A DAY IN THE LIFE
Daily Experiences
While each age group experiences the day differently, some things are central to every child's experience at PetiteCare.
Children spend time outdoors every day, in every season, supporting physical health, emotional well-being, sensory development, creativity, and resilience. Through open-ended exploration with natural materials such as sticks, logs, rocks, sand, water, leaves, mud, gardens, and loose parts, children build confidence, strengthen problem-solving skills, develop gross motor coordination, and deepen their connection to the natural world.
Children at PetiteCare learn from exploring with loose parts and during open-ended play, both indoors and outdoors. Items such as wooden shapes, fabric, random art supplies and natural materials encourage creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, and imagination.
We believe children are active members of their community. Through neighbourhood walks, local partnerships, field trips, and community projects, children develop a sense of connection to the world around them.
Weekly yoga and mindfulness sessions through Appleseed Yoga help children develop body awareness, emotional regulation, focus, and relaxation skills in fun, engaging ways.
From planting bulbs in the garden to observing butterflies emerge, children are encouraged to ask questions, make observations, and explore the natural world through hands-on discovery.
Children spend time outdoors every day, in every season, supporting physical health, emotional well-being, sensory development, creativity, and resilience. Through open-ended exploration with natural materials such as sticks, logs, rocks, sand, water, leaves, mud, gardens, and loose parts, children build confidence, strengthen problem-solving skills, develop gross motor coordination, and deepen their connection to the natural world.
Children at PetiteCare learn from exploring with loose parts and during open-ended play, both indoors and outdoors. Items such as wooden shapes, fabric, random art supplies and natural materials encourage creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, and imagination.
We believe children are active members of their community. Through neighbourhood walks, local partnerships, field trips, and community projects, children develop a sense of connection to the world around them.
Weekly yoga and mindfulness sessions through Appleseed Yoga help children develop body awareness, emotional regulation, focus, and relaxation skills in fun, engaging ways.
From planting bulbs in the garden to observing butterflies emerge, children are encouraged to ask questions, make observations, and explore the natural world through hands-on discovery.
While each age group experiences the day differently, some things are central to every child's experience at PetiteCare.
Daily Experiences
Food and Nutrition
Meals are an important part of each child's day. This is a time to connect, explore, develop independence, and build positive relationships with food.
We believe that food is about much more than nutrition.
Our in-house cook prepares fresh meals daily using whole ingredients and seasonal produce whenever possible.
We prioritize:
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Fresh fruits and vegetables
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Balanced meals and snacks
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A wide variety of flavours and textures
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Organic ingredients, whenever available/possible
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Thoughtfully prepared meals made from scratch
Our menu is seasonal and rotating, adapted to the children in our care at this time.
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Children are naturally curious, and mealtimes provide an opportunity for learning.
Through exposure to a variety of foods, flavours, colours, textures, and cultural traditions, children develop confidence around food and expand their palates from an early age.
Our goal is to help them build a healthy, positive relationship with food that can last a lifetime.
We work collaboratively with families to support each child's individual needs while creating a relaxed and respectful mealtime environment.
Children are actively involved in learning about food systems and sustainability.
Throughout the year, they may:
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Help care for our garden
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Observe plants growing through the seasons
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Participate in composting
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Learn about food waste reduction
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Explore connections between nature, food, and community
These experiences help children develop a deeper appreciation for the natural world and the role they play in caring for it.
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Community Traditions
At PetiteCare, community is not something we add on; it is something children live within every day!
Throughout the year, children participate in shared experiences that connect them to each other, their families, their neighbourhood, and the natural world around them.
Movement, music, and mindfulness are part of our rhythm as well. Weekly yoga sessions, outdoor exploration, and shared field trips help children experience their bodies, environment, and community in connected ways.
We celebrate the changing seasons together through gatherings like our winter solstice celebration, where families come together to mark growth, change, and connection. These moments are often accompanied by professional photos that families take home as keepsakes of their child’s journey.
Seasonal traditions are woven into daily life. From raising butterflies and planting seeds in our garden plot to exploring winter snow, spring growth, summer movement, and autumn harvest, children experience the rhythms of the natural world firsthand.
Children also build relationships beyond the classroom through nature buddy partnerships, collaborations with local outdoor schools, and regular visits to community gardens, parks, and cultural spaces throughout the city.
We also take part in broader community celebrations, including Pride events and cultural gatherings, helping children grow up with an understanding of inclusion, visibility, and belonging.
