Child Care – Play ‘N’ Learn – Moose Jaw

A licensed child care facility that provides care and supervision for up to 80 children, 18 months – 12 years of age. Child Care Subsidy accepted. 

May be able to accommodate children with delays and differing needs. Please contact for further information.

Philosophy

• Centre knows the early years are when the seeds of future success are planted – that is why their programs are based on a curriculum that fosters the physical, mental, and social development of your child.
• Centre ensures your children are kept safe and happy while you are at work or taking some time for yourself.
• Centre educators are caring and dedicated staff who love to make each day special for your child.
• Centre’s early years programs and services help children get a great start in life – believe time at the YMCA will help your child build important social and physical foundational skills, value an active and healthy life, and have a positive and safe place to belong and grow.
• Centre believes relationships form the foundation for all that occurs within the child care setting.
• Children learn about the centre’s core values of honesty, caring, respect, responsibility, and inclusiveness.
• Children practice behaviours that support social skill development, emotional competence, and community engagement.
• Centre believes that the partnership between parents and their Early Childhood Educators is essential to the healthy growth of your children and your family.

Programs and Activities

• Centre uses the national YMCA Playing to Learn curriculum – this is a play-based curriculum designed to maximize children’s learning by actively engaging them in small group. play-based, experiences that are developmentally appropriate.
• Playing to Learn helps children discover learning through creative play and aligns with primary school benchmarks.
• Playing to Learn is intended to ensure a child’s continued enthusiasm and capacity for life-long learning – it provides an understanding of how play offers the foundation for learning to read and write, and for learning mathematics, science, and technology – it provides Early Childhood Educators with the skills to prepare spaces more conducive to learning and best practices to encourage quality learning experiences.
• Activities encompass all developmental areas and support children in school readiness and in becoming life-long learners.
• Program options, including onsite enhancement activities and field trips for older children, are included.
• Educators engage in being a play partner with the children, waiting for a natural break in the play or an invitation to join in the play – through this model, the educators are able to give children the freedom to explore through open ended play experiences, develop and work through their stresses and emotions, and are given opportunities to build upon their knowledge in a natural and calming manor – these strategies give the educators the chance to model appropriate social interaction and ask open ended questions to extend the experience.
• Through meaningful play experiences, the children and educators, continue to build upon growing interests and developmental milestones.
• Educators observe the children engaging in natural and spontaneous plan, document emerging interests and plan accordingly, working to make sure they are extending the interests and also scaffolding new information and concepts – taking the learning in a natural direction where children are actively participating in their own learning.
• Program plans are broken up to touch on each developmental area, making sure that staff are consciously working on holistic learning.
• Learning can occur during art, sensory motor, dramatic play, block play, or story/circle times.
• Having the program plans allows for the educators to ensure all areas are given equal attention and show the evidence of the learning that is taking part in their classrooms.

Nutrition 

• Program teaches kids to value health, nutrition, and activity.
• Centre encourages healthy eating and dedicates time throughout each day to incorporate and encourage age-appropriate movement.
• Believe good nutrition is an important part of leading a healthy lifestyle.
• Centre provides a snack and a nutritious lunch.
• At meal time, staff encourage a family style meal, which means they encourage children to serve and feed themselves.
• All snacks and meals are prepared by following the Canada Food Guide.
• Each centre has an eight week rotating menu which is posted online as well as at the centre for viewing.
• Parents and Guardians need to inform the centre Director and Early Childhood Educators of any allergies – a plan will be developed which may involve parents bringing a portion or all of the child’s special diet – each classroom has an allergy list which staff can refer to at any time.
• Centre is a nut-free facility – it is of utmost importance that no products enter the centre that may contain nuts.