Latchkey Day Care

Principles of Early Years Learning

Latchkey Day Care & Learning Centre is committed to the following principles of Early Years Learning.

-Through play, the child grows and develops.

-The Early Childhood Educator guides, supports and encourages each child in his/her learning experiences

-Parent co-operation and working closely with families is a key component. Parents are viewed as the first and most consistent teacher in a child’s life.

-Children learn best through personal experiences that incorporate and stimulate all of the senses. Through touching, seeing, smelling and listening, children form long lasting impressions of real things, which plays an important role in learning and developing minds.

Early Years Programs are developed in consultation and partnership with the JK/SK teachers. All programs will focus on FIVE learning areas:

1. Language

2. Mathematics

3. Science and Technology

4. Personal and Social Development

5. The Arts

Principles of Care

Protect and promote the psychological and physical safety, health and well-being of each child.

Develop and maintain a warm, caring and responsive relationship with each child and with the group of children.

Plan and provide daily experiences that support and promote each child’s physical, emotional, social, communication, cognitive, ethical, and creative development

Use observations to assess children’s skills, abilities, interests and needs.

Recognize signs and symptoms of emotional or developmental delays or challenges and take appropriate action.

To encourage and support children with special needs.

Establish and maintain open, co-operative relationships with teachers and the school community, other workers in the childcare profession, and with community service providers working with the child.

Maintain a commitment to professional training to encourage and develop skills and knowledge.

Principles of School Age Program Curriculum

The following are guidelines for programs aimed at children between the ages of 3.8 and 12 years. These guidelines help us to ensure safe, enjoyable and age appropriate program planning is implemented in all of our school aged Before and After School, PD Day and Summer childcare programs.

• Programs must provide for the increasing levels of responsibility and independence of school age children.
• Programs must have equipment, space and staff, which enable age appropriate activities to be carried out. An emphasis on gross motor and outdoor activities is supported.
• Program planning will reflect efforts to assist children to meet specific developmental milestones and age appropriate objectives.
• Programs for school-aged children will provide many opportunities for children to plan their own activities and provide choices in activities.
• Programs will emphasize home-like activities and allow children unstructured free time and privacy for reading, homework or small social group activities.
• Programs will include an increased emphasis on recreational activities and skill development in areas of interest expressed by each child.
• Programs for older school age children will encourage the pursuit of hobbies, life skill activities and homework mentoring programs.
• Programs for older school age children will encourage large-scale projects, which require planning, co-operation, and industry, which will result in realized accomplishments and end-points.
• Programs will develop as many linkages with the community as possible, encouraging involvement in libraries, community awareness, and support of community groups (i.e. Easter Seals.)
• Programs serving the 10-12 year age group will have elements which begin the process of moving out from a childcare environment, and enhance life skills and independence.
• The use of electronic toys such as PSP and Game Boy are discouraged, as they do not promote shared group play.
• During the summer months, when 6-12 year olds are in the childcare program full-time, an individualized program will be designed that is different than the younger children program. A “camp-like” program could be developed for this purpose, reflecting their developmental and recreational needs and capabilities.
• All programs will develop specific behaviour support management policies appropriate to the ages of the children and provide ongoing staff training related to this age group.