Frequently Asked Questions

Every child settles in at their own pace. Some adjust within days, others take a few weeks, and some settle quickly and have a harder time later on. All of this is normal.

The hardest moment is usually the instant you leave, so a cheerful goodbye and a calm, confident departure help most: it tells your child you trust us. Lingering tends to prolong the upset. Your educator will gently redirect your child to an activity right away. You're always welcome to call to check that your child has settled, and if your child is crying for a long time, we'll call you.

During the first week, we recommend three short settling-in visits to the classroom, without a parent in the room:

• Visit 1: 30 minutes to 1 hour
• Visit 2: 1 hour
• Visit 3: 2 hours

Educators will adjust the number, length or timing of these visits based on what feels right for your child.

• Diapers, wipes and cream, if needed
• A blanket for rest time
• A labelled sippy cup or water bottle
• Labelled indoor shoes with non-marking soles
• A labelled spare set of clothes in a resealable bag
• Labelled, weather-appropriate outdoor clothing

Please label everything. A very small stuffed toy or special blanket for nap time is welcome; other toys and food from home stay at home.

We use the Kindertales app to share daily reports on meals, naps, diapering and mood, along with classroom updates and photos. You can also call to speak with your child's educator, observe the classroom by appointment, and meet with educators every December and June to discuss progress.

Yes. Every full day includes three meals: a morning snack, a hot lunch and an afternoon snack, served with water or milk. Drinking water is always available. Menus are fresh, dietitian-approved, follow Canada's Food Guide and rotate every four weeks. Food is included in tuition.

Our menus contain no peanuts or nuts, and food and drinks from home aren't permitted, so our centers stay allergy-aware. Children never share food.

We offer alternatives for children who are vegetarian or vegan, eat Halal, or avoid specific foods such as beef, pork, eggs or dairy. Families of children with allergies complete an individual emergency plan with us. If your child has an epinephrine auto-injector, we ask for two: one for the classroom and one for the office.

Yes, as a shared effort between home and center. We ask families to start at home for at least two weeks before we begin at the center. Children are never rewarded or criticized for needing more time.

Please keep your child home if they aren't well enough to take part in the full day, including outdoor play. Our illness policy explains when children need to stay home and when they can return; we'll walk you through it at enrolment.

Kidsville Early Learning Center (Burlington) is open 7:00 am to 6:00 pm. Kidsville Academy Scarborough and Kidsville Academy Acton are open 7:30 am to 5:30 pm. All centers are open Monday to Friday.

Please have your child arrive by 10:00 am unless you've told us ahead of time; late arrivals disrupt the morning work cycle. Centers close promptly at closing time, and a late pick-up fee applies after that.

Only parents and guardians, or someone you've authorized in advance. Tell your child's educator and email the center supervisor with that person's name; they'll need to show photo ID. Staff may also ask parents for ID if they don't recognize you yet. It's a routine safety step.

Yes, there is no summer break. We close for statutory holidays, three professional activity days a year (with advance notice), and winter break from December 27 to 31. In severe weather, if the local public school board closes its schools, we close too.

Yes. All Kidsville centers take part in the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) system, through funding agreements with the Region of Halton (Burlington and Acton) and the City of Toronto (Scarborough). Eligible families pay the approved $22 per day for full-time Toddler or Preschool care, applied automatically to your invoice. That's roughly $440 to $506 a month, depending on the number of weekdays.

Tuition includes all three meals, materials and supervision.

Joining the waitlist is free, and we never accept payment to move a child up the list. Offers go to children of staff first, then siblings of current and former Kidsville children, then families in the order their form was received. When a spot opens, we email you and you have 48 hours to respond. Most offers go out in spring for the following September.

Yes. When you accept a spot, a one-time, non-refundable security deposit equal to one month's tuition confirms your place. It's applied to your child's final month of care.

Yes. Kidsville Early Learning Center and Kidsville Academy Acton accept the Region of Halton's Child Care Fee Subsidy (call 311 or visit halton.ca). Kidsville Academy Scarborough accepts the City of Toronto's Child Care Fee Subsidy.

It's an approach to early learning developed by Dr. Maria Montessori. Children learn through hands-on, self-correcting materials in a calm, prepared classroom, choose their own work from open shelves, and progress at their own pace with an educator guiding rather than lecturing.

We've seen children become more independent with everyday tasks, calmer through the day, and more absorbed in their work, and families notice it too. Montessori also fits naturally with Ontario's How Does Learning Happen? framework, letting us deliver belonging, well-being, engagement and expression in a focused, hands-on way.

Our classrooms are Montessori-inspired: we bring core Montessori principles (a prepared environment, long work periods, grace and courtesy, Montessori materials) into our Ministry-licensed program, with MACTE-trained Montessori educators working alongside our RECEs. Our classrooms are not AMI or AMS accredited.

Yes. Toddler rooms are set up with low shelves and child-sized materials, and the day includes uninterrupted work periods for practical life, sensorial and language activities, sized for children 18 to 30 months.

Instead of the whole group moving from activity to activity on a set timetable, children spend long work cycles choosing materials, working alone or in small groups, and putting things away when finished. Educators observe and present new materials when each child is ready.

Absolutely. Montessori work is hands-on and joyful, and our day also includes sensory play, art, music and movement, and outdoor play every day.

Yes. Children leave Kidsville used to routines, able to focus, look after their belongings and work with others, with early literacy and numeracy built through hands-on materials. These are the skills kindergarten teachers look for.

Montessori suits a wide range of children because it adapts to the child. Quieter children get time to work independently; energetic children can move, carry materials and choose active work. Our educators get to know each child and adjust.