You need licensed infant daycare in Coquitlam for a baby between 6 and 18 months. You need it to be close to home or your commute, operated by qualified educators, and available before you return to work. Smiling Kids Childcare Centre has two North Coquitlam locations — 1380 Coast Meridian Road and 1467 Hockaday Street — serving infants 6 to 18 months with a licensed, play-based programme and daily parent updates. Call 604-600-4393 for current availability.
What Makes Smiling Kids’ Infant Daycare in Coquitlam Different
Every licensed group care centre in Coquitlam meets the minimum regulatory standard. The difference between a compliant centre and a genuinely excellent one is found in what happens inside the room, not on the licence certificate. Here is what Smiling Kids provides that goes beyond minimum compliance:
- ECE-credentialed lead educators in every infant room. The lead caregiver in our infant programme holds an Early Childhood Education diploma with Infant/Toddler specialization. This is not required by BC licensing for all staff — it is a standard we set for ourselves.
- Individual feeding and sleep schedules. Infants under 18 months are not on a group clock. We follow each child’s natural routine and communicate with parents to keep home and daycare schedules aligned.
- Daily app updates. Every feeding, every nap, every activity. You know exactly what your baby did today — not a summary at pickup, but a real-time record throughout the day.
- Outdoor time built into the daily programme. Even infants go outside at Smiling Kids. Daily outdoor exposure is part of BC’s Early Learning Framework — it is not a warm-weather bonus.
- Two North Coquitlam locations. 1380 Coast Meridian Road (Burke Mountain area) and 1467 Hockaday Street — both accessible from Westwood Plateau, Port Coquitlam, and surrounding North Coquitlam neighbourhoods.
- BC Childcare Subsidy accepted. Eligible families apply directly through the Province of BC — the benefit is applied to your monthly invoice. We help every new family through the application process.
How Our Infant Programme Works — The Full Process
From first inquiry to your baby’s first full day, here is exactly what enrolling at Smiling Kids Childcare Centre looks like:
- Call or contact us. Call 604-600-4393. We’ll tell you honestly about current infant availability and waitlist position at each location. No web form runaround.
- Book a tour. You visit the centre, see the infant room, meet the lead educator, and ask every question you need to ask. We expect and welcome detailed questions about ratios, credentials, and daily routines.
- Complete enrollment paperwork. We’ll send you our enrollment package — health forms, emergency contacts, feeding preferences, sleep routines. We review your baby’s current schedule so the transition is coordinated, not cold.
- Graduated entry. First days are short — typically 1–2 hours — and build gradually to full days over 5–10 days. This approach is standard in quality infant care and reduces transition stress for both baby and parent.
- Ongoing daily communication. You receive app updates from Day 1. Your baby’s caregiver will also check in with you directly during the first two weeks to share observations and flag anything that needs adjustment.
Infant Daycare Fees in Coquitlam — What to Expect
Licensed infant daycare in Coquitlam typically ranges from $1,800 to $2,200 per month for full-time care. Smiling Kids Childcare Centre’s current fee schedule is available by phone — call 604-600-4393 for exact figures as fees are updated periodically.
Families eligible for the BC Affordable Child Care Benefit can reduce this amount significantly. The maximum benefit for infants under 36 months in licensed group care is up to $1,250/month for qualifying families. Apply through the BC government portal before your child’s start date — the benefit does not apply retroactively. Learn more about the BC Childcare Subsidy in Coquitlam here.
One Thing Most Coquitlam Infant Daycare Parents Ask About First
Will my baby cry at drop-off? Yes — probably. Especially in weeks 1 and 2. This is developmentally normal for infants between 6 and 18 months, who are in the peak phase of separation anxiety development. It reflects healthy attachment, not a problem with the centre. What matters is what happens after you leave — which is why we offer a check-in call or app update within the first hour of drop-off during the transition period. 9 out of 10 times, the baby is playing within 5 minutes of the parent leaving.
Areas We Serve — Infant Daycare Near You in North Coquitlam
Our two Coquitlam locations serve families from Burke Mountain, Westwood Plateau, Hockaday, Citadel, Cape Horn, and bordering areas of Port Coquitlam and Port Moody. If you’re commuting east along the Lougheed Highway or north along Coast Meridian Road, our locations are accessible without adding significant time to your morning drive.
Families from Burke Mountain and Westwood Plateau find our Coast Meridian Road location particularly convenient — it sits within the same corridor and avoids the need to cross major intersections during peak commute times.
Frequently Asked Questions — Infant Daycare in Coquitlam
What is the youngest age you accept infants at Smiling Kids Coquitlam?
We accept infants from 6 months of age. Our licence covers children from 6 months through 36 months across both North Coquitlam locations. If your baby is younger than 6 months and you’re planning ahead, call us now to get on the waitlist — infant spaces are in high demand and are filled from our waitlist months in advance.
What qualifications do your infant room caregivers hold?
Our lead infant educator holds an Early Childhood Education diploma (ECE Level 3) with an Infant/Toddler Care Certificate — both recognized credentials under BC’s Child Care Licensing Regulation. All caregivers are First Aid and Infant CPR certified. We can provide credential documentation on request during your tour.
How long is the current infant daycare waitlist in Coquitlam at Smiling Kids?
Waitlist length changes weekly as children age out of the infant room and new spaces become available. Call us directly at 604-600-4393 for a current and accurate answer — online estimates are never accurate for more than a few days in a high-demand infant care environment.
Ready to enroll or get on the waitlist? Call 604-600-4393 or visit our contact page to reach us directly. We serve infants 6–18 months at 1380 Coast Meridian Road and 1467 Hockaday Street, Coquitlam, BC.
Areas We Serve Near Coquitlam
Our two North Coquitlam locations serve families from across the Tri-Cities area. If you are looking for infant daycare near your neighbourhood, we may already serve your area:
- Infant daycare for Burke Mountain families
- Infant childcare for Westwood Plateau families
- Infant daycare serving Port Coquitlam families
If your toddler (18 months–3 years) needs licensed care, see our Toddler Daycare Coquitlam programme page. Ready to enrol? Contact us here or call 604-600-4393.