spəqmix
spəqmix (swan), our original building, is located at 1262 Discovery Ave. There are two group childcare programs: An Infant Toddler program (under 36 months) and a 3-5 Program (30 months to school age). Each program has two classrooms.
Philosophy
We believe every family has the right to quality programs that provide parents/guardians with the security and knowledge that their child is in a nurturing and safe environment. We believe that parents are the most important people in a child’s life, so we are attentive to the values, concerns, and goals each family has for their child.
A child’s learning and development occur naturally through play in an environment that supports their curiosity and desire to explore. By following the child’s lead, we can provide open-ended exploratory opportunities that encourage further development and understanding of themselves and the world around them.
Each child’s development is unique, and when we consider a child in a holistic manner (including rate of development, temperament, personality, and multiple types of intelligence), we improve our ability to better understand and meet the needs of each child. Consistency of care provides the security and trust each child needs to develop positive attachments. Each child has the right to have their needs met in a respectful and responsive manner.
Infant Toddler
Our Infant Toddler Program focuses on providing warm, responsive child care, supported by a primary caregiver role.
Quick Facts
- Age group: from 8 months to 36 months
- Two classrooms: one with a maximum of 8 children and one with a maximum of 12 children
- Child-to-staff ratio: 4 children to 1 educator
- Food: All meals and snacks provided by families
- Hours: 7:30 am – 5:30 pm
The program offers flexible schedules, experiences, and materials to support the rapid developmental changes children undergo in their first three years. We meet children’s sleep and feeding needs and provide environments that foster language, cognitive, motor, and social skill development. Our environment connects children to nature, both indoors and outdoors. Each day includes indoor and outdoor play, small group activities, and routines like snack time, nap time, and diaper changes, along with language and music activities.
We use a Primary Caregiver Approach to build strong, trusting relationships between children, families, and educators. Each group of four children has a dedicated primary caregiver who handles daily care, including mealtimes, diaper changes, and toileting. The caregiver also communicates daily with parents about their child’s progress. A Senior Educator oversees the classroom to ensure a well-managed environment.
Legislative requirements
All of our settings meet or exceed legislative requirements for licensed care.
Child-to-staff ratio
- 1 to 4 children: 1 Infant Toddler Educator
- 5 to 8 children: 1 Infant Toddler Educator and 1 Early Childhood Educator
- 9 to 12 children: 1 Infant Toddler Educator, 1 Early Childhood Educator and 1 Early Childhood Educator Assistant
Staff qualifications
- Infant Toddler Educator Certificate (approximately 1,300 hours of training)
- Early Childhood Educator Certificate (approximately 900 hours of training)
- Early Childhood Educator Assistant Certificate (completed one early childhood education course)
3-5 Program
Our program fosters learning by emphasizing opportunities for negotiation with others, problem-solving, exploring curiosities, engaging with materials, and expressing creativity.
Quick Facts
- Age group: 30 months to school age (Kindergarten)
- Two classrooms: one with up to eight children, one with up to 25 children
- Child-to-staff ratio: 8 children to 1 educator
- Food: All meals and snacks provided by families
- Hours: 7:30 am – 5:30 pm
The British Columbia Early Learning Framework shapes the curriculum for all UBC Okanagan Child Care programs, including the 3-5 centres. This framework highlights the importance of relationships, flexible environments, and play in children’s learning. It also outlines four key areas of early learning: well-being and belonging, exploration and creativity, languages and literacies, and social responsibility and diversity. Early childhood educators base their curricular choices on the goals within these areas.
In our 3-5 program, each group of eight children is assigned a primary caregiver (Educator). We have four primary caregivers who rotate among the four groups, ensuring that every child forms meaningful connections with multiple educators. This rotation fosters a sense of security while allowing educators to gain a well-rounded understanding of each child’s individual needs, interests, and developmental milestones. The primary caregivers keep families informed with regular updates and personalized feedback. A Senior Educator oversees the classroom to ensure a well-managed environment.
Legislative requirements
All of our settings meet or exceed legislative requirements for licensed care.
Child-to-staff ratio
- 1 to 8 children: 1 Early Childhood Educator
- 6 to 16 children: 1 Early Childhood Educator, 1 Early Childhood Educator Assistant
- 17 to 25 children: 1 Early Childhood Educator, 2 Early Childhood Educator Assistants
Staff qualifications
- Early Childhood Educator Certificate (approximately 900 hours of training)
- Early Childhood Educator Assistant Certificate (completed one early childhood education course)