About Our Childcare Center

Guiding Stars uses two main documents to help us in implementing our play-based environment and programming. Those documents are how does learning happen? Ontario’s pedagogy for early years (Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2014) And early learning for every child today, a framework for Ontario early childhood settings (Elect) (Best start expert panel on early learning, January 2007).

How Does Learning Happen? It is a professional learning guide that focuses on the relationship aspect of learning. Relationships, not just with the educator, but with family, community, and environment.

Every child should feel that they belong, are a valuable contributor, and have every opportunity to succeed. The document focuses on four major areas in relationship building. They belong, well-being, engagement, and expression.

Elect is a document that charts age-appropriate development in five different domains for children in the early years. These domains list several skills that are learned and refined through play. The areas of focus are physical (large and fine motor), cognitive, emotional, language, and social.

Both of these documents promote play as their core learning tool. Play propels learning and development. When a child feels comfortable and happy, they can become engaged in play activities. Play then facilitates learning by creating pathways, making that experience an enjoyable one rather than a chore.

These documents also allow us to focus on following the child’s lead by observing their play in order to promote their interests, extending engagement in the play to extend the learning.

More information can be read by downloading the parent handbook.