Frequently Asked Questions
What age group do you accept?
Most of our students are 3 to 5 years old. However, we do occasionally enroll up to two children 30-36 months old per class. If your child is at least 30 months old and will turn 3 before the end of the calendar year, then your child is eligible to begin classes anytime, pending available spaces.
Do you offer full day care?
No. Unfortunately, our licensing regulations prevent us from keeping a child more than 4 hours each day. If you need full day care we recommend searching the West Coast Child Care Resource Centre vacancy list. It’s updated every Friday afternoon.
Can my child attend both morning & afternoon class on the same day?
No. We cannot keep a child for more than 4 hours each day.
Are you fully licensed?
Yes, we are fully licensed under the B.C. Community Care & Assisted Living Act and maintain an operating permit from the City of Vancouver.
What are your business hours?
We are open Monday to Friday (excluding holidays) from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. We’re closed Saturday and Sunday.
Can I receive the Affordable Child Care Benefit subsidy?
Yes, once enrollment is complete we can provide an application form for the Affordable Child Care Benefit subsidy provided by the B.C. Ministry of Education and Child Care.
Does my child need to be potty trained?
No. We will not disqualify a child for not being adequately potty trained. We’re willing to help you potty train your child, but there is only so much we can do in 4 hours each day, and so the responsibility of potty training will still rest primarily on the shoulders of parents.
Are you open during the summer?
Yes! While our main curriculum runs from September to June we also have a special Summer Program for July & August with more active and outdoor play activities. The enrollment fees, drop-off and pick-up schedules are the same.
What should I do if my child is feeling ill?
If your child is experiencing flu-like symptoms please help us keep everyone safe and healthy by staying home, and refrain from sending your child to school until they are feeling better.
Are you Montessori?
Our program is not strictly Montessori inspired, but we’re not shy about adopting their best ideas. Montessori education advocates hands-on learning and collaborative play and we strongly support these two approaches. We also discourage traditional testing and grading methods.
We believe our curriculum offers enough variety and stimulation that each child will naturally find what interest them, and we intend to keep tabs on those interests and nurture them as we go.
Are you Reggio Emilia?
We agree with the assumption that a child’s personality is formed in the early years of development, and that every child should be given the opportunity to express their personality through arts, crafts, stories, conversations and music. Every day at Little Monsters Academy will provide the opportunity to learn through a hands on approach. However, unlike Reggio Emilia, it is our belief the teacher should be firmly in control of the classroom. We present a teacher prescribed curriculum rather than a child-led emergent one.
What if I can’t find what I’m looking for at Little Monsters Academy?
We recommend searching the West Coast Child Care Resource Centre vacancy list. It’s updated every Friday afternoon.