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● Toddler Class · 18 months – 2.5 years

Their very first classroom — gentle, playful, and full of firsts.

A warm, unhurried morning where your littlest one explores with their senses, finds their feet, and feels safe enough to try.

18 mo – 2.5 yrs
Age range
8
Children, maximum
1:5
Educator ratio
9–12
Mornings · 2 / 3 / 5 days
About the class

A soft landing into the world beyond home.

For most toddlers, Oriole is their very first time in a group setting away from a caregiver — so we keep it small, gentle and full of choice. The morning centres on sensory exploration, early language, growing independence and lots of active gross-motor play in our indoor gym. Children play happily alongside one another while a Registered Early Childhood Educator follows their lead. Toilet training isn’t required, and there’s plenty of time to settle in at a pace that’s right for your child.

A morning in the Toddler Class

The rhythm of the day.

Predictable, unhurried and full of choice — the structure that helps our littlest ones feel secure. (Doors open at 9; pickup at noon.)

Arrival
Settling in & hellos
Gym
Active indoor play
Snack
Healthy, made on-site
Free Play
Activities & exploring
Circle
Songs & stories
Pickup
Goodbyes at noon
No outdoor playground for our Toddlers — instead, your child gets around 45 minutes of active, vigorous gross-motor play every day in a small gym designed just for toddlers, where they can climb, ride, crawl through tunnels and move safely at their own level.
Room to move

A gym designed just for toddlers.

Big, bright and safe — 45 minutes of climbing, riding and rolling every single day, whatever the weather.

More than a morning

Enrichment woven through the week.

French · Fridays
Music & Movement
Sensory Exploration
Yoga
Gross-Motor Gym
Sportball
Toddler fees · 2026/2027

Simple, co-op-friendly tuition.

Monthly tuition, billed over our 10-month school year (September–June). As a co-operative, participating families pay less by lending a hand on Duty Days; non-participating tuition covers a hired assistant instead. Limited spaces available for 2026/27.

Enrolment
Participating (with Duty Days)
Non-participating
5 mornings / week (Monday – Friday)
$890 / mo
$1,135 / mo
3 mornings / week (Mon · Wed · Fri)
$703 / mo
$952 / mo
2 mornings / week (Tue & Thu)
$562 / mo
$811 / mo
$150
Application fee — one-time, non-refundable
$850
Deposit — required to hold your child’s space (non-refundable)
5%
Sibling discount for families with more than one child enrolled

All mornings run 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Looking ahead: once your child is 2.5, our new extended day (9:00–2:45, in the Junior and Senior classes) becomes available. Participating families assist on a Duty Day once bi-weekly per child; if you can’t attend, you may hire an assistant for $100/day or swap with another family. Oriole is a non-profit co-operative and has opted out of CWELCC. Fees are confirmed annually and published each spring — please confirm current rates when you apply.

View the full fee schedule — payment breakdown, dates & policies →
See it for yourself

Take a virtual tour.

A quick look inside our classrooms, gym and playground — then come see it in person.

Get more info

Learn more about the Toddler Class.

Tell us a little about your child and we’ll send program details and answer your questions.

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Beyond the classroom

Special days & visitors they’ll remember.

Throughout the year, the Toddler room fills with guests, celebrations and a few gentle adventures.

Fall Play Date
An informal autumn get-together where families get to know the teachers and each other.
Family Day at Riverdale Farm
A morning together with the animals.
Toronto Botanical Gardens
A spring field trip among the flowers.
Pawsitively Pets
Friendly animal visitors come to school.
Mystic Drumz
An interactive music & rhythm experience.
Rainbow Songs
A joyful family sing-along.
Little Yogis
Gentle yoga and mindful movement.
Bring an Instrument Day
Children share music from home.
Seasonal celebrations
PJ parties, Halloween, and a French Valentine’s morning.
“I Love You Day”
A caregiver-appreciation tea and performance.
Holiday Party
A community-hall celebration for all the family.
Graduation
A proud send-off at the end of the year.
Meet your educator

Marzi Pouya

Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE) · with Oriole since 2012

Marzi has loved being around children since high school, and she brings that same warmth and energy to the Toddler room every day. She delights in watching little ones grow, crawl, walk, talk and learn.

She graduated with honours in Early Childhood Education from Seneca College and has worked as an RECE for more than 17 years — running nursery and parenting programs, and observing and documenting children’s development across LINC, Queen’s Park Child Care, the YMCA and Oriole. When she isn’t with the children, she enjoys reading, movies, yoga and time with her family.

Good to know

Toddler Class questions, answered.

Does my child need to be toilet trained?

No. Toilet training isn’t required for any class. We work alongside you to encourage toileting readiness as a positive, pressure-free experience when your child is ready.

Do the toddlers go outside?

Our Toddler Class doesn’t use the outdoor playground. Instead, the children get vigorous, active gross-motor play every day in our indoor gym — climbers, tunnels, ride-on toys and plenty of room to move safely at a toddler-friendly level.

What is a co-operative nursery school?

A co-operative is a non-profit run together with its families. Participating parents help in the classroom on a Duty Day once every two weeks and take on a small volunteer role, which keeps classes small, fees lower and the community close. Prefer not to participate? Non-participating tuition covers a hired assistant instead. See our Co-operative page for how it works and the volunteer roles.

How long is the program, and what days can we choose?

The Toddler Class runs mornings, 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m., from early September to mid-June. You can choose 2 mornings (Tue & Thu), 3 mornings (Mon, Wed, Fri) or 5 mornings a week.

How big are the classes, and who teaches them?

The Toddler Class stays small — a maximum of eight children per morning — with a Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE) leading the room and additional support to keep ratios low.

What happens at snack time?

A nutritious snack and water are provided on-site every day. Oriole is a nut-safe environment, so we ask that no homemade snacks come from home.

What happens when my child outgrows the Toddler Class?

Children move up to our Junior Preschool around 2.3–2.6 years, once they’re comfortable navigating stairs and the playground — always at a pace that’s right for your child, and with priority for current families.

Do you take part in the CWELCC government program?

Not at this time. Our board found that staying outside CWELCC protects our program quality, staffing flexibility and financial stability as a small co-op.

When can we register?

Registration is on-going throughout the school year, until March (based on availability). We ask that families wishing to enrol their toddlers visit Oriole with their child for a tour so we can assess their physical ability to participate in the program.

Do classes ever run together?

During periods of low enrolment, our Toddler class may run in conjunction with our Junior Preschool class.

Come see the Toddler room for yourself.

Enrolments are open for the 2026/2027 school year. Come visit and meet Marzi.