Play-Based Early Learning in Coquitlam, done the way kids under five actually pick things up. Circle time, storytelling, counting and sorting games, arts and crafts, music and movement. No tablets, no worksheets, no drilling flashcards.
Love Kids has been running licensed play-based programming for over 16 years in Coquitlam. Every caregiver holds their ECE certification, we cap the group at seven kids, and we plan every week off the BC Early Learning Framework. That's the same framework licensed programs across the province follow. The difference is what we do inside it.
Right now we're enrolling ages 3 and up for September. Under-3 spots are full and on a waitlist. If your child is younger, call (604) 338-8020 and we'll add you. As soon as a spot opens we call the waitlist in order.
What a Play-Based Day at Love Kids Looks Like
Kids do better when they know what's coming next. A predictable rhythm is what lets them relax and actually engage with the day. Here's how a play-based day runs at our Coquitlam daycare:
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 7:30 am to 8:30 am | Arrival and open play, kids settle in with familiar toys, reconnect with friends, and choose a starting activity |
| 8:30 am to 9:00 am | Morning snack together as a group, practicing table manners, taking turns talking, real conversation |
| 9:00 am to 9:30 am | Circle time, calendar, weather, a story read aloud, a song, and the theme of the day introduced |
| 9:30 am to 10:30 am | Learning stations, hands-on counting, sorting, letter tracing, sensory bins, or a themed art or building activity |
| 10:30 am to 11:30 am | Outdoor time, gross motor play, nature exploration, running and climbing, rain or shine with proper gear |
| 11:30 am to 12:15 pm | Lunch, a calm shared meal, kids help set up and tidy after |
| 12:15 pm to 2:30 pm | Quiet rest, younger kids nap, older kids do quiet books, drawing, or puzzles |
| 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm | Music and movement, dramatic play, or another outdoor block depending on weather |
| 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm | Afternoon snack, free play, pack up, caregivers share the day's highlights with parents at pickup |
The order stays the same every day. Themes and materials change every week so kids stay curious. Same rhythm, fresh content.
The Play-Based Building Blocks We Use
Circle time
Every day starts with circle. We do the calendar, name the weather, sing a song, read a story, and set up the theme of the day. Circle time builds three things at once: attention span, group listening, and the confidence to speak up in a small group. Kindergarten teachers at nearby SD43 schools tell us these are the skills that separate a smooth September from a rough one.
Storytelling and early literacy
We read aloud every day. Multiple books, different voices, real questions after. Kids point out letters they know, predict what happens next, and act out favourite stories with props. This is how a three year old moves from listening to reading. Not flashcards. Books they love, read to them by a person they trust.
Counting and sorting games
Math for under-fives is not worksheets. It's counting the buttons on the sorting tray, matching shapes to their outlines, one-to-one pairing of socks and shoes, comparing which pile is bigger. That's number sense. It's what makes kindergarten math click later on.
Arts and crafts
Paint, glue, scissors, tearing paper, threading beads. Every one of those is fine motor work in disguise. A child who can hold scissors well at four is holding a pencil well at five. We do a themed art project most days plus a permanent art table for whenever a child wants to sit down and make something.
Music and movement
We sing every day. Group songs with actions, rhythm sticks, marching, freeze dance. Music is how young kids get language, sequencing, and rhythm all in one activity. Movement burns the energy that lets them focus at the next quiet block.
Sensory and outdoor play
Sand, water, rice bins, playdough. Outside, we get out to the yard and to the River Springs and Coquitlam River trails when weather works. Sensory play regulates young nervous systems, and outdoor time is where risk-appropriate physical challenge happens: climbing, balancing, running.
Why Coquitlam Parents Choose Our Play-Based Program
ECE-certified caregivers, not "aides"
ECE stands for Early Childhood Education. In BC that's a post-secondary program, a criminal record check, first aid certification, and ongoing training. It's not a weekend workshop. Every caregiver at Love Kids holds their ECE licence. Several also hold the Infant Toddler specialization, so our team has trained on the whole developmental arc from baby to school-ready five year old.
Over 16 years in Coquitlam
We opened in 2009. Families whose oldest went through our program are now bringing us their youngest. That kind of run tells you more than any brochure could. Ask around Eagle Ridge, Oxford Heights, and Chineside and you'll hear our name from someone.
Group capped at seven
BC licensing allows more preschoolers per ECE than we take. We stay at seven kids on purpose. Fewer children means every child gets talked to by name every day. It means the caregiver knows what your kid ate, how they slept, and what they're working through. That's the whole product.
One caregiver, all the way to kindergarten
Big centres rotate staff. Kids get shuffled from an infant room to a toddler room to a preschool room, each with a new team. At Love Kids, the same caregiver stays with your child from enrolment right up to kindergarten. That continuity is huge for a young child's sense of safety, and it's why kids here are so quick to bond.
How Play-Based Learning Builds Kindergarten Readiness
Ask any SD43 kindergarten teacher what they want in a new student and the list is short. Sit for a story. Take turns. Follow a two-step instruction. Recognize their name in print. Hold a pencil. Use scissors. Ask for help when they need it. Manage the bathroom on their own. Get along in a group of about twenty kids.
Every one of those lives inside our play-based day. Circle time builds attention. Sharing at snack builds turn-taking. Counting games build number sense. Art builds fine motor. Storytelling builds print awareness. Group activities build social confidence. By the time your child starts kindergarten, they've been rehearsing school-ready behaviour every day for a year or two, without ever sitting at a desk.
If you want the more structured pre-K style approach, take a look at our preschool program. It's the same base with more academic-readiness time built in. Either program covers the readiness bases well.
Fees, Subsidies, and What's Included
Love Kids is a monthly-fee program. You pay a flat monthly rate for the days per week you're enrolled. There's no per-activity charge, no per-craft charge, no separate materials fee. Snacks, art supplies, and all the play-based programming are included.
British Columbia families can reduce that fee by a large margin through two programs. The Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative (CCFRI) lowers the monthly rate automatically because we're a participating provider. On top of CCFRI, the Affordable Child Care Benefit (ACCB) can add per-child monthly reductions depending on household income. Many Coquitlam families qualify for one or both. Call and we'll walk you through the application. It's straightforward.
Curious about how subsidy plays out for your family? Our subsidized child care page has the details.
Nine things Coquitlam parents should know about play-based early learning
These come from sixteen years of running a play-based program in Coquitlam, the questions we answer on every single tour.
- Ask to see the weekly plan. A real play-based program has a written plan tied to the BC Early Learning Framework. Ask what themes are running this week and next. If there's no plan, the play is not the point, the babysitting is.
- Watch how staff talk to kids at eye level. On your tour, count how often a caregiver squats or sits down to be at the child's eye height. That one habit predicts the daily experience better than any facility upgrade.
- Screen time in the day is a red flag. Kids under five learn best from real people and real objects. If a program uses tablets to keep the group quiet, ask why. Ours is a screen-free day.
- Fine motor comes from real work. Scissors, glue, threading, tearing, playdough. If a program leans hard on tracing sheets, ask what else they do. Muscles build from three-dimensional tools, not lines on paper.
- Group size matters more than facility size. A shiny gym with fifteen kids in it is worse than a modest room with six. Ask the actual ratio, and ask what happens when someone needs the bathroom.
- Outdoor gear is not optional in Coquitlam. Puddle season runs October to May. Splash pants, rain boots, a warm jacket, and mitts on a clip live in every cubby. Kids who are dressed for weather love the outdoors.
- Shift the home rhythm two weeks early. Start moving your child's nap and mealtimes toward the program's schedule two weeks before day one. The first month is far smoother.
- Ask how the program bridges to kindergarten. Does it run a spring session to walk kids through what school looks like? Does it read school-themed books, practice line-ups, and talk about the change? These small habits matter in September.
- Fraser Health inspection reports are public. Look up any licensed Coquitlam program online and read the last two inspection reports before your tour. Ask about anything flagged. A confident provider will walk you through what was found and what changed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is play-based early learning?
Play-based early learning is exactly what it sounds like. Kids learn through play, not worksheets. That means circle time, storytelling, counting and sorting games, arts and crafts, music, and movement. It follows the BC Early Learning Framework, which is what licensed programs across the province use. Research keeps landing in the same place: children under five learn faster and remember more when learning is built into play, not layered on top of it.
Is your program screen-free?
Yes. No tablets, no TV, no screen time as part of the day. If a special activity ever calls for a short video clip, we tell parents in advance. Kids under five learn best from real people, real objects, and real conversation. Our days are built around that.
How does play-based learning prepare my child for kindergarten?
Kindergarten teachers in SD43 tell us the same thing every year. They want children who can sit for a story, take turns, hold a pencil, use scissors, and follow a two-step instruction. Every one of those skills lives inside our play-based day. Counting games build number sense. Circle time builds attention. Arts and crafts build fine motor. It all shows up as school readiness.
What ages is this program for?
Our play-based early learning program runs for ages 3 to 5. Under-3 spots are on a waitlist right now, so if you have a younger child, call and we'll add you. We stay in touch as spots open. Ages 3 and up are enrolling for September.
Is this a licensed program?
Yes. We're licensed by Fraser Health under the BC Child Care Licensing Regulation. Fraser Health inspects us on a regular schedule and the reports are public. We follow the BC Early Learning Framework in daily planning, and every caregiver holds their ECE certification.
How many children are in the group?
We cap our group at seven children. BC licensing allows more than that, so we're well under the maximum by choice. Fewer kids per caregiver means more attention, more real conversation, and less noise. It's the single biggest thing that changes a day for a three or four year old.
Do you follow the BC Early Learning Framework?
Yes. The BC Early Learning Framework is the provincial guide for programs serving kids from birth to age eight. It's built around real play, strong relationships, and inclusive learning. Our weekly plans reference it directly, and we can walk you through it on a tour if you want to see how it shapes a day.
What does a play-based day actually include?
A typical day has circle time first thing, then a themed learning station like counting, letters, or sorting, then outdoor play, lunch, quiet rest, an arts or music block, and afternoon free play. The rhythm is consistent every day. The themes and materials change constantly so kids stay curious.
How do I enroll or tour?
Call (604) 338-8020 or email lovekidsdaycare@outlook.com and we'll set up a tour. You'll see the space, meet the caregiver your child would be with, and ask anything you want. If it's a fit, we go through paperwork together. We're at 3007 Pasture Cir in Coquitlam, close to Lougheed and the SD43 catchments. Ages 3 and up are enrolling now.
Ready to Book a Free Tour?
Come see the space, meet the caregiver, and watch a real play-based day in action. We're at 3007 Pasture Cir, Coquitlam, BC V3C 2C3. Call (604) 338-8020 or email lovekidsdaycare@outlook.com. Ages 3 and up are enrolling for September. Under-3 spots are waitlist only.