Our Programs

We offer a child-centered program that is varied, appropriate and stimulating, in a warm and nurturing environment. Choice is an important ingredient of play and where learning begins. Learning occurs when the environment provides experiences just familiar enough that the child can understand, with the abilities he has already attained, but just new enough to offer interesting challenges worth exploring. Each child has a unique pattern of development and progress and is able to explore, with teacher support, a variety of learning environments in the classroom, as well as outdoors, to reach his or her potential.

At our centre, children are encouraged to develop patterns and independence, through daily routines. The children have opportunities for:

Co-operative play and social interaction, which are an important part of our program. We achieve this goal through group activities during circle time and group projects such as puppet shows.
Physical activities which are encouraged both indoor and outdoor in our daily program.
Language stimulation, achieved through listening to and discussing stories, rhymes and songs.
Creative play through painting, drawing, crafts and dramatic play.
Playing with cognitively oriented toys and joining planned activities to stimulate intellectual growth.

As a parent, you can feel secure in knowing your child is well cared for every day in a clean, safe, and loving environment with lots of educational programs. What your child knows about the Rocking Horse Day Care Centre & Kindergarten is that "it's fun!"

Infants and Toddlers

Infants (from 6 to 18 months) are being cared for outside of their home environment often for the first time. At the Rocking Horse Day Care Centre & Kindergarten we understand the importance of this transition from home and have made it a smooth and pleasant one for all of our infants and their parents. We recommend that parents allow ample time for being part of this transition several weeks before beginning a full day schedule.

Our Infant Room teachers are caring, qualified individuals who have years of experience in caring for infants. We have a maximum of three infants per teacher. Infants are fed on individual schedules according to parental preferences. Once solids are introduced, infants are served healthy, nutritious foods, which are prepared especially for them by our Cook. We do not use processed or pre-prepared foods and believe in simple old-fashioned cooking from scratch to help form healthy habits and a strong immune system.

Well-equipped Infant Room In addition to their daily routines, our infants have a variety of programs including outdoor play and fun indoor activities such as playing with new materials like paint and participating in music and movement classes.

Toddlers (from 18 months to 2½ years) gradually become more independent. They eat their meals at a table and learn to use their utensils to feed themselves. We have a maximum of five toddlers per teacher in our Toddler Room. Our toddlers enjoy varied activities such as arts & crafts and music. Language skills develop rapidly at this age and we make sure that our toddlers are read to often and have many social opportunities to express themselves everyday.

Preschool

Our preschool room is for children from 2 ½ to 3.8 years. We have a maximum of eight pre-schoolers per teacher in this classroom.

The children are exposed to many new activities and programs such as conversational French and dance. They learn to sing songs in English and French and enjoy rhythm and movement activities. Their days are filled with fun individual and group activities, which form the basis for their learning and development as they get ready for Kindergarten.

Children do not have to be toilet-trained to enter at this age level. Our teachers co-operate with parents to toilet train preschoolers.

French Immersion Kindergarten

Shapes in English and French We offer a full-time bilingual Kindergarten Program as an alternative to public or private JK and SK programs. Many of the children proceed to French Immersion elementary schools in York Region and have been very successful in integrating into these programs. Some of our children join our program on alternate days as an adjunct to alternate day kindergarten programs at local public schools.

Our curriculum, taught by a certified teacher, includes a rich variety of activities, which combine learning with play. Our curriculum includes French and English language, Mathematics, Science, Art, Drama, Music, Physical Education and Computer activities. We also work on projects which help children focus on group interaction, teamwork and organization.

Our low student to teacher ratio combined with a nurturing environment allows us to pay individual attention to children making sure that they are being challenged while building their confidence and self-esteem.

After School

Painting We offer a Before and After School program. Many of the local schools have bus service to and from the Rocking Horse Day Care Centre & Kindergarten. Coming to our centre after school is a fun and safe alternative for children. We provide them with a nutritious snack upon arrival and they have a choice of activities available to them as well as the option to complete some of their homework with individual help available.

The After School program includes outdoor activities as well as fun learning activities indoors.

Summer French Camp

Large Playground with Safe Soft Surfacing Our Summer Camp includes fun-filled activities with an emphasis on conversational French. We use our large fully-fenced playground for water activities, summer carnivals and fun physical activities.

We combine interesting learning projects with field trips. We also offer plenty of art, science and dramatic projects which are opportunities for learning many new skills as well as teamwork.

As with our other programs, children are served wholesome homemade lunches and snacks.