Early Learners Playschool

Benefits of Play-based Learning

• Improved confidence, social skills, communication, motivation, and concentration
• Improved physical stamina, fine and gross motor skills.
• Positive identity formation for individuals and communities
• Increased knowledge of environment, increased frequency of visiting nature within families 
• Healthy and safe risk taking 
• Improved creativity and resilience 
• Improved academic achievement and self-regulation.
• Reduced stress and increased patience, self-discipline, capacity for attention and recovery from mental fatigue.
• Improved higher level cognitive skills.
• The process of thinking and learning that happen as children, educators, materials, and ideas interconnect

A typical Early Learners Playschool Day

Your little one will arrive in their muddy buddy on a rainy, warm October day. The leaves have started to change colour and drop to the ground.

The teacher shares a handful of leaves in a variation of colours with the students and asks if anyone can help identify the type of leaf it may be and highlight some of its identifying features. The children collect, sort, and identify their own leaves and investigate the treetops to see which tree they fell from and why it fell in the first place.

After sorting and building the fallen leaves into size, shape, colour and discussing how some fit in all categories and some fit in only one or none, children will hear a story about trees, birds, and butterflies who live in and around the trees. To extend the learning, the children will place the leaves on the science table to look at with magnifying glasses, watch as they get dry and brittle, and paint with them at the art table.

Sitting in a circle under the shelter of the trees to wash their hands and get out their snacks, the children begin to share and listen to one another’s stories about their discoveries. After snack, they make "stick butterflies" with the found leaves and sticks and fly them around an open field next to the trees. 

The children discover that the field features a mud puddle they can play in. One child jumps into the middle, getting her boot stuck—a fact that she announces with relish. She’s a little frustrated when it won’t come out, so the teacher asks everyone how they would get their boots unstuck. The other children join in, standing around the edges of the puddle or splashing into the middle. There’s a stump of a tree beside the field, and one of the children decides that he’ll paint it with mud. Soon, many of the children are placing mud on the stump.

All the while, our teachers are observing the student’s interactions, creations, and participation in the day’s activities.

At the end of the day children and teachers will regroup and sit down to reflect on the day’s events. Teachers will listen and document the interests and carry the theme or idea into the next lesson. Students will be dismissed with a question and the passion to share their new knowledge with their family.

Daily Supply List:

• Small backpack to carry with chest strap
• Refillable easy flip top lid water bottle, half-filled for easier carrying
• Nut-free, nutritious  snack
• A complete change of clothes, including socks and underwear (in a large Ziploc)
• Indoor shoes

In colder weather, every child must bring daily:

• Waterproof boots, coat, pants or muddy buddy
• Warm layers such as fleece or wool, no cotton
• Gloves/mittens and well fitted toque

Warm Weather Essentials:

• Brimmed hat
• Sunscreen either already applied or in the backpack
• Close toed shoes (no sandals please)
• Long sleeved shirt
• Extra sweater
• Raincoat tied to their backpack if necessary

Early Learners Nature Playschool Program follows the School District closure calendar including provincial and district-wide professional days, as well as spring and winter breaks. Playschool is in session on school-based non-instructional days. We are closed on statutory holidays.

2022-2023 Calendar

Program Email: earlylearners@portmoody.ca

Main office Phone: 604-469-4556

If your child is three years old, the playschool program costs $129.48 each month and is offered on Tuesday and Thursday from:

• 9:15am to 11:15am or
• 12:30pm to 2:30pm

Child must be three years old prior to December 31– no exceptions.

If your child is four years old, the playschool program costs $190.84 each month and is offered on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from:

• 9:15am to 11:30am or
• 12:15pm to 2:30pm

Child must be four years old prior to December 31 – no exceptions.

If your child is three years old, the playschool program costs $129.48 each month and is offered on Tuesday and Thursday from:

• 9:15am to 11:15am
• 12:30pm to 2:30pm

Child must be three years old prior to December 31 – no exceptions.

If your child is four years old, the playschool program costs $190.84 each month and is offered on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from:

• 9:15am to 11:30am

Child must be four years old prior to December 31  – no exceptions.

Registration for the 2023-2024 Early Learner programs starts on Wednesday, February 15, 2023 at 8am. 

Students must be three or four years old prior to December 31. The first months payment is non-refundable and due at the time of registration.

We will accept new students up until March 1 of the current school year. 

Children who are registered and complete the 3-year-old program are guaranteed a spot at the same location and time for the 4-year-old program. Registration is still required for the reserved space.

Once registration has been completed, you will have seven working days to provide us with:

• digitally signed payment plan paperwork
• a Birth Certificate or BC Services Card for age verification

Fees can be paid in full or a monthly payment plan is available. Monthly payment plan can be made by credit card or Debit Mastercard and VISA Debit.

Fees are divided into ten equal payments; therefore fees are the same each month and not prorated regardless of the number of holidays/professional days observed or date of registration.

Your pre-authorized payment will be deducted on the first of each month.

If the fee has not been authorized by the third working day of the month, this may cause your child's participation to be suspended until full payment is received.

Additional nominal fees may be required for fieldtrips throughout the year.

We require a 30-day, at first of the month, withdrawal notice up until February 1. There is no refund for partial months or for the months of March, April, May and June.  

Withdrawal requests must be made directly to earlylearners@portmoody.ca

September payment is non-refundable.