Logo for Garderie Académie Premiers Pas / First Steps Academy Daycare featuring a shield divided into four colored sections: red, green, blue, and yellow. Text is in French and English.

    Christian Academy: where kids grow through faith and love!

    Let your children be guided in God’s love towards the right path!

    Plan a visit
    Logo for Garderie Académie Premiers Pas / First Steps Academy Daycare featuring a shield divided into four colored sections: red, green, blue, and yellow. Text is in French and English.

    A Christian Elementary School coming soon!

    Enrich your child’s experience at our Christian, bilingual and private elementary school!

    Plan a visit

Curious to know more about our Academy?

Take the first step by planning a visit at First Steps Academy!

Our services

A group of young children sit on the floor with musical instruments, including a tambourine, a guitar, and a shaker, while an adult sits with them, smiling and interacting.

Christian environment

Our Christian academy surrounds children with the principles and values based on the love of God. You may not be Christian, but allowing your kids to grow in a loving and patient environment may be the best decision you ever make. However, you need to be comfortable with the teaching of God’s unconditional love to your children.

Two children playing on a jungle gym. One child is climbing a hexagonal net, while the other child stands on a platform reaching out. Colorful playground equipment and apartment buildings in the background.

Bilingual academy

Our educators are all perfectly fluent in French and English, giving children the chance to also become bilingual. Although, we can always adjust and focus on one language according to your child’s educational path.

A teacher and seven young students smile and laugh while posing together in a classroom.

Future private Elementary School

We are happy to announce that First Steps Academy will be expanding with the establishment of a new private, bilingual but most importantly Christian Elementary School! Reduce your children’s worry of making new friends and entering an unknown environment by signing your kids up to our elementary school. Children will be able to grow up together and build strong meaningful relationships while also founding their identities in God’s unconditional love.

Four children wearing colorful clothes sit closely together on a play structure outdoors, smiling at the camera.
A group of children sit on the floor, clapping and listening to an adult reading from a book in a colorful classroom.

Our mission

Our vison:

Every child is a Gift from God. Kids are born unique with their own needs and specific abilities. That is why we believe children need to be surrounded by patient and attentive educators, to respect each child’s individuality by making sure they are loved, respected, and stimulated properly in their daily interactions and activities. Therefore, we are committed to providing an environment where children can develop positive feelings towards themselves. Our educators serve as role models by surrounding children with values such as honesty, integrity, loyalty, fairness, and kindness. This allows children to develop friendships, curiosity, respect for others, joy, and positive self-esteem.

Educational Programs:

We make sure your kid’s education and development is properly fulfilled through an Academic and Christian Program. First and foremost, we follow a bilingual program established by the ministry of education that includes the following learning categories: sensorial development, learning through free play, motor skills development, letters / colours / shapes, literacy, and numeracy. Moreover, we follow a Christian program that focuses on building a strong relationship with God through Bible stories, songs, and meal prayers. First Steps Academy always stays up to date with the latest trends and research regarding children’s development and we seek appropriate external sources when needed. Lastly, to ensure everyone’s contentment, we establish partnerships with parents, keeping them updated with what their kids are learning, doing, and eating everyday.

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Why choose First Steps Academy?

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Qualified educators

Enclosed outdoor playground

Fresh daily prepared meals

Inviting and colourful ambience

Academic programs

Growing with God's love

First Steps Academy is the place for your child to flourish in grace!

  • Safe environment

    With our dedicated cleaning staff, we make sure that our rooms are always clean, organized, child safe and sanitized. We also keep the entrance door permanently locked, requiring the parents to ring the bell to enter the academy. We also have designated cameras that cover all areas for extra security. Finally, all doors, table corners and walls have protection to prevent your little ones from getting hurt.

  • Age group

    Our academy welcomes children between the ages of 12 months old to 5 years old.

  • Educational Programs

    Academic Program

    We follow the Ministry of Education’s curriculum, enabling children to reach their full potential both academically and in their everyday life.

    Christian Program

    We also follow a Christian program to teach God’s love and values through bible stories, songs, and meal prayers, allowing the children to build a strong and positive identity!

  • Daily fees

    • Under 18 months: $48 per day
    • 18 Months and over: $45 per day

    First Steps Academy is a private institution, which means the documentation for the Tax Credit for Childcare Expenses is provided to all parents on the 15th of each month.

  • The meals

    We make sure that your children are always well nourished! The meals provided are fresh and prepared the day of, with no processed foods or GMOs. They are provided daily with: a healthy snack in the morning, a full meal with a small desert for lunch and a snack after their nap.

Location

We are situated at the heart of St-Leonard in a family friendly neighborhood. It is also ideally close to all transportation services for easier access. There is also a big parking lot for the parents who use their cars.

Great hours

We are open Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm.

What parents say about us

Extraordinary, caring and committed teachers; clean and well-organized facilities; and top-notch programming - we are so happy here. The FSA and BSA programs are fantastic!
Liz Tcheskis
We are very happy with FSA!! Our boy, now 4 years old, started going last year. His teachers, especially Ms. Tara and Ms. Myra, have been amazing with him and we recommend FSA to potential families.
Nandini Westlake
Our children have been part of the First Steps and Big Steps family for some time now and we have nothing but good things to say about the facility and staff. Our children have a great time there, the B&A program works very well, both for kindergarten and for first grade and up. Our daughter also attended preschool full-time for two years and it was a wonderful experience.
Melanie Ducharme
My daughter has been going to FSA for 3 years now. I find the staff wonderfully friendly and respectful. They ensure that the supervisor/child ratio is maintained and look after the children as if they were a family. My daughter is shy but has no problem giving me hugs when I pick her up. Their environment is conducive to children's learning, which is evident when my daughter tells me what she did in her time there. I have no problem recommending FSA to any parent.
Bib Patel
We love First Steps Academy! Our children have been going there for over 3 years now and we are very happy with the attentive and professional staff. I have nothing but wonderful things to say about this preschool and everyone who works there. I am very particular about what my children eat and I am very happy with the meals provided. I highly recommend this preschool, they follow a 'T' license and prove to be a caring and safe environment.
Kaylan Franklin
This place is absolutely fantastic! My children love attending and I am very impressed with their progress. I'm also very impressed with the variety of nutritious snacks and lunches they offer. I find the staff very positive and competent. I recommend this place to everyone!
Monika Wood