Thistleoaks Child Care Centre provides a warm and caring atmosphere to nurture the growth of the total child. Children thrive in a snug, secure, and stimulating environment. We provide this special atmosphere to all our children.

The educators offer a flexible program, which promotes the children’s sense of belonging and self-confidence, while recognizing their individual needs. The children are exposed to a variety of activities in large and small groups. Activities are geared to each child’s age and stage of development to promote emotional, intellectual, physical, and social growth.

Our goals for children include the following:

Every child has a sense of belonging and is connected to others and contributes to the world
Every child is developing a sense of self, health and well being
Every child is an active and engaged learner, who explores with body, mind and senses
Every child is a capable communicator who expresses themselves in many ways

We offer an integrated program for children with extra support needs. A Resource Consultant from the Region of Halton works with centre staff to provide support and individual program plans.

Our Philosophy

Thistleoaks Child Care Centre offers a learning program that is consistent with the Ministry of Education policies, pedagogy, and curriculum. Some of the Ministry documents we reference in our program include the following:

How Does Learning Happen? Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Early Years
Ontario Early Years Framework
Ontario Early Learning Framework
Think Feel Act: Lessons from Research About Young Children
Early Learning for Every Child Today

We know that children learn best by pursuing their personal interests and goals, so by following the Emergent Curriculum, children are able make their own choices about materials and activities during program time. As they pursue their choices and plans, children explore, ask and answer questions, solve problems, and interact with peers, program staff, students, and other adults.

Programing

Emergent curriculum is a method of learning and teaching that requires educators to observe and listen to the child. Educators ask questions and listen to the child’s ideas and inquiries. After observations are made, educators discuss and interpret the child’s ideas to create child-led, educator-supported experiences and projects.

Thistleoaks Child Care Centre implements its programs through the Reggio Emilia approach. The Reggio Emilia approach is an educational philosophy that supports child-initiated and educator-supported programming.

The Reggio Emilia philosophy is based upon the following set of principles:

Children must have some control over the direction of their learning
Children must be able to learn experiences through touch, movement, listening, and observing
Children have a relationship with other peers, educators, volunteers, placement students, and with material items in the environment
Children have endless ways and opportunities to communicate and express themselves

A child has 100 languages. Children utilize many different forms of communication. At Thistleoaks we encourage children to explore each concept and learn to communicate not just through spoken language, but through art and play as well.

It is our philosophy that educators are co-constructers, researchers, documenters, and advocates for children, and through collaboration alongside children, families and peers, we aim to become co-learners' side by side with each child.

About Emergent Learning

Thistleoaks Child Care Centre encourages and practices open communication with families about our program and their children’s learning experiences. We believe that families are experts on their children. Sharing knowledge is important to your child’s success.

Thistleoaks Child Care Centre ensures that families have the support of available, affordable, safe, reliable, high-quality licensed child care for their children, which ensures parents’ peace of mind while their children are in our program. Values of respect, care, empathy, trust, and integrity are ensured in our interactions with families. In addition to daily interaction with program staff, we offer many opportunities for parent feedback and involvement, such as open houses and parent interviews.

We know that our partnerships with families help our program meet the needs of the children:

Families form the foundation of a child’s early development
Families know their children best and are the most powerful influence on learning and development
The needs of each child are considered in the context of their family composition, values, culture and language. This approach enriches relationships between our centre, families, and our community
Parent involvement connects to their children’s early development, and enhances child learning

Parent Engagement and Interaction