The program and teachers at Mount Royal University Preschool are outstanding. Lindsey and Tanis have thoughtfully created a friendly, nurturing, and safe environment for students to explore their own interests, while facilitating learning through play. This has made our daughter’s preschool experience educational, as well as fun. The teachers meet the unique needs of each student. Their love and passion for children and strong teaching partnership make this a standout program. Initially, our daughter was quite nervous separating from us. Lindsey and Tanis worked with us to develop a strategy we were all comfortable with to help ease her anxiety. Each day they would communicate her successes, allowing us to feel completely comfortable dropping her off each morning. We have seen so much growth in our daughter throughout the year and it is absolutely heartwarming to witness her expanding confidence, budding friendships and true love of learning. We are so thankful to all the staff at MRU preschool for helping to create such a positive experience for our family. We would strongly recommend this program to anyone and will be sending our second child there in the fall.
Lauren and Cam Goldade
After 18monthes of staying at home with our daughter it was time for me to go back to work. There is that moment where you come through those daycare doors for the first time and start wondering if we made the right decision. When I was greeted by the staff and educators that first morning those warm smiles, reassuring words and their willingness to work with us was more than any parent could ask for. My heart was always at ease when we dropped her off over the years and she regularly did not want to leave when it was time to come home. They encouraged my daughter's growth, independence and would collaborate with us to carry on the practices from home into daycare as well. The staff and leadership always put the needs, health and development of the children first. They spend time getting to know children as well as families. We completed our time at MRU daycare with my daughter holding amazing memories, meeting wonderful friends and more than prepared for the next chapter in Kindergarten. I KNOW we made the best possible decision for our daughter by sending her to MRU childcare.
The Yeung Family
I love MRU and so do my children. It is an educational based facility with the most wonderful and engaging teachers exposing our children to so many different aspects of learning through sensory and play. The teachers really make an effort to individualize programs and develop based on the needs of the children. Everyone has done an amazing job navigating COVID and I have never once felt unsafe sending my children there on any level. To top it all off, the various outdoor spaces the children have access too are astounding and the available programming such as Kin-Dir or the music classes (Pre-COVID) are only an added bonus.
Treena Brodie
As of September 2020, we will be starting our 4th year at MRU preschool (child no.2, second year) and our kids have been really happy there. Miss Tanis and Miss Lindsey are fantastic with their wealth of experience, big hearts and never ending patience. But another big draw for us is that there are two very large outside areas for the kids to play, but if it’s below -15C then the children can go on a walk within the university buildings all undercover. When we were looking at other preschools, they weren’t able to offer the guarantee of physical activity, which was important to us. MRU also run almost the full 10 months of the scholastic year, whereas most other preschools we looked at had loads of ‘PD’ days and holidays, so the kids get a lot more days there. It’s a wonderful pre-school, and we’ll be sad come the day when the last of our kids has left.
C Donaldson, Altadore
Our family has been incredibly lucky to have our first two (out of three) kids at the MRU Child Care Centre, in the Pre school, under the kindness and care of Ms. Lindsey and Ms. Tanis. When our first child was of age, our daughter, we did not think twice about sending her to Mount Royal as it is a well known, accredited Child Care Centre, where the teachers and care givers have degrees, are accredited care givers who wonderfully take care of children. In 2015, we were lucky enough to get into Ms. Lindsey ad Ms. Tanis' morning Tuesday and Thursday class. Our daughter was immediately welcomed with such kindness and grace by the two teachers. Every time, each detail is well organized, from a variety of play, stations, snacks, books, songs and time to play outside. We immediately noticed that students learn from one another how to share, be kind and respectful towards others from a very young age, how to interact with others without having their parents present and how to try new activities, learn new songs, maybe even taste new foods during snack time. Above all, we felt such comfort knowing that we were leaving our first born in the capable hands of two wonderful teachers who have studied extensively how to manage and lead small children in the first years of their schooling. As a fellow teacher myself, I cannot begin to express my appreciation for all the work that both Ms. Lindsey and Ms. Tanis do, morning and afternoon, for many small children aged 3-4. Stations vary from week to week. Hands on games and activities are thought of mindfully with each specific event in mind- from Halloween, to Valentine's Day. The classroom is decorated differently each time we step foot in the class. Students are taught the importance of recycling by making an igloo out of recycled milk containers. Students are also introduced to appreciating nature and learning about science by growing plants and understanding the life-cycle of a butterfly. On top of the list that can go on and on, children are encouraged to demonstrate imaginative play - be it inside the classroom or outdoors in the courtyard or in the play ground. Our second daughter is now finishing her second year with Ms. Tanis and Lindsey and I honestly can say that she truly looks forward to seeing the teachers each week, whom she admires, and enjoys spending time with and with all her new friends she has met. In short, she feels a part of a new, warm, friendly environment, that is her own. We have to wait another year before our third child, our son, will enter the Pre School, and it is my sincerest hope that he will be met with the same two smiling faces of Ms. Lindsay and Tanis as both my daughters had the pleasure of having. We cannot be happier with the start of our children's education at MRU Pre School, specifically with the wonderful care of Ms. Lindsay and Tanis, who are simply the perfect people for a very difficult job, having multiple 3-4 year olds under their kind and watchful eyes. Thank you so much for allowing us to have this opportunity with them, and thank you to Ms. Tanis and Ms. Lindsay for all you have done for our children and all the other children you have educated, cared for and helped grow in the past years!
Aleksandra Huffman (Josie Huffman and Nell Huffman's mom)
We currently have our 4 year old daughter enrolled in the preschool program at MRU. Few years back we also had our oldest daughter at MRU preschool as well. It was then, as well as now the best decision my wife and I made to start our two girls journey in education. It wasn't long that we noticed the girls taking an interest in books, crafts, and writing. On days where they didn't have preschool our kids were upset, and on days where they realized they had preschool they could get ready quick enough so they can start their day at MRU. This preschool program is all tied together, and executed exceptionally by Tanis, and Lindsay. These two teachers are amazing. It is very obvious that they love what they do, and love the kids they teach. Their knowledge in early childhood education shows not only in the way they teach the kids but in the way they interact with the parents as well. My girls absolutely adore Tanis, and Lindsay. As parents we wish they could teach our kids until grade 12. I would without hesitation reccomend MRU preschool to any parents looking at starting their kids in school. They bridge the gap from preschool to kindergarten with ease, and give both parents, and kids comfort in laying a foundation that parents can build on for years to come. I'm a proud parent of MRU preschool children!
Shan Rahim