Daily outdoor play at our Coquitlam daycare means kids go outside every single day, and it's built into the schedule the same way lunch is. Coquitlam sees a lot of rain from October through May. If we treated outdoor time as weather-dependent, kids would miss it half the year. That's not how licensed group childcare works in BC, and it's not how young bodies learn.
Our fenced yard sits right at 3007 Pasture Cir, minutes from Ranch Park and easy to reach from River Springs. Open the back door, gear on, out we go. That on-site yard is why outdoor time actually happens every day instead of getting bumped when the schedule tightens.
BC licensing requires daily outdoor play in group programs, and Fraser Health inspects the setup. We go beyond the licensing floor because gross motor movement is how a preschooler builds the body control, attention span, and self-regulation SD43 kindergarten teachers expect this September.
What Daily Outdoor Play Looks Like Here
The clock stays the same. What kids do outside rotates so nothing goes stale. Here's the outdoor rhythm inside our normal day at the Coquitlam program:
| Time | Outdoor Activity |
|---|---|
| 10:30 am to 11:30 am | Morning outdoor block. Running, climbing, ride-on toys, sand and water play in summer, puddle jumping in winter. |
| 11:30 am to 11:45 am | Gear off and hand wash. Boots on the mat, splash pants on the hook, calm walk to lunch. |
| 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm | Afternoon outdoor block when weather cooperates. Gardening, chalk, nature scavenger, group games. |
| Backup indoor plan | Air quality warnings, thunderstorms, or extreme heat above Fraser Health guidance: indoor gross motor obstacle courses, dance blocks, tunnel play. |
Most days kids get 90 minutes to 2 hours of real outdoor time. On dry summer weeks it's closer to 3 hours, split across morning and afternoon. On the wettest Coquitlam Tuesdays we still go out, just for the full morning block only, and follow up with warm dry clothes and quiet indoor play.
How Rain-or-Shine Outdoor Play Actually Works
Coquitlam weather realism
Rain half the year is the Coquitlam reality, not a problem to work around. Kids in Scandinavia and the Netherlands go outside in weather much worse than a Lower Mainland drizzle. The rule at our program is simple. There's no bad weather, only bad gear. If your child arrives with rubber boots, splash pants, a waterproof jacket with a hood, and a change in the cubby, they'll come home tired and happy every day of the year.
The gear list that actually works
We give every family a written gear list on day one. Rubber boots year-round. Waterproof splash pants and rain jacket with a hood October through May. A warm mid-layer November through March. Sun hat and sunscreen May through September. Two full changes of clothes in the cubby, always. Any actually-waterproof outer layer works. We flag missing pieces in the first week rather than sending a child inside on a wet morning.
Fenced yard, checked every morning
The yard is fully fenced with a locked gate. Every morning an ECE walks the perimeter, checks the gate latch, clears debris, and confirms the play surface is safe. Fraser Health inspects the yard as part of our licensing. Sightlines are open so a caregiver can see every child from any spot. Families in Eagle Ridge, Oxford Heights, and Mary Hill drop off knowing the outdoor space is the same trusted setup they've heard about from other parents.
Real weather cut-offs
We only stay in for four things. Lightning within striking distance. Air quality advisories from Environment Canada, common during summer wildfire smoke. Heat warnings above the Fraser Health outdoor-safety threshold, when we shift outdoor time to early morning. Dangerous wind or freezing rain, rare but real. On those days we run gross motor games indoors. We don't stay inside for drizzle.
Why Coquitlam Parents Choose This Program
Sixteen years of outside every day
We've run the same licensed group program on Pasture Cir for over 16 years. Outdoor play has been part of the daily rhythm the whole time. Kids who came through this program show up to SD43 kindergarten already comfortable outside for long stretches, with the stamina and body awareness teachers notice.
ECE-certified caregivers outside with the kids
Every caregiver at Love Kids holds a valid Early Childhood Educator certification from the BC Ministry of Children and Family Development. The same ECE who runs circle time is out in the yard, on the ground, guiding games and catching near-falls. Current first aid and valid criminal record check are baseline.
Small licensed group, capped at 8
BC licensing caps a preschool group at 8 children per ECE. Outside, that ratio matters even more than indoors. A caregiver watching 8 kids can genuinely track every one. We stay small on purpose so outdoor time is a real learning block, not crowd control in rubber boots.
Real yard, not a parking-lot patio
Our outdoor space is a proper backyard. Grass, sand play, ride-on toys, garden beds the kids help tend in spring, and room to actually run. Families in Chineside and Dartmoor pick this program specifically because the outdoor space is real.
Fees, Subsidies, and What's Included
Daily outdoor play is not billed separately. It's part of the monthly group childcare fee, along with snacks, indoor programming, rest time, and daily parent communication. You pack lunch and outdoor gear. We handle the yard, the supervision, and the gear check every morning.
Two BC provincial reductions apply to most families and come straight off the monthly fee. The Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative (CCFRI) is an automatic reduction we apply on your behalf, no family application needed. The Affordable Child Care Benefit (ACCB) is income-based and requires a family application through the Province. If your household qualifies for ACCB, a significant chunk of the monthly fee gets covered, sometimes all of it. Some families in our subsidized child care program pay very little out of pocket once both reductions stack.
We walk every new family through both reductions on their tour. We do this weekly and we'd rather help you claim what you qualify for than watch you pay sticker price.
Nine things Coquitlam parents should know about daily outdoor play
Sixteen years of running the outdoor block in Coquitlam weather, these are the things we find ourselves saying on nearly every tour.
- Ask if the program actually goes outside in the rain. Every daycare website says "outdoor play daily". Ask the tour guide how many days in November they skipped outdoor time last year. A vague answer means it happens less than you think.
- Buy the rain gear before your first day. Rubber boots, splash pants, and a hooded rain jacket. Marks Work Wearhouse, MEC, or Costco all have kid gear that survives a Coquitlam winter. Cotton hoodies and running shoes don't cut it.
- Two full changes of clothes live in the cubby. Coquitlam puddle season runs October to May. One change isn't enough on a bad Tuesday, and pickup with a wet, cold kid is nobody's favourite.
- Check the fence with your own eyes. On your tour, walk the perimeter of the yard. Look for gate latches, gaps under the fence, and whether the caregiver can see the whole space from any spot. If the tour skips the yard, that's your answer.
- Ask about the outdoor-to-indoor ratio for the day. BC licensing sets a floor, not a ceiling. We aim for 90 minutes to 2 hours minimum. Some programs run 30 minutes and call it a day. Big gap.
- Summer needs different gear than winter. Sun hat, sunscreen from home labelled with your child's name, and a water bottle from May through September. Fraser Health flags heat safety once temperatures climb, we shift outdoor time to early morning.
- Air quality days will happen. Coquitlam sees wildfire smoke every summer now. Ask how the program handles poor air quality. We move to indoor gross motor days and keep kids moving without going outside.
- Outdoor play is a kindergarten prep skill. Stamina, body control, following outdoor group rules, and coming back inside to focus on a task. SD43 teachers notice which kids arrived from a program with real outdoor time and which didn't.
- Book your tour to catch the outdoor block. Between 10:30 and 11:30 am you'll see the yard in full use and how the caregiver runs it. A brochure tour at 2 pm shows you an empty yard and a lot of promises.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much outdoor time do children actually get each day?
At least one long outdoor block every morning and a second afternoon block when the weather cooperates. Most days that adds up to 90 minutes to 2 hours of real outdoor time. BC licensing requires daily outdoor play for licensed group programs, and we go beyond the minimum because Coquitlam kids need to move.
Do you really go outside in the rain?
Yes. Coquitlam sees rain roughly half the year, so if we skipped soggy days we would skip most of our program. We go out unless there's lightning, dangerous wind, air quality warnings, or extreme heat above the Fraser Health guideline. Kids come in dressed for weather, we head outside, and everyone comes back happier for it.
What gear does my child need for outdoor play?
Rubber boots, splash pants, a waterproof rain jacket with a hood, a warm layer for cold days, a sun hat and sunscreen for summer, and a full change of clothes in the cubby. Two spare hoodies are smart from October to May. We keep a list at the door and we'll flag anything missing on your first week.
Is your outdoor space fenced and safe?
Yes. Our yard at 3007 Pasture Cir is fully fenced with a gated perimeter, checked every morning before kids go out. Fraser Health inspects our outdoor space as part of our licensed group childcare setup. Sightlines are clear, hazards are removed daily, and an ECE-certified caregiver is with the group the whole time.
What if it's really hot or the air quality is bad?
We follow Fraser Health and Environment Canada guidance. On heat warnings we run outdoor time earlier in the morning, use shade, and top up water more often. On smoke or poor air quality days we stay inside and run indoor gross motor games, obstacle courses, and dance blocks so kids still move.
What ages does daily outdoor play apply to?
Every child in our program goes outside every day. Our licensed spots are enrolling ages 3 and up right now. Under-3 spots are full, all three licensed spaces are taken, and we're operating a waitlist. Call (604) 338-8020 and we'll add you to it.
How does outdoor play tie into kindergarten prep?
SD43 kindergarten teachers want kids who can climb, run, balance, and use their body with control. That's gross motor development, and it's built outside, not at a table. Daily outdoor play in Coquitlam also builds attention, self-regulation, and the ability to come inside and focus on a task, which is exactly what the BC Early Learning Framework asks preschool programs to develop.
Where is your outdoor space located?
We're at 3007 Pasture Cir in Coquitlam, close to Ranch Park and easy to reach from Mary Hill, Oxford Heights, and River Springs. The yard is on-site, so kids don't need to be walked to a park or loaded into a van. Outdoor play is just, open the back door and go.
How do I book a tour to see the outdoor space?
Call (604) 338-8020 or email lovekidsdaycare@outlook.com. Late-morning tours between 10:30 and 11:30 am work well because you'll catch the kids in the yard and see the real outdoor block in action. We'll show you the fence line, gear cubbies, and the daily gear check.