What makes us sparkle
Discovery Tots was formed out of a passion for providing authentic childcare for children and families.
Holly’s love for caring for children started early. Looking after all of the neighbourhood children throughout high school and taking on the role of nanny for many families, Holly’s passion grew and evolved. Her natural ability and desire to care for—not only children—but people, eventually lead her to a career in emergency services. Holly worked in the emergency room at the Foothills Hospital for three years before becoming an EMT. After the birth of her first child, Holly knew she wanted to spend as much of those early years at home with her daughter as she could. She decided to rekindle her passion for childcare, opening what would become the first location of Discovery Tots in 2010.
In 2014, Holly officially formed Discovery Tots—and with a long waiting list and desire to open her doors to more families, Holly hired an assistant who shared her passion, and together they opened the second location of Discovery Tots. Today, there are multiple locations across Calgary, each guided by the same dedication, philosophy, and standards Holly has created to provide safe, authentic, and devoted care for children and their families.
Our Philosophy—Bright minds & open hearts
We believe in creating an environment that encourages children to steer their own learning paths. Rather than a set of rules and principles that apply to all children, we create activities and guidelines that fit the child by watching, observing, and listening to their needs and interests. We also believe there are key ingredients to creating a warm, loving, and supportive environment for our young bright minds—that is—a clean and organized space, an utmost focus on safety, passionate caregivers, and open hearts.
Our Caregivers—Guiding through exploration & discovery
All of our caregivers share a passion for what they do, and that is providing the type of care for children that allows them to explore, learn, and grow through guided discovery. Everyone at Discovery Tots takes immense pride in watching your child progress and flourish into the little person they are meant to be. Loving, affectionate, driven, and devoted are just a few of the characteristics we look for in all of our caregivers. We also require all our caregivers to have a minimum of three years of childcare experience with all ages, provide a record of police clearance, and hold their CPR and First Aid Certification as outlined here by Canadian Red Cross.
Our Explorers—Learning through play & curiosity
We believe a balance of structured and unstructured play is important. All of our locations are equipped with a large selection of quality toys, curated to encourage imagination, exploration, and skill-building. We encourage sharing, connecting with friends, and learning to play together—while also recognizing when a child needs independent play. Structured play includes activities such as crafts, puzzles, drama, music, reading, and circle time. We also believe outdoor play is vital to a child’s health and well-being and try to incorporate it every day as weather permits. We welcome little explorers ages 12 months to 5 years.