“As a naturalized Canadian, I have looked for leaders who strive for excellence; they are models for our national pride. Dr. Kate McCabe is such a model. She has provided the highest standards of child care. I have known Kate for 35 of her 43 years in the field. I have witnessed her innovative teaching practices, heart-felt support for other ECEs, active community involvement, strong support for parents and guardians and most importantly for the wellbeing of children. Kate’s commitment to her ECE peers has been exemplary. Kate supported me and another ECE for over 25 years. She advocated for our continuing education and for our selfcare while we were young mothers. She helped us learn from one another. We learned about the importance of human and more-than-human wellness in the broadest sense. Caring curriculum practices included a wide definition of “family” relationships. I commuted 1.5 hours on public transit with my 2.5-year-old child because I was committed to these early learning approaches. My son Josh, gained time outside, in community and with me. We felt supported. When I moved farther from the Centre and could no longer commute, I became a board member to reciprocate the support I had received. Let’s listen to one another share our positive regard for ECEs and celebrate the ECEs in our lives.”

– S.

“I have always authentically marched to my own drummer and enjoy inspiring others to live their authentic passions. I have loved nature my whole life and care to get all involved in understanding nature and being compassionate. In Creative Minds Early Learning Centre, at 3 years old, I explored the forest with Dr. Kate McCabe. During my three years at Creative Minds, I constantly climbed ropes, poles, tree, anything. Kate gave me an award one day when I reached the top of the highest rope in the gym. I saved that award; it means a lot to me. Kate loved inspiring people to be themselves; when I didn’t want to talk she encouraged me to draw a story. I did this happily for hours. I often shared my drawings with the rest of the group. I am back at Creative Minds as a scientist teaching the arts as we co-learn to care for the forest. We need children and adults to care deeply and act wholeheartedly. Creative Minds is a great place to start.”

– Dr. L.S. (PhD, UBC 2023)

“Over the past year and a half, my child has been attending Creative Minds, and under Kate’s exceptional guidance, we have witnessed a truly transformative journey. When E first started, he was often reserved and spent much time observing. Today, he is blossoming into a confident communicator, learning the dynamics of both leadership and teamwork, and finding his place within the childcare community. 

Navigating the challenges of being a highly sensitive child made E’s journey a bit challenging for him. Yet, much of his progress is a direct result of Kate’s remarkable ability to recognize his unique needs and provide him with the personalized support he requires. Her keen observations and tailored interventions have made all the difference in helping E. grow and thrive. 

Kate’s wealth of experience has been invaluable in supporting E, particularly when it comes to managing moments of overwhelm. Under her guidance, we collaborated to create a special box of activities which allowed E to retreat to his own space when he needed a break, giving him the tools to regulate in moments of difficulty. Kate has also been instrumental in guiding the ECEs to provide the right balance of space and closeness for E, ensuring the other children understand when to give him space. These strategies have played a crucial role in E’s development. 

Throughout E’s time at Creative Minds, Kate has been an unwavering support to both myself and my husband. She has kept us consistently informed about E’s progress, whether through emails, phone calls, or face-to-face conversations. When E initially struggled with the transition to full-time childcare, we were overwhelmed hearing about the behaviors within the daycare. Kate was there to guide us, offering management strategies, suggesting resources, and even recommending outside support to further assist us in our parenting journey. Her thoughtful advice has been a crucial lifeline for us, allowing us to navigate this unexpected challenge with confidence and compassion. 

Beyond her support for E, Kate is deeply passionate about fostering strong relationships with the children and helping the other ECEs do the same. She works tirelessly to organize the children and teachers in a way that promotes meaningful, well-planned activities, ensuring the needs of every child are met with care and attention. Kate has thoughtfully organized a variety of outings and field trips that cater to the children’s needs and interests. These excursions have included beach and waterpark trips during the hot summer months, providing a fun and refreshing experience, as well as outings to explore the community, such as visits to the bank, library, and grocery stores, all carefully timed for the milder weather. Additionally, Kate has integrated seasonal studies that celebrate the diversity of cultures, ensuring the children are exposed to different traditions and celebrations. This approach not only enriches their learning but also fosters a sense of inclusivity and appreciation for the world around them. 

During drop-offs and pick-ups, the atmosphere at Creative Minds is consistently calm, warm, and inviting. The environment feels peaceful and welcoming, as the ECEs work diligently with small groups of children, fully engaged in a range of activities, from hands-on learning and games to reading and creative arts. Meanwhile, other children are contentedly immersed in their solo activities, enjoying the quiet moments that allow them to explore at their own pace. 

I know that Kate is deeply committed to creating a peaceful environment that fosters a sense of security and comfort for the children. Kate works closely with the other ECEs to ensure that they are equipped to provide this same nurturing atmosphere, allowing each child to feel safe, supported, and encouraged throughout the day. It is clear that Kate takes great care in maintaining a balanced environment, aiming to meet every child’s emotional and developmental needs. 

As a parent, I truly appreciate the ongoing communication that Kate and the team provide. Through regular updates from staff meetings, informative blogs, and insights into the children’s progress, I feel truly involved in the learning journey happening at Creative Minds. The thoughtful observations and the areas of focus shared by the ECEs give me a deeper understanding of my child’s development, as well as the efforts being made to guide them in a positive and nurturing direction. This connection between home and school has been invaluable, providing areas of discussion at home and I feel incredibly supported as a parent, knowing that my child is receiving such dedicated care and attention. 

Kate’s unwavering commitment to the children and families she serves, her intuitive understanding of their unique needs, and her ability to foster growth in every child she works with makes her an outstanding ECE. She has had an immeasurable impact on E’s development, and I am incredibly grateful for everything she has done for our family.”

– K. and A.

“Kate is such a joyous person, a truly genuine human that cares intensely for community, culture, and our children- and it shows daily in her work, the staff, and her influence on not only the children, but their families as well. In all her graciousness, Kate has connected me (and I’m sure many others in her years) with several other families and Moms that feel they lack a “village” and like-minded parent-friends. To me, this shows Kate’s commitment to supporting a healthy environment for our future generations- by starting at home, and ensuring the family is seen, heard, and connected. This creates such a positive impact on both the community and our children.

As for the program, our son has absolutely thrived since starting at Creative Minds in September 2023. He was just under 3 years old at the time, and he has gained so many skills and learned SO MUCH COOL STUFF while being in their care. I cannot say enough about how much I appreciate the mix of culture that is presented in the day to day happenings. They’ve had field trips to a Sikh mosque, celebrated Días De Los Muertos & Diwali, and nearly all the staff speak another language, from Farsi to Mandarin to Tagalog. This show of cultural acceptance and celebration, inclusivity, and representation sets such an amazing example for the children, as well as the ECE’s that spend time at the centre- again proving Kate’s mission and commitment to excellence in self, others, and the programs she has created in her years in education.

Just yesterday morning I got to experience circle time with Kate and the children. She was teaching them a “clickity-clack” rhythm activity and the children were enthralled, listening intently to her questions and instructions and trying to figure out which part of the melody was the longest. To help the children figure it out, Kate jumped up and got them on their feet, using their bodies and each other to move and feel and experience more than a simple question and answer session. It was wonderful to see, and I couldn’t tell who was having more fun – Kate, or the kids. 🙂

I could go on and on, honestly, about the great fortune we’ve had to be a part of the program at Creative Minds and having Kate help guide our son to see the world in such a beautiful, graceful way. Kate deserves all the praise for her hard work and dedication to creating impactful educational programs and a welcoming, graceful space for all to learn, grow, and love.”

– C.K.

“I graduated from the Douglas College Early Childhood Program in 1987 and became an employee of Creative Minds Early Learning Centre in 1991 where I spent the next 26 years of my career under the mentorship of Kate McCabe. I value the influence she’s had on my philosophy and practice, and it is because of the experiences I’ve had while at Creative Minds that I am the educator that I am today.

Those early years at Creative Minds were exciting and refreshing; to be in a program that was unlike any I had seen and so much richer than the play-based curriculum I was used to. The program Kate has developed is unique and meaningful, immersive, inquiry based and strongly connects our relationship with nature and with each other and supports the care and learning of the whole child. It was under Kate’s mentorship that I learned the value of literature-based programming that focuses on quality children’s books from a variety of genres and cultures where I grew in my ability to help children find meaningful connections to the stories and characters. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to see Kate in action as she worked with children on projects, song games, art, and dance. These experiences have shaped me. Kate encourages critical thinking from both the children and teachers and encourages discussion, questions and connection. Something I take with me in my practice.

Kate strives to enrich the learning of not only children but her employees, students and all Early Childhood Educators through mentorship, workshops and the development of the Creative Minds ECE Certificate Program where I had the wonderful opportunity to mentor ECE students and facilitate workshops. Professional development was a critical component of my time at Creative Minds in which I was supported to earn a Diploma in Education Specializing in Infant Development and Supported Childcare, as well as, International Baccalaureate Primary Years Level 1 & 2 and Singing in English: Sound to Symbol Methodology Certificate, and the winner of the 2011 Prime Minister’s Award of Excellence, Certificate of Achievement. Kate knows the importance of supporting the whole teacher and does so through professional development and education funds, health retreats, promoting peer mentorship, health care funds and retirement funds. Kate values a culture at Creative Minds that supports healthy relationships, positive communication, interdependence and strong connection to families.

As an educator at Creative Minds I felt supported, cared for, valued, stimulated, and encouraged to reach beyond my comfort zone. Kate has influenced the educator that I am today in ways that go as deeper than an old oak’s roots, both in my practice and in how I relate to children.”

– W.F.

While most parents in Vancouver feel lucky just to have secured a childcare spot, we feel especially lucky that our daughter is able to attend Creative Minds, where we know she is not only safe but also being provided with a holistic early education — learning about (and how to be a part of) the world around her. I attended Creative Minds when I was a child and still remember playing outdoors and in the forest, acting out and discussing stories with the other children and – a particular highlight – watching a Lion Dance for and learning about Chinese New Year. In choosing childcare, it was important for us that our daughter be able to learn about the natural environment and people/cultures around her and to be able to spend time outdoors learning and playing in nature. Creative Minds is the only childcare centre we know of that ticks all these boxes. Creative Minds has grown and evolved since I attended, but we are so happy that it continues to be a childcare centre in the city that provides play-based, forest / outdoor, childhood education with a focus on fostering kindness, empathy, critical thinking and social and environmental responsibility. Just as I was exposed to new cultures, stories, and customs during my time there, we are seeing the same with our daughter in the few months since she started this past July – for example, learning about and participating in activities related to Día de los Muertos, Diwali, and Indigenous cultural practices and creation stories. We are also so pleased that she is able to play in the forest daily and learn about the environment of which she is a part. In the few months she has been enrolled, field trips have included the local grocery store, the bank, the library, the beach, the cemetery, and a local Gurudwara….We don’t know of any other childcare in the city with such a focus on teaching children about their community and exposing them to its diversity or which provides children with so much outdoor play/education.”

– Z.

“I have known and admired Kate for fourteen years. She was the director and principal teacher of the ECE training program that I attended from June 2011 to 2013. After that, as an employee, I thrived under her leadership at the Creative Minds Early Learning Center for two years. There, I learned the true meaning of being an educator through place-based learning, differentiated instruction, and a curriculum deeply rooted in Canadian, Indigenous, and global perspectives.

Kate is deeply committed to social equity and cultural diversity, as evidenced by the collection of over 2,000 books in the Creative Minds library, which introduces children to authors and illustrations from various cultural backgrounds. While assisting in cataloging these books (I am a librarian), I noticed her intentional selection of diverse authors and illustrators, enabling students to see themselves in these stories and encouraging them to imagine their own narratives. This literature-based approach to curriculum planning fosters connections to different perspectives on the world and self-identity. I fondly recall a moment when a student read a picture book in Mandarin to another student who spoke English, showcasing the comfort and joy of reading fostered by Kate’s innovative method of using Song Games for reading and language acquisition. Drawing from her studies of song games at UBC in 1994 and 1995, Kate incorporated these into her practice to help children find a sense of rest and play. She emphasizes that song games allow both children and adults to take responsibility for shared wisdom. By engaging with songs through playful actions and sounds, we collaboratively bring a song to life, fostering a sense of community that helps alleviate anxiety. Song games activate students’ learning through their minds, bodies, and hearts, exemplifying Kate’s unwavering commitment to respect and celebrate children of all backgrounds, interests, and needs.

Kate is also deeply dedicated to mentoring and supporting members of the educational community through free monthly learning circles. During one meeting, we visited Pacific Spirit Park to explore the relationships among plants and trees. This experience reminded me of a visit to the forest with students at Creative Minds Learning Centre, where I forgot to bring buckets. Kate reassured me that it was fine, saying, “Children explore on their terms and co-create with the forest.” I observed as Kate and the children rubbed leaves together, marveling at the changing colors on their fingertips and closing their eyes to enjoy the scent. This nature-based self-exploration highlights Kate’s ability to create purposeful, contextually relevant, and meaningful lessons. Years later, I now take my students to listen in on the forests and create colors and scents on our fingertips.”

– C.

“We heard about Creative Minds Early Learning Society (CM) from friends of ours who extolled the abilities of its directing mind, Kate McCabe. As it happened, our friends moved from Vancouver at about the same time as my wife returned to the workforce, and we sought out the open spot at CM as we had a need for full time daycare for our youngest son.

We have been part of the CM community for about nine months and it exceeds expectations in every meaningful way. The core staff is made up of teachers who have a natural and calm charisma which the children gravitate towards. The CM building is a masterfully planned and well executed multisensory learning space which can accommodate multiple concurrent activities. I have regularly observed some children playing at the water table, while others are painting, others are snacking, and still others are listening to a book being read. In theory, and in fact, CM’s structural set up allows for each child to engage in a type of activity attuned to their needs and their self expression. In addition, CM spends a significant amount of time outdoors including at the playground, forest walks and various field trips to the local public library and beach. Our son’s early learning experience is comprehensive and coordinated.

With respect to my son in particular, Kate has supported us with his transition to full time daycare. With Kate’s guidance, we initiated a consistent morning time regime which increased the perceived predictability for him. Further, Kate facilitated the establishment of key core relationships with some of the teachers which lowered the instances of dysregulation by our son during the morning drop off. Notably, by creating an effective safespace, our son appeared to be confident enough to establish play relationships with a few of the other children. This is a big deal for us. Since joining CM, our son has noticeably developed in a social and emotional manner. We believe that this is a direct result of CM’s engagement with our son and the teacher centred social support which allows him to engage with his peers. I believe CM is feeding his intellectual curiosity and providing a solid social foundation which will prepare him effectively for his next educational phases. In short, Kate McCabe and the organization she leads, have lived up to their reputations. Thank you.”

– M.M. and T.M.