Activities and Care
Children take part in a variety of planned activities that support their physical, social, emotional and intellectual growth and development.
Each room follows a daily routine so meal and nap times are consistent.
We emphasize language, communication, critical thinking, problem solving and development of positive self-esteem. Our staff help the children make choices and understand the consequences of their decisions.
We focus on redirecting children to more appropriate behaviours. The approaches we use will vary depending on the age group. We do not use physical punishment (i.e. spankings), verbal abuse (i.e. shouting), withdrawal of needs (such as food) or time-outs.
Each room is slightly different and activities vary day-to-day, but in general your child’s day will follow this routine:
|7:00 am||Daycare opens|
|8:00 am||Morning snack|
|8:30 am||Activities and outings|
|2:00 pm||Activities and outings|
|3:00 pm||Afternoon snack|
|3:30 pm||Activities and outings|
|6:00 pm||Daycare closes|
Activities vary from room to room and week to week. The activities in each of our six rooms are tailored to the developmental needs and interests of the children in those rooms.
Our program is play based and includes a number of activities.
- Sensory play
- Sand play
- Water play
- Daily walks
- Playground play
- Using a variety of materials and techniques
- Public library
- Museum visits
- River valley
- Past field trips include Festival of Trees, Prairie Gardens, spray parks and playgrounds.
- Notice of field trips is provided in advance.
- Parents are invited to join us for field trips.
- Educational videos
We serve nutritious, balanced food that is made from scratch whenever possible.
Our on-site cook prepares a hot lunch and two snacks daily. Our meals fulfill 2/3 of Canada Food Guide’s daily recommendations.
We reinforce food conservation, table skills and manners with the children at meal times. This includes:
- independent serving;
- tasting of all the foods presented;
- consumption of the portions taken; and
- clearing of personal dishes and utensils.
Due to allergy concerns, we do not allow you to bring food into the daycare.
Exception: Infant formula and breast milk must be provided by parents ready to serve in a bottle.
Napping is vital to the growth and development of children, and we encourage each child to have a nap.
Our nap time is from 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. We provide cots and other essentials for the children to sleep on, as well as cribs for infants 12 months and under.
Children may bring a special blanket and toy to sleep with, if they wish.
Play can be a dirty job. For this reason, you and your child will be happiest if your child wears comfortable, washable clothing well suited for the season.
You should provide your child with:
- An extra set of clothing (top, bottoms, underpants and socks);
- indoor shoes;
- seasonal outdoor footwear (shoes, rubber boots or winter boots); and
- seasonal outerwear (sweater, winter coat, snow pants, splash pants, sun hat, toque, mittens)
In the warmer months, you will need to provide your child with a water bottle as well as a hat.
If your child’s clothes get dirty, they will be sent home for laundering.
You should label the belongings you send to daycare with your child.
CPCCS participates in the Mabel’s Labels fundraising program. Dishwasher, microwave and laundry safe labels can be purchased online and a percentage of your purchase will automatically go towards fundraising activities at CPCCS.
Support our daycare by purchasing your labels through Mabel’s Labels using this link.
Your child will be diapered using the supplies you provide. You will need to bring diapers, wipes and cream which can be stored in your child’s cubby. Caregivers will let you know when your child is running low on a particular supply.
Cloth diapers are welcome at our daycare. Choosing a cloth diapering method that is easy-to-use will ensure the arrangement works well for you and the caregivers. Many parents have had success with single-piece reusable diapers (such as all-in-ones or pocket diapers).
If you use cloth diapers, you will need to bring:
- cloth diapers
- wet bags (3)
- disposable liners
- a few disposable diapers
- diaper cream (cloth diaper friendly)
- pre-moistened cloth wipes or disposable wipes
At your first meeting with the caregivers, bring an example of the cloth diapers you use.
Note: Rooms 1 and 2 do not have toilets. To ensure the necessary child to caregiver ratio at all times, caregivers may not leave the room to dispose of solid waste. Dirty diapers will be placed in the wet bag as is. It will be your responsibility to dispose of solid waste. For this reason, we recommend you use disposable liners with cloth diapers to help with clean up.
To help your child potty train successfully, it is important that you wait for signs of readiness.
If you feel your child is showing signs of readiness for potty training, please speak with room staff to ensure potty training is consistent at home and daycare. If room staff notice a child’s readiness, they will talk to you about how to proceed.
Below are a few links that can start your research into whether your child might be ready for potty training.
You must keep your child at home if your child has:
- undiagnosed rashes;
- lethargy or irritability;
- frequent coughing;
- eye discharge; or
- other communicable diseases (other than upper respiratory tract infections, such as common colds).
If you receive a call from the daycare that your child is not feeling well, you must pick your child up within one hour of being notified.
For more information, read our Child Illness Policy.