Our mission at Purple Plum is simple:
To create a safe, caring and inclusive environment where every child feels a sense of belonging, develops confidence and is encouraged to explore, learn and express themselves.
Our approach is guided by Ontario's How Does Learning Happen? pedagogy.
We believe that children are capable and competent learners and that learning happens throughout the day—in play, in relationships, in conversations, outdoors, during routines and through everyday experiences.
Every child deserves to feel welcomed, accepted and connected. We build strong relationships with children, their families and our community so that children know they are an important part of the Purple Plum family.
Children learn best when they feel safe, comfortable and cared for. We support children's physical and emotional well-being through responsive relationships, healthy routines, active play, rest and opportunities to develop confidence and independence.
Children are naturally curious. We encourage them to explore, investigate, experiment, ask questions and follow their interests. Our educators observe what children are interested in and use those observations to create meaningful experiences that extend their learning.
Children have many ways of communicating and expressing themselves. Through language, art, music, movement, dramatic play, gestures and relationships, children share their ideas, feelings and understanding of the world. We give children many opportunities to express themselves and make their voices heard.
Children don't need to sit at a desk to learn. They learn while building a tower, pretending to run a restaurant, mixing colours, digging in the sandbox, listening to a story, negotiating with a friend or wondering why a leaf changes colour.
Our educators observe these moments and find ways to extend children's learning naturally. We don't believe every activity needs a finished product. Sometimes the process is more important than the result.
We want children to wonder: “What happens if I try this?” That's where some of the best learning begins.
It might be putting away their toys, washing their hands, choosing an activity, helping a friend or learning to put on their coat. These may seem like small things, but they are important steps in a child's development.
We give children time and encouragement to try things for themselves, while being there to help when they need us. We don't expect perfection.
We celebrate progress.
