4612 Varsity Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T3A 0Z9, Canada
Jump into our puddle and get your feet wet with the love of learning
Enroll your duckling today for a warmer, more compassionate preschool experience
About Us
our programs are unique!
· Longer classes
· Higher staff-to-child ratio
· Play-based, child centered programming
· Children do not have to be potty trained
· 3 levels of programming
· Structured and unstructured daily activities/art experience
· 2 hour un-parented programming for 24-36 months
our educators are educated!
As Early Childhood Educators and Special Education Teachers, we believe the purpose of education is to inspire children with a lifelong passion for learning. Our role as educators is to support and equip your child with the knowledge that he or she will need in order to be a person who will positively contribute to the life of his or her peers, family and community. The teacher is regarded as a partner, nurturer, guide and researcher in the classroom, while the children are recognized as the communicators, explorers and learners. Both classrooms are supervised and lead by an Alberta-educated teacher.
our classroom demographics are unmatched!
We offer 3-3.5 hour programming for our 3 year and 4 year old programs (many preschools only offer 2 hour classes.) Our longer class times allow your children to work at their own pace without feeling rushed. PuddleDucks is also the only non-daycare preschool program in Calgary that offers un-parented classes for ages 24-36 months.
In our 3 and 4 year old programs there is 1 teacher for every 5 children and a maximum of 16 children per class (most schools are 1:12 and 24 students). In our PuddleDucks Preschool Prep program our ratio is 1 teacher for every 3 children with a max of 6 ducklings per class (other schools are 1:6). Our higher teacher to student ratio means your little Ducklings get more one-on-one learning time.
Meet the Team
Miss Shannon
Miss Shannon
Miss Shannon
PuddleDucks Preschool 3-and 4-Year Old Program Teacher (Owner)
My name is Miss Shannon and I’ve been married to my best friend Keith, who is also my number one cheerleader for Team Shannon, for over 25 years. Together we are raising 2 children. Our eldest son Duncan is 20 and our daughter Claire is 18. We also care for and love 3 cats,
PuddleDucks Preschool 3-and 4-Year Old Program Teacher (Owner)
My name is Miss Shannon and I’ve been married to my best friend Keith, who is also my number one cheerleader for Team Shannon, for over 25 years. Together we are raising 2 children. Our eldest son Duncan is 20 and our daughter Claire is 18. We also care for and love 3 cats, 1 dog and 1 turtle; we’re a busy house. We enjoy camping, family time with our children, game nights and hosting BBQs for friends in the summer. I love spending time with friends, learning about world history and reading before bed ( the only time you will find me relaxed enough to read). My favourite pastime is going to the movies either by myself or with my sister on Friday afternoons.
I have worked and travelled throughout Canada. I have a diploma in Early Childhood Development as well as my BEd from the University of Alberta. I have 25+ years of experience working with young children as well as identifying and supporting those children who have Developmental Learning needs. My work experience includes Directing and Teaching in a Daycare in Inuvik, NWT. I’ve worked as both an aide and as a teacher in both Daycare and with elementary school aged children. Coordinating and teaching in an in-house preschool program at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital in Edmonton. I had to program, plan and teach a classroom of 12 very high needs children and work around the schedules of Speech Therapists, Occupational Therapists, a Classroom Nurse and Classroom Psychiatrist as well as 3 classroom assistants. I have also taught 2 different Early Intervention Preschool Programs. One with Rockyview School District as well as with a private program in Calgary. I also worked with school aged children, from 10-15 years with social, behavioural and developmental needs in Medicine Hat.
Now, I finally get to pursue MY dream. I am going to teach and manage my own preschool!
I am a passionate and outspoken advocate for Early Intervention and believe all children, no matter how poor, or how disadvantaged, have the absolute right to any and all opportunities that an early diagnosis or any early educational programming can provide for them. Every child has the right to be given the same opportunities to be successful in life. I believe the little girl I once was still lives in me to this day, as I still believe in miracles. I still believe that a good hug can change the course of a day and I still believe that I can make the world better by the work I do.
Something interesting about me is that when I was in Grade 10, I won First Place in a Canada-wide creative writing contest. I had to write about, “What I would Do If I Was the Prime Minster of Canada”. I won 500 dollars as well as the honour of winning!
Miss Shannon
Miss Nikki
Miss Shannon
Miss Shannon
PuddleDucks Preschool Prep 24-36 Month Program Teacher
My name is Miss Nikki. I am a mother to two very active boys aged 8 & 9. I am also the wife of a paramedic.
I grew up on the BC coast and moved to Calgary in 1997 with my mom and sister. I have two degrees from the University of Calgary. My first is a bachelor degree in Developmental Vi
PuddleDucks Preschool Prep 24-36 Month Program Teacher
My name is Miss Nikki. I am a mother to two very active boys aged 8 & 9. I am also the wife of a paramedic.
I grew up on the BC coast and moved to Calgary in 1997 with my mom and sister. I have two degrees from the University of Calgary. My first is a bachelor degree in Developmental Visual Fine Arts and the second is my BEd. I am a practicing and selling artist and I believe very strongly in the benefits of an art-infused curriculum.
I’ve worked for 6 years as a special education teacher helping to support families get the funding, screening and therapy help their children need. I also worked one-on-one with each of these children. As an art teacher I’ve run a number of clay programs through Rockyview’s community outreach program. Now I am so thrilled to be the lead teacher for our PuddleDucks Preschool Prep class!
An interesting fact about me is that I actually have LESAs (Livestock as Emotional Support Animals) at home and they are chickens! I have spent the last year fighting with, and then working with, the city of Calgary to have a new bylaw created to allow certain types of LESAs legally
within the city. If you ask me about my 3 chickens I will probably glow with excitement and then pull out the photo album on my phone.
I love growing plants, especially orchids and perennials or anything I can start from a cutting. I also have a very close relationship with coffee. Glue sticks and I are mortal enemies... If you happen to see fingerprints on projects, they are probably more likely mine than your kid's!
I’m the worst with names... one might contemplate the irony of being a teacher and having a tough time with names but I LOVE my job!! Name tags are usually required for a bit though!
I want you to know that my number one goal is to make your little duckling feel welcome and at ease in my PPP classroom. The more comfortable they are, the more they will learn! I’m so, SUPER, excited to meet everyone and start this wonderful journey with you!
Nikki Pike
(Miss Nikki)
Educational Assistants
Miss Jenna
PuddleDucks Preschool Prep Program
I am Miss Jenna and I will be assisting Miss Nikki this year in her classroom!
I am the mother to a very wonderful son (age 9) who has Severe Hemophilia and Autism.
My son attended preschool and had the honour of having Miss Shannon and Miss Nikki teach him. He was almost non-verbal when he began preschool, with few social skills. If it weren't for their teaching, he wouldn't be anywhere close to where he is today.
I am a firm believer that early intervention with a child’s learning is crucial. After several years of learning and growing with a child who has multiple special needs, attending meeting after meeting, clinic after clinic and a battery of testing, I feel that I am extremely capable of assisting with the teaching and nurturing of any child, special needs or not.
A fun fact about me is that I am a bit of a music nerd! I love listening to it as much as I can. I find it therapeutic. I play saxophone and am a trained singer (but you won't find me belting out show tunes in public, I’m quite shy).
I hope to bring positivity and laughter to the class and hope that your children will love coming to school with us! I am so excited to meet your little ones!
Miss Kaite
PuddleDucks Preschool 3- and 4- Year-Old-Program
I am Miss Kaite and I am so very excited to be assisting in Miss Shannon’s classroom!
A little about me: I moved to Calgary from England when I was nine and have lived here ever since. I married my high school sweetheart and together we are raising two boys. I hold a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Calgary as well as a diploma in Children’s Literature.
I have 20 years experience working in early childhood education, with the last 7 years spent focusing on early intervention as a therapy assistant to preschoolers with exceptional developmental needs. I am a firm believer in meeting each child where they are at. I love watching children grow and gain confidence in their abilities as they discover the world around them. It is important to me that the children I work with feel heard, understood and supported. I love reading stories and incorporating some fun gross motor movement activities into our day!
An interesting fact about me is that I’m a published author! I have written a number of non-fiction books for children ages 5-14 years. I am a huge animal lover, and currently share my home with an overweight deaf cat named Lucy. I’m a voracious reader and love nothing more than curling up with a good book and a cup of tea. I enjoy traveling with my family, especially road trips to the ocean. I love to laugh and be silly, which is perfect when you spend all day with preschoolers!
I am so excited to meet you and your child, and look forward to creating a memorable and positive preschool experience for them.
Miss Tanya
PuddleDucks Preschool 3- and 4- Year-Old Program
Hi there! I am Miss Tanya, and I am blessed to be the Educational Assistant in Miss Shannon’s class.
A little about me:
I am a native Calgarian, who has proudly run a private day-home in NW Calgary for 18 years. During this time, I have also had the joy of working in three different preschools. I have known and worked with Miss Shannon, and the other talented staff, at PuddleDucks Preschool in some fashion for up to 15 years. In addition to these roles, I had also been an approved Foster Parent with Alberta Child and Family Services for 13 years.
I have three amazing children. My foster son, Damon, is 26 years old. My daughter, Hailey, is 17 and is currently in her last year of high school. My son, Noah, is 19 and currently in his second year of Education at MRU, working towards his goal of becoming an Occupational Therapist (you are likely to see him volunteering at the preschool throughout the year too!).
Interesting facts about me: I am a lover of the outdoors (especially all places beachy and warm!), and a self proclaimed music junkie! I love animals and my two dogs, Marley and Luna, are most certainly my fur babies! I enjoy lake life, and have a bit of a travel bug...enjoying getting away to new and exciting places as often as possible. Most of my spare time finds me listening to bands, attending concerts or sporting events, and enjoying time with the people I love.
My experience and training as an accredited Foster Parent, as well as my years providing day-home care and working within preschool classrooms, has fulfilled my passion and ‘niche’ in life to work with children. I have a heart specifically for children with special needs. It’s been both a privilege, and an honour to aid in the development and growth of so many children over the years.
I am looking forward to the coming year, working with and getting to know all the Ducklings in our classroom!
Miss Christine
Hello, my name is Miss Christine.
I work as a support teacher for Miss Shannon and Miss Nikki. I am also a substitute teacher for the CBE.
I have taught in a variety of classroom settings from grades K-7, as well as a few specialized settings such as Bridges and EDC. Prior to working as a classroom teacher I worked as a classroom assistant for CBE, as well as a Child Support Worker for Lead Foundation.
Working with children is my passion and purpose. I am so very happy to be back working with preschool aged children. This is the most wonderful developmental stage to me. It is the foundation for all their future academic and socializing journeys. So much happens between the ages of 3-5 years old!
My educational philosophy is one of the notion that children are not blank slates. They are all unique and have their own personal experience and how they learn. I believe that play is a integral part of this in the early years. My job as an educator is to use each child’s uniqueness to support them in the way they learn best so that they are able to achieve their own success.
Miss Jennifer
Shannon and I have been friends since childhood. We both are parents,
and have a passion for children. We see the need for a preschool that
reaches all aspects of our community including children who have some
difficulties socially.
I worked for many years as a pediatric orthodontic assistant until I returned
to university. I’m a graduate of HR from the University of Calgary. I have
been working as a Human Resources professional for mainly oil and gas
companies. I have over 10 years of experience and have been running my
own consulting company now for over 10 years. Currently I’m a stay at
home mom to a wonderful 10 year old.
I will be providing the business operations for PuddleDucks Preschool Inc.
Maddie
I am currently taking my Early Childhood Education and Special Needs Educator degrees at the College of the Rockies. I have always had a passion for working with children, from coaching volleyball at the local high school to teaching art classes. I find every day is a blessing if I am able to teach them something new and put a big smile on their face. Over the past couple of years, in working with children, I have learned to change my perspective on many things. Children have helped me recognize the need to be more creative, use my imagination more often and the need to have a positive attitude. Not only do I teach my students, they teach me too!
Early Childhood Education to me, means I get to make a difference in young lives and teach them everyday skills they can carry out with them for life. For instance, skills like critical thinking, motor skills and social skills. Learning how every kid is different and how their brains function has always fascinated me. I find that the psychology aspect that plays a role in teaching is huge, educating myself on behaviour and ways to make programs that benefit each and every one of my students is so crucial. I want to see all my students succeed and be confident in their abilities to learn. My goal is to be able to develop young minds in a positive way, that stimulates them to want to learn and be hungry for knowledge.
My hobbies include playing lacrosse, painting and being outdoors enjoying the mountains.
I can not wait to have an amazing year with the kids, staff and parents at PuddleDucks Preschool!
Claire
Bio coming soon...
Aaliyah
Hello my name is Miss Aaliyah.
I am 20 years old and I am the eldest daughter of a family of 8. My family immigrated here from England in 2004. I love spending time with my family, and have always enjoyed being around children. I am very excited to get a chance to learn about what it is like working in early childhood development
as I am new to the formal education aspect. Prior to my position at PuddleDucks I worked in a day home with children ranging from 1-10. I have also spent a great deal of time babysitting my own siblings as well as others. I'm very happy to get the chance to be a part of the PuddleDucks team this year. I am passionate about social skills, and I enjoy spending time
playing and engaging with the children. I am excited to learn more about how children grow and how we can make a positive impact in these formative early years!
An interesting fact about me is that I love to dirt bike! I have been dirt biking since I was 12 years old. I also love to camp with my family, we try to go as many times as possible every summer. A passion of mine is learning how to play different instruments, Currently I enjoy playing the piano, guitar and the ukulele.
I am looking forward to working with
all the staff, family, and most of all the children this year!
About Us
PuddleDucks Mission and Philosophy
At PuddleDucks Preschool, we are committed to developing a child’s love for learning and a sense of purpose in life by cultivating positive growth in your child’s Character, Confidence, Competence and Compassion.
Each of these skills build upon each other and help children better understand themselves and the world around them. At PuddleDucks we strongly believe in creating an environment which provides children a SAFE place to explore, create, make mistakes, try something difficult, try something new, ask questions, and be a better friend, essentially, “become” who they were meant to be in this world.
At PuddleDucks Preschool we are inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy. This means that themes are developed to tap into children’s interests and their natural curiosity about the world around them, but also build on basic skills such as numerical, letter recognition, prepositions, cause and effect, and problem solving as well as the ever important social skills. Being ‘inspired by’ also means that here at PuddleDucks we do not limit our students’ learning style to one governing philosophy. Instead, we see each child as a unique learner and therefore we've chosen to pull what we believe are the best qualities from a number of educational pedagogies
(Montessori, Reggio and Waldorf).
We are Partnered with and Early intervention program
According to research, learning and development are at their highest rate in the preschool years. Some children, due to conditions noticed at birth, special needs, or developmental delays which occur in the early years, risk missing some of the most important learning and developmental milestones. Early intervention helps keep these children on a path to making the most of their abilities and skills developed during the early years.
Early intervention is forward looking, even into adulthood. It has been shown that EI therapies do far more than provide for immediate benefits during the developmental years. They significantly increase the child’s ability to integrate in future social environments, including school, community, and ultimately employment."
**Your duckling may or may not need early intervention; we (your teachers) are trained to help identify these early indications if they do present themselves. If your little one does need extra help our early intervention partner Step By Step is here to help navigate government funding and supplying highly trained individuals in our classroom environment."
The PuddleDucks Difference
your child does not have to be potty trained
your child does not have to be potty trained
your child does not have to be potty trained
Most preschool programs will not accept children UNLESS they are Potty Trained. PuddleDucks Preschool understands that not all children move through their developmental stages at the same pace. We do not feel that these children should be left out, nor do we feel that a parent should have to rush back to their child’s preschool in order to change them. Your child does NOT need to be potty trained to come to PuddleDucks Preschool.
Our caring and nurturing staff will be here to assist you with potty training. If your duckling has an accident or needs a diaper change, we've got your back!
** It is important to ensure your little one always has a fresh change of clothes and a few diapers or pull-ups available in their backpack.
parents and family Are always welcome
your child does not have to be potty trained
your child does not have to be potty trained
**Special Note**
Due to new COVID-19 Protocols this policy has temporarily changed. If you have questions about seeing the school please call or email us and we will be happy to arrange a visit while school is not in session.
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At PuddleDucks Preschool we foster an open-door policy; this means that we are an un-parented program, however, parents and guardians are always welcome and encouraged to stay and join in on any class. The only time you will be required to stay is if your little duckling is showing signs of distress when you leave.
Volunteers:
PuddleDucks Preschool does not require mandatory classroom volunteers. However, we love getting to know our families and encourage you to stay for a class if you so wish. Once the September madness is over, a Classroom Volunteer Sign-Up sheet will be posted.
we have an art infused curriculum
your child does not have to be potty trained
we have an art infused curriculum
Why do Children Need both Craft and Art?
Beyond being a mental stimulant, fine art and craft activities are great for a number of developmental attributes for your ducklings, such as:
· Creativity & self-esteem
Playing with colours, shapes and textures encourages your preschooler to use the creative side of their brains, and completing crafts will help boost their self-esteem.
· Fine motor skills & coordination Working with their hands helps children practice their hand-eye coordination and develop their fine motor skills.
· Cognitive functioning
Seeing colours, feeling textures, and smelling different materials helps to reinforce children’s processing abilities and memory.
· Self-expression
There are no hard and fast rules and no wrong way in art activities for preschoolers. Letting them loose with colours and crafts allows them to express themselves fully, showing them the reward in self-expression.
mindfulness in the classroom
Hands-On Sensory-Based Play
we have an art infused curriculum
What is mindfulness? There are many answers to this question as it can be different for each person who practices. The aspect of mindfulness we will be focusing on is learning how to be in and enjoy the present. There are many ways that we will incorporate mindfulness into our curriculum, the first being: learning how to breath deeply with purpose. We will practice taking deep breaths at circle time, during our craft time and when we start to feel out of control emotionally. The second way we will incorporate mindfulness in our programs is with the practice of beginner level children's yoga.
Benefits of Mindfulness:
- decrease feelings of stress and anxiety
- improve focus and concentration
- help with impulsivity
- improve self-regulation
- develop empathy
- reduce aggression
- improve sleep
- …and more!
Hands-On Sensory-Based Play
Hands-On Sensory-Based Play
Hands-On Sensory-Based Play
What is sensory-based play?
Toddlers and kids learn best through their senses. Any play which stimulates the use of touch, smell, sight, hearing, or using fine motor muscles is considered sensory-based play. Stimulating neural pathways through sensory experiences is a crucial part of children’s early brain development.
Sensory-based play lays a crucial foundation for later learning skills
Stimulating senses through play sends signals to the brain which help develop its ability to identify objects and explore the world. Learning to differentiate sharp from soft, round from square, and cold from warm is a basic step in empowering the brain’s ability to discover, classify and sort more sophisticated information later through life.
Mat Man/ Handwriting Without Tears
Hands-On Sensory-Based Play
Hands-On Sensory-Based Play
"From classroom personality to storybook hero, Mat Man™ is a favorite among young children. Children first meet this charming character through the Handwriting Without Tears® Build Mat Man activity. Mat Man teaches important readiness skills: Body Awareness, Drawing & Pre-writing, Counting, Building, Socializing & sharing.
The teaching philosophy behind Handwriting Without Tears is that "the curriculum is designed to make handwriting easy to teach, and easy to learn."
Our PPP Program will be introduced to some basic Mat Man lessons during their "All About Me" theme month.
We introduce Mat Man to both our 3s and our 4s right in September. The 3s and 4s all learn the music, stories and activities associated with our Handwriting Without Tears program. The 3s focus more on the music and the shapes, whereas with the 4s we start learning our Letters and Sounds. In October, we start working on our Handwriting Without Tears program. This program works through the alphabet and introduces writing by using the basic shapes covered in the 3-year-old program and the sounds of the letters.
Available Programs
Our Three Levels of Programming
PuddleDucks Preschool Prep Program (PPP Program)
We are proud to offer a program for those children who are chronologically too young to attend a 3-year-old preschool program, but are behaviorally ready to participate in small group programming. The PPP Program will be available for children who are 24 months to 36 months or 3 years in age. This program will allow the children to explore in their own classroom with age-appropriate toys and equipment, and is taught by Miss Nikki. This program runs shorter than the others at 2 hours per class to accommodate these children’s shorter attention spans and will only have a maximum of 6 children in each class. Each PPP class is supervised by an Alberta-Educated Teacher as well as a classroom assistant. Preschool Prep primarily provides children with a taste of what our full preschool program looks like so that when they move on to the 3- and 4-year-old programs, they will be more prepared.
The 3 Year Old Program VS the 4 Year Old Program
This is a question we are often asked when parents come to check out our preschool. 3 year olds and 4 year olds are very different developmentally. All children are unique learners and because of that we create programs quite differently for our 3 year olds and our 4 year olds.
It is no secret that 3 year olds have bursts of energy and attention; they are more like a sprinter versus a long distance runner. They can sustain their attention for a very short period of time so generally at carpet time we sing songs and do movement games and keep sitting time to a minimum. On
average, 10 - 15 minutes of carpet time is all that 3 year olds can handle. Being a 'sprinter' also means that 3's can get tired quicker than a 4 year old. A full morning a preschool can be quite exhausting for a 3 year old. They often move around the room without sustaining any real attention in any one area. They like to explore their world. Touching, smelling, squishing, feeling, looking…this is how they learn about their world. Allowing the 3 year olds to explore their classroom in a way that they are comfortable is important to their success here at Preschool.
The 4 Year Old Program
This program is designed with Kindergarten in mind! We want your little one to feel confident when they go off to Kindergarten and we work hard throughout the year to reach goals that will set them up for Kinder-Success. 4 year olds are usually more excited and willing to get their day at Preschool started. They have stuff to do! They are busy and inquisitive and they feel comfortable with their classmates. In the 4 year old program parallel play is not often seen. Asking questions, joining in centers and confidently expressing their ideas to adults and friends is something that 4 year olds become so great at. In the 4 year old program, children develop a deeper interest in the world outside of the classroom; they want to know about the world. 4 year olds have lots of questions, they want to spend more time learning about an idea or theme, and they can also sit longer at circle and carpet time. Being able to hold attention during carpet time is an important skill needed for Kindergarten. We also promote more independence in the 4 year old program. We keep a routine in our classroom so that the children are offered the opportunity to know what is coming next and prepare themselves for the transition. We notice that the 4 year olds also start to take pride in their work and they want to spend more time doing their projects or crafts.
Cognitive Development
The CDC seperates early learning into four main areas:
1. Social and emotional
2. Language/communication
3. Movement/physical development
4. Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem solving)
Development does not happen in a neat, linear fashion. It’s uneven and varies from child to child, even within the same family.
Some Common Milestones
At 2-years-old, children:*
- Show excitement around other kids
- Repeat words or sentences often overheard
- Begin to sort shapes and colors
- Begin to run, climb, throw and stand on tiptoe
At 3-years-old, children:*
- Exhibit a wide range of emotions
- Show concern for others
- Follow instructions with two or three steps
- Play make-believe
- Dress and undress themselves
At 4-years-old, children:*
- Enjoy trying new things and talking about interests
- Know some basic grammar rules
- Start to understand time and the idea of counting
- Pour, cut and mash their food with supervision
When to be Concerned About Your Child's Development
· Doesn’t point to show things to others
· Can’t walk
· Doesn’t know what familiar things are for
· Doesn’t copy others
· Doesn’t gain new words
· Loses skills s/he once had
Important Calendar Dates
Testimonials
