Little Stars opened in July 2016 in the wonderful community of Crestmont. Little Stars is a fully licenced child care program for 34 children ages 19 months to 6 years and is located inside the lower level at the Crestmont Community Centre.

We offer full time and part time care; we also offer care for families that don't have a regular schedule. The nearby communities that our families come from: Valley Ridge, Cougar Ridge, Bowness, Tuscany, Royal Oak, Rocky Ridge, Spingbank, West Springs, and Cochrane.

Monday to Friday 7am to 6pm (except stat holidays)

"Children learn by hands on experiences"

Little Stars believes that children learn best through play and working within a safe and nurturing environment. Our program implements Flight-Alberta's Early Learning and Care Framework along with a touch of Reggio Emilia.

We believe that the whole child needs to be taught, not just parts of the child. We work on holistic play-based goals and following the child's dispositions to learn. We must be mindful to ensure we are meeting the children's needs each and every day.

A child's play becomes his work and should be taken just as seriously as an adult's. By providing a safe environment and a rich variety of activities, we can create a rewarding and valuable learning experience for young children that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. Through Little Stars, we hope to enhance the learning opportunities of children and parents alike. Our program is based on the following goals:

• Children are developing a strong sense of self and that they see themselves as a learner each and every day. We want the children to be confident and involved learners and feel connected to the world around them. We work with the children to build effective communicators and to help them understand and develop a strong sense of well-being.
• Focus on fostering positive peer interactions and socially acceptable behavior at age appropriate levels, and to assist the child in expressing their thoughts and feelings in a manner appropriate to the environment and acceptable to others.
• Staff are required to implement activities designed to stimulate learning, natural curiosity, exploration and discovery. The program is designed to include and respect children and families of all races, cultures and family backgrounds.
• Children are appreciated for their diversity, their challenges, their successes and their tremendous potential. Our image of the child as a strong and mighty learner and citizen is reinforced throughout the day as we interact with the children. The children are strong, capable and resourceful and as we co-learn, co-construct and co-imagine, we open up so many possibilities for the children and ourselves.
• Outdoor time is crucial to the health and well being of the whole child. Our outdoor space is an extension of the indoor classroom. We strive to be outside in favorable weather conditions and can do parts of the program outdoors. Parents are requested to bring their child the proper clothing to be outside.
• We understand that the families are fundamental to our business. With clear communication, parent volunteering and daily reports, we encourage learning at the daycare to continue at home. We build places of vitality by welcoming and inviting children, families and others to participate in the early childhood community. Through this practice of relationships, we show that the children are mighty learners and citizens. Our image of the child is reflected in everything we do at the daycare.