Wanted: one perfect preschool
Filed Under Tips & Tricks | August 24, 2007
Choosing a preschool for your child can be a stressful experience. Especially if it’s for your first-born, it can take on a disproportionate significance – as if their whole academic career and future happiness hangs on you making the “right” choice.
You read about Montessori, Parent Participation, Reggio Emilia, Waldorf, Play based, Child Centered, Bilingual, Religious, Academic etc. You weigh the merits of two or three days vs. five. Wonder whether proximity is more important than philosophy or vice versa? You stalk mothers of like aged children at the playground and interrogate them about their preschool and compile your list of thoughtful questions. You know exactly what you are looking for…
And then you make your first phone calls, and find that apparently you were supposed to start registering your child for preschool at birth, or last January, or the January of the year before that, and everywhere seems full. But before you panic and take the first space you can find, no matter what their style or where they’re located, check out the list we’ve compiled. Knowing that in the summer time with people moving, registering on multiple wait lists etc., spaces come available, yoyomama has called all 124 pre-schools on the Westcoast Childcare Resource Centre list to find out who has what available and when.*
| Preschool & Contact Info |
Style | Space Avail. Day/time/age+ |
| Bayview Community Preschool2251 Collingwood St. Bayviewppp@gmail.com 604.713.5457 |
Parent Participation | T & Th/ am and pm/ 3 & 4 |
| Brainbridge Bilingual Education and Fine Arts Centre7669 Nanaimo St. www.brainbridge.ca 604.321.5577 |
English/Chinese | 3 |
| Broadway Preschool2700 East Broadway 604.255.8018 |
Christian | T & Th/ pm/ 3 |
| Cedar Cottage Preschool4065 Victoria Dr. 604.874.4231 |
pm/ 3 & 4 | |
| Coastal Preschool1160 W. Georgia St. www.coastalpreschool.org 604.684.8475 |
Christian | MWF & T & Th/ am/ 3 & 4 |
| Collingwood Neighbourhood House Preschool5288 Joyce St. www.cnh.bc.ca 604.435.0323 |
MWF & T & Th/ am/mid/pm/ 3 & 4 | |
| Connections Preschool3403 E. 49th Ave. 604.434.2224 |
T & Th/ MWF/ or M-F/ am & pm/ 3 & 4 | |
| Crown Preschool3741 W. 27th Ave. www.vcn.bc.ca/cppp 604.228.1316 |
Parent Participation | MTW /am/ 3MTWTh/ pm/ 4 |
| Duke Street Preschool2708 Duke St. www.cnh.bc.ca 604.435.0323 |
MWF & T & Th/ am/ 3 & 4 | |
| Eagle’s Nest Preschool618 E. Hastings St. 604.253.3354 |
Aboriginal Headstart | M-Th/ pm/ 3,4&5 |
| Franklin Community Preschool250 South Skeena St. 604.291.9310 |
T & Th / am/ 3M-Th/ pm/ 3&4 | |
| Happy Corner Preschool3434 Falaise Ave. www.happycorner.ca 604.324.6309 |
Parent Participation | T&Th /am/ 3MWF/ am/ 4 |
| Heather Bible Chapel Nursery School777 West 68th Ave. www.heatherbiblechapel.org 604.321.7446 |
Christian | MWF/ am/ 3&4T&Th/ am/ pm/ 3&4 |
| Le Soleil Preschool5398 Nanaimo St. 604.436.1223 |
Montessori, French components | M-F/ am & pm/ 3,4&5 |
| Little Cedar Montessori1530 E. 22nd Ave. 604.872.3303 |
Montessori | M-F /am,pm & all day/ 3,4&5 |
| Little Rae Kids’ Club1155 Thurlow St. www.littlerae.com 604.687.2223 |
M-F/ pm/ 3&4 | |
| Montessori World75 E. 43rd Ave. www.montessoriworld.ca 604.325.3301 |
Montessori w/ French & Mandarin options | M-F/ am,pm & all day/ 3&4 |
| Poppins Preschool6470 Victoria Dr. 604.324.6212 |
MWF/ am/ 3T & Th/ am/ 3&4 | |
| Rainbow Castle202-181 Keefer Place 604.669.0778 |
M-F | |
| Reach for the Stars3606 Nanaimo St. & 3110 Sophia St. www.reachforthestarsmontessori.com 604.688.7827 |
Montessori | am & pm/ 3&4 |
| Sexsmith Community School Preschool7455 Ontario St. 604.324.6355 |
M-F/ am & pm/ 3&4 | |
| Singing Frog2065 Woodland Dr. 604.253.5388 |
Aboriginal Headstart | M-Th/ pm/ 3&4 |
| St. David’s Preschool2475 Franklin Street 604.254.5401 |
T&Th/ am/ 3&4MWF/ am/ 4M-Th/ pm/ 3&4M-F/ am/ 4 | |
| Tiny Bubbles Preschool3185 Kingsway 604.454.1520 |
M-F (2&3 day options)/ am&pm/ 3&4 | |
| Vancouver Bilingual Preschool949 W. 49th Ave. 604.261.1221 |
French taught/English required | M-F /am/ 3 |
| Vancouver Hebrew Academy1545 W. 62nd Ave. 604.266.1245 |
Jewish heritage | M-F/ am/ 3M-F /pm/ 4 |
* Some preschools are closed either until September or the end of the strike, or didn’t return our phone call. If you are interested in a specific school that does not appear on this list you may wish to double-check.
Speaking of which, since this week was all about prepping for preschool and some preschools won’t be starting as scheduled thanks to the never-ending strike, we asked Daljit for ideas to keep your kids preschool-ready. She suggested starting your children into a routine similar to preschool – reading, arts & crafts, snack-time at the same time as preschool.
A huge thank you to yoyomama reader Shoni for the idea and the legwork!
Shoni Field sits on the board of Happy Corner Preschool where her four year old can’t wait to return to in September.
New today on our list of things to do around town that aren’t affected by the strike:
What about making your own modeling clay with salt, cream of tartar, flour and water? Use Google to find easy recipes. Let it harden then paint it. Use a straw to make a hole in the top of flat creations for tying a string for hanging. Make signs for your kids’ rooms, Christmas ornaments, the letters of their name, etc.
Older kids may find EcoWalks on Sundays at Stanley Park interesting and a great way to explore the natural world around them.
2 Responses to “Wanted: one perfect preschool”
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Let us know what you think or share your great finds with us so we can share them with other Vancouver mothers!
You can also add Vancouver Talmud Torah to your list of preschools. This school, too, teaches Jewish culture and heritage as well as a child-centered approach to teaching and learning. The preschool has more than doubled in size in the last year alone and offers the option of a lunch club after clases for those children and families requiring the additional stimulation. You can call the school at 604.736.7307 for more information. The website is under development but can be accessed at http://www.talmudtorah.com
I am looking for a full day Full time preschool montessori program – preferably in either Vancouver or Burnaby. Ideally this would have an alternate language available – let me know if you know of any – sharon.ec.smith@gmail.com