Westhaven Preschool

My kiddo attended this preschool when she was 4, and it was amazing. She's really shy, and had a difficult year at preschool when she was 3, so we switched to this school, and she just blossomed. It gave her so much confidence, heading into kindergarten.

The teachers are fantastic - really meet the kids where they're at, and provide what each kid needs to grow socially and academically. They have a strong focus on play, and a solid instinct on how to make that play educational without it interfering with the fun. They do a lot of hands-on activities, like making crafts while talking about related letter-sounds. Also the adult-to-kid ratio is amazing. It's the kind of place where the teachers develop actual relationships with the kids - you can tell everyone really cares about each kid.

The space is great - multiple carefully planned indoor spaces, so kids can come together or take some time to themselves if they want. They really rotate seasonal activities through, so there's always something new going on - on the first day it snowed, the indoor sand table was filled with snow and toy animals! They get into all sorts of messy play that I'm just thrilled to not have to do myself at home (painting is my nightmare). They spend a tonne of time in the outdoor space, where my kid developed a strong interest in growing veggies. There's space to run around, a huge sandbox, playhouse, toy cars - just everything.

I'm a bit fussy about safety, and was glad to see that all the standard precautions were in place - but also that the space was created to really just avoid issues in the first place. The cleaning regime is top notch - I think my kid had 2 colds all year? Not the usual preschool experience at all!

Most importantly, my timid kiddo developed a love for school, and confidence to interact with other kids. She loved going, and still mentions her teachers and classmates. And she took that confidence and love of school with her when she entered kindergarten, making that challenging transition so much easier.

I can't imagine a better setting for my child than Westhaven! We had the pleasure of attending for a couple of years in the preschool and after school programs. Tara is incredibly organized and has a wonderful, safe, and dynamic environment. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend her! My daughter still asks if she can go back there even though she is older now!