Question 1

How do I know my child is ready for a program with Play Makers?

Accepted Answer

As there is no set check list of readiness skills that can be had at preschool age due to varying levels of development, we understand that knowing if your child is ready for a group program setting can be a challenge.
Some factors to consider may be a want for, or discussions about “school”. Is your child in need of greater stimulation or interactions with other children? How comfortable are they being apart from you?  You can download our Preschool Readiness document, to help determine if it is the right time for you and your child.

Question 2

What ages are the children in your program?

Accepted Answer

Typically, the age range for our program is 3 to 5 years of age, but it is difficult to determine readiness simply by age, we tend to focus on readiness. We may have children as young as 2 ½ years and as old as 6 years of age.

Question 3

I noticed your program does not separate classes by age, why?"

Accepted Answer

Child development experts have debated the benefits of mixed- age vs. single-age classrooms for decades and have not been able to clarify which makes for a better learning environment. Each have their benefits and their struggles for children developmentally.
 
Some reasons why we feel the mixed age approach works well for our program:
It is quite normal for children during the preschool years to be vastly different in development, skills and milestones, even at the same age. Rather than focus on chronological age, we will look at the child’s development and readiness in the program.
Small grouping, mixed age classrooms such as ours, better mimic a family feel, with children of varying age interacting and naturally learning valuable skills from one another.
Because children are innately learning from one another, children who are less skilled in areas are learning valuable skills from those more skilled, and children more skilled in an area are able to gain valuable leadership, and pro-social behaviours, as well as raised self esteem in a fluid learning environment.
Educators working in mixed age groups tend to look at each child as individual, recognizing abilities and focusing on individual needs, rather than moving an entire class linearly through milestones and developmental achievements.
There is a great deal of research on the pros and cons of mixed age vs single age classrooms. If you are unsure, it is best to do some research before you decide which grouping will work best for your child.

Question 4

What is your approach to learning?

Accepted Answer

Our program follows a play-based, child-directed approach. Children learn through exploration, curiosity, and hands-on experiences with materials, peers, and educators.

Question 5

Is your program both indoor and outdoor? How does that work?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Our program includes both indoor and outdoor classroom experiences. Each week children attend one indoor session and one outdoor session per registered class.
Both the outdoor and indoor environments allow children to explore, move, and learn through the same play-based learning approach and curriculum, but can change based on weather conditions and special events.

Question 6

Do you go outside in cold/wet weather?

Accepted Answer

Children benefit from spending time outdoors in a variety of weather conditions, so we do go outside in most types of weather.
However, we will move activities indoors if conditions could be unsafe. This includes lightning, extreme cold (generally below -20°C), very high winds that make outdoor play difficult, or when weather advisories indicate conditions that could be harmful for young children.

Question 7

Do you follow a daily schedule?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but our schedule is designed as a flexible, daily series of events, rather than a rigid timetable.
Children move through a consistent sequence of activities so they know what to expect, such as arrival, play, clean up, hygiene, snack, group time, departure. While the order of the day stays consistent, the exact timing may shift depending on the needs of the children, the pace of the group, and the interests that emerge during play.
This balance of routine and flexibility helps children feel secure while allowing meaningful learning to unfold naturally.

Question 8

How many children are in each class?

Accepted Answer

Our maximum class size is 16 children with two educators, creating a 1:8 educator-to-child ratio.
This is smaller than many preschool classrooms, allowing educators to provide more individualized support and meaningful interactions with children which supports our emergent, play to learn philosophy. In many classes, we also have additional support from OT's in our environment.

Preschool Program

We Take Play Seriously!

Frequently Asked Questions