Questions to Ask Before Registering for Daycare in Coquitlam

Picking childcare in Coquitlam is a big step, and the visit goes better when you arrive with a short list of questions. We’re Stars Childcare, a licensed daycare in Coquitlam on Westwood Plateau, and we’ve been caring for Tri-Cities kids since 1994. Here are eight questions we’d ask if we were in your shoes, plus what a good answer sounds like.

We use "daycare" and "childcare" to mean the same thing below. Bring this list along on your tour.

1. Is the Daycare Licensed, and Can You Check the Inspection Reports in Coquitlam?

Ask to see the licence, then check it yourself. In BC, regional health authorities monitor and regularly inspect licensed facilities. For Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody, that’s Fraser Health.

Fraser Health lets you search licensed child care facilities near you. Its inspection pages say complete routine inspection reports and a summary of substantiated complaints are available online. Each inspection also includes a low, moderate or high risk rating.

What an Inspection Report Can and Can’t Tell You

The province notes that licensed facilities typically get a routine inspection every 12 to 18 months. It also warns that you shouldn’t judge quality from the report alone. A report shows compliance. It doesn’t show how warm the educator is. That’s what your visit is for.

2. Who Will Care for Your Child in Coquitlam, and What Training Do They Have?

Ask about training, experience and First Aid and CPR. Ask how long the same person has been caring for children. Staff who stay put matter most for babies and toddlers.

At Stars, our owner and educator Shala Monfred has more than 30 years of experience. She holds an Early Childhood Education diploma, plus current First Aid, CPR and Food Safe certification. She also speaks English, Farsi and Spanish, and she weaves Spanish words into the day. You can read more about Shala and our Coquitlam daycare.

3. How Big Is the Group, and What Ages Are Together in Coquitlam?

Group size shapes the day. A smaller group usually means more one-on-one time and fewer new faces. Ask who is in the room, what ages they are, and how many adults are there.

We run one small, mixed-age group for children aged birth to 5 years. The same familiar faces are here every day. Babies, toddlers and preschoolers learn from each other, and that suits many Coquitlam families, especially those with more than one child.

4. What Does a Typical Day Look Like at a Coquitlam Daycare?

You want a steady routine that still bends to your child. Ask about play, learning, snacks, outdoor time and naps, and how the day changes for infants on their own nap and feed schedule.

Our day includes indoor free play, hands-on learning, snacks and drinks, outdoor playground time, lunch, storytime, art, music and movement, and nap or quiet time. Timing shifts with the children, naps especially. We’ve written out a typical day at our Coquitlam daycare if you’d like the detail.

5. How Much Outdoor Time Do Kids Get in Coquitlam’s Rainy Weather?

Coquitlam gets a lot of rain, so ask about outdoor play on wet days and whether it’s part of the daily routine. Ask to see the outdoor space too.

Our home sits on a quiet residential street in Westwood Plateau. Indoors, we have a bright ground-floor space of about 1,700 square feet with its own separate entrance. Outside, there’s a very large fenced backyard with a fully equipped playground and a garden. There’s ample parking, which helps at drop-off. See the photos of our Coquitlam daycare space and playground.

6. What Food Is Provided, and How Are Dietary Needs Handled in Coquitlam?

Ask what the daycare supplies and what you pack. Ask who holds Food Safe training, and how they handle allergies or special diets.

We provide healthy morning and afternoon snacks and drinks. Families send a packed lunch. If your child has specific food needs, talk with Shala during your visit so you can hear exactly how she’d handle them.

7. What Are the Hours, Closures and Backup Plans for Childcare in Coquitlam?

This question saves working parents a lot of stress. Ask about drop-off and pick-up times, statutory holidays, summer closures, and what happens if the provider is away.

We’re open Monday to Friday, 7:00am to 5:30pm. We’re closed weekends, statutory holidays, and two weeks in late August. That early start and later finish can help if you commute from Port Coquitlam or Port Moody.

8. Can You Visit First, and Is There Space in Coquitlam?

Always visit, and bring your child. Watch how the educator speaks to the children and how the children respond. Then ask about availability and whether there’s a waitlist.

Here’s a simple example. A parent visits three places in one week. Two give a polished tour, but the parent notices that only one educator kneels down to talk to each child. That’s the detail they remember when they go home. Your own visit should give you that same clarity.

At Stars, the visit is free and one-on-one. Shala can tell you about availability on the spot. We have no waitlist, but spots are limited, and places in a small daycare fill up fast. Here’s how enrolment works at our Coquitlam daycare: call Shala with your child’s age and the days you need, visit, confirm your spot and start date, then settle in.

Ask every daycare about fees and about BC’s child care fee programs. The province’s family information page names the Child Care Fee Reduction Initiative and the Affordable Child Care Benefit. If you’d like to know how either applies to Stars, ask Shala directly.

Frequently Asked Questions About Daycare in Coquitlam

Ready to see us in person? Book a free visit at our Coquitlam childcare, call Shala at 604-945-9416, and bring your questions and your little one. We welcome families from Westwood Plateau, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody and across the Tri-Cities.