Services

With its outstanding programs and facility, York Enrichment Childcare Centre is setting the standard for excellent childcare.

See your child flourish under the careful watch and excellent programs at York Enrichment Childcare Centre.

York Enrichment Childcare Centre offers unparalleled service to the parents and the children who attend the centre. In many ways the centre exceeds the standards set out by the Ministry of Education in the Day Nurseries Act. Everything from the food to the programs to the physical structure of the building is designed in the best interest of the children. The atmosphere is happy and relaxed and everyone feels welcome when they come to visit or stay for the day.

Ages – 15 months to 6 years

York Enrichment Childcare Centre offers licensed childcare for children who are between the ages of 15 months – 6 years. Your child will have the benefit of interacting with other children his own age and children a little older and a little younger. This interaction teaches social skills, sharing and tolerance. The children are grouped according to age:

• Toddlers - Ages 15 months to 2.5 years
• Preschoolers – Ages 2.5 – 4 years
• Kindergarten – Ages 4 – 6 years

Each classroom has an individualized age appropriate program outlined in our Curriculum. To see an example of a typical day at York Enrichment Childcare Centre, please visit Daily Schedule.

Hours and days of operation – 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

If you commute or if you have a long workday, it can be difficult to make sure that your child is cared for early in the morning until late in the day. That is why the centre is open Monday to Friday between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. These long business hours allow you to drop your child off at the centre on your way to work and pick your child up on your way home.

The centre is open most days to accommodate your work schedule. The centre will be closed on the following Statutory Holidays:

• New Years Day – January 1
• Family Day – third Monday in February
• Good Friday
• Victoria Day – the Monday preceding May 25
• Canada Day - July 1
• Civic Holiday - first Monday of August
• Labour Day - first Monday of September
• Thanksgiving Day - second Monday of October
• Christmas Day - December 25
• Boxing Day - December 26

Nutrition - three nutritious meals each day

As busy parents, you don't always have time to prepare healthy, well-balanced meals for yourself and your children. Especially when you are in a hurry to get out the door in the morning or after a long day at work. That is why we York Enrichment Childcare Centre make it a priority to choose whole, unprocessed foods and juices without added sugar, salt or preservatives. You can feel confident that your child is getting the nutrition necessary for healthy growth. The children are provided with a daily breakfast, hot lunch, and an afternoon snack. Your child's allergies or food restrictions will be accommodated. As part of healthy nutrition, the children will learn about healthy eating, cooking and appreciating multicultural food through the involvement in cooking classes.

The menu is filled with fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains in breads, cereal, muffins and pasta, unprocessed dairy, cheese, milk and yogurt, unprocessed meats, beef, chicken and eggs. We serve neither nut products nor pork products due to allergies and personal preference. As a matter of fact, the cook is adamant that the menu contains only healthy food for the growing children; she will not serve the children anything with too much salt or sugar. Now and again, the children will be served cupcakes or other processed foods as a special treat or in a special dish.

Proper nutrition is paramount to your child's overall well being. The meals provided are based on The Canada Food Guide and are prepared onsite and served within the guidelines of the safe handling of food as outlined by the Ministry of Health.

Subsidies - do you qualify?

There are spaces available to those families that qualify for government subsidized childcare. If you have children up to age 10, have a financial need and if you are a student or enrolled in an approved program you might qualify for a subsidy. You can find out more about subsidies and download a government application at http://www.york.ca/Departments/Community+Services+and+Housing/ Family+and+Children+Services/child_care_fee_assistance.htm

The Program - exceeding the standard

The program is in the best interest of the children so it is enriched in the arts and academics. The staff incorporates creative movement, visual arts, literacy, math and science into the Curriculum. In addition, our centre has many resources that the children can use to expand their imaginations and learn new skills. The resources and programs at our centre exceed the Ministry of Education standards in many ways. Our programming and facilities raise the standards:

• Both indoor and outdoor playground exceed allowed square footage per child - your child has room to run and use all the large muscle groups.
• Outdoor playground can accommodate 32 kids at once - all the classrooms can be outside at the same time for special events and celebrations.
• Outdoor playground has grass, shed for storage, paved area for bicycle and ball sports - most centres only have a paved area leaving the children no choice about their outdoor activities.
• Planter boxes are located in the playground so the children can plant and maintain gardens.
• Covered sandbox, and water play outside - these sensory activities allow children to develop fine motor skills and use imaginative play.
• Window space indoors by far exceeds the standard - the children get more natural light into their rooms than is required.
• Windows are big and come down to the level of the children - the children can look outside any time they want.
• The centre is located in a residential area, just off the main road in a renovated home - a peaceful neighbourhood with low traffic gives your child the feeling of being in someone's home rather than in a commercial, chaotic setting.
• Teacher qualifications - the Ministry does not require that assistant teachers need training, but Nelli insists that all the people who are in contact with your child are trained or are in training as ECE (Early Childhood Educators).
• Teacher ratios - The Ministry requires that the ratios of teachers to children is set for toddlers at 1 to 5, for preschoolers 1 to 8 and for kindergarten 1 to 10 - York Enrichment Childcare Centre’s ratios are higher than that and we won’t squeeze in extra kids. Because Nelli is an ECE, her presence in the rooms brings the ratio even higher.
• Extra workshops - The children are offered weekly workshops in drama, creative movement, cooking and French Language which are included in the childcare fees.
• The centre exceeds the requirements in terms of cleanliness - the rooms and toys are cleaned and disinfected daily, which is way more often than Ministry of Health requires.
• Nutrition - the children get more milk and fruit than is required at daycare. The children are offered pure fruit juice, veggies, and we never use processed cheese.

Happy Atmosphere

In addition to all these beneficial resources, York Enrichment Childcare Centre has a happy and relaxed atmosphere. There is balance between a predictable routine and letting the child get the most benefit out of every activity. At York Enrichment Childcare Centre, every child is treasured and every learning experience is maximized. Contact Us for more information or to book a tour.