Dartmouth Child Care, NS

(902) 442-9245

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Willowbrae Childcare Academy offers programs to families
for infants to school age children.

Why Choose Willowbrae Academy Dartmouth?

Liveview HD Cameras

Biometric Access

BodyBreak KID FIT

Willowbrae SEEDS

Communication Software

On-site Kitchen

Willowbrae has partnered with Hal Johnson & Joanne McLeod, of BodyBreak to develop BodyBreak KID FIT - a healthy-living initiative designed to educate children and parents about the importance of daily physical activity, rest & sleep, healthy food choices, and other positive lifestyle habits.

SEEDS represents everything we do to ensure delivery of high quality education in a safe and nurturing environment.

Dietitian-designed snacks and lunches are prepared on site following Canada’s Food Guide and are prepared from scratch using only the freshest ingredients.

Braeview is our exclusive on-line communication tool for parents and staff with extensive features including daily email reports sent to parents, a secure access area, functionality on mobile device.

Parents can feel reassured that their children are safe, as only authorized personnel can enter the premises via our biometric access control with fingerprint scanning.

All classrooms and playgrounds are equipped with secure Liveview High Definition cameras which enables parents to view their child throughout the day in real time.

- Mark P,

"As a parents its essential to choose right daycare providers as they become crucial part of their development/safety. Our daughter loves going to willowbrae Academy- she started from infant room and had a seamless transition from infant to toddler room with equal caring of the teachers. Willowbrae Daycare is a safe, secure, supportive and stimulating environment where children are free to grow to their full potential."

"I am writing to say how pleased we are with the childcare provided by Willowbrae Academy. We drop our children off in the morning and we are comforted in the knowledge that our children are receiving the best care. We use both the preschool and before school programs and both our children love to go there.

The preschool teachers have an excellent rapport with the children and the things that they are learning are amazing. I believe that this program is an excellent precursor to going to school and I recommend that other families put their trust in Willowbrae too. Thank you for your continued care and support for our family.

- Tracy M, Hammonds

Academies designed by professionals with a focus on children's needs.

At Willowbrae Childcare Academy in Dartmouth we realize the importance of providing a safe, secure environment for children. Our Academies are committed to putting each child’s well-being foremost. We offer a safe-haven for children and the peace of mind for parents knowing their children are safe.

Pamela Archibald

Pam graduated from what is now known as the Jane Norman College with a diploma in Early Childhood Education (ECE) in 1994. As a lifelong learner who advocates for continuing education, she is currently working on completing her Child and Youth Study degree at Mount Saint Vincent University.

Pam is excited to be part of the Willowbrae Academy family supporting families and building meaningful relationships that foster the growth and development of the whole child. She values the importance of the early years and its significance in building a strong foundation for success and growth throughout the life course. Her career has grown from working directly in the classroom with children from infants through to school age to owning and directing her own daycare and most recently held a position as director in a licensed childcare center.

She loves spending time with the children (telling jokes and enjoying snuggles!) while following positive practices and the value of play-based learning. During her free time, she enjoys spending quality time with her family and pets, outdoor excursions, music and poetry, and the next best seasons on Netflix.

Meet Our Directors

Julie Patterson

Julie obtained her honors diploma in Early Childhood Education (ECE) from Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Science in Ottawa, Ontario, in 1997. Throughout her 23 years in the ECE field, Julie has worked in various settings from private childcare to large centers catering to military families in Halifax, owned and directed her own childcare facility, managed a club for school-age children, and has now found a new home with Willowbrae Academy. Throughout Julie’s career, she has focused her passions and childcare philosophy on play as the biggest learning/teaching tool, as all child development areas stem from play. Through play, we build relationships, the relationships foster trust, when we trust, we take risks and experiment, and through those risks and experiments, we learn. Julie is very excited to join the team at Willowbrae Academy and feels that she will complement their philosophy and continue to grow and learn alongside the children and team. In her free time, Julie can be found with her husband at a baseball field or basketball court watching their children or on a walking trail with her chocolate lab.

Infant Room

Toddler Room

Pre school Room

While the focus is still largely on their primary care, toddlers begin to take their first steps towards greater independence. We promote their development through play and natural exploration of their surroundings. We begin to lay the basis for positive social interaction and support their positive relationships with peers. We focus on using our words, being gentle with our friends, sharing, and turn taking.

Infancy is a wondrous period of growth and exploration. Our infant programs focus on building meaningful relationships with our families, built on trust, care and attention. By recognizing and acknowledging the needs of each individual child, infants feel secure and safe in their environment and thus creates a strong foundation to support the rapidly developing social, emotional and physical needs of infants while they explore the world around them.

Pre-school rooms are equipped with age and developmentally appropriate learning materials and activities reflect the interests of the group and are often child directed. We encourage and promote positive social interaction and develop the many tools necessary to ensure a positive transition to “big” school and a lifelong love of learning.

Before & After School Room

Our Before and After School Program is tailored to the interests and needs of school-age children with an emphasis on active play. Staff provide a relaxed and nurturing environment that assists children with individualized homework guidance, as well, they incorporate plenty of indoor and outdoor active play, including our BodyBreak KID FIT program.