Parents

What are the hours of operation?

Childsplace will be open Monday to Friday from 630am to 6pm.

Closed weekends and all holidays!

What ages are accepted?

Daycare (lower level) will be for children 19 months to Kindergarten.

Before and After school program (upper level) will be for children Kindergarten to Grade 6.

Toddler age: 19 months to 3 years

Preschool age: 3-6 years

Kindergarten ages vary on the the child's birthday. We accept children until they are 12 years old (the end of summer when they turn 12)

Is Childsplace licenced and access the grants and subsidy?

Yes, Childsplace is licenced by Child and Family Services. Parents will be able to access the subsidy reduction based on your application to the Child care subsidy office. Affordability grants will reduce your fees automatically when you start as it is based on your enrollment at the center.

Affordability grants are based on your enrollment at the daycare and children up to Grade 1 are eligible.

Subsidy is available to all families. Families with children 0-6 years of age and a family income threshold of $180,000/year are eligible for subsidy to a maximum of $266/month. Families with children in Grade 1-6 and a family income threshold of $90,000/year are eligible for subsidy to a maximum of $366/month.

Are meals provided?

Childsplace will provide a small breakfast and 2 healthy snacks. Parents provide a nut free lunch for their child. This allows for parents to know what their child is eating daily and they can follow all cultural and dietary restrictions accordingly without worry.

PARENT COMMUNICATION

Childsplace Learning Centres Ltd. has an "Open Door Policy". If at any time you choose to visit in your child's classroom, you are more than welcome. Compulsory volunteering is NOT a part of our program, our teachers are fully qualified professionals, and we do not rely on parent volunteers to meet our ratios. We do need volunteers from time to time in the class, as well as for field trips. A list will be posted well in advance. You are not obligated to volunteer at any time.

Monthly newsletters and calendars are provided to parents at the beginning of each month. Parents are sent emails each month along with reminder emails about our special events. The bulletin board always contains information about programming, and information posted from various agencies. Parents are welcome to add to our newsletters in any way- with a want ad or information of interest.

PLEASE call the Area Coordinator and/or teacher with ANY concerns. We strive to have open communication with all parents, and want parents to feel free to discuss their child with us We have your child's best interests at heart, and will be available to advise or assist at any time.

Will Childsplace assist with potty training?

Childsplace will work with each individual family when it comes to potty training. We will do sticker charts and non edible rewards.

Does Childsplace celebrate birthdays?

We strive to make children feel special on their birthday. If you want to send a special snack with your child for birthdays, please send cupcakes, fruit, rice krispies squares, etc. NO large cakes please! All items are to be NUT FREE! We are not permitted to use candles or balloons on the premises.

Will there be a nap time?

Nap time/quiet time is from 12-230pm daily. Mats are provided. Parents need to supply their child with a small sheet and blanket. These items are brought into the daycare on Monday and returned to the family on Friday. Children who don’t nap will be outside or doing other activities quietly or in a separate location (upstairs).

What does a full day at Childsplace look like?

Childsplace daycare has daily flow that allows for the children to play, learn, eat and sleep. A sample of the routine is as follows:

7-9am: breakfast, free play, stories, songs

9-11am: circle time, art, outdoor, table top activities

11am-12pm: story, songs, lunch

12-230pm: quiet time/ nap time, outdoor, table top activities, art

230-330pm: snack, stories, art, outdoor, table top activities

330-5pm: free play, outdoor, art, table top activities

5-6pm: quiet calming activities till daycare closes

Childsplace BAS will follow a routine that allows for activities to be planned before and after school. Full days, such as PD days and school breaks, will follow a similar routine as the daycare or the children will attend field trips or have guests come in for presentations.

How do I know what my child is doing? Are there cameras?

Childsplace doesn’t have cameras in the center. We pride ourselves on the small center feeling and incorporating the families into the center.

Childsplace uses Lillio (formerly HiMama). Parents information will be entered into the program. Parents will receive an invitation to set up their parent profile. Your child’s information is not shared with anyone else. Pictures will be posted, updates to their sleeping/eating and much more. You can send messages directly to the staff via the app.

What is Childsplace's screen time policy?

Our image of the child is the forefront reason behind offering a screen free environment. Children are inquisitive, caring, creative, imaginative, and responsive. They don’t require a screen to tell them how to eat, how to count, how to play or how to be a child.

Children will be able to access screens in their home environment or in another setting. The recommendation for 2-5 year olds is that they spend 1 hour or less of high quality screen time every day (and most of that time should be viewed with a parent)

If we had screen time in the centre, most children will navigate to the screens. We limit the screen time to a special day or 2 during the school year. This allows it to be a treat to look forward to. When we do have screen time, the parents are fully aware and acknowledge that their child is allowed to watch G or age appropriate content.

If we had screens, how can an educator see what the child is capable of? How will we develop our themes and planning? How do we develop those very important relationships with the children? How can they learn to be connected to others socially and emotionally?

When it comes to play, which is essential to healthy development, simple toys such as blocks, balls, jump ropes and buckets are often the best kind for kids. In fact, they're more effective in allowing children to be imaginative and creative.

HELPFUL REMINDERS

Please bring a backpack for your child, complete with extra clothing.
All food is NUT free!!!
Children must have clothing to play outside daily when the weather permits.
Shoes must be worn at ALL TIMES- non-marking soles only please! Shoes are kept at the daycare!
Please remove wet or muddy footwear at the entry before bringing your child into the daycare space.
Dress your children in comfortable, washable PLAY CLOTHES! They will get messy at times, and we cannot guarantee that paint or other substances will always come out. Be safe, not sorry.
Be sure to label all your child's belongings.
Please let us know if your child will be absent-we worry! Our voice mail is available 24 hours a day.
Sick, feverish or children with diarrhea should remain at home with Tender Loving Care. Please inform us of any communicable diseases, such as Chicken Pox, Pink Eye, Strep Throat, Pertussis or Rubella. Children with Chicken Pox are required to remain home until all sores are dry.
Please do not allow your child to bring toys from home unless for nap or show and share. Toys often get lost or misplaced, and can end in a teary situation rather than a happy day at school. We supply a multitude of educational toys and activities, and keep them busy!
Make sure you inform us of any changes on your health or registration forms, or changes to the family situation that may affect the child's emotional health.

QUESTIONS PARENTS ASK...

Q: Why is the classroom so noisy?

A: Promoting verbal and communication skills is one of the primary goals of Childsplace. Verbal interaction is essential in acquiring these skills; as is singing, finger plays, role-playing and dramatic play. A busy classroom is a happy classroom, and the sounds of hammering, building, music and dramatic play are a very major part. Children are still encouraged to use their "inside voices", and to be easy on the ears of their friends!

Q: All my child seems to do at daycare is play! Why is that?

Children learn by doing! Play is children's work, and the more work they do, the more they learn. Children respond better to activities that are fun and interesting, rather than instructional academic learning at such an early age.
A child participating in baking muffins learns about weights and measures (mathematical concepts), differences in texture, comparison of tastes and classification.
Verbal skills are developed as they label utensils and ingredients. Science concepts are learned as they watch the muffins being changed by the heat of the oven, and they learn about nutrition at the same time!
The water table offers many of the same skills as baking, and children also learn about volume, measurement, liquid vs. solid. Add bubbles or items that sink or float and you have even more learning experiences.
A child playing ball or jumping rope learns about spatial relationships, kinaesthetic awareness, gross motor control and depth perception.
The dramatic play centre helps a child's social development and awareness, while learning about problem solving, turn taking, role-playing and creative expression. Playing the role of "mommy" or "daddy" assists children in understanding the complexity of these roles, and helps them often to play out situations they do not fully understand, and thereby increase their well-being and self esteem. We feel it is important for both boys and girls to learn nurturing roles.

Q: Why don't my child's' art projects look like anything?

A: A child's approach to art is quite different from that of an adult. The most important aspect to them is not to produce a finished product, but the actual enjoyment and learning experiences they acquire from the process itself. This is termed, "Process over Product". We provide a wide variety of art materials for children to experiment with, and a new activity is available for each class. We do not provide models for the children to copy from- we choose to nurture the child's own creativity and allow them to freely explore the medium. As all of our interest centers are "free choice", we encourage children to participate daily in the art activities, but we will not force participation. Only when we have a special or seasonal art activities (such as Christmas ornaments or Mother's Day gifts) do we expect all children in the class to participate.

Q: Does Childsplace get children ready for kindergarten?

A:Your child's teacher works very hard to help your child make the transition from home to school. Activities are planned that will help to develop independence, enhance motor skills, encourage creative thinking and promote the ability to co-operate with others. Students do learn many skills that will help them to become successful in Kindergarten, but the most important requirement is the social maturity to deal with the challenges children face in their first year of school.