'WE LEARN FROM THE LAND'
EARLY YEARS CONFERENCE
May 14, 15 & 16, 2026
The Qualicum First Nations Culture Program is hosting its 2nd Indigenous Early Years Conference - a 3 day gathering focused on early learning through Indigenous knowledge, culture and community. The conference features a variety of workshops to share cultural knowledge, providing hands-on learning and create resources for young children.
Registration for the 2026 conference opens at noon on
January 19th, 2026.
Once you register, you will receive instructions on how to book your workshops - please book early to ensure you get your preferred workshop.
Thursday, May 14th
On the land, with 20 traditional teaching stations provided
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Friday, May 15th: Resource Making
20 stations provided to create classroom resources
based on Thursday's teachings.
Bentwood box cooking, fish over fire, cedar weaving, Bentwood box making, button blankets, wool weaving, smokehouse, canoe, plant walk, cedar harvesting, devils club, storytelling, protocols, carving, petroglyphs, drumming, pit cook, canning, bannock and more!
Saturday, May 16th: Culture Kit Workshops
On Saturday, participants will choose two kit making workshops to take part in, and will leave with many resources to enjoy.
Animal Tracks and Scat
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During this workshop, participants will create an animal tracks and scat kit for use with children in the classroom. You will complete resources including books, track/scat animal cards, animal track matching game, play mat with tracks, play mat accessories and animals, cast animal tracks, light table animals and tracks, and other play materials. This fun kit includes teachings and resources for bear, rabbit, raccoon, deer, cougar, fox, wolf, beaver and squirrel.
BC Land Animals
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The workshop will start with a discussion about British Columbia land animals, their habitats and some of the ways these animals were traditionally used by indigenous people. Following the discussion, participants will create an interactive, play-based felt mat, plus accessories, light table pieces, animal fact cards and other educational resources that can be used in your environment. There will be crafting required in this workshop, such as cutting, gluing and ironing, to make the mat and accessories.
Traditional Plants
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During this workshop, participants will choose from a selection of 15 felt plants to create their own Traditional Plants Culture Kit for the classroom. They will also make a felt gathering basket to hold their finished plant creations. Participants will learn about plant identification as well as the traditional uses of each plant and will come away with finished plant ID cards. This workshop is very hands-on and will involve lots of hot gluing, cutting and crafting!
At the Seashore
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Participants working on the At the Seashore kit will be creating fact cards, a felt story, 'making a sea garden' play mat with accessories and light table resources. They will also be making finger puppets and other play-based resources, while learning about Indigenous relationships to the seashore.
Salmon
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During this workshop, participants will have a chance to explore the life cycle and predators of salmon. We will explore the importance of salmon to the ecosystem and the ways they were fished. Participants will make a life cycle felt story, transparencies, a playmat and accessories which can be used in the classroom. They will also receive fact cards and other educational materials to build a salmon resource kit.
Raven
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During this hands-on workshop, participants will be creating resources to build their own Raven Kit. In this workshop we will be creating a 'How Raven Stole the Sun' felt book and the props to tell the story, including white raven and black raven headbands, a Bentwood box with the sun, moon and a star, and more. There will be crafting required in this workshop such as cutting, gluing and painting.
13 Moons
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Explore ways to bring the teachings of the seasons into your environment and curriculum. Participants will look at different Indigenous seasonal, and 13 moon calendars then together create a seasonal calendar which can be used in your program. Participants will also make resources to take back to the classroom, including a 13 moons matching game and calendar, info cards, a seasonal round interactive play mat and accessories to go with the mat. This workshop is suited for Pre-K, Kindergarten and early elementary teachers.
4 Sacred Medicines
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Participants will explore the 4 sacred plants of cedar, sage, sweetgrass, and tobacco through a hands-on, interactive workshop designed for early years (ages 3–6). Guided by the teachings of Bonnie née Ladouceur Finotti, nêhiyaw-iskwêw. She is Nehiyo (Cree) from the Beaver Lake Cree Nation. This session will invite educators to engage with the plants in developmentally appropriate ways and create simple, meaningful resources that support learning through relationship, respect, and care. Participants will create medicine cards, felt plants, matching cards, book, medicine bags, and other classroom play-based resources.
Traditional Foods
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During this workshop, participants will create materials and resources to build their own traditional foods culture kit. Each person will create content of their choosing to create a kit that may include books, a mini smoke house, gathering baskets and berries, canning activity, bentwood box cooking activity, salmon on cedar sticks, felt foods and more. Be prepared to do some fun crafting to create these resources. Each activity will also include teachings and ideas of how to use the kit with children. All materials and resources are provided.
