Founded in 2009 by Shaun D. Olafson and his partner, Kiddy Junction was originally a single Centre offering Full Time Daycare service in Vancouver, British Columbia. In time, it became a symbol of higher quality education for young children and has branched out into two campuses to better support our families.
After gaining their education and experience as Early Childhood Educators, the founders were involved in many childcare programs throughout Vancouver and the surrounding areas. Outside of work, they continued to develop their knowledge and seek out new methods and practices. They spent time with many industry professionals, even consulting with Leila Gandini herself (a leading figure in the effort to bring Reggio Emilia practices to North America), and took their time building the experiences that would eventually lead them to create the philosophy now in place within each Kiddy Junction Academy program.
At the time that Kiddy Junction was created, many centres were doing a great disservice to the children by following outdated practices and offering subpar care to families at the expense of the government, who funds many of these programs around the city. It was against the backdrop that the first KJA program was established, with the hope that our philosophy could be a beacon to lead the way for other programs in the province.
Almost a year later, working on a shoestring budget, but with much support from friends, family, and industry peers, the original Kiddy Junction Daycare was opened. It was a wonderful time of growth, learning, and new faces that would become old friends.
From those humble beginnings, Kiddy Junction has earned a great reputation in the local community, with families and teachers coming from all over the world to participate in the program. We are proud to be recognized by local colleges and universities who send their students to our centres to learn, and of the accolades we have received over the years, including being named one of Vancouver's Top Three Preschools.
Today, Kiddy Junction has grown into a family of dedicated teachers who work with families to guide children toward their upmost potential, and we look forward to continuing to create new relationships with families and children in the years to come.
