The Snuneymuxw Daycare opened in the fall of 1999. The daycare was the culmination of several years of work from the Snuneymuxw community in order to get the funds in place to open a fully operating daycare centre.

Snuneymuxw Daycare is licensed for 36 children in total with 12 infant and toddler spaces and 24 three to five year old spaces. We have a preschool license for 11 children and are able to offer a two hour part time program each morning from 9:00 to 11:00 am.

Our regular operating hours are from 7:45 am to 4:45 pm each day. Our daycare is located in Nanaimo, at 668A Centre Street in our Band Office building.

We offer a hot breakfast, lunch and nutritious afternoon snack each day. Our program offers activities to enhance all areas of development. These include a variety of learning centers such as: housekeeping, creative art, book corner, computer centre, table toys, science centre, block corner, sand and water play, gross motor/outdoor play. In addition we include music and movement, circle time and language and number games.

Our program seeks to include as much of the Hulquminum language and culture as possible. Dancing and drumming take place two times each week. Routine Hulquminum words are included in our day, as well as having games and books in the language. Elders visit our centre to share stories and language every Tuesday morning.

Social and educational supports to families are integral to our program. We provide assessments of children's development as well as collaborating with other professionals where possible and necessary to meet children's needs. We work with the Nanaimo Health Department to ensure that children have their teeth checked by a dental hygienist and we participate in the Health Fair coordinated by Snuneymuxw Health team. We assist parents and children through liaising with a variety of Snuneymuxw and Nanaimo agencies and services. As our program develops we seek further ways to connect with families in the Snuneymuxw community who require supports in raising young children.

The Daycare continues to offer a Home Visiting Program one visit each week for families with young children. The home visiting team can offer parenting support, developmental assessments and guidelines for developmental stages. If you would like to have a visit from an Early Childhood Educator from the daycare program please contact Margaret Haggith.

We also offer Playgroup every Wednesday. This program is held in our Health Centre Kitchen. This program runs from 11:30am to 1:30 pm for caregivers and their children under the age of six. Lots of activities to do at Playgroup, lunch is provided as well as a take home food bag. Families can find out more about this program by calling Margaret Haggith.

Snuneymuxw Daycare programs are running in full force. Our Infant and Toddler program is full with a waiting list and our three to five year old program also has a waitlist. We continue to be busy offering a full time program in addition to the Health Canada Head Start two-hour program each morning from 9:00 to 11:00 am. Visit the Health Canada website for complete details about this program.

Manager Daycare & Headstart Coordinator: Beckie – 740-2348
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Supported Child Care Coordinator: Margaret – 740-2342

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