4 Questions To Ask When Choosing A Daycare Center
Daycare can give kids the opportunity to spend time with children their own age while their parents go to work. Enrichment activities, playtime, and educational opportunities can help kids grow at their own pace. Here are four questions you can ask your daycare provider to ensure that your child has the daycare experience that is right for them.
1. How Does the Daycare Deal With Anxious Children?
It's normal for kids to feel anxious about spending time away from their families, especially when they're young. Even confident children may occasionally deal with bouts of separation anxiety. Learning how your daycare provider deals with anxious children can help you feel comfortable dropping off your child when they're feeling fearful. Many daycare providers strive to distract kids with fun activities or to comfort them with reassurances until kids are feeling better.
2. Are Drop-in Daycare Services Available?
Most daycares offer services for families who want to schedule their care in advance. This system is great for people with regular work schedules, but unforeseen circumstances may arise. Drop-in daycare services offer child care for parents who suddenly find themselves with other obligations. The ability to drop your child off for a day of care with knowledgeable and attentive providers can take a weight off your shoulders. If you foresee the need for a drop-in daycare service, make sure to ask about it in advance.
3. What Type of Educational Philosophy Does the Daycare Follow?
Daycares provide supervision and childcare for kids whose parents are away at home or work. However, daycares also encourage kids' intellectual and social development through guided activities and free playtime. Some daycares may follow specific educational philosophies, such as the Montessori philosophy. If you're invested in teaching your child in a certain way, finding a daycare with a compatible philosophy can be highly beneficial. Most daycare facilitators will be happy to sit down with parents to discuss the various enrichment activities they have available. After all, daycare leaders want parents to feel comfortable leaving their precious children in their care.
4. How Are Kids Disciplined?
Kids need rules and boundaries in order to thrive. When boundaries are broken, discipline is sometimes necessary. Learning about the ways your prospective daycare handles discipline can put your mind at ease. Timeouts, loss of privileges, and guided apologies are common techniques for disciplining young children. These strategies allow daycare teachers to maintain order in their classrooms with compassion and care.
For more information, contact a local daycare like Kids Kampus Child Care and Early Learning Center.