If you have more than one kid, you already know the juggle. A baby and a toddler. A toddler and a preschooler. Two different drop-offs, two different routines, two different pickups, all before 8:30am. It's a lot.
Family daycare in Coquitlam at Love Kids was built for exactly this. Your kids come together, stay together all day, and go home together. One drop-off. One set of staff who know your whole family. Done.
But here's what surprised a lot of Coquitlam moms when they found us: the mixed-age setup isn't just convenient. It's actually better for your kids developmentally. And there's solid research behind that.
What family daycare actually looks like
It's warm and home-like, but it's not a home daycare. Love Kids is a fully licensed facility with qualified ECE staff and a real program. The difference is the feel. Smaller groups, familiar faces, consistent routines. Your child isn't one of 25 kids in a big centre room. They're known here.
Kids range from infants to school age, all in the same group. Older kids naturally drift toward project-based activities. Younger ones explore at their own pace, with older peers nearby as informal guides. Our educators weave through it all, but the environment itself does a lot of the teaching.
Why mixed ages are good for kids
Siblings stay together
Your kids have each other during the day. A familiar face at lunch. A built-in source of comfort when things feel hard. For your younger child especially, having a sibling nearby makes the transition to daycare much easier. For you, the logistics simplify immediately.
Older kids become leaders
When an older child is around younger ones regularly, something shifts. They stop being passive and start being helpers, role models, teachers. Patience and empathy grow naturally because the environment creates the opportunity. These are the skills that show up years later in school and friendships.
Younger kids learn faster
Toddlers in mixed-age groups consistently show stronger language and social development. Not because they're pushed harder, but because they're surrounded by more capable kids all day. Watching a five-year-old negotiate or tell a story is a constant, natural lesson. Seeing another child do something makes it feel possible to try.
Your child is actually known here
Smaller groups mean our staff genuinely know each child. Their quirks, their fears, their favourite story, what kind of morning they're having. That level of knowing is hard to get in a room of 20-plus kids sorted by birthday. Here, your child has a name and a personality, and everyone in the room knows both.
Family daycare vs centre daycare: what's the difference
| Feature | Family Daycare (Love Kids) | Typical Centre Daycare |
|---|---|---|
| Group size | Small, intentionally capped for a home-like feel | Often 15 to 25+ children per room |
| Age mix | Mixed ages together, infants through school age | Strictly separated by age into different rooms |
| Siblings | Siblings can be in the same group | Siblings are typically split into different rooms |
| Atmosphere | Warm, home-like, consistent familiar adults | More institutional, staff may rotate between rooms |
| Staff ratio | Lower ratio, more one-on-one attention | Higher ratio, especially in larger rooms |
| Licensing | Licensed under BC's Child Care Licensing Regulation | Licensed under BC's Child Care Licensing Regulation |
How a typical day works at Love Kids
Mornings start with everyone together. Mixed-age free play, circle time, and creative activities set the tone. Older kids move toward project work while younger ones explore at their pace, with older peers nearby as natural guides.
Mid-morning we break into smaller age-focused groups. Infants get sensory and movement time. Toddlers work on fine motor skills. Preschool-aged kids do early literacy and numeracy in short, focused sessions. Just enough structure to build real skills, loose enough to follow kids' curiosity.
Shared meals and outdoor time bring everyone back together. The lunch table is honestly one of the best parts of the day. Kids talk, help each other open containers, and have the kind of back-and-forth conversations that are almost impossible to teach directly. Outside, mixed-age games form naturally and challenge everyone at their own level.
Every staff member at Love Kids knows every child by name, by temperament, and by what they need on a hard day. That's not an accident. It happens because our groups stay small and our people stay consistent. You can also explore our pages on infant care, toddler care, and our preschool program if you want more detail on a specific age group.
Frequently Asked Questions
What ages are in the same family daycare group?
Our groups span infants through school age. The exact mix shifts based on enrollment, but the goal is always a genuine range where older and younger kids interact every day. That age spread is what makes the model work. A room of all three-year-olds is a very different place than one where a toddler gets to watch a six-year-old read a book out loud.
Can both my kids attend even if they're different ages?
Yes, that's actually one of the core reasons families choose us. Siblings come as part of the same group. One drop-off, one pickup, and the real comfort of having a brother or sister nearby all day. A lot of moms tell us this alone made the transition much easier for their younger child.
Is family daycare licensed in BC?
Yes. Love Kids operates under BC's Child Care Licensing Regulation. That covers health, safety, staff qualifications, ratios, and programming standards. Our license is current and available to review. Licensed care also makes you eligible for BC's ChildCareBC subsidy, which can reduce your monthly costs depending on your family's income.
What's the difference between this and a home daycare?
Home daycares run out of someone's house, often with one caregiver and sometimes without a license. Love Kids is a dedicated childcare facility with multiple qualified ECE staff, a structured program, and full provincial licensing. You get the warm, home-like feel without giving up the oversight and accountability that come with a properly licensed program.
How many kids are in the group at once?
We keep our groups intentionally small. BC licensing sets ratio and group size requirements based on the ages of children in care, and we stay well within those limits. We'll give you the current specifics when you come in for a tour, since it shifts based on the age mix at any given time. The short answer: your child will be genuinely known here, not just supervised.
How do I get started?
Call us at 604-338-8020 or use the contact form on our homepage. We'll set up a tour so you can see the space, meet the staff, and ask every question you have. From there we walk you through availability and next steps. No pressure, just an honest conversation about whether we're the right fit for your family.