Cariboo Child Care Society (CCCS) practices a play based emergent curriculum. Our programming is based on the belief and understanding that young children learn and develop all their skills (large and fine motor, communication and language, cognitive, and social and emotional) through play, experimentation, risk taking, and real-life experiences. These important life skills develop in a caring, loving and supporting environment.
CCCS aims to focus on natural learning materials. We often refer to our ‘toys’ as ‘loose parts; loose parts are objects of various colours, shapes, textures, sizes, etc. with no predetermined use or outcome. The use of loose parts as learning materials fosters imaginative play and provides limitless exploration.
All educators at Cariboo Child Care and Beyond the Bell use the environment to plan purposeful and meaningful play for the children. Each program changes the environment and materials they offer based on the educator’s observations of the children, their interests and needs.
The core values of the educators working at CCCS are Belonging, Play, Respect, and Competence. These values inform the decisions that are made each day. Healthy attachment is established between educators and children through a sense of belonging and relationship building. Each child’s ability to learn, grow and develop will naturally happen once attachments are formed
A few unique things about Cariboo Child Care Society
Acknowledging vs Celebrating Holidays
At CCCS we don’t celebrate Halloween, Valentines Day, Christmas or other calendar events. However, we do acknowledge them. Our hope is to make each day as normal as possible for the children in our care. We believe that when children are rested and cared for in a predictable and safe environment without being over stimulated, they are better able to cope when celebrating with their families.
Premade holiday crafts are not provided, but, if a child is interested in making something special for someone (any day of the year) we encourage them. Educators support children by writing what the child would like to say, if needed, as well as provide them with any materials they might want. Typically, it is after the actual holiday that children’s play and interests reflect what they have experienced. For example, young children love to play Santa and gift giving in January because they more clearly understand the concept. To honor that learning, we do not set Christmas displays up in December only to take them down in January.
All CCCS planning is emergent; based on the children’s current interests. Children have long days in care, or long days in school followed by care. By respecting routines in our centers, the children have a more balanced day.
Developmentally Appropriate Early Literacy
In our daycare, educators are often asked, “Where is the alphabet posted? How do the children learn to read and write here?”
In our centers we create a literacy rich environment by providing authentic literacy opportunities embedded in everyday activities. A few examples of these are, labelling storage containers, each child having a lunch ticket with their name on, writing words as requested by children on their art work, reading books, listening to stories told by the children, reading signs when on field trips, researching topics that interest the children and documenting developments in projects through multiple media (photographs, words, charts etc.). Literacy rich environments are carefully planned and implemented by the educators in every program. Educators are trained to scaffold a child’s efforts and extend their interests through play providing them with the foundation needed to begin a life long passion for curiosity and a love of reading and writing.
Supporting Early Childhood Education and other TRU students.
CCCS is a practicum site for Thompson Rivers University (TRU) Early Childhood Education program. The centre models and maintains best practice childcare philosophies and techniques. Current TRU ECE students come to our centre to observe and participate in both the 3-5 and infant programs as students work to achieve the basic ECE certificate and ECE diploma in infant and special needs care.
We also support students in other programs such as nursing, social work and the Education and Skills Training Program.