NOW ACCEPTING REGISTRATIONS
FOR 2024 SUMMER DAY CAMPS!
Summer Day Camps run as recreational programs
under the Alberta Early Learning and Child Care Act.
Each camp requires a minimum of 6 campers to run.
Payment due when camps are confirmed in early May.
Please help spread the word by telling your friends!
CONNECTIONS
NATURE PLAY
Connections Nature Play is the Diamond Valley Sustainable Living Centre’s nature-based child care and education program for children aged 3 to 6.
Our program is licensed under the Province of Alberta’s Early Learning and Child Care Act and follows the Child Nature Alliance of Canada’s Forest & Nature School model.
Connections Nature Play provides opportunities for children to build their social-emotional, physical, intellectual and creative well-being through outdoor adventure-based and inquiry-driven play. Our program aims to cultivate connections with the land, culture, others and self among 3-6-year-old children.
We are accepting ongoing registrations for the 2023/2024 program year, and we also welcome drop-ins! Scroll down to learn about our SPECIAL ‘FIRST DAY’ DROP-IN PROMOTION for new families.
Stay tuned for Sept 2024 – June 2025 program registration!
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
Click here for Full-Time Nature Play Educator Job Posting
Application Deadline: April 30, 2024
Click here for the Day Camp Counselor Job Posting
Application Deadline: May 6, 2024
Click here for the Lead Day Camp Supervisor Job Posting
Application Deadline: April 29, 2024
licensed childcare
Connections Nature Play is Licensed under the Alberta Early Learning and Child Care Act to ensure our program meets quality, health and safety standards for child care programs in Alberta.
As a Licensed child care program, families whose children are enrolled in Connections Nature Play may be eligible for both the Affordability Grant and the Child Care Subsidy programs.
2023/2024 Monthly Fees
Monthly Rates for Core Hours (9:00am to 2:30pm)
$225/month for 1 day/week
$450/month for 2 days/week
$675/month for 3 days/week
Monthly Rates for Extended Hours (8:00am to 4:30pm)
$275/month for 1 day/week
$550/month for 2 days/week
$825/month for 3 days/week
In addition to monthly fees, an annual registration fee of $60 applies to each family. This fee entitles each family to register any/all of their children as well as free admission to family-friendly programming throughout the year, such as Jr Maker workshops and seasonal events.
- Complete and submit registration form, and
- Submit payment via e-transfer for the first month plus annual registration fee must be made via e-transfer to dvslc.treasurer@gmail.com with the following in the memo/notes field:
“Month/Year – Child’s Name – Days/Core or Extended + reg fee”
For example: “Sept/23 – Latisha Cohen – Mon/Wed Core + reg fee”
Our
Nature School
offers:
- Outdoor play-based and curiosity-driven experiences
- Attentive and supportive guidance from certified Early Childhood Educators and trained Forest & Nature School Practitioners
- Core hours and extended hours options
- Small groups (1:5 ratio)
- Childcare subsidies to increase affordability
- Parented nature play programs, day camps and other opportunities
Spending time in nature, with repeat visits to the same natural areas, allows children opportunities to build self-confidence, connections with the land, emotional regulation skills, motivation and concentration, as well as develop their positive self-image and ecological literacy.
Click here to view the Child Nature Alliance of Canada’s Principles of Forest and Nature Schools.
DROP IN CHILD CARE
While capacity allows, we welcome drop-ins!
Core Hours Drop-In Rate: $60/day
Extended Hours Drop-In Rate: $70/day
SPECIAL ‘FIRST DAY’ PROMOTION: Trial Drop-In Day $30 per child (9:30am to 2:30pm or 8:30 to 4:00pm, whichever best suits child and family) – this rate applies only to each child’s first drop-in day, after which the above rates would apply.
Kirsti Sarrazin
Kirsti has been providing childcare at her dayhome in the Diamond Valley for the past 7 years and prior to that, enjoyed a decade-long career in fisheries. She loves being outside and sharing the wonder of nature with all children including her own.
Katie Bakken
Katie enjoys working with children of all ages in a variety of outdoor settings, including provincial parks, summer camps and more. Parenting has allowed her to discover the joy of fostering children’s natural curiosity in the great outdoors.
Kirsti & Katie are certified Early Childhood Educators, have clear Police Information and Vulnerable Sector Checks, are First Aid trained and are working towards Forest and Nature School Practitioner certification through the Child Nature Alliance of Canada.
Although we spend most of our time with the children outdoors, we also have access to washrooms and an indoor play space for when conditions are not conducive to being outdoors all day, such as cold spells, heat waves, extreme air quality and severe weather.
Thank you to the
Turner Valley Legion
for partnering with us
to create a ‘home base’ for Connections
Nature Play
The Turner Valley Legion organizes many seasonal events for local children and families, demonstrating their strong commitment to our community’s youth. Veteran’s Hall and The Backyard have become a wonderful home base for Connections Nature Play, providing both indoor and outdoor play spaces and ample parking for drop-offs and pick-ups, as well as being located close to a variety of public natural spaces in the Town of Diamond Valley.
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Thank you to the
Foothills Energy Coop for financially supporting the establishment of Connections
Nature Play!
We’d love to hear from you!
Call Us: 403-498-6321
Monday to Friday, 8am to 4:30pm
(excluding Statutory Holidays)
Email: natureschool@dvslc.ca
Anytime!
