to Safety

By following the Tea Tree Tells lesson plans, our staff provides a consistent, safe environment where prevention is part of the daily conversation. This proactive education is a key component of our Commit to Kids strategy, shifting the burden of protection from the child to the informed community of adults around them.

If you would like more information you can check out their website here at teatreetells.ca