FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Everything parents ask us. Answered the way we’d want to be answered.

The questions below come straight from tours, phone calls, and first-day jitters.

Note: Joining our Waitlist is free · No deposit · No obligation

Waitlist & Enrolment

How do I get on your waitlist?

Fill out our waitlist form on this website to hold your place. It’s free, with no deposit and no obligation. From there, the centre Directors will be in touch when a spot opens for your child — and that’s when we book your tour, so you visit with a real spot on the table rather than just a look around.

Join the Waitlist

Do you have a waitlist fee?

No. Our waitlist is free to join – all we ask is that families read through the content of our website before filling out a waitlist form. Only when a family is offered a spot will they be asked for a last month’s deposit. For more about our waitlist procedure, please contact one of our locations to speak with a Director.

Can I go on more than one waitlist for my child (e.g. Infant and Toddler)?

No – you can only be on one age-group waitlist, per child, at a time.

How far in advance do you know when spots become available?

We know 60 days in advance, based on the 60-day withdrawal notice our current families give. When a family provides notice, we know that spot will open in 60 days.

How often should I check in on my spot on the waitlist?

We recommend checking in six months before your requested enrolment date to confirm your status. We also appreciate parents updating their child’s date of birth and name by phone or email.

Programs, Ages & Ratios

What are your ratios for each age group?

Infants 1:3, toddlers 1:5, and preschoolers 1:8.

Do you offer part-time care?

Yes – we offer 2 and 3-day-a-week programs for toddlers and preschoolers when available. We also offer temporary, back-up, and short-term care for toddlers and preschoolers when space allows. Our infant program is full-time care only.

What if my child is a preschooler and is not toilet-trained?

Not a problem! We believe all children develop at their own pace and will be toilet-trained when ready. Our educators work with parents to keep the child’s routine as seamless as possible between school and home, supporting families through this time to ensure every child’s success.

What methods of discipline do you use?

We do not condone any kind of physical discipline, nor do we use ‘time-outs.’ Behaviour management is always age-appropriate – for example, an infant who is hurting someone may be redirected to a new activity. It is crucial to us that children learn appropriate social skills, and this is done through coaching and modelling. Behaviour management is monitored regularly, and our educators attend professional development workshops to stay current with best practices.

A Typical Day

What time do you open and close?

We are open 7:30 am to 6:00 pm, Monday to Friday.

How long do you go outside for?

One hour in the morning and one hour in the afternoon, as required by the Ministry of Education. We go outside rain or shine – which is why our parents are fantastic at keeping cubbies well-stocked with gear for every kind of weather.

How many meals or snacks do you provide?

We are catered by Real Food for Real Kids and offer an AM snack, a hot lunch, and a PM snack.

How do you communicate with families?

We use an app called Lillio (HiMama) to share daily activities and records such as bathroom routines and sleep times, and we use email for other important notices. It is important to us that families feel comfortable with the people caring for their little ones – and our Director’s office is always available for any pressing issue.

Health, Safety & Security

What are your staff qualifications?

90% of our staff are Registered Early Childhood Educators with the College of Early Childhood Educators of Ontario. All staff hold current First Aid and CPR certifications and a current Police Records Check. Our educators also attend regular professional development workshops to further their learning and professional competence.

What kind of security do you have?

At our Green Apple location, we use a pin-code door system; parents have a unique code that is changed as families leave. At our Windermere location, we use a FOB system – each parent and staff member has their own FOB, and when a staff member or child leaves, their FOB is deactivated remotely.

What happens if my child has a fever?

We follow Toronto Public Health guidelines. A child with a fever can return to daycare only after being symptom-free for 24 hours. A child with nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea can return only after being symptom-free for 48 hours.

What cleaning protocols are in place to manage the spread of illness and germs?

Following Toronto Public Health guidelines, we clean daily. Toys are washed weekly, classrooms are cleaned daily, bedsheets and cots are cleaned weekly (and as needed), and handwashing is encouraged when entering the classroom, before and after meals, after outdoor play, and around bathroom routines.

My child has an anaphylactic allergy. Can you accommodate them?

Absolutely! Our centre is completely nut-free and peanut-free, and our caterer Real Food for Real Kids provides nutritious substitutes for other allergies (common ones include eggs, milk, and soy). We will also work with you to create a detailed plan in the event your child comes in contact with an allergen. If necessary, an EpiPen will be carried by any educator who is with the child, and all staff are trained on this plan, including the use of the EpiPen and other devices.

What type of support do you offer for families and classrooms?

In addition to the best possible care for all children, Green Apple Kids and Windermere Kids has free access to resource consultation staff through the City of Toronto’s Every Child Belongs program. This program works with us and the family to develop strategies and carry out individualized support plans for a child, and also provides support to build inclusive environments through training and program consultation.

Fees, Subsidies & Funding

What are your tuition fees?

Tuition for each program, full and part time are posted online on our Admissions page. Fees are the same at both of our locations, and joining the waitlist is always free.

Do you offer subsidized spots?

Unfortunately, we do not. Please see the City of Toronto website for subsidized child care locations.

Are you participating in the Canada-Wide Early Learning & Child Care (CWELCC) program?

At this time, we have decided not to register for the Canada-Wide Early Learning program, and will continue to provide the high quality of care we are known for in the community.

Policies

Anaphylaxis and Allergy Awareness Policy

Anaphylaxis is a serious reaction and can be life-threatening. The allergy may be related to food, insect stings, medications, latex, and more. This policy is intended to help support the needs of a child with any allergy, and to provide information on anaphylaxis and awareness to parents, employees, students, and volunteers.

To reduce the risk of exposure to anaphylactic reactions:

  1. Avoid certain foods or materials that may be contained in any craft or sensory programming materials.
  2. Advise the Centre caterer of any food restrictions and limitations.
  3. Do not use latex gloves — use vinyl gloves ONLY.
  4. Advise families, employees, and volunteers that no outside food is to be brought into the Centre. Child birthdays and other special events will be celebrated with ice cream provided by the Centre.
  5. An anaphylactic procedure must be posted in each classroom.
  6. An up-to-date allergy list must be posted in each classroom.
  7. Any child who carries an EpiPen needs to be identified via a personal photo and a completed Anaphylactic Procedure signed and dated by their parents and physician. All EpiPens will be stored in a clearly labelled fanny pack, strictly for the EpiPen only — one fanny pack per child.
  8. Each child with a dietary restriction or limitation will have a food substitution checklist to be filled in each lunch day that the main menu has been modified. These records are kept on file for one year.

Parents of children with allergies must:

  • Provide the Centre with a current EpiPen and any other medication required to treat the child’s allergy, along with a medical note from the child’s doctor giving Windermere Kids / Green Apple Kids consent to administer the medication and the appropriate dosage based on the child’s age and/or weight. The note will remain with the EpiPen or over-the-counter medication at all times.
  • Complete the required Ministry of Education form, providing a detailed description of their child’s allergy. This form will be posted in each classroom for staff to refer to at all times.
  • Provide Centre staff with the monitoring and avoidance strategies used in the home.
  • Provide a written list of signs and symptoms for staff and volunteers to watch for should a child have an allergic reaction.
  • Provide consent for Windermere Kids / Green Apple Kids to administer the child’s EpiPen should the need arise.
  • Ensure the Centre has up-to-date emergency contact information.
  • Update any changes to their child’s allergy, medication, or treatment, including if the child outgrows the allergy and no longer requires medication to manage it.

Every Child Belongs Policy

In addition to providing the best possible care for all children, Windermere Kids / Green Apple Kids has free access to resource consultation staff provided by the City of Toronto and their Every Child Belongs program. This program works with Windermere Kids / Green Apple Kids and the family to develop strategies and carry out individualized support plans for a child. Every Child Belongs resource consultation staff also provide support to build inclusive environments through training and program consultation.

Source: Every Child Belongs Resources for Early Learning & Child Care Program (1998–2020), City of Toronto.

Illness Policy

Illness can pass easily from child to child.

Please do not bring your child(ren) to the Centre if your child is unable to participate in regular activities due to fever (i.e. 100.4°F / 38°C), diarrhea, vomiting, ear infection, eye infection, green runny nose, head lice, ringworm, other contagious diseases, unexplained pains, rashes, or itching.

If your child exhibits any of these symptoms during the day, you will be contacted and asked to pick up your child within one hour of being notified, or as soon as possible. If we cannot reach the primary contact, we will call the alternate caregiver on our emergency form.

If your child has an infectious or contagious disease (e.g. influenza, chicken pox, pink eye, impetigo, lice), please advise us so we may watch the rest of the group for symptoms and, when appropriate, advise all parents/guardians. A medical note must be brought back to the Centre when the child returns, to ensure they are free of any communicable infections.

Your child must be symptom- and medication-free for at least 24 hours before returning to the Centre. In assessing the wellness of a child and their ability to participate in programmed activities, the decision of the Director is final.

Please note that the Child Care and Early Years Act (CCEYA) requires all children to participate in outdoor play. No exception can be made for children returning after an illness.

Sick, Vacation & Statutory Holidays

Sick Credit Policy There are NO financial credits issued for illness. These are common occurrences that happen frequently in young children.

Vacation Policy There are NO vacation credits for time taken off. Payments are made for 52 weeks a year for all programs offered at Windermere Kids and Green Apple Kids.

Statutory Holidays The Centre will be closed on the following days:

  • Christmas Day & Boxing Day
  • New Year’s Day
  • Family Day
  • Victoria Day
  • Good Friday & Easter Monday
  • Civic Holiday (Simcoe Day)
  • Canada Day
  • Labour Day
  • Thanksgiving Day

Waitlist Policy

Application Procedure for Waiting List

To be placed on the Windermere Kids / Green Apple Kids wait list, prospective families complete our Wait List Application Form, available on our website. Before joining, families are asked to read and sign the Wait List Policy, acknowledging they understand and will willingly comply with it. We do not require a tour to join the waitlist; tours are scheduled once a spot becomes available for your child, so your visit is a meaningful one with a real placement on the table.

Families are organized in sequential order of the date and time they are placed on the waitlist. A confidential PIN will be assigned to each child on the list; this PIN is required to confirm or check placement position. The Requested Enrolment Date on the application form indicates where the family is placed on the waitlist. If a family wishes to move from one age-group waitlist to another, they may do so; however, their initial placement date will be amended to the date of the change. Families are welcome to follow up and inquire about their status, but we will only be in contact once a spot becomes available.

Full-time (5 days a week) applicants on the waitlist have priority over part-time (2 or 3 days a week) applicants. Final decisions on enrolment in all programs fall under the Director’s discretion. Once a space is available, the centre Director will contact the family to arrange a tour and confirm the proposed start date, program, and schedule, and provide 24 hours to accept, defer, or decline the placement.

If the family accepts the placement:

  1. A non-refundable payment for the last month’s fees must be paid within 24 hours via electronic funds transfer to the corresponding Director’s email.
  2. The centre Director will confirm receipt of the fees. If you have not received correspondence from our centre within the allotted time, it is your responsibility to follow up to ensure the funds have been processed. We are not responsible for any additional banking fees associated with this exchange, nor for ensuring the money is received in our account within the allotted time.
  3. The centre Director will forward all final registration forms (including the pre-authorized debit form and void cheque) and necessary paperwork, and set up a date for the Welcome Meeting.

If tuition fees are not received in our account within the 24-hour period, the next family will be contacted and you will be removed from the waitlist unless indicated otherwise. If you wish to return to the waitlist, the centre Director will provide your new waitlist date.

If the family defers the placement, they return to the waitlist with a new date based on the date and time of deferral.

It is the sole responsibility of the family to keep their wait list information current with Windermere Kids / Green Apple Kids — including the child’s name and date of birth, any changes to the original information, and any movement from one age group to another (e.g. infant to toddler). Windermere Kids / Green Apple Kids will not automatically roll children over to the next age group, and children who age out of a program will be removed. Parents may contact the centre Director to indicate they wish to stay on the waitlist and roll over to the next age group; however, once they move to a new program, their date will change. (Infant program: birth to 18 months; toddler program: 18 months to 2½ years; preschool and nursery: 2½ to 5 years.)

If the family declines the placement, they are removed from the waitlist.

Please note that families who registered for our wait list prior to September 1, 2016 are grandfathered under our previous Registration/Waitlist Policy.

We reserve the right to change our waitlist policy as required. The Board of Directors has the final decision regarding admission.

Withdrawal Policy

Written notice no later than 5:00 pm on the final business day two months prior to withdrawal is required to withdraw from the program. The deposit is forfeited if less than two months’ notice is given. (For example: if your child is leaving June 30, notice must be given no later than 5:00 pm on the final business day in April. If you provide written notice on April 18, your deposit will be applied; if you provide notice on May 1 or later, your deposit will be forfeited.) Any credit from your original deposit (for example, if your child started at the infant rate but left at the preschool rate) will be provided to you prior to departure.