School Age Care

Blending Active and Creative Play for Children Aged 5 to 12.

The time between 5 to 12 years of age – marks an important period in a child’s development pertaining to cognitive, social and emotional changes that sets the stage for success in adolescence and adulthood.

Hand in Hand recognizes the growing physical, intellectual and social competence needs of the increasingly independent school age child. Eager to achieve socially and academically while expanding their knowledge of the world, 5 – 12 year olds seek new challenges, build on friendships and show an increase in taking on new responsibilities.

Why School Age Care Is Important

Children enrolled in a school age program are likely to spend as many hours in the child care setting as they do in school. We understand that for many busy, working parents, it is challenging to find an enriching atmosphere for their school age child. Parents need that piece of mind that their child is safe and having fun in a program close to home.

Our goal is to provide opportunity for creative programming that balances and complements the academic, physical and social experiences at their school while meeting the family need for affordable and convenient child care.

There is growing evidence that children who receive a high quality childcare experience are more likely to be attentive and better able to regulate their emotions with the beneficial effects extending throughout their school years. Our programs offer enriching learning opportunities in a fun environment for maturing school age children. This includes full day care for school pro-d days, school holiday breaks and an exciting summer day camp programs for children up to 12 years of age.

What does a high-quality school age child care environment look like?

They offer learning outside the box – Our innovative program instills a continued love of learning and exploring. We offer supervised activities along with child-directed play.
They offer interest-based learning – Good school age care complements the learning offered in the school classroom. We offer activities, projects and games based on the children’s interest. This helps to develop life skills, self-confidence and independence.
They expand your child’s social circle – as they participate in group activities with children of a similar age, they discover new ways to learn and play their peers.
They believe active play is important – children need time to unwind after a day in school. We believe in giving children the opportunity to be active – in our large indoor centres to the spacious outdoor playgrounds and gym space located at every school. Physical activity combats the sedentary hours a child may spend watching TV or playing video games which can lead to a healthier lifestyle as they get older.
They provide opportunity to relax & unwind – children need a variety of choices to transition to the school age centre after the classroom setting. Some need time alone, some need a snack right away, others may need to move and burn off some energy. By offering a relaxed yet stimulating environment, we provide a home away from home, a place where your child feels a sense of belonging.