Our Information

Schedule and Activities

All the Facts

Active Play Policy Helpful Hands Dayhome Center will encourage children to take part in active play. The following is the schedule for the dayhome:
 
Time Activity Notes

7:30 am Arrival Sign in on attendance sheet. Put coat and lunch away.

8:30 am Free Play Inside Children will play with toys laid out on table or in play area. Toys will be rotated weekly and subject to change. Toys Include: Dolls, cars, Lego, dramatic play area, connects, puzzles, books and crafts/coloring at art table.

10:00 am Circle Time Guided adult activities: themes and curriculum will change weekly. Activities will include calendar, weather, special helper, reading a book, and singing songs.

10:30 am Change Diapers and Wash Hands for Snack. Have a snack.  Children will eat a snack together

10:45 am Get Ready for Outside Play (Weather Dependent) Free Play Outside Children will get dressed to play outside. Children have a choice to play with Swings Climber, Slide, Cars, Trucks, Sand/ water table, soccer ball, Outdoor toys in toy bin, Bubbles, Chalk (If children are inside, staff will do an adult guided activity such as making Play-Doh, flubber, slim and/or baking mostly science- based activities based on curriculum calendar

11:45pm Lunch Children will eat lunch together

12:45 pm Change Diapers and read a book 

1:00 pm Quiet / Nap Time Children will nap or rest. Children not napping will be provided small quiet time bins to play with individually or read books or do puzzles at child designated spots. Then the children can get into small pears and play together in small groups until younger children awake. Older kids will have access to sitting areas to read, listen to music and on occasions watch a show or movie G rated.

2:00 pm Reading or Adult Guided Activities Children can read a book, do a science project or arts/crafts

3:30 pm Change Diapers and Wash Hands for Snack. Have a snack.  
Children will eat a snack together
4:30 pm Free Play inside or outside Inside: Children will play with toys laid out on table or in play area. Toys will be rotated weekly and subject to change. Toys Include: Dolls, cars, Lego, dramatic play area, connects, puzzles, books and crafts/coloring at art table. Outside: Children have a choice to play with Swings, Climber, Slide, Cars, Trucks, Sand/ water table, soccer ball, Outdoor toys in toy bin, Bubbles, Chalk. 

5:00pm Clean-up Staff will clean up
 
Being active is important to encourage a healthy lifestyle for children. During free play 8:30am to 10 am children will be encouraged to participate in independent play. However, when the group needs guidance and is seeking more physical and gross motor activities or needs to burn off some excess energy, staff will play games such as Simon Says or will redirect the children to the rug for gross motor movements, stretches or exercises. On occasion staff will turn on music and play freeze dance and musical chairs. At 10 am Children will take part in circle time. This will include gross motor activities which will assist them in developing fundamental movement skills. During circle time the children will be encouraged to jump on different numbers, letters and colors on the rug. This will keep them moving and engaged in the circle time. The children will be involved in singing, dancing and different movements for the 15 to 30 min circle time. The children will not be expected to sit for the 30-minute circle time. The children will have active time outside where they will be able to jump on the stepping logs, play soccer/hockey and pump on swings. The outdoor environment will provide opportunity for the children to be active. However, if the children need more prompts to be more active staff will play “running game”. Example: Run and touch something that is the color red. Run and touch a tree. Run and smell a flower. The staff will bring out bubbles and encourage the children and run and pop them. The staff will set up different play areas to encourage jumping and throwing. The children will have the choice to jump in and out of hoops. Crawl over and under hoops. The children will be able to throw bean bags into hoops. The older children will try and match the color of hoop to the color of bean bag. The children will be able to play tag in the running area in the play yard. The divided areas for play will encourage the children to play safely. The yard will be divided into a climbing / swinging area, sports area, running area, small group play area, and a few others will be developed throughout the summer months. At 1:30 pm the younger children will take part in stretching and breathing to calm and regulate their body before they have rest time. The children who do not sleep can take part in adult guided stretching and full body movements in their quiet spots. During 2:30pm adult guided activity, the group will take part in small groups or be able to come and go. The children will never be forced to sit and take part but encouraged to help with the activity. These are some of the ways that Helpful Hands Dayhome Center will encourage active play throughout the day.

Emergency Drills

Key Info

On the 1st of every month staff will complete a fire drill. On the 15th of every month staff will have emergency drills in preparation for events such as a medical emergency, utility failure, severe storm, power outage, flood, gas leak, natural disasters such as an avalanche and wildfires. If the days fall on a weekend the following work weekday the drill will be practiced. With each drill a report will be done. The Emergency Preparedness Manual must be kept in the following locations:
 • Filing cabinet

• Emergency cupboard

• Emergency backpack

• Emergency Bin
 In the case of an evacuation drill, children will be escorted from the daycare premises out the closest exit and will meet at the end of the driveway next to the fence, this is when a head count will be done and recorded. In the case of a lockdown drill, children will be gathered to the inner room of the home. This is when a head count will be done and recorded. Children will also be taught and reminded how to react and protect themselves in emergency such as a medical emergency, utility failure, severe storm, power outage, flood, gas leak, natural disasters such as an avalanche and wildfires. Training and Education: The following resources are in place to ensure all employees are sufficiently trained to support the children in an emergency:

• First Aid/CPR

• Mandatory emergency plan review

• Mandatory participation in emergency drills

Emergency Plan
 
Emergency Requiring Evacuation
 Potential risks: utility failure, flood, gas leak, natural disasters such as an avalanche and wildfires. In the event of an emergency requiring an evacuation, staff will gather the children and escort them out the closest exit. Staff will grab the emergency backpack from beside the door and the emergency bins from the carport. Staff will then do a head count. Staff will lead children to the dugout at the ball diamonds according to the emergency exit plan. If the temperature is below minus 15 degrees staff will walk the children to Elizabeth Lake Lodge If required to evacuate to Elizabeth Lake Lodge, Helpful Hands Dayhome Center will rent a room with heat and a bathroom as a safe, warm place for the children and staff to wait for pickup. Once at the emergency gathering point, staff will do a head count and begin arranging for children to be picked up. Parents will be contacted first. Staff will wait 10 minutes between each parent called and move on to the second emergency contact if a parent cannot be reached. If all emergency contacts cannot be reached and the child has not been arranged to be pick up within 30 minutes of the first attempt to reach the parents, a social worker will be called to come to the emergency meeting place to discuss transportation of the child. Staff will not transport any children in their vehicle or otherwise. Staff will entertain children with books, puzzles and toys from the emergency bin while waiting to be picked up. Children will also have access to food and water. If children and staff are unable to evacuate, staff will gather children to the safest place in the home depending on the situation. Staff will then call for emergency services and put signs in the windows for emergency personal to know how many children and staff are in the home. If a wildfire near our area, parents will be notified that if the fire comes within a certain vicinity (20km) or if the city is on evacuation notice, the daycare will be closed for safety reasons. Parents will not be charged for child care under these circumstances, a full refund will be issued.

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Emergency requiring lockdown:

Potential risks: utility failure, severe storm, power outage

In the event of a lockdown, staff will grab the emergency backpack from beside the door and gathered children to the inner rooms where the emergency cabinet will have additional flashlights, food and water along with toys, puzzles, and coloring books to entertain the children. Once gathered a headcount will be done. Staff will also have access to a generator as well as other cooking sources to provide food and heat for children and staff.
 
 
Emergency Contact Information: 9-1-1

Police: 250-489-3471

Fire: 250-489-2325

Ambulance: 250-426-8944

Poison control: 1-800-222-1222 or text poison to 484848

Ministry of children and family:1-800-663-9122 or 1-250-426-1514

Elizabeth Lake Lodge address: 590 Van Horne St S, Cranbrook, BC V1C 4W7 Elizabeth Lake Lodge phone number: (250) 426-6114
 
 
After an emergency has passed:

After the emergency has passed staff will give parents and other colleagues referral to local counseling services to debrief and talk about the traumatic emergency that took place, if needed. After the emergency staff will have a meeting to reevaluate the plan and incident to adjust and reset emergency preparedness plan.