2017 BrightPath Centre Review

09/18/2017

We have been so fortunate to work with Brightpath Kids over the last few years. Brightpath Kids is a childminding facility that has 3 locations here in Red Deer: Eastview, Oriole Park and Riverside Meadows.

I was able to visit the Eastview location this month to see how they operate. I did already know quite a bit about the facility from having director Jennifer Hermary come into our Mom and Baby Program and chat, but this was my first time visiting a center. I was super impressed with how they work and the research that has gone into each of their programs.

We toured all the different rooms for different age groups. They have a baby room, toddler room, pre-k, and their kindergarten room. They offer preschool and kindergarten programs right on site at Eastview. Even the baby and toddler rooms follow a curriculum that was formed through in-depth research into early childhood learning and development. Each room has everything needed for play, learning, development, eating and naps. The centre also has a very large outside area for children to play and a gym in the basement. In the summer months they offer many different summer programs for preschool and school age children.

Meals are prepared fresh at the Riverside location. The menu has been developed by a registered dietician and nutritionist and meets all recommendations from Canada’s Food Guide. Lunch and 2 healthy snacks are provided daily at the centers.

I was able to meet some of the staff at the centre and everyone was so friendly and almost all have been at the centre for quite some time. This centre prides themselves on having a low turnover rate, which directly affects the children. All staff members has to provide a criminal record check before employment and must be qualified in Early Childhood Education.

BrightPath offers one of the coolest apps called BrightPath Connect which enables teachers to connect with parents. Parents can see child’s well-being, development and social interactions in real-time. I love this feature! You can even see how your child ate their food!

Overall I was very impressed with my visit to BrightPath Eastview and would absolutely recommend it to anyone looking into childcare. I would suggest that if you are starting your search for childcare, that you take some time to do a tour of the facility and ask questions. Jen let me know that you should start your search as early as 6 months before returning to work so you allow adequate wait times. I absolutely love the BrightPath Connect app and the fact that they follow set curriculums and offer pre-k and kindergarten programs. Perfect for busy full time working parents!