Welcome!
The Acorn Playschool is a home daycare for children ages 1-3, located in the Davenport / Dufferin area of Toronto. It is the pre-school affiliated with the B.E.N. School-House.
The name ‘Acorn’ was chosen from the knowing that the potential of each human awaits realization – very much like an oak tree whose potential is lying dormant and hidden in the little acorn.
We foster an environment where teachers and parents work together towards creating the best opportunity for the children so that their innate love of learning flourishes. Together, we also lay the foundations for helping the child grow the confidence, determination and human decency that will help him/her get on well in life.
In these first years, we help to sow the foundational seeds that help nurture their curiosity, sense of discovery and feelings of security.
Acorn Playschool Mission
Our mission is to encourage all children to discover and realize their natural genius and academic capabilities whilst growing respect, responsibility and value for themselves, their family, environment, nation and the human progression.
WHAT PARENTS SAY
NATHALIE ALTMAN
What is unique about it is that it really does teach the young ones the fundamental values and standards of what it means to be a human being, for instance respect, responsibility, and care, and at a level they can grasp. There is a real care to give them the tools to succeed, and to confirm them in their successes. There is also the care to correct them, when needed, in such a way that they always win from the situation.
RHONDA AND MARK POMPILIO
We have two young children, age 4 and 1 ½ who currently both attend the Acorn Playschool. Over the last 3 years, the teachers and assistants at the Acorn have greatly impressed us with their care, support and wisdom with the ways of children. They offer the students a family and value oriented school, where they can learn and explore freely in a safe environment surrounded by caring, professional teachers. Our children have gained much confidence, thoughtfulness and awareness of others through this experience.
The teachers also regularly offer workshops, which we feel help to create stronger family units, which is such a contribution to our community.
DR. MARISSA HEISEL
We found everything that we were looking for and more in Acorn Playschool. Each child is treated with the utmost respect, recognized for his and her individuality, strengths, and challenges. There is a tremendous focus on exploring the natural world and the environment around the children, and a simple walk to the corner might take half an hour in order to be able to explore bugs on the sidewalk or all of the construction vehicles on the street. Diligent attention is paid to verbal skills, and the language of even the youngest children at Acorn is quite exceptional.
There is none of the aggressive physicality that is often seen in daycare settings, as the children are taught to use their words to express their frustrations. And yes, they are indeed taught, using story telling and theatre to introduce or reinforce new ideas and vocabulary. It is also extremely important to us that snacks at Acorn Playschool are always healthy, with none of the junk food and refined sugar that is all too often a staple of the diets of today’s children.
ADRIAN STANSFIELD
We have found the Acorn to be an invaluable asset to our daughter’s educational and social development. The staff have been amazing at teaching her positive skills as well as teaching us as parents to be more effective as leaders. The Acorn provides an enlightened view of the world to our child that many other schools do not. The children are encouraged to have highly interactive experiences and they seem to want to learn everything they can about the world around them.
We are also impressed by the community support the Acorn has between the parents and the teachers. We whole-heartedly believe in the Acorn’s teaching methods and hope that the school can continue to grow as our child does.
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