Frequently Asked Questions

Burnaby Location

General

  • Choosing the best child care for your family is a big decision. Here are 7 great reasons to choose us:

    #1: Our teachers are certified Early Childhood Educators. Together they cultivate a kind, nurturing and positive environment every day for the children.

    #2: We are a Licensed Child Care Facility with a great reputation. We take pride in creating a safe space by following all the Fraser Health regulations.

    #3: Our unique curriculum helps bring out the best in your child. We support children to build their confidence and grow into their best selves.

    #4: We have an abundance of space for kids to explore. Our Burnaby centre has a large indoor and outdoor space with an on-site playground.

    #5: We are located in a safe and warm residential neighbourhood. There is minimal traffic and plenty of nearby sites to explore like Burnaby Lake.

    #6: We have a wonderful on-site garden and weekly gardening sessions led by an award-winning Master Gardener Pablo Vimos from Roots2Grow.

    #7: We care. We want you to feel like our centre is an extension of your family - we’re always there to answer your questions or address any concerns.

  • Yes, we are a Licensed Group Child Care Facility by the Fraser Health Authority. We follow strict licensing guidelines to ensure the safety and best care possible for all children.

    We are licensed for:

    • 40 children for Pre-Kindergarten (full-day) - 2 classrooms of 20 children each

    • 29 children for Preschool (half-day) - 3 classrooms of 9-10 children each

    • 35 children for Before & After School Care - 3 classrooms of 10-12 children each

  • We welcome you to ask us any questions you may have about our programs and centre.

    The best way to reach us is through email: info@dharmakids.ca

    Please include if you are interested in our Burnaby or Osoyoos location.

Teachers

  • We always meet the minimum requirements for staffing ratios by licensing. In many cases, we often staff above our required ratios to offer the best classroom experience.

    • Pre-Kindergarten (full-day): We have 3 teachers per each classroom of up to 20 children. The minimum required ratio is 1 teacher for every 8 children as per licensing, so our staffing ratio is better at almost 1 teacher to 6 children.

    • Preschool (half-day): We have a minimum of 1 teacher for every 10 children as per licensing requirements.

    • Before & After School Care program + Spring/Summer Camps: We have 3 teachers who care for 10-12 children each (minimum of 1 teacher for every 12 children as per licensing requirements)

  • All of our teachers are qualified to work in child care as per the Fraser Health licensing requirements. They come from diverse backgrounds however all of them have previous child care training and experience as Certified Early Childhood Educators and Assistants.

    Pre-Kindergarten (full-day) & Preschool (half-day):

    Each classroom is led by a certified Early Childhood Educator (ECE) and at least one certified ECE Assistant depending on the size of class.

    Before & After School Care:

    Our program is led by at least one certified Early Childhood Educator (ECE / ECEA) with qualified Assistant Teachers.

  • We believe in creating a nurturing, safe and caring environment for all children. When hiring, we specifically ensure that our teachers can be role models for our most important values, including Positivity, Discovery and Appreciation.

    Our teachers balance the best of both worlds: structured learning activities along with free play to develop social skills. Everything we do is about encouraging children to build their self-confidence and develop into their best selves.

    We also know the importance of ensuring a safe and inclusive environment. Our teachers are always there to support children to play safely - both together and individually.

    You can learn more by reading about Our Philosophy.

Attending

  • Please pack the following items for your child:

    • Water bottle

    • Change of clothes & indoor shoes

    • Outdoor clothing, especially for the rain (we have 60mins of outdoor play - rain or shine) and sunscreen for sunny days

    • Daily lunch - we provide the snacks, please ensure it’s completely nut-free

    • For Pre-Kindergarten (full-day) only: Blanket & optional pillow for nap time - we provide the sheets

  • Yes, we provide snacks for each of our programs:

    • Pre-Kindergarten (full-day): Morning & afternoon snack included

    • Preschool (half-day): Morning snack included

    • Before & After School Care: Afternoon snack included

    Our snack consists of one serving of fruit/vegetables (e.g. bananas, apples, oranges, carrots, celery etc.) and a starch (e.g. crackers, waffles, veggie straws, yam fries etc.).

    We ask that parents provide a daily lunch for their children that is packed in a temperature-suitable container such as a thermos or lunchbox with an ice pack.

  • If the weather is favourable, we will do walking field trips/outings to the nearby Charles Rummel Park (playground & water park) or Burnaby Lake. Both are within a 5 to 10 minute walk to the centre.

    Due to COVID, we have put any field trips requiring transportation on hold. Previously we would also do field trips to settings like the library, fire hall, indoor playgrounds, museums etc.

  • We are a completely electronic-free centre and ask that all children keep electronics (games, phones, tablets, devices etc.) at home. The only screen time used at the centre is an age-appropriate movie on Friday afternoons or short educational videos on occasion to support our curriculum.

  • We have cared for many children who speak a different language at home or are new to Canada and still learning English. Children learn English quickly in our program by interacting with other children and our teachers.

    For young children, we especially recommend that you reinforce and use common English phrases at home that match our transition times such as:

    Snack Time, Time to Eat, Washroom, Wash Hands, Change Shoes, Wait your Turn, Nap Time, Outside Time etc.

    With these English phrases, your child will understand what’s happening in the classroom as we move through our schedule, without feeling confused or lost.

Schedule & Closures

  • You can view the specific schedule at the bottom of each Program page. Please visit our Programs page to select which program you’re interested in, scroll to the bottom and you will find a section with the daily schedule.

  • We are closed on all BC Statutory Holidays, Easter Monday, Truth & Reconciliation Day and our winter break from Christmas Eve to New Year's Day. We are open all other weekdays of the year including spring break and summer break.

    Our Burnaby Preschool (half-day) program has additional closures that match the Seaforth Elementary calendar. For example, Preschool is closed on all Seaforth Pro-D Days, winter break, spring break and summer break. We provide an annual calendar for the Preschool program so you can plan accordingly.

    Please note that we may also have closures due to hazardous weather in the wintertime. We generally follow the school closures for snow days.

  • Pre-Kindergarten (full-day):

    You’re welcome to drop-off your child anytime after we open and pick-up before we close. We recommend dropping off prior to 9:15am so they can join circle time at 9:30am. We also request that there are no drop-offs or pick-ups during nap/rest time (1-3pm).

    Preschool (half-day):

    Please arrive at 9:30am for the start of our preschool program and pick-up at 1:30pm when it ends. Since we require the set-up and cleaning time, we request that you do not arrive earlier than 9:30am or later than 1:30pm.

    Before & After School Care:

    Please drop off your child between 7-8:30am in the morning. We leave at 8:45am to go to Seaforth Elementary. You’re welcome to pick up your child any time after 3:30pm once the children arrive back at the centre.

  • Nap/rest time only applies to our Pre-Kindergarten program (full-day).

    Our nap/rest routine is as follows:

    • Lunchtime: 12:30-1pm

    • Prepare for nap & story time: 1-1:20pm (washing hands, bathroom breaks, settling in)

    • Nap/rest time: 1:30-3pm

    • Most children fall asleep by 1:45pm and will stay asleep until 2:45-3pm

    • We wake up all children by 3pm latest

    Nap/rest time is crucial for children’s health and development, especially when they attend for full days of 6-8 hours or more. At the same time, we know as children get closer to 5 years old, they start to nap less and less.

    If your child does not nap, we will provide them with quiet activities such as reading, puzzles or worksheets. We request that all children remain quiet during nap/rest time so they do not disturb others who may be sleeping.

  • We do not have a specific gradual entry or transition program for our Before & After School Care or Preschool (half-day). If you would like to create one, please let us know.

    For Pre-Kindergarten (full-day), we recommend starting with only morning attendance for the first day (e.g. 8:30am-12:30pm). Our teachers will share feedback about how the first day was and make recommendations on when to move to full-day attendance.

    Every child is different so some may need more time to adjust and would benefit from mornings only for the first week. Other children, especially if they’ve attended child care before, can transition to a full day by Day 2. We understand you may be working or have certain schedule requirements. We will work with you to find a solution that supports your child’s transition while meeting your scheduling needs.

Registration

  • Please visit our Application page to view the status and availability of each of our programs.

  • There are 3 steps for registration:

    1. Complete a registration form

    2. Sign our Dharma Kids Centre agreement

    3. Send your deposit + registration fee by email transfer

    If we have space available for registration, we will provide you with further details once you have added to our waitlist or contacted us.

  • Yes we require a deposit as part of the registration program. The deposit is equal to one month of tuition. We also have a $50 one-time registration fee.

    This deposit is held for the duration of your child’s enrolment. We apply it to the tuition fee of their last month of enrolment or carry it forward if you renew for the next enrolment year.

    If you switch programs (e.g. Pre-Kindergarten to Before & After Care), your deposit amount is adjusted accordingly and you are given a credit for the difference. Deposits of existing families do not need to be increased/topped up in the future if the tuition fees increase.

    Please note that if you are receiving the Affordable Child Care Benefit, we still require the full deposit (one month of tuition). The deposit will be applied to the tuition fee of their last month of enrolment and the difference/subsidy amount will be refunded back to you if applicable.

  • We ask families to commit to the entire enrolment year when they register. This helps to maintain the stability of our programs for all children and teachers.

    We consider an “enrolment year” as follows:

    • Pre-Kindergarten (full-day): September to August (12 months)

    • Preschool (half-day): September to June (our preschool closes for summer break)

    • Before & After School Care: September to August (tuition fees apply during the summer and 2 weeks of care per month are included)

    We ask all of our families in the spring if they intend to renew for the next enrolment year starting in September. If you do not renew, we will set your child’s graduation date (August for Pre-Kindergarten or Before & After School Care, June for Preschool).

    In the event of unforeseen circumstances where you must end your child’s enrolment (e.g. moving), please inform us in writing via email at hello@dharmakids.ca. We require a minimum of two full months of notice prior to the 1st of the month to end your enrolment.

  • Pre-Kindergarten (full-day) & Preschool (half-day):

    Children in these programs normally attend until they enter Kindergarten. We hold a graduation ceremony in August before the start of a new school year for any children entering Kindergarten in September. If your child is attending Seaforth Elementary, you’ll also have priority access to a spot in our Before & After School Care program.

    Before & After School Care:

    Typically parents decide that children can begin walking home on their own after school from Grade 4 or 5. This is a personal choice and of course, depends on your proximity to Seaforth Elementary. We rarely have children attend our Before & After School Care who are in Grade 5 and up.

    We ask families to commit the entire enrolment year (September to August) so if you want your child to graduate, please let us know in the spring/summer before the start of the next school year.

Tuition Fees

  • Please choose the program you are interested in on our Programs page to view our specific tuition fees.

    Our tuition fees typically stay the same for the entire enrolment year (September to August). We review our fees each year to meet changing operating expenses. If we do have a fee increase, we normally do it in September each year so parents can plan ahead.

  • Yes we definitely accept the Affordable Child Care Benefit (subsidy) for families who qualify. You can learn more about this program here.

    Once you are registered, we will provide a form to you with your enrolment details that you will need to submit as part of your application for subsidy. Once you are approved, we claim the subsidy amount directly from the government on your behalf. You only need to pay the remaining portion of tuition.

  • This is a government program that subsidizes part of the tuition fee for all families who are enrolled in Pre-Kindergarten or Kindergarten Before & After School Care (Preschool is excluded). From Grade 1 onwards, there is no applicable fee reduction.

    You can learn more about this program here.

  • We do not have additional discounts and the tuition rates are the same for all families. We recommend that you explore the Affordable Child Care Benefit program, which can help subsidize the tuition fee if you’re approved.

  • We use automatic direct withdrawal from a bank account for all monthly tuition payments. The payment is withdrawn within 2 business days after the 1st of every month.

    Before your child starts, we will set you up in our HiMama app, which we use to track everything for your child’s enrolment (attendance, photos, messages, invoices etc.). Through our HiMama app, you can add/modify your banking details for direct withdrawal.