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Cover StoryOntario’s Childcare IndustryDISCOVERY CHILD CARE IN BARRIEEARNS INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITIONFOR OUTDOOR CLASSROOMBy: Andrea HannenBack in 2006, when ChildcareToday first visited DiscoveryChild Care in Barrie,owner/operators Karen and ChrisEilersen had already firmly establishedtheir program as the environmentallyfriendly child care choicefor families in the Barrie area. Theyhad earned a Bell Canada BusinessAward, been officially recognized byEnvironmental Action Barrie, andbeen named “Business of the Year”by the Barrie Chamber of Commerce.At that time, Discovery Child Carewas operating in five locations, twoof which were located in schools.Karen Eilersen is an RECE who receivedher diploma from Seneca College.In 1989, after seven years workingin licensed child care, she begancaring for children in her home andcontinued her professional development.A conference she attendedon the environment and children’shealth was a major turning point forher. She became increasingly concernedabout the impact of environmentaltoxins on children’s health,and about what she saw as the growingdisconnect between children andthe natural world. As she began talkingwith other parents, she realizedshe was not alone in these concernsand the idea for Discovery Child Carebegan to take shape.In 1997, she and Chris had purchaseda two-acre parcel of land neartheir home and began the processof converting and expanding theexisting building to become a fullyequipped licensed child care facility.The large outdoor space allowed thecouple to create perennial and vegetablegardens and set up a compostingstation, so that the children enrolledat the centre could learn aboutgrowing their own food, companionplanting and insect alternatives topesticides, and a host of other environmentallyand socially responsiblepractices. Discovery Child Careopened its Harvie Road location licensedfor 64 and soon expanded toaccommodate 99 children. Within afew short years, the couple opened upanother freestanding location, onceagain on a large parcel of land andonce again focusing on developingchildren’s environmental consciousnessand appreciation of nature.Recognizing that the type of experienceDiscovery Child Care wasoffering children was unique in theBarrie area, the couple formed aseparate not-for-profit corporation in2006. The not-for-profit corporationwas created in response to the launchADCO Members Karen and Chris Eilersenare true pioneers in the field of ecoeducationfor young children.of the provincial Government’s BestStart program and soon entered intoagreements with the local schoolboard to begin offering programs intwo school-based locations. A thirdnot-for-profit location was openedin a church to offer afterschool programming.All three of the not-forprofitprogram’s sites were characterizedby the same thoughtful attentionto detail as the first two, with a heavyemphasis on environmental consciousness,play-based learning, andcontinuous improvement. Together,the five Discovery Child Care sitesregularly participated in a variety ofquality enhancement initiatives.In addition to serving as the ExecutiveDirector for Discovery’s not-“A variety of outdoor structures are needed to facilitate the playbasedlearning experiences that take place in a Nature ExploreClassroom. Chris Eilersen built them all to exacting design standards,ensuring that even the materials used in the structures themselveswould pose no threat to the micro-environment of the centre .”10 ChildcareTODAY • SUMMER/BACK TO SCHOOL 2012
Ontario’s Childcare Industryfor-profit corporation and Presidentof Discovery Child Care Inc., KarenEilersen has served several terms onthe ADCO board of directors and hasbeen its treasurer since 2008. She hasalways thrived on hard work. Priorto earning her ECE diploma, she wasemployed as a kitchen manager andchef in a busy regional restaurantchain. In addition to raising theirtwo sons, she and Chris have alsocontinued on their own journey ofenvironmental education and activism,bringing new levels of awarenessand many innovations to theirfive licensed child care sites.Most recently, Discovery’s HarvieRoad location became the firstlicensed child care in Canada to receivethe prestigious Nature ExploreClassroom designation from the ArborDay Foundation. The Arbor DayFoundation is a non-profit conservationand education organization.Its more than one million membersare dedicated to planting trees andcelebrating ecosystems. The NatureExplore designation recognizes Discovery’semphasis on outdoor activitiesthat encourage learning byimproving children’s ability to concentrate,as well as their problemsolving,cognitive and social skills.A variety of outdoor structuresare needed to facilitate the play-basedlearning experiences that take placein a Nature Explore Classroom. ChrisEilersen built them all to exacting designstandards, ensuring that eventhe materials used in the structuresthemselves would pose no threat tothe micro-environment of the centre.These remarkable outdoor facilitiesprovide the children with opportunitiesto create in a natural art area,build with natural materials, climbon natural structures and practicetheir balance, agility and creativity inspaces specifically designed for musicand movement. They can be usedyear-round, weather permitting. Thechildren typically spend at least twohours per day in the centre’s outdoorlearning areas.Programming for Nature ExploreClassrooms is based on the findingsand recommendations of the DimensionsEducational Research Foundation.The Dimensions EducationalResearch Foundation was formed inBE SURE TOREGISTER!For ADCO’s 2012Fall Conference!Friday, November 2, Delta MarkhamMORNING WORKSHOP OPTIONS What You need to know about employment contractsKelsey Orth, Crawford, Chondon & Partners LLP Adult/Child Interaction: Giving Children ChoicesMary Soundy, Alpha Child Care Building The Winning Team:.A Guide To Hiring, Training And Keeping Great Employees!Michael Lewis, Michael Lewis Training, Motivation & Development Health, Happiness and HumourMary DiCaro, Mary DiCaro Consulting ServicesADCO MEMBER RATE: $195/PERSON + HSTTo register, call 905-646-7311 ext 304For more information please visit www.childcaretoday.caAfternoon Keynote: The Future Of Child Care In OntarioJoin best-selling author and futurist, Richard Worzel for this insightfulpresentation about the forces driving change, how they will affect thechild care industry and how you can prepare your centre for successeven in challenging times.1998 to study how science, math andliteracy learning can be enhanced bythe addition of more visual-spatialactivities into classrooms and homes.For a number of years, the Foundationhas conducted and collected researchon how children best developvisual-spatial skills and how teachersand families can optimally supportthis development.Becoming a Nature Explore designatedprogram is not easy. It involvesworkshops for educators and designersand access to sourcebooks thatoutline the design requirements forthe structures, as well as implementingfield-tested activities and components.The process is most effectivewhen the parents of the children enrolledat the centre are also involved.In 2011, Discovery had a staff trainingfrom the Arbor Day Foundation,which included parental developmentas well as learning about programmingfor use in the physical andnatural environment. The Discoverystaff team has implemented many ofthe Nature Explore principles and activitiesinto the programming offeredat all five Discovery Child Care sites.“By becoming Canada’s firstNature Explore classroom, DiscoveryChild Care Centre is setting awonderful example for other learninginstitutions and organizationsthroughout the country,” said SusieWirth, Nature Explore outreach directorfor the Arbor Day Foundation.Editor’s Note: As this issue of ChildcareToday was going to press, the SimcoeCounty Public School Board opted not torenew its longstanding agreement withDiscovery Child Care’s not-for-profitprogram, resulting in the closure of oneof Discovery’s school-based sites.SUMMER/BACK TO SCHOOL 2012 • ChildcareTODAY 11
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