Day Care
About
Established in 1974, the East Preston Day Care Centre offers fully licensed day care to children aged 3 months to 11 years. Using an emergent curriculum, we have diverse programming that caters to each child’s individual needs and interests, while encouraging them to learn together, side-by-side. Through play, education, and discovery, children are able to grow independently while still interacting with one another and exploring what it means to be part of a community.
We have multiple locations, including our original location located in East Preston, our school age Program which is at the East Preston Recreation Centre, a location in Porter’s Lake and a new location on Main Street in Dartmouth.
We have full meal and snack services. All food is cooked from scratch, and with love, in our on-site kitchen, and we’re able to cater to any dietary restrictions or needs. All of our child care providers have gone through extensive background checks and are up-to-date on First Aid/CPR.
The East Preston Day Care Centre is open to any family in HRM, and prides itself on our feeling of community, shared experiences, and love. Many of our children begin their journey with us as infants, and stay with our programming throughout their lives, eventually starting their own family and accessing services at our Family Resource Centre. We truly foster a sense of togetherness!
Interested in learning more, or coming for a visit? Please contact us today!
Waitlist Available
We are currently accepting applications to our wait list for child care.
Please fill out the below form to get added to our waitlist, we will need the following information:
Your name, your child’s name, date of birth, your contact information and your requested start date as well as your preferred location for care.
Please complete one form per child, and only submit the form once.
The Porter’s Lake Location and the Main Street location only accept children at 18 months. Our East Preston location is able to take children as young as 3 months.
We are not able to accept calls for the wait list at this time, and ask that you please complete the form. We are unable to provide families with their exact position on the waitlist, and we will contact you once a spot becomes available.
Availability in our centres is subject to change based on the needs of the community.
Fees
Infants (3 to 17 months): $37/day*
Toddlers (18 months to 3 years): $35/day*
Preschool (3 to 5 years): $34/day*
4 plus (Enrolled in Pre-Primary): $17/before and after school and $34/ full day*
Before/After School Care (5 to 10 years): $16/before and after school and $30/full day*
*Through the Canada Wide Childcare Program, our program fees are reduced by approximately 50% of our posted rate, more information on the reduction rates can be found at https://childcarenovascotia.ca/families
There are cost-subsidy programs available to those who are interested. Please see below for their information, we encourage all families to apply:
Our Daycare Locations
East Preston Location
Our original location opened in 1974 and has the capacity for 85 children aged 3 months- 5 years (not attending school)
The East Preston Location no longer has an afterschool program – It is now offered at the Afterschool Program at 24 Brooks Drive
Hours:
Monday-Friday 7 AM – 530 pm
Closed all Holidays and Weekends
Address: 1799 Highway 7 East Preston
Phone Number: 902-462-0054 Ext 1
Assistant Director: Kimberlea McMullin
Inclusion Coordinator: Ranae Brooks
East Preston Afterschool Program
An expansion on our original location which hosts our 30 school age program for ages 5 years – 10 years.
This program runs throughout the year and includes all PD Days, School Closures and Holiday Breaks.
We are only able to accept children from Bell Park Academic Centre.
Hours:
Monday-Friday 7 AM – 530 pm
Closed all Holidays and Weekends
Address: 24 Brooks Drive, East Preston
Phone Number: 902-462-0054 Ext 1
Assistant Director: Kimberlea McMullin
Inclusion Coordinator: TBD
Porter's Lake Location
Our third location which opened in February 2024, this location has the capacity for 49 children aged 18 months – 10 years.
This location does have a before and afterschool program which accepts children from Porter’s Lake Elementary and Ecole des Beaux-Marais.
Hours:
Monday-Friday 630am – 530pm
Closed all Holidays and Weekends
Address: 5228 Highway 7 Porters Lake
Phone Number: 902-462-0054 Ext 2
Assistant Director: Janet Grant
Inclusion Coordinator: TBD
Main Street Location
Our Fourth location opened in May 2024. This location has the capacity for 60 children aged 18 months – 5 years. (not attending school)
This location does not offer before and afterschool care and only provides full day care until children leave for pre-primary or Primary.
Hours:
Monday-Friday 7am – 530pm
Closed all Holidays and Weekends.
Address: 1016 Main Street, Dartmouth
Phone Number: 902-462-0054 Ext 4
Assistant Director: Juanita Smith
Inclusion Coordinator: Dawn Jenkins