The first day of StrongStart program for the school year 2025-2026 will be Wednesday, September 10th. For Cook, Renfrew, Tecumseh, and Xpey' StrongStart, the first day will be Thursday, September 11th. We look forward to seeing both new and returning families! Each centre will also have a documents verification day for new families on either September 5th or 8th. For more information, please check the important dates section below.

Early Learning with StrongStart Programs

StrongStart is a free drop-in program offered to parents and caregivers with children ages zero to five years old. StrongStart program emphasizes learning through play, language and positive social interactions.

StrongStart provides a rich learning environment, designed for early learning development.  Qualified early childhood educators lead learning activities where children find opportunities to make friends and interact with others of similar ages.  The overall learning experience is shared as parents and caregivers attend with their children and are encouraged to get involved in activities like telling stories, playing games and serving healthy snacks.  English as a first language is not necessary to attend a StrongStart program.

There are 19 StrongStart programs operating in elementary schools across Vancouver. Check our StrongStart Flyer to view locations and operation hours.  

Program Details:

• All children are welcome!
• All Vancouver StrongStart programs operate with drop-in format on a first-come, first-served basis. 
• Each participant can have only one adult and up to three children. 
• You will be required to sign-in when you enter the classroom. 
• Please do not attend if you or your child is sick.
• Frequent handwashing is encouraged. 

Returning Families:

If your child has previously enrolled and participated in StrongStart, there's no requirement to re-register them for the same StrongStart center. Please download and bring in completed Media and CASL Consent Forms to your StrongStart centre if this is your first visit this school year.

Adding Locations: 

If you like to add a Vancouver StrongStart location(s) to your child's registration, please email your request to strongstart@vsb.bc.ca with your child’s legal name and the date of birth. 

New Families:

In order to register your child for StrongStart, please complete below steps. Our registration is open throughout the school year from September to end of June.

Step 1: Complete an online application form

Step 2: Verifying Documentation

• Please bring in below documents to your primary StrongStart centre for verification on your first visit. Appointment is not required. Please drop-in during operation hours.
• Documents verification can also be done at the Early Learning Centre at Mackenzie Elementary School (Room 169 - 960 39th Ave E, Vancouver) between 9:30am - 12:30pm or 2pm - 3:30pm Monday to Friday, starting Friday, September 5th. 

^{Proof of Child’s Birthdate}

^{One of:}

^{□ Canadian birth certificate}

^{□ Canadian passport}

^{□ Immigration Canada Document}

^{□ Permanent Resident Card (front and back)}

^AND 

^{Proof of Residency showing Parent/Guardian Name} 

^{One of:}

^{□ BC Driver’s License or Enhanced BC Driver’s License} 

^{□ Hydro/Gas/Cable Bill}

^{□ Utility/Municipal Tax bill}

^{□ Residential Tenancy Agreement}

• Please also download and bring in completed Media and CASL Consent Forms to each centre you attend. 
• You are not required to bring in a printed copy of the application form that you receive to your email after online application is completed. 

Important Dates and Closure Schedule for the 2025-2026 School Year:

Please note that all StrongStart Centres and the Mackenzie Early Learning Centre will also be closed on any statutory holidays.

Any questions about our StrongStart program, please contact our Early Learning Centre: 

604-713-4445 or strongstart@vsb.bc.ca

View our Preparing for Kindergarten booklet: 

• English - Preparing for Kindergarten
• Spanish - Preparación para el Kinder
• Chinese - 为上幼儿园做准备
• Vietnamese - Chuẩn Bị cho Lớp Mẫu Giáo
• Arabic - إعداد ا أ لطفال للروضة