Our approach is child-led and interest-based. We view your child as a curious, capable, and unique learner. Learning environments are vibrant, flexible, open spaces filled with natural light, offering areas for independent discovery, collaborative projects, and quiet reflection. Educators thoughtfully draw from our communal collection of materials, ranging from open-ended art supplies, recyclables and nature-based materials, to enrich the spaces, ensuring that every corner sparks imagination, encourages exploration, and meets the evolving interests of each child.
Our values of diversity and inclusion add to the richness of our approach, with resources and activities that honour a wide range of cultural backgrounds, abilities, and perspectives informed by our families and the broader community.
Children are encouraged to explore, experiment, and create at their own pace. Our educators provide gentle guidance, responding to each child’s curiosity and offering new challenges to deepen their learning. By exploring alongside the children, educators play a central role in fostering creativity, supporting growth, and empowering children to take charge of their learning journey.
The following snapshots capture meaningful moments shared with parents that highlight the important role our educators play in sparking imagination and laying the foundation for lifelong learning. Descriptions include links to the BC Early Learning Framework.
Snapshots in Learning
Child guidance, as outlined in the BC Child Care Act regulations, involves using positive and respectful strategies to help children understand and manage their emotions and behaviour. This includes setting clear expectations, offering gentle redirection, and using language that encourages children to express themselves, solve problems, and interact with others in a positive way. Our approach focuses on nurturing self-esteem by helping children feel understood and supported, while guiding them to develop self-control, empathy, and social skills.
We are committed to maintaining best practices in child guidance by providing regular training and mentoring for our staff. This training emphasizes the importance of using the right words and providing constructive direction that fosters children’s confidence and emotional growth. Our educators are equipped with the skills to handle challenging behaviours with sensitivity and to support children in a way that strengthens their self-worth and encourages positive behaviour.
Health and safety are a top priority. In accordance with licensing requirements, all staff undergo criminal record checks, and all educational staff hold valid certifications with the BC Registry as well as First Aid certificates. Kitchen staff are certified in Food Safe practices.
Additionally, our facilities are modern, secure, and regularly inspected by Interior Health, with spot checks to ensure ongoing compliance with health and safety standards. We are proud to have maintained a low-risk status with Interior Health since 1996. Our secure environment is designed with the safety in mind, and we are committed to continuously improving our internal systems to ensure the well-being of all children in our care.
Child-led practice in Early Childhood Education means that children’s ideas, interests, and choices guide their learning. It’s about noticing what children notice, setting safe boundaries, and creating an environment where they feel free to explore and express themselves. Educators pay close attention to each child's interests, acknowledge their needs, and respect their opinions, all while ensuring safety and structure. This approach empowers children to take charge of their learning by encouraging them to ask questions, make decisions, and engage with what excites them. By sharing in their joy and providing thoughtful support, we help children build confidence, creativity, and a lifelong love for learning.
Our programs are guided by the BC Early Learning Framework, focusing on four key areas to support children's growth: Well-Being, Belonging, Engagement, and Communication.
Well-Being is central to our approach. We create a safe, nurturing environment where children feel cared for. Our meals, made from scratch, promote healthy eating while also encouraging social skills like sharing and cooperation during mealtimes.
Belonging is fostered by celebrating each child’s unique identity. Through cultural stories, traditions, and activities, we help children feel proud of who they are and connect with their community.
Engagement is supported through hands-on learning with rich materials. Our classrooms are filled with loose parts, art supplies, and nature-based items that spark curiosity and creative thinking. Children explore their interests and develop problem-solving skills through play and collaboration.
Communication is encouraged in a language-rich environment. Children express themselves through talking, drawing, dramatic play, and more, building the communication skills they need to connect with others and continue learning.
By following the BC Early Learning Framework, we support children’s cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development, providing a strong foundation for their future learning.
Emergent curriculum is a flexible approach to Early Childhood Education where learning is guided by the children’s interests, questions, and ideas. Instead of following a fixed plan, educators observe and build on what children are curious about, making learning relevant and engaging for each child. How We Use Emergent Curriculum At our centre, we embrace emergent curriculum in the following ways: 1. Building on Interests: If children show interest in bugs, we might explore insects through books, art, or outdoor activities. 2. Following Questions: When a child asks, "Why does the moon change shape?" we explore the moon through stories, experiments, and discussions. 3. Responsive Play: If children engage in pretend play, like running a grocery store, we set up a real-life store to encourage social skills, math, and language. 4. Child-Led Art: If a child wants to mix colors, we provide materials and encourage exploration, asking open-ended questions to deepen their learning. Emergent curriculum allows children’s natural curiosity to guide their learning, making it meaningful and personal.
Documentation and reflection are key practices in Early Childhood Education that help make children's learning visible. By documenting what children are learning—through photos, written observations, and collected work—educators can track progress, deepen understanding, and support ongoing development. Reflection allows educators to analyze the learning process, adjust strategies, and create meaningful next steps for each child. At our centre, we share documentation in a variety of ways: 1. Hallway Walls and Lillio App: Educators will post documentation of children’s learning on the walls outside classrooms and often share documentation through the Lillio app, allowing families to see and reflect on their child’s journey. 2. Christmas Art Auction: Documentation is also an important part of our Christmas Art Auction. Educators often share detailed notes on each child’s project, showcasing their learning process and creative thinking alongside the artwork. This makes children's efforts and growth visible to families, and highlights the value of each child’s learning experience. By making learning visible through documentation and reflection, we create a stronger connection between children, educators, and families, and ensure that every child’s progress is celebrated and understood.
At our centre, we foster STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) learning by encouraging hands-on, inquiry-based experiences that spark children’s natural curiosity and exploration. Educators invite children to observe, question, investigate, problem-solve, and engage. Promoting foundational science skills from an early age.
Examples of science/nature activities we have offered:
Nature-Based Projects: Children observe and learn about the life cycles of animals, such as hatching chicks, raising salmon in a tank, and studying butterflies through metamorphosis. We also explore owl pellets to teach about ecosystems and the food chain.
Local Wildlife Exploration: We have learning kits that introduce children to local animals like beavers, bears, insects, and moose. These kits contain interactive materials such as animal tracks, fur samples, and books that allow children to learn about our wild neighbours.
Kitchen Chemistry: Children love exploring basic chemistry concepts through kitchen experiments, such as mixing baking soda and vinegar, making slime, or experimenting with different materials to observe reactions. These fun activities help children learn about cause and effect, measurement, and scientific observation.
Additionally, we are working with the Big Little Science Centre to develop more preschool hands-on science projects. This partnership allows us to bring even more inquiry-driven learning experiences to our classrooms, fostering a lifelong love of science and exploration.
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