Preschools in the Toronto Area
|
|
Toronto KidsOutAndAbout Preschool Newsletter |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
Are you planning to have your children attend preschool this year? Or are you thinking about whether it's the best option for your family? Do you have a friend who is thinking about preschool for her kids? If any of these is true, this special annual edition of our newsletter is for YOU! We provide not only options for where to start your search in our area, but also some tips for what to
think about and what to look for as you start the process.
KidsOutAndAbout has a large list of local preschools that have posted to our site; this list is provided in the LISTS/Preschools & Childcare list linked from the menu on every page of
KidsOutAndAbout. In this newsletter, first, we have some featured preschools with descriptions of their programs. Next, we provide a list of links to some additional schools. And last, we provide tips for helping you evaluate preschools when you visit, to see if they are right for you.
Remember: SAVE THIS NEWSLETTER and forward it along! If you or one of your friends is in the market for a preschool, it's a handy
reference.
—Debra Ross, publisher |
|
|
KidsOutAndAbout.com: Discover more. Do more. Connect more. |
|
|
|
Following a Reggio Emilia approach children at Apple Jacks Preschool are invited to lead their own learning in a safe, fun and engaging environment. Combined with a full literacy program, Apple Jacks Preschool guarantees a successful and happy beginning to
your child's education. With a higher educator to child ratio our staff will be able to witness all of your child's successes and provide the support they need to grow.
|
|
|
|
Uptown Yonge Preschool is dedicated to providing families with enriched high quality child-centred programming for children 18 months to 5 years, as well as After-School Club for Gr. 1-6, allowing them to develop to their fullest social, emotional,
cognitive and physical potential in safe, fun and nurturing surroundings. It is our belief that learning through play, experience, exploring and creating are the work of the child and should be encouraged and cultivated. An emphasis on communication with parents allows us to understand how to best serve each child, and thus we are able to provide the best possible early school experience for our students.
|
|
|
|
Little Town Child Care and Montessori, a licensed childcare center in Etobicoke, Ontario, is committed to providing a safe and exceptional early learning experience. Our center is fully licensed by the Ministry of Education and adheres to the regulations of
the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014 (CCEYA). Our facility serves children from 18 months to 4 years of age, offering a unique and enriching childcare experience. Choose Little Town for a licensed and regulated childcare center in Etobicoke
|
|
|
|
Central Montessori School is a non-denominational, co-educational private school that offers a Montessori learning environment enhancing each child's unique learning style. We are committed to providing high quality Montessori education that is accessible
to all the children and parents of our community. Central Montessori Schools in particular aims to prepare children to reach their full potential, to play a responsible role in protecting the global environment, and fostering peace and harmony.
|
|
|
|
The Toronto William Burgess YMCA Child Care Centre provides high quality licensed care for children 18 months to 12 years of age in a stimulating environment so they can learn, grow and thrive. Our programs are based upon a curriculum designed to help
children reach their full potential and our qualified early childhood educators facilitate play experiences that will help your child develop foundational skills. All our centres have access to outdoor spaces and activities.
|
|
|
|
At The Mabin School, our mission is to create the next generation of original thinkers, adaptive leaders and caring citizens. We are a co-educational JK to Grade 6 progressive school with an incomparable student-teacher ratio. We are Canada's first
independent Ashoka Changemaker School, and are recognized for instilling the qualities of leadership, teamwork, problem-solving and, most of all, empathy.
|
|
|
|
For over 70 years, parents have chosen our vibrant, co-ed elementary school to deliver robust and meaningful educational experiences that develop the whole child, helping them to learn critical skills and knowledge, and nurturing their personal, creative,
& academic growth. Our vision is for students to have agency, a voice in their learning, and to understand the world around them. We are preparing them for an unpredictable future, and for jobs that might not even exist yet.
We’re a small school building big futures, empowering our students with the will to learn, the courage to act, and the confidence to succeed.
|
|
|
|
The Discovery Preschool supports a challenging environment that intrigues a child's natural intuitive curiosity. It is a unique child care experience that families will be proud to be involved with.
We acknowledge the incredible work of the children, parents and teachers in Reggio Emilia, Italy. Their approach to child care has inspired millions of educators from around the world to visit these schools and welcome many aspects of this approach into North American child care centres.
|
|
|
|
Located in Toronto, Branksome Hall is a leading International Baccalaureate (IB) World School for girls from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12. Boarding Residence Program from Grade 7. Branksome Hall offers remarkable Day Camps on a picturesque urban campus
in the heart of Toronto, nestled in the residential neighbourhood of Rosedale. We offer a wide selection of camp programs, for children aged 4 to 12, streamlined into three main categories: Arts, Sports, and Technology.
|
|
|
|
Preschool program: a French immersion preschool program where children can grow and learn in French. The best start to a promising bilingual journey for your child.
After-school program: a fun, stimulating French-speaking environment centered around visual arts, baking, and games. Activities are based on children’s verbal skills and interests. Early exposure to French goes a long way towards developing strong second language skills. Kids' French school prepares your child effectively for Early French Immersion, French language education Core French. We offer a language rich environment, age-appropriate materials
and daily targeted activities to support your child's literacy skills and language development as a whole.
|
|
What kind of preschool best suits your child?
Those nice parenting articles always tell you to make sure you choose a preschool that best suits your child's personality--but then rarely provide any specifics on what will give you those clues. Children vary widely in their responses to different situations. Think
about where your child falls on the following dimensions, and think about your own personal preferences for what a preschool experience should be like for your child. Then, when you visit preschools, ask the administrators (and observe yourself) about how well the school's philosophy matches your children's needs. - Playing and learning: Do these seem like separate times at the preschool, or are play and learning time integrated?
- The setting: Is your goal to get your child used
to a school setting, or is it important that the setting feel more like home?
- Specific learning goals: Do you have academic milestones or religious needs that you would like met? Think about this before you set out, and refine your thoughts as you visit more schools.
- Introverts and extroverts: If your child falls on one end of introvert-extrovert scale, it's important to realize this and see what would be expected of them at each preschool (especially important for the
introverts).
- Active play: Does the school provide resources for physically active play that match your child's needs?
- Rest: Kids have different rhythms and requirements for rest. Think about what your child's specific needs are to ensure that they will be accommodated.
- Structure: Some kids do better with lots of structure, while other families feel that they already have enough structure and prefer that a preschool ensure lots of time for unstructured play and
interaction.
- Discipline: What happens when kids misbehave at school? Does the school's philosophy match yours?
- Safety: Safety is a big concern. Think carefully about your standards for keeping kids safe, and observe how the school meets your expectations.
If your child attends (or attended) a great preschool that is not currently on our big preschool list (the easiest way to find out is to search in the big search bar on the top of every KidsOutAndAbout page), please
email me back and we'll contact them immediately to see if they'd like to be on this list! |
|
|
