Services

Garderie les Diamants de Somerled is a private Montreal daycare facility dedicated to the care of your children. While we are not a home, or family, based daycare, the children in our care, as well as their families, are considered to be our extended family, and are always made to feel at home. Parents are invited to visit the daycare whenever they wish, to call throughout the day to see how their precious bundles are tackling the day. We are always open to discuss any and all matters of interest to your children. We are not a subsidized daycare, however tax credits and benefits are granted by Revenue Quebec.

The educational programs are differentiated between the age groups. The children in our care are divided into the nursery (under 18 months old), the 18 month old classroom, the two year old classroom, the three year old classroom and the four year old, or preschool, classroom. Each age group provides developmentally appropriate programming to help the children develop their language, gross and fine motor, social, emotional and cognitive skills. Children’s current skill level and abilities, as well as interest determine each week’s curriculum planning session. Activities are geared to both meet and challenge these abilities, as well as to help children meet the program, and personal, goals and objectives.

Alongside educator guided activities, play is an integral part of our curriculum. Play is an essential part of how children discover the world around them, how they learn about their environment, and how to understand and control it. Educators plan play based activities, as well as allowing children ample time to engage in free play. During free play, educators are able to observe children’s skills, as well as where their interests lie, and are therefore able to tailor activities, as well as materials, to those skills and interests.

Weather permitting, we spend time outdoors every day. In the summer, educators take advantage of local parks, as well as the public pool for the older children, spending as much time outdoors as possible. In the winter, we go for walks, and on nicer days spend time playing in the snow. All our outdoor activities help the children to develop their gross motor skills by engaging in walking, climbing, sliding and swinging. We also use these outdoor activities to help the children learn more about the world around them, engaging them with discoveries on our walks, helping them develop both their cognitive and language skills. When weather does not permit us to go outside, the daycare also has a gymnasium where indoor activities can be planned.

All snacks and meals are provided by the daycare. All are planned according to Canada’s Food Guide and incorporate all four food groups. Morning snack is fresh fruit, lunch includes a vegetable, milk, protein, grain, and fruit for dessert. Afternoon snack is more of a “treat” and varies by day. Some examples of afternoon snacks are crackers and cheese apple sauce and a homemade cookie, muffins or yogurt. Special meals are also prepared to coincide with special occasions, such as Thanksgiving, Halloween, or Christmas. Children’s allergies or intolerances are also taken into consideration, and special meals are provided for them, as well as for vegetarians. Please note, the daycare is a peanut free environment.

A general day at the daycare in any given age group looks a little something like this: parents drop off, free play, snack time, planned activity, outside (or gym), lunch, nap time, wake up, afternoon snack, free play (or planned activity), parent pick up. Of course the times for these activities vary depending on age group, but this gives you a general idea of what an average day for your child may look like.