About Blüm Childcare Academy
Bringing with them a decade of experience leading licensed childcare facilities in Calgary, the Founders of Blüm designed an Academy with a crystal clear vision to provide an intentional early learning facility within the inner city. As modern parents, they have curated boutique spaces that align closely with their parenting style, which resonates with the methods of Maria Montessori and the Reggio Emilia approach.
Blüm is everything that modern early learning should be: a child-led offering featuring high-quality materials in carefully designed classrooms.
For over a century, the child-focused approach developed by Italian physician Dr. Maria Montessori has been transforming childcare around the world. The Montessori Method fosters self-motivated growth for students in all areas of their development—cognitive, physical, emotional, and social. Emphasis is placed on practical life skills and the pride in being able to independently complete tasks.
As soon as you enter a Blüm classroom, you are instantly transformed into a Montessori environment, which is immediately recognizable. Students work independently and in groups, with specially designed learning materials and activations, and are seen as deeply engaged in their work; and respectful of themselves and their surroundings.
At Blüm, the world-class early learning curriculum is made possible only by a dedicated, passionate, and highly educated team of Early Childhood Educators. Carefully curated to represent all the corners of the world, our Educators hold the highest qualifications in their field, challenging the industry standard to new heights.
One of the most common themes that families, educators, visitors, and community members say when they step inside one of our Academies is how different it is than anything they have seen anywhere else. That’s because our Founders have taken the time to intentionally design every element of the experience with Blüm, from the physical space to the enrollment experience.
The important guiding principles of efficiency and sustainability, the intentional multiculturalism of the team and the Konmarie ideology of a clutter-free space are resounding differentiators of Blüm. The materials and supplies that are available at child-level in every classroom have been thoughtfully curated to be developmentally appropriate, conducive to early learning, and curated from the most reputable vendors like Coco Village, Grimms, Lovevery, Plan Toys, Janod, etc.
From the signature Blüm aprons that are worn by the Educators to the daily provocations found in every classroom, the Montessori approach to early learning is prevalent as students independently flow through the Academy.
Students eat all meals family-style which educates them about patience, sharing, proper manners, and gratitude for the Chef who prepares their meals. They eat with cutlery, are taught to pour their pour their own water and drink from a cup.
The carefully planned Dietician approved menu features thoughtfully sourced high-quality ingredients that are fresh and immune-boosting, to provide the much-needed nourishment that students at this age require
The campus houses a dedicated on-site kitchen which has been rigorously approved by Alberta Health Services, and access is only provided to our appointed culinary team. Ingredients arrive every few days to ensure freshness.
Everything at Blüm, from the operating hours to the height of the fixtures to the quality of the books has been reviewed and approved by various governing bodies to ensure compliance with current regulations and bylaws which oversee childcare facilities. This includes the City of Calgary’s Fire Department and Zoning Department, and Alberta Health Services Environmental Public Health which oversees social care facilities. Ultimately, it is Child Care Licensing which operates under Alberta Children’s Services that ensures that the care provided to students at Blüm is of the highest standards.
As a licensed operator, Blüm is aligned with and has signed the Federal-provincial child care agreement, which means that all registered families receive an automatic reduction in their monthly tuition costs, and are eligible to apply for the optional income-based additional subsidy to further reduce out-of-pocket expenses.
The tried and true philosophies of Montessori and Reggio Emilia which shape the Blüm approach have been around for well over a hundred years, but their application in licensed child care settings is varied and unregulated. The Blüm standard has been developed with a decade of research into the ideologies of both Maria Montessori and Loris Malaguzzi, and at its core, it builds on the fundamentals of what child-driven education was always meant to be.
Within the structure and guidance of a licensed and research-based curriculum, students are encouraged to learn through play, not simply play with the hope that learning follows. The natural similarities between both Montessori and Reggio Emilio are woven throughout the Blüm classroom, into the daily routines, and within the interactions of the Educators and Students.
Leaning into the Italian scuolas that inspired these iconic Pedagogists and the German Kita which our Founder herself attended, the European influence at Blüm is apparent, in its emphasis on citizenship and respect within a group setting, its whole foods focused menu, and its reliance on non-electronic and non-technological early learning materials.
Blum is a lovely space where my child has been able to thrive and grow beautifully over the last year. She receives care and attention, all different kinds of play opportunities, healthy food, and help achieving developmental milestones. The closest playground is about a 5 minute walk… maybe 10 for little legs. They get loads of time exploring the community and trying different play spaces. It’s great for an inner-city setting. There are so many great opportunities to get involved (including joining the Family Advisory Board) that are posted in the monthly newsletter. We have found the daily reports to be so helpful, the staff to be very collaborative, and the leadership responsive to questions and concerns.
— Mother, Preschool Classroom
