Pre-School Daycare in Coquitlam is a full-day licensed program that puts real preschool learning inside a working parent's schedule. Kids ages 3 to 5 get the BC Early Learning Framework curriculum in the morning, then keep going with lunch, rest, and afternoon activities until 5:30 pm. Same predictable rhythm, same ECE-certified team, one honest monthly fee.
A standalone preschool usually runs about 2.5 hours a morning, then closes. That's a fine option if one parent is home by noon. If both parents work a full shift, pre-school daycare is what you actually need. Same learning goals, same play-based method, wrapped in a full day of licensed care. No juggling a second afternoon provider, no rushing across the Lougheed corridor at lunch.
We've run this program from our home on Pasture Cir for over 16 years. Same address, same owner-operator, same daily rhythm. Families in Coquitlam, River Springs, and the wider Tri-Cities keep coming back, and often send younger siblings once their older one starts.
How Pre-School Daycare Works Here
Kids do better when they know what's coming next. A predictable day means calm kids, and calm kids actually learn. Here's the rhythm we run every day for our preschool-age group in Coquitlam:
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 7:30 am to 8:30 am | Arrival and free play. Kids choose activities, reconnect with peers, and settle in with a familiar caregiver. |
| 8:30 am to 9:00 am | Morning snack together. Table manners, taking turns, real conversation. |
| 9:00 am to 10:30 am | Circle time and structured preschool block. Songs, storytime, letters and sounds, counting, sensory bins. |
| 10:30 am to 11:30 am | Outdoor time in the yard. Gross motor play, weather-appropriate gear, rain or shine. |
| 11:30 am to 12:15 pm | Lunch as a group. Warm balanced meal. Kids help tidy up and move calmly into rest. |
| 12:15 pm to 2:30 pm | Rest and quiet time. Nappers sleep on their own mat. Non-nappers do quiet independent activities. |
| 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm | Afternoon block. Dramatic play, building, art, or a second outdoor session if the weather cooperates. |
| 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm | Afternoon snack and pickup. Belongings gathered, day recap for parents at the door. |
The clock stays the same. The content rotates. New books, fresh art projects, a new sensory theme every couple of weeks. Consistency for the child, novelty for the brain.
What Preschool Learning Actually Looks Like
BC Early Learning Framework, delivered through play
Every activity maps back to the BC Early Learning Framework, the document SD43 kindergarten teachers use as their upstream reference. Play is the delivery method. A sorting game builds early math. A block tower teaches physics and turn-taking. Storytime builds vocabulary and listening. Our ECE team plans the week around real learning goals, then delivers them through hands-on activities. You won't see worksheets or flashcards. You'll see engaged kids and a caregiver on the floor with them.
Letters, sounds, and early literacy
By the time a Love Kids child leaves for kindergarten, they recognize their name in print, know most letter sounds, and have real experience with books. We read out loud every day. We label the classroom in print. We spell names during art. Nothing forced, everything repeated. Letters land through exposure, not drills.
Counting, sorting, and early math
Math shows up in snack cups, block towers, and sensory bins. Count the crackers. Sort the beads by colour. Compare two towers, which is taller. Kids leave us counting past twenty, recognizing basic shapes, and understanding one-to-one correspondence. That's the foundation SD43 kindergarten builds on.
Self-regulation and social skills
The single biggest predictor of a smooth kindergarten start is self-regulation. Can your child wait in line, take a turn, listen to a two-step instruction, and recover when a friend takes the red truck. Group preschool care is where that skill is built. Not at home. Not with a tablet. In a small group of peers, with a caregiver modelling the words and steps a hundred times a week.
Why Coquitlam Parents Choose Our Pre-School Daycare
Full day, not half day
Most preschools tap out at noon. Ours doesn't. If both parents work a full shift, or one parent works odd hours, half-day preschool creates a childcare gap you have to plug with a second provider. Our pre-school daycare closes that gap. Same building, same caregivers, same daily routine, straight through to 5:30 pm.
Small licensed group, capped at 8
BC licensing caps a preschool group at 8 children per ECE. We stay at or under that cap on purpose. Larger centres run bigger rooms because the economics work better for them. We keep it small because the kids do better. Your child gets known, gets seen, and gets real one-on-one time inside the group setting.
ECE-certified staff, every seat
Every caregiver at Love Kids holds a valid Early Childhood Educator certification from the BC ECE Registry. Completed post-secondary training, cleared criminal record check, current first aid, ongoing professional development. When you leave your child with an ECE, you're leaving them with someone who has genuinely studied how a 3-year-old brain works.
Real Coquitlam location, real yard
We're at 3007 Pasture Cir in Coquitlam, minutes from the Lougheed corridor and easy to reach from Oxford Heights, Mary Hill, Chineside, and Ranch Park. Not a strip-mall storefront. A real home with a real yard, fencing, and the kind of outdoor space kids need for daily gross motor play.
Full-Time and Part-Time Options
Pre-school daycare works because it flexes to real families. Full-time runs Monday to Friday, 7:30 am to 5:30 pm, and covers the standard two-parent working week. Part-time options run set days each week, subject to availability. Shift-working parents, part-time returners, and families with one flexible schedule all fit into the program.
Whichever tier you pick, the day is the same. Same caregivers, same rhythm, same BC Early Learning Framework curriculum. A part-time child gets the full preschool experience on the days they attend, just at a lower monthly fee. Ask about the exact days you need when you book a tour.
Fees, Subsidies, and What's Included
Pre-school daycare at Love Kids is billed monthly, not per-day. One honest monthly fee covers your child's spot Monday to Friday, 7:30 am to 5:30 pm, snacks, structured preschool programming, outdoor play, rest time, and daily communication with parents. You pack lunch and outdoor gear. We handle the rest.
Two provincial reductions apply to most families and come straight off the monthly fee. The Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative (CCFRI) is automatic, we apply the reduction for you, no separate application. The Affordable Child Care Benefit (ACCB) is income-based and requires a family application through the Province of BC. Together they knock a significant amount off the monthly fee, and for many families cover the majority of it.
We walk parents through both reductions on the tour. We do it every week, and we'd rather help you claim what you're owed than watch families pay full sticker. Some families in our subsidized child care program pay very little out of pocket once both reductions stack.
Nine things Coquitlam parents should know about pre-school daycare
Sixteen years of running a licensed preschool program in Coquitlam, these are the things we find ourselves saying on nearly every tour.
- Half-day preschool leaves a big afternoon gap. A standalone preschool usually closes by noon. If both parents work full days, plan for a second provider or pick a pre-school daycare that runs the full day.
- Ask what "preschool" actually means at each program. Some centres call any room with 3-year-olds a preschool. Real preschool means BC Early Learning Framework curriculum, ECE-certified staff, and a written weekly plan you can look at.
- Look up the Fraser Health inspection reports. Every licensed program in BC has a public inspection history. Search the facility name and read the last two reports before you book a tour.
- Book your tour at pickup, not mid-morning. Between 4:30 and 5:30 pm you see tired kids, real staff patience, and how the day actually ends. A calm pickup hour tells you more than any brochure.
- Apply for ACCB before you start. The Province application takes a few weeks. Start it the day you enrol and your first month's invoice usually reflects the reduction.
- Time your enrollment to SD43 kindergarten registration. School District 43 registration for September opens in the winter. A full year of pre-school daycare before that date gives your child a real kindergarten runway.
- Pack two full changes of clothes, not one. Coquitlam puddle season runs October to May. Boots, splash pants, and a spare hoodie live in your kid's cubby from the first rainy Tuesday onward.
- Shift the nap window two weeks early. Group programs usually rest from 12:15 to 2:30 pm. Nudging home nap toward that window before day one saves the first month.
- Meet the caregiver before you sign. Your child will spend more waking hours with this person than with you. A five-minute conversation on your tour, watching how they get down to eye level with the kids, is worth more than any glossy website.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is pre-school daycare and how is it different from a standalone preschool?
Pre-school daycare is a full-day licensed program that blends structured preschool learning with wrap-around care. A standalone preschool usually runs 2.5 to 3 hours a morning, then closes, which doesn't work for parents who work a full shift. Pre-school daycare delivers the same BC Early Learning Framework curriculum, then keeps caring for your child through lunch, rest, and afternoon activities until 5:30 pm.
What ages do you accept in pre-school daycare?
Ages 3 to 5. That's the standard BC preschool age band. Our infant and toddler spots are full, all three licensed under-3 spaces are taken, and we're running a waitlist for under-3 care. Call (604) 338-8020 to be added and we'll call the moment a spot opens.
Do you offer full-time and part-time pre-school daycare?
Yes. Full-time is Monday to Friday, 7:30 am to 5:30 pm. Part-time options include set days per week, subject to availability. Shift-working parents and part-time schedules are common in the Tri-Cities and we build around them. Ask about current openings for the days you actually need.
Is your pre-school daycare licensed in BC?
Yes. Love Kids is fully licensed under the BC Child Care Licensing Regulation and inspected by Fraser Health. Our public inspection reports are searchable on the Fraser Health website. Licensing sets the floor on staff ratios, ECE qualifications, food safety, and emergency planning. We treat it as a starting line.
What curriculum do you use?
The BC Early Learning Framework, the same document School District 43 kindergarten teachers use as their upstream reference. Play is the delivery method. Letters, sounds, counting, sorting, scissor grip, name recognition, self-regulation, and turn-taking all show up through games and hands-on activities. You won't see worksheets. You'll see engaged kids and an ECE on the floor with them.
Do you accept CCFRI and the Affordable Child Care Benefit?
Yes. The Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative (CCFRI) is automatic, we apply the reduction on your behalf. The Affordable Child Care Benefit (ACCB) is income-based and requires a Province of BC application. Together they knock a significant amount off the monthly fee for most families. We walk parents through both on the tour.
How does pre-school daycare prep my child for SD43 kindergarten?
By September of their kindergarten year, a Love Kids graduate can follow a two-step instruction, sit for a story, take turns, use scissors safely, recognize their name in print, count past twenty, and manage their own boots and lunch. That's what SD43 kindergarten teachers actually want walking through the door, not flashcard drills.
What are the hours and how does the day flow?
Monday to Friday, 7:30 am to 5:30 pm. Arrival and free play, morning snack, circle time and a structured learning block, outdoor play in our yard, lunch, rest, afternoon activity, snack, and pickup. Same rhythm every day so kids feel grounded. Themes rotate every couple of weeks so nothing goes stale.
How do I book a tour of your pre-school daycare?
Call (604) 338-8020 or email lovekidsdaycare@outlook.com. The best tour slot is between 4:30 and 5:30 pm at pickup, because you see the real end-of-day rhythm and how the ECE team winds kids down. We're at 3007 Pasture Cir in Coquitlam, easy to reach from Ranch Park, Mary Hill, Oxford Heights, and River Springs.