Pre-Kindergarten
Owls
Ages
2.5-5
Hours
8:45 am – 2:45 pm
Enrollment options
- 3 days per week: Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays
- 2 days per week: Tuesdays & Thursdays
- 5 days per week: Monday to Friday
A glimpse into the life of our Owls Pre-K children
You are met at the door by smiling teachers who welcome you into the cubby room with a cheerful song. You hang up your bag and coat, slip on your inside shoes, and race to the window to blow kisses to your parent as they leave.
To settle into the day, you take a turn on the sensory swing, feeling the gentle movement calm your body. As your friends arrive, you excitedly greet them and begin exploring the new theme in the classroom. This month, there’s an archaeologist’s tent filled with dinosaur fossils and gemstones. You become immersed in the small world table, imagining a time when dinosaurs roamed the earth.
Suddenly, your friend exclaims, “The Atelier is open!” You rush over to see what’s waiting for you in the morning art space. The sensory tables are filled with colored slime, dinosaur eggs, and small scoops, inviting you to dig and discover. At the art table, different types of paper, scissors, and glue are laid out, and a teacher invites you to sit down and collage a dinosaur. You’re still practicing with scissors, but you try your hardest and feel proud of what you create.
Your friend wants to stay at the art table, but you decide to join a group on the movement mats, where a teacher plays the guitar and leads a lively game of freeze dance. Afterwards, you climb the Swedish ladder, hanging for as long as you can before dropping onto the crash pad. You feel thrilled and accomplished as you land.
Just then, you hear the gentle chimes and turn your owl eyes toward the teacher’s owl call. There are five more minutes to play before tidy-up time—you can’t believe you’ve already been at school for over an hour! As you gather your things, you start wondering… What will we explore in circle time today? Where will our outdoor adventure take us?
At The Nest Early Learning Centre, we believe that play is the most important learning experience for children. We provide large blocks of free play, allowing children to become deeply immersed in activities that exercise their bodies, minds, and social skills.
Following the Reggio philosophy that the environment is the teacher, we transform our classroom each month to reflect our theme. Our theme-based curriculum serves as a framework for learning, offering opportunities for deep exploration while allowing children to follow their own interests and develop individualized learning outcomes. One example of this is our tabletop provocations, which invite children to practice practical life skills, early math, literacy, and more—all through play. Each morning, we also offer art and sensory invitations in our dedicated art space, the Atelier.
After morning free play, we gather in small circle groups for meaningful connection and teacher-led learning. These small groups encourage engagement and participation through stories, songs, movement, and hands-on activities that explore our monthly theme. During circle time, children gain early literacy skills through the Jolly Phonics program, develop early math skills through counting and pattern activities, and build social-emotional intelligence using the Zones of Regulation framework.
Twice a day, we share meals in a long-table setting, fostering conversation and extending learning from circle time into thoughtful discussions. After our morning snack, we transition outdoors—playing in our diverse backyard, taking nature walks, or riding our unique Bunch Bikes to nearby playgrounds and nature sites. These bike outings allow educators to connect with children, pointing out discoveries along the way, and provide opportunities for field trips to local spots such as the museum, firehall, and more. While outside, children have another block of free play, giving them time to explore, take risks, and engage in imaginative and physical play in a natural setting.
In the afternoon, children reset with quiet time, engaging in puzzles, small world play, building toys, or books to slow their minds and bodies. This is followed by afternoon art, a teacher-provoked, process-based project where children are introduced to tools and techniques while having the freedom to create. Art is completed in small groups, allowing for deep engagement and enriched learning.
We end our day outdoors, brimming with stories to share with caregivers at pickup.
Our Approach
Committed to early learning excellence, The Nest Early Learning Center is Pemberton’s answer to a purposeful, high-quality early childhood program. Inspired by both Montessori and Reggio Emilia philosophies, our educators spark wonder and curiosity through active participation, hands-on exploration, and thoughtful learning provocations based on children’s interests. Designed as a home away from home, The Nest provides a warm, nurturing environment where play, connection, and discovery flourish.
Our Hybrid Pedagogical Philosophy
At the heart of our philosophy is JOY—preserving the magic of childhood while fostering a lifelong love of learning. We create meaningful, hands-on, and multidimensional learning experiences that spark curiosity and engagement, ensuring that every child learns through exploration and discovery.
Our pedagogical approach brings together the best elements of various teaching methodologies, philosophies, and environments. We draw inspiration from leading educational theorists and psychologists, including Maria Montessori, Loris Malaguzzi, and Bev Bos, incorporating research-backed best practices. Our approach blends key aspects from world-renowned frameworks such as the Montessori Method, the Reggio Emilia Approach, Waldorf principles, EYFS, The Curiosity Approach, and The Wonder League.
Our Beliefs
At The Nest, we believe that all children are strong, capable, and resilient—full of wonder and knowledge. We present opportunities for hands-on, experiential learning across the five key areas of Montessori education: Practical Life, Sensorial, Mathematics, Language, and Culture.
We honor each child’s voice, providing a space where they can share their ideas, express opinions, and make meaningful connections in their learning journey. Our approach nurtures social responsibility, equality, and emotional growth, incorporating mindfulness rituals and routines to support the whole child.
Our Curriculum
Our curriculum respects children, their rights, and their innate desire to learn. We believe that every child carries a deep curiosity—one that fuels their drive to understand the world and their place within it. Our goal is to nurture this curiosity, challenge each child’s thinking, and support their eagerness to explore and build knowledge.
We design a monthly theme-based curriculum that serves as a framework for meaningful learning. This approach allows children to engage deeply with concepts, scaffold their understanding, and follow their individual interests, all while ensuring personalized learning outcomes that honor each child’s unique journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my child need to be potty trained?
At The Nest, we understand that every child progresses through their potty learning journey at their own pace. We fully support children who are in diapers, and when your child is ready to transition to using the potty, we’re here to assist them every step of the way.
We incorporate bathroom breaks into our daily routine, and children are encouraged to use the toilet whenever needed during free play, simply by letting a teacher know. We’ve found that children often show greater interest in potty training when exposed to it in a supportive, consistent environment like ours. Our goal is to provide a positive, no-pressure experience, ensuring that each child feels comfortable, confident, and supported as they make progress in their potty learning journey.
How do I know what my child did all day?
We understand that its sometimes hard to get an answer to the question, “What did you do at school today?’ at this age. We take the guessing out of this by sharing photos and documentation twice a day in our parent communication app Esikidz. This is a great starting point for you to chat with your child and extend their experiences past their day with us.
How do I communicate with staff?
We use a parent app called Esikidz to communicate with parents. This is where you will sign your child in and out as well as mark them absent. You will also receive messages, photos and documentation through this app.
How many children can be under 3?
Licensing allows us to have a maximum of 2 children between the ages of 30-36 months per day.
What are your Pre-K fees?
Please send an email for our most up to date fees, taking into account government fee regulations.
Our Pre K Owls fees are based on an annual enrollment, divided into monthly payments. You are NOT charged for statutory holidays. Throughout the school year, we have professional development and teacher collaboration days as well as a Winter and Spring break. These days are accrued throughout the school year because we charge based on 20 workdays/month.
Depending on your income, you may be able to receive the Affordable Child Care Benefit while attending the Nest.
What days are you closed?
Our school year runs from September to August. Upon enrollment and prior to each new year, families will receive a school calendar that outlines all holidays, closures, and our monthly early dismissal dates for theme changes. This helps parents plan accordingly and stay informed about important dates.
How long is your waitlist? Can I find out where my child is on it?
At The Nest, our waitlist is not based on a simple “first come, first served” system. Acceptance into our Pre-K program is a thoughtful process that takes several factors into account, ensuring we create a balanced, nurturing environment that supports both students and teachers effectively.
As a result, it’s difficult for us to provide an accurate estimate of waitlist times. We truly understand the challenges of finding childcare in Pemberton, and we deeply appreciate your patience and support as we work to create the best possible experience for the children in our care.
