YMCA of Niagara -

Our program at the YMCA Child Care Centre concentrates on active learning on the part of the child, both physically and mentally. Our curriculum is based on children's self-directed exploration, discovery, play, real work, building relationships, and gaining a sense of oneself as powerful and competent. Our child-initiated curriculum emerges out of experiences in the lives of children, families, and teachers in our program. Children have ample opportunity to explore and experiment at their own level of knowledge. Their activities are both interesting and satisfying to them and teachers are aware of their need for challenge and success, and for room to grow. Full involvement in, and satisfaction from one's work is of prime importance for social and emotional growth.

Child Guidance
A positive approach is used to guide the children; each situation and child is dealt with individually. Under no circumstances will corporal punishment be used for behavioural management.

Methods used include:

Redirection: guiding a child into acceptable options when engaged in an unacceptable activity
Logical and Natural Consequences: endeavour to make children aware of results of their actions
Limit Setting: boundaries are developed by the teacher for the children as a group and for individual children according to each situation
Modeling: demonstration of appropriate ways of interacting
Providing Choices: appropriate choices are outlined and children are encouraged to make decisions for themselves
Anticipating trouble: planning and preparing the environment
Ignoring: some inappropriate behaviour can be ignored with more emphasis given to appropriate behaviour
Positive Reinforcement: use of encouragement

The Daily Routine

You are invited and encouraged to bring your child for a visit during the week prior to their first day. This gives him/her an opportunity to become familiar with the centre, our staff and to meet the other children in the program. During the initial period of adjustment, tears are a very natural occurrence for our younger children. Our staff have specialized skills to help your child over a difficult time. We suggest that you settle your child into an activity, say goodbye and then leave. Our staff will assist you both as you say goodbye. A routine that is consistent from day to day gives children a specific way to understand time. Once your child has participated in the sequence of the daily routine a number of times he/she will begin to understand time as a predictable sequence of events without depending upon an adult to tell what happens next. Our daily routine includes active and quiet times, time with friends and time to play alone. Many opportunities are given to your child to interact individually or as part of a group. Arts and crafts, music, science, language activities, and dramatic play ensure a well balanced day that combines learning with fun.