ASCY
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ASCY is a leading non-profit agency that facilitates numerous community initiatives and programs.
Since ASCY began in October of 1994, it has grown to become a well integrated and highly utilized component of the early learning and child care community in Hamilton. A major area of focus for our agency is early intervention and prevention. We believe the early years are critical in a child’s development. The first few years in a child’s life have a dramatic affect on their health, ability to learn and function in day-to-day life. Early investment in quality care and education has improved later outcomes of success for all children regardless of socio-economic background. We believe that by providing the professional education, resources and support to early years and child care practitioners and other professionals working with children, we are playing an important role in fostering a positive outcome for all children.
Today is ! 🟡🔴🔵🟢
Inspired by Peter H. Reynolds’ beloved book The Dot, Dot Day is a celebration of creativity, courage, and the simple act of making your mark.
The Dot reminds us that sometimes creativity begins with something as small as a single mark—and that children need opportunities to explore, experiment, take risks, and see themselves as capable creators.
For educators, it’s a beautiful reminder that we don’t need to have all the answers or create the “perfect” experience. Sometimes, we simply need to provide the materials, the invitation, and the space to wonder: What will you make?
Our The Dot invitation kit is available in the Resource Library, ready to inspire educators and children to make their own marks. ✨
Happy Dot Day! Go make your mark. 💛
Like what you see? Come and join us for the upcoming TIPs! (Infant, Toddler, Preschool Learning Community)
September 22 at 6:30-8pm
We will be exploring dramatic play experiences, and one lucky participant will win this collection of materials!
Register today at www.ascy.ca
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Come browse the shelves at our Resource Library and see what sparks an idea ♻️
The Free Cycle is a place to explore, collect, experiment, and find new possibilities in materials that might otherwise be overlooked.
Come in, get inspired, and see what you can create! ✨
✨ What could you create with what’s already here?
At the Resource Library, possibilities are everywhere — especially on our Free Cycle shelf ♻️
This entire invitation was gathered using materials from the shelf, showing just how much potential can be found in everyday, reclaimed, and unexpected materials.
The Free Cycle shelf invites educators to look at materials differently and wonder:
💭 What could this become?
💭 What might children explore?
💭 Where could their curiosity take them?
You don’t need a perfectly curated collection to create an inspiring invitation. Sometimes, you just need to come in, explore, gather, and see what sparks your imagination.
🌿 Because you never know what a little “this could be interesting…” might become!
Art meets imagination! 🎨✨
Inspired by Van Gogh’s Thatched Cottages at Cordeville, this art invitation invites children to explore colour, texture, and composition as they recreate the piece using a variety of loose parts.
And the best part? This bin of beautiful, open-ended materials is available from our Resource Library to bring inspiring invitations like this into their own learning environments. 💛
Come explore, borrow, create, and inspire! 🎨🧺
Invitations don’t have to be complicated! Sometimes all it takes is combining unexpected but simple materials together to encourage unique and creative ways of engaging with every day materials.
For this invitation, we grouped together a combination of mark making materials and loose parts with colour-blocking in mind.
What can you create using simple materials that might offer children a different perspective and experience?
08/13/2026
Registration is now open for the ASCY Hamilton Fall Reggio Conference 2026!
Join us on October 20-21, 2026 as we welcome Alessia Forghieri (Pedagogista) and Matteo Bini (Atelierista) from Reggio Children® for two inspiring days of learning, reflection, and dialogue.
This year's conference, The Expressive and Transformative Qualities of Clay, explores clay as a powerful medium for creativity, communication, learning, and meaning-making. Grounded in the Reggio Emilia Approach and Ontario's How Does Learning Happen?, participants will delve into atelier culture, the Hundred Languages of Children, and the role of pedagogical documentation in supporting children's thinking and learning.
📅 October 20-21, 2026
📍 Michelangelo Banquet Centre, Hamilton
🎟️ Early registration rates available until September 11, 2026.
🔗 Register at ASCY.ca or scan the QR code
Shape Your Learning Journey. Register Now.
If you have placed a delivery order, we are happy to pick up your bins!
06/26/2026
This Spring in the ASCY Professional Resource Library we featured the wonderful art of Mandala making. Mandalas made with many different open-ended materials can promote a sense of calm and focus within the classroom. We are excited to introduce the newest ASCY Materials Collaborative Studio Kit; Mandalas is now available for loan. This kit is filled with a variety of materials perfect for creating beautiful mandalas with your children.
06/23/2026
Earlier this month, we celebrated leadership, literacy, and the incredible impact of early childhood educators at the Learning Connections Hamilton Leaders in Learning Breakfast.
Congratulations to Marianne McKay of La Garderie Le Petit Navire, recipient of the CIBC Murphy Investment Group Individual Early Literacy Education Award, nominated by Julie Trapasso for her dedication to fostering a love of literacy in young children.
Congratulations as well to Lucky Day Nursery, recipient of the ASCY-sponsored Agency Early Literacy Education Award, recognizing their commitment to creating rich literacy experiences for children and families.
Thank you to Learning Connections Hamilton for bringing our community together to recognize the educators and organizations making a lasting difference in the lives of children every day.
05/26/2026
Recently, our Montessori-Inspired Community of Practice gathered at Dundas Valley Montessori to explore math concepts and discover the many ways Montessori materials are used to support and deepen children’s math learning. It was an inspiring evening of collaboration, reflection, and shared passion for meaningful learning experiences.
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Address
526 Upper Paradise Road
Hamilton, ON
L9C5E3
Opening Hours
| Monday | 8:30am - 4:30pm |
| Tuesday | 8:30am - 8pm |
| Wednesday | 8:30am - 8pm |
| Thursday | 8:30am - 4:30pm |
| Friday | 8:30am - 4:30pm |
| Saturday | 9am - 12pm |