Kids Come First Child Care Services (Kids Come First) provides a stimulating and nurturing environment that focuses on opportunities for learning through educational programs, literature and the exploration of play. We are committed to maintaining a high quality program with curriculum that takes into account pedagogy and guiding principles found in the Ministry of Education’s “How Does Learning Happen? Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Early Years (2014)” (HDLH) and Early Learning for Every Child today (ELECT).

The program at Kids Come First is derived from the principles of “Emergent Curriculum”, where the children’s interest provides the basis of the curriculum. Our trained Educators observe and listen to the children as they co-construct knowledge with children through meaningful interactions between   educators and children. Using the children’s interests as a starting point in topic selection, the teachers and the children bring their past experiences and knowledge to the discussions as they work together exploring and researching topics.

Through successful child-centred experiences, our children learn through play. Play allows children to actively construct, challenge current understanding and expand knowledge by making connections and is responsive to each child’s individuality, curiosity and creativity.

We believe that our program will help develop positive self-esteem as well as the confidence and independence that children will need to continue on in school. As they explore their environment, children will begin to form the concepts on which all future learning will be based.

The curriculum is meant to be initiated by the children and co-developed. The Educators will take on the role of observer and facilitator of children’s play and listening to what they say. Using these observations, the Educators will plan activities to build upon their learning, providing them the opportunity to discover more and dig deeper. Emergent curriculum is flexible, constantly developing in response to the children and cannot be planned far in advance. Our plans are intended to develop over a period of time which gives the Educators and the children time to enable them to investigate, ask questions, solve problems and engage in critical thinking.

This work is designed to help young children obtain a solid understanding of events and experiences in their own environment. It is intended to increase the children’s confidence in their intellectual powers and strengthens their ability to continue learning.  Emergent curriculum develops the foundation for children to continue seeking a deeper understanding of the environment and the community around them.

Our classrooms and materials provide child-initiated and adult-supported experiences. We believe in making learning visible through the use of pedagogical documentation of the learning through observation, planning, reflecting and evaluating. The Educators document the children’s play and learning in a variety of ways to communicate to the families, and to extend the children’s learning.

We strive to be organized around the four foundations of learning which includes belonging, well-being, engagement and expression and is central to children learning and growth. Our Educators establish a flexible program in an inclusive, supportive and non-discriminatory environment. Open communication between and among the Educators, children, families and the school community is crucial to creating a warm and safe environment in which the children can play, learn and thrive. We strive to avoid gender bias values, attitudes and practices. Our programs and activities reflect the ethno-cultural diversity of our families and promote respect and appreciation of their uniqueness.