Our Value Core
Built from the experiences shared with us by families
As a parent of a 3–to 5 years old child, we simply wish for a preschool where our child will be welcomed (truly welcomed!). A place where we can leave our child to a caring place and walk away in the morning with a sense of calm, knowing your child is safe, included, understood, and cared for.
Finding a preschool for neurotypical children is often straightforward, with many options focused on early learning and social development. On the other hand, for a parent of a child with autism or another neurodivergent profile, choosing a preschool can feel emotional and overwhelming.
Background
Preschools are supposed to be a place where every child will be welcomed, understood, and included, yet many families have experienced the opposite. At Symbiosis Pediatric Therapy, we have met parents who shared stories of unanswered calls after mentioning a diagnosis, their children struggling in overstimulating classrooms, or centers that could not provide the extra support their child needed.
Over time, it became clear that there are many families in the Greater Vancouver area who were not just looking for any pre-school or early education center. They were looking for belongingness and acceptance of their children.
Many parents described the same quiet heartbreak of watching their child play alone in a typical pre-school while other children connected naturally. They were frustrated seeing them become overwhelmed by noise and transitions, or worrying every day whether their child was truly understood or simply labelled as “difficult.”
What they wanted was something in between. They hoped for a place that held both development and childhood together. That is where the idea of Symbiosis KIDS Centre began.
At Symbiosis KIDS center, we want the parents to have access to a preschool where their child could belong without needing to change who they are first (with or without a diagnosis). A place where sensory needs were understood, communication could happen in different ways too, and children were supported with patience, compassion, and genuine care.
THE NAME: SYMBIOSIS KIDS CENTRE
We chose the name Symbiosis because it reflects something we believe deeply: growth happens through connection. In nature, Symbiosis means different beings supporting each other to thrive, not by being the same, but by working together in balance. That is how we see true inclusion.
At Symbiosis KIDS Center, we work together to create a space where differences are not barriers, but part of how we grow stronger as a community.
Symbiosis KIDS Centre was founded by the team behind Symbiosis Pediatric Therapy Clinic with a clear purpose. It is designed to create the kind of preschool families had been searching for: a nurturing, inclusive environment where children can learn and grow together, naturally. Our goal is not simply preparing children for kindergarten, but helping them build confidence, friendships, emotional safety, independence, and a love for learning.
Every family deserves the peace of knowing their child is entering a place where they are truly accepted, included, and celebrated for who they are.
Meet the ECE-Certified Educators at Symbiosis KIDS center
At Symbiosis KIDS Centre, our Early Childhood Education (ECE) team is made up of compassionate educators, support staff, and child development professionals who are passionate about helping every child feel safe, confident, and included.
Our educators understand that children learn in different ways and at different paces. Through patience, play, creativity, and connection, our team creates a warm learning environment where children ages 3–5 can thrive socially, emotionally, and developmentally. Our Preschool team works within a culture that deeply values inclusion, neurodiversity, collaboration, and child-centred learning
Integrated Therapy Collaboration & Additional Support
One of the things that makes Symbiosis KIDS Centre truly unique is our close collaboration with the experienced team at Symbiosis Pediatric Therapy Inc.. For many families, navigating preschool, therapy appointments, developmental concerns, and school readiness at the same time can feel overwhelming. Parents are often trying to coordinate communication between educators, therapists, consultants, and caregivers, all while supporting their child’s daily emotional and developmental needs.
At Symbiosis KIDS Centre, families benefit from being part of a community built by professionals who have supported children and families since 2008.
An Inclusive Preschool Community for All Children
At Symbiosis KIDS Centre, we welcome both neurotypical and neurodivergent children ages 3–5 into a nurturing, play-based, and inclusive learning environment.
We believe every child deserves to feel safe, included, able to build friendships, learn at their own pace, and enter Kindergarten with confidence.Our preschool combines inclusive early childhood education with a deep understanding of child development and school readiness.
WE WELCOME ALL CHILDREN
Symbiosis KIDS Centre is equally designed for all children and families looking for a high-quality, nurturing, and emotionally supportive preschool experience. Many parents today not only want academics, but also want their children to learn kindness, empathy, emotional intelligence, confidence, communication, flexibility, and respect for differences.
Inclusive classrooms help children develop important lifelong social skills while learning in a warm and engaging environment.
WE WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT NEURODIVERGENT CHILDREN
Every child develops differently, and that is something we celebrate. Our environment is supportive for children who may experience challenges with
Some children may already have a diagnosis. Others may simply benefit from a smaller, more supportive, and understanding preschool environment. At Symbiosis KIDS Centre, neurodivergent children are not expected to “fit into a mould.” Instead, we focus on understanding each child’s individual strengths, needs, communication style, and learning profile.
A Community Where Every Child Belongs
At Symbiosis KIDS Centre, children grow up learning that everyone has strengths, challenges, different ways of communication, and above all kindness for other matters.
Our classrooms are designed to foster belonging rather than comparison. We believe children thrive when they feel emotionally safe, connected, encouraged, and valued for who they are.
More than a Preschool. It is a Place where Every Child belongs.
While many preschools are designed primarily for typically developing children, Symbiosis KIDS Centre was created with a different vision: a learning community where children of all abilities learn, play, and grow together.
Our goal is not simply to prepare children for kindergarten. We help children develop confidence, friendships, independence, communication skills, and a lifelong love of learning in an environment where diversity is valued and every child is welcomed.
Inclusive by Design, Not by Exception
Many preschool programs accept children with diverse needs when space and resources allow. At Symbiosis KIDS, inclusion is part of our foundation.
We intentionally create an environment where neurotypical and neurodivergent children learn side-by-side through play, exploration, and meaningful social interactions. Research shows that inclusive preschool environments benefit all children by fostering empathy, social understanding, acceptance of differences, and positive peer relationships. Every child deserves to feel seen, valued, and included.
A Preschool Informed by Child Development
Our connection to Symbiosis Pediatric Therapy provides our team with a deeper understanding of child development, communication, sensory needs, emotional regulation, and individualized support. This does not mean children are attending therapy during preschool.
It means our educators understand that children learn differently and can respond with flexibility, compassion, and evidence-informed strategies that help every child participate successfully. We focus on strengths, not labels.
Play with Purpose
Children learn best when they are actively engaged, curious, and having fun.
Our play-based preschool program encourages children to explore, create, problem-solve, communicate, and build relationships through hands-on experiences. Research consistently shows that play-based learning supports social, emotional, language, cognitive, and self-regulation development while building school readiness skills.At Symbiosis KIDS, play is never “just play.” Every activity is designed to support meaningful learning and development.
Individualized Support Within a Group Setting
No two children develop in exactly the same way. Some children need extra encouragement to join a group activity. Others may need visual support, sensory accommodations, communication strategies, or additional time to build confidence.
Our educators meet children where they are and support them at their own pace while helping them participate as valued members of the classroom community. Inclusive early childhood programs use individualized approaches to increase participation, engagement, and success for all learners.
Strong Family Partnerships
We believe parents are experts on their children. That is why we prioritize open communication, collaboration, and trust. Families are active partners in their child’s learning journey, and we work together to celebrate successes, navigate challenges, and support each child’s growth. When families and educators work together, children thrive.
Preparing Children for More Than Kindergarten
School readiness is about more than letters and numbers. Children need confidence, communication skills, emotional regulation, problem-solving abilities, independence, resilience, and positive social relationships. Our program helps children develop the foundational skills they need not only for kindergarten, but for lifelong learning and participation in their community.
Every Child’s Journey Looks Different — And That’s Okay
At Symbiosis KIDS Centre, we believe some of the most meaningful preschool success stories are not about perfection. They are about a child joining circle time for the first time, a first friendship, a confident goodbye at drop-off, learning to communicate needs, participating in group play, or walking into kindergarten feeling proud and capable.
How some children experience a traditional Preschool without support
How Symbiosis KIDS Centre supports children
Communication support
Communication support might be needed to help them express their needs and connect with others, or guidance in social-emotional development so they can build friendships and understand emotions in a safe, supported way.
Emotional regulation strategies
We also focus on emotional regulation strategies to help children navigate big feelings, along with sensory accommodations that make the environment more comfortable and accessible for children who experience the world more intensely.
Behavioural Support
For some children, support may also include behavioural guidance that focuses on understanding the “why” behind behaviours rather than simply responding to them, as well as school readiness support to help build confidence and independence for the transition to kindergarten.
Fine motor or gross motor development
We provide opportunities to strengthen fine motor and gross motor development through play-based learning, and we support executive functioning skills such as attention, flexible thinking, and task initiation in developmentally appropriate ways.
Our goal is not to change who a child is, but to give them the tools, understanding, and environment they need to feel successful, included, and confident as they grow.
