Frequently Asked Questions

Currently, our center only offers full-time positions.

Our center has two regular closures; we close the first two weeks of July every year, and we close between Christmas and New Year's. We are also closed for all stat holidays.

Here is the link to our calendar

Once you fill out our waitlist form and pay the $30 registration fee, you will be added to the waitlist.

Getting a space depends on your child's age, the spaces opening up, and the date you added your name to the list. We also prioritize francophone/French-speaking families. As we are the only French childcare center in Lethbridge, we feel that it is important for us to offer our services to the francophone community. However, we do welcome all families to attend our center.

Once a space is available for your child, you will be contacted, and we will discuss a start date and some transition visits with you and your child and get your family ready to start.

Yes! We are a licenced and approved center; we accept subsidized families and are a part of the affordability grant program.

The first day is exciting! We will provide you with a list of everything you will need, and you can bring these items during transition visits so that you don't have to worry about all that on the first day your little one stays alone.

You will need to bring;

• a water bottle (we will wash this daily at the center)

• a blanket and stuffed animal for nap time (we will also wash these weekly)

• a change of clothes

• diapers/wipes if needed

• lunch and afternoon snack daily in a lunch bag with an icepack (morning snack is provided).

• everything needed to be outside depending on the weather (coats, toques, mittens, sunhat, boots, etc.)

• sunscreen

Currently, our daycare centre is not nut-free. However, if we were to have a child in the center with nut allergies, then we would make changes to accommodate.

Allergies can be scary. We work closely with families who have children with allergies to make sure that everyone in the center is on the same page and is aware of any allergies within the center. We would accommodate any allergies with the morning snack we provide, and if parents would rather bring their own snacks for the morning, we can make that work as well.

In dealing with allergies, we really try to work with the families and see what makes them comfortable.

Our fees are currently:

• 12 months - 18 months: $1013

• 19 months - 3 years: $909

• 3 years - 5 years: $878

These are our total fees before the affordability grant and subsidy.

Our center currently uses the Seesaw app to communicate with parents. Seesaw is an app that allows us to send updates and pictures to parents throughout the day.

We also have an open-door policy; parents can come to the centre anytime. Parents are encouraged to come a few minutes early if they wish to speak to their child's educator at drop-off or pick-up times.

Creating a space for open communication between families and educators benefits the families and the children.

At our centre, we have a routine outline for the day; we stick to it fairly regularly but try to be flexible with the children as well.

The basic outline of our daily routine is:

7:30

• Daycare opens, children start to arrive

• Open play

9:00

• Morning snack

• Outdoor play

11:00

• Lunch

• Reading

12:00-2:00

• Nap (1:00-2:00 for older class)

• Open Play

3:00

• Snack

5:00

• Daycare closes, children have all gone home.

La Garderie CREFL provides morning snacks for all the children; parents are required to send lunch and afternoon snacks in a lunch bag with an icepack each day.

Anyone can register their child at La Garderie CREFL; however, as the only French-speaking childcare center, we prioritize francophone families.

Our centre accepts children starting at 12 months and going up to 5 years old.

We have outdoor time daily unless we cannot due to weather, air quality, etc.

If we cannot go outside, we do have access to the events hall in the community centre, which we use as a gym with the children so that they can still have quality gross motor play during the day.

We ask parents to ensure that their children have everything needed to spend time outside daily.