Our Program

Friends for Life provides comprehensive programming for children’s early learning needs. Our centres employ a child-centered, play-based approach where Early Childhood Educators attentively respond to each child's interests, abilities, and learning styles. Utilizing a variety of hands-on materials, learning is enhanced through educator-facilitated and child-led, small and large group activities, both indoors and outdoors. Children are given the opportunity to engage in a wide range of activities and play materials that promote their physical, cognitive, social-emotional, and communication development.

  • Emergent Curriculum

    Emergent Curriculum is a child-centered approach to early learning that fosters children's individual interests and curiosity, empowering them to take ownership of their educational journey.

    This curriculum is customized to each child, responding to their experiences, progress, and creativity. This curriculum is about child-led learning.

    Our Early Childhood Educators serve as facilitators of the child's learning journey, not direct it. They provide children with the resources they need to learn. They inspire wonder, guide children toward meaningful explorations, and learn alongside them as co-learners.

  • The Pyramid Model

    Friends For Life is proud to partner with Nova Scotia Early Childhood Development Intervention Services (NSECDIS) to implement The Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competences in Infants and Young Children.

    The Pyramid Model is evidence-based and provides a framework that helps early childhood programs excel in supporting the social and emotional development of young children. Our participation in this initiative supports our commitment to offering the highest quality care to our young learners.

    The Pyramid Model emphasizes relationships and the learning environment. One of its key strengths is its focus on positive coaching for early childhood educators, allowing them to set and achieve their own learning goals. This focus on coaching distinguishes this program and contributes to its success.

    Focusing on relationships and families is also a vital and key strength. The communication and collaboration between educators and families are strengthened, and families are provided with tips and resources to support their children's social and emotional skills at home. As classrooms are coached, families receive regular updates and resources to practice the same strategies their child is learning in class.

    To learn more about the Pyramid Model, you can visit NSECDIS's website.

    https://nsecdis.ca/programs-for-educators/

  • Capable, Confident, and Curious

    Capable, Confident, and Curious is Nova Scotia's Early Learning Curriculum Framework that guides our centres in developing classroom programs. This framework recognizes that children's early learning is influenced by multiple layers of impact.

    Our educators value children for who they are today, as well as who they will become. This value extends to and acknowledges how a child's family, culture, and community contribute to their learning and growth.

    The frameworks principles of early learning reflect what educators understand to be essential for young children's learning and development.

    The framework guides our educators in their holistic approach to teaching. Where they provide for not only cognitive learning but also physical, personal, social, emotional, and overall well-being.

    To learn more about the Nova Scotia Early Learning Curriculum Framework: Capable, Confident, and Curious, please visit the website below.

    nselcurriculumframework.pdf