About First Milestones in Whitby
At First Milestones Education and Childcare, we combine three educational programs to provide the highest-quality education to children in Ontario; our curriculum follows Montessori, Reggio Emilia and Play-based curriculum practices.
We care for children from 14 months to 5 years old and provide a range of age-appropriate resources and activities to encourage their development right up until they are ready to join school.
Our Philosophy
Our philosophy is centered on learning, creativity, and exploration. We combine elements of Montessori, Reggio Emilia, and play based learning to create a balanced approach that encourages independence, curiosity, and self expression. By blending indoor and outdoor classrooms within a warm, home away from home environment, we create spaces where children feel safe, inspired, and empowered to discover the world around them. Through hands on experiences, creativity, and guided learning, we help children grow with confidence as they build a bright future.
Who We Are
First Milestones Education and Childcare got its start in Whitby in 2023.
We decided to do things a bit differently at First Milestones Education & Childcare by creating a space which fosters early learning in a fun and safe environment where children from 14 months to 5 years can explore the world around them.
We believe our innovative approach gives children a bright and positive start in life as we encourage both exploration and discovery as well as emotional intelligence and building friendships.
About Our Whitby Location
Our education and childcare centre is located within Smart Centres Plaza as a stand-alone, highly secure building and includes:
- Designated parking as well as access to plaza parking, with disabled parking access also accessible to families.
- Brand new, modern, state-of-the-art facilities which have been thoughtfully selected with children in mind.
- A large, private, secure playground which includes brand-new play equipment.
- We are able to offer a wide variety of activities, including messy play, music, dance and more!
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We’d love to send you a FREE parent pack, full of helpful information about First Milestones.
Toddler Room
(14 months - 2 ½ years)
Our toddler program encourages children to learn at their own pace, with hands-on activities that stimulate natural learning. We focus on enhancing social, emotional, and physical development, emphasising child-initiated movement activities in a safe environment.
At First Milestones Education & Childcare, we prioritize human interaction, focusing on activities such as live singing, stories, and verses, rather than technology.
Our flexible schedule includes structured indoor and outdoor activities that are developmentally appropriate and foster growth in language, problem-solving, self-help, and social awareness.
We offer a wide variety of materials and experiences for your toddler to explore, including construction, drama, problem-solving, exploration, communication, and creativity.
We also incorporate activities such as yoga, music, and karate into our routine! We understand that, as parents, you want to know what your child has been getting up to and see for yourself the incredible progress they will be making at First Milestones Education and Childcare! Therefore, we keep you up to date with your child’s learning journey by documenting and sharing reports and pictures with you throughout the day.
Preschool/Senior Preschool
(2 ½ - 5 years)
At First Milestones Education & Childcare, we focus on developing and nurturing preschoolers’ minds to provide them with a strong foundation for social and academic growth. Our unique program caters to the individual needs of each student, allowing them to make independent discoveries and use them in their own creative play.
We believe that children learn from their environment, which includes parents, teachers, each other, and the world around them. That’s why we provide a wide range of experiences, such as singing, dancing, creating music, puppet shows, crafts, painting, and dramatic play, as well as indoor and outdoor free play time.
Our Senior Preschool program provides a more formal classroom setting designed to help children confidently prepare for the transition to school. The program promotes structured, self-guided discovery while following the guidelines set by the Ontario Ministry of Education. Through engaging lessons and hands on activities, children begin developing important early academic and social skills that support school readiness, including communication, problem solving, collaboration, and independence.
Children are introduced to a wide range of age appropriate subjects that encourage curiosity and a love of learning. These include Language, Arts, History, Geography, Visual Arts, Music, Mathematics, Science, and Physical Education. By combining structured learning with creative exploration, our program helps children build a strong foundation for future academic success while continuing to nurture confidence, curiosity, and enthusiasm for learning.
Outdoor Space
At First Milestones Education and Childcare, outdoor learning and play are an important part of every day! Providing children with an outdoor space provides them with the opportunity to explore, discover and appreciate the world around them, as well as be active, strengthen movement skills and build friendships!
Our beautiful, green playground is designed to inspire children to play, learn, and grow. Divided into two sections by age group, our outdoor space allows children to connect with peers at similar developmental stages and engage in activities that suit their needs. Our modern playground creates a calming, safe and private outdoor space for your child to learn, grow and have fun.
Get Our Free Guide
We know how hard it can be to choose the perfect place for your little ones to learn and grow. So we have made it simple for you to find out exactly what to look for when choosing the perfect education and childcare centre. Get your copy now.
Merging Teaching and Childcare
Three-point System
At First Milestones Education & Childcare Centre, we follow a 3-point system that allows your child to put their best foot forward and further instil a sense of comfort and confidence in their continued pursuit of education.
Comfort
At First Milestones Education & Childcare, we smile and welcome each child, making sure we create an inclusive environment and show each child at our centre how special they are. Our staff spend quality, uninterrupted time with each individual while ensuring that friendships with other children are encouraged and developed.
Cooperation
We encourage children to play and interact with others, promoting the importance of sharing and providing group games and activities that promote communal play.
Education
Our certified educators listen to your child, engaging them in different mediums to engage them, such as talking, singing and reading. We believe that it’s never too early to start learning and that it’s vital to always present opportunities for children to learn and grow as soon as they start at our centre. By developing our programs with curriculum experts and childcare specialists, we’ve been able to hone in on what makes early education a success and created a learning program that allows our children to enter school seamlessly.
What to Expect from First Milestones Education & Childcare
Our mission is to provide the highest quality childcare in Ontario, and strive to set a standard that could be recognized anywhere in the world. We are dedicated to creating a safe, nurturing, and inspiring environment where every child can learn, grow, and thrive. Our goal is to support each child’s development while helping families feel confident and supported. At First Milestones, we aim to build bright futures, one milestone at a time!
As part of our commitment,
we provide all of our kids with:
- Healthy chef-prepared meals each day that meet dietary restrictions (gluten-free, vegan, etc) and are modified every four weeks for nutritional variety.
- Flexible hours to accommodate parents with busy schedules.
- The opportunity to explore the surroundings with frequent field trips.
- Events that allow kids to learn more about the world around them, such as career day, guest speakers, etc.
- The opportunity to develop using our brand-new, state-of-the-art facilities. Everything within our setting has been created with your child in mind.
- Outdoor play that teaches little ones how to respect Mother Nature and interact with her in a meaningful way.
- A diverse, all-inclusive environment where all cultures and traditions are honored and respected.
We would be thrilled to have you join our First Milestones Education & Childcare family in Whitby. Contact us with any questions at info@firstmilestones.ca or click the button below to schedule a tour!
Schedule a Tour at First Milestones Education and Childcare
The best way to discover what makes a childcare centre special is to see it firsthand. We provide engaging and interactive tours at our Whitby location daily. We look forward to meeting you soon and getting to know you and your child more!
Please note: We are a premium, high-end, private, award winning Childcare and Education center. Therefore, we are not affiliated with any government financial programs, including the CWELCC (Childcare Fee Reduction Initiative) and subsidy program. Thank you for choosing First Milestones, and we look forward to the opportunity to support your child’s development