Did you know children who enroll in quality preschool programs become successful academically, professionally, and socially? Study findings cited by The Washington Post reveal the benefits of high-quality preschool programs go beyond the ABCs and 123s. Preschools can help support the development of children, from cognitive to emotional, social, and physical well-being.
The challenge many parents face is finding the right programs for preschoolers at local daycares. In this post, we’ll discuss how to find the perfect educational programs at your local suburban daycares.
Let’s get started!
Prioritize Your Child’s Needs and Interests
As a parent or guardian, you’re a prime resource for providing both love and educational opportunities. When combined, these factors can help lay the foundation for adulthood. But don’t let that pressure feel too heavy — many people are here to help set your child up for success.
So, before beginning your search for daycares, ask yourself — what are my child’s educational needs? Several factors may help you determine the ideal program for your child. Your family’s pediatrician might also have insights into your child and can be a wonderful resource as well.
A few points to consider might include:
Age Range
Does your kid prefer being around a group of children their own age? Or do they enjoy playing with children of different age groups? This aspect can help you determine whether to enroll your child in a school-based daycare center or in-home setting.
Interests (including fostering new ones)
Your child’s interests can help you determine which daycare could be the best fit. For instance, young ones who love music might appreciate a school with music as part of the curriculum. Music isn’t only fun — Music also aids early childhood reading comprehension and emotional regulation skill development.
However, this is also a fantastic opportunity to introduce your little one to new subjects and activities. Preschools with a holistic approach can share new music, books, poetry, science/nature, and more (depending on age). Beyond that, preschools with excursions to local libraries or museums might provide a unique benefit. Excursions are a type of experiential learning that encourages the pursuit of lifelong learning, according to the NAEYC.
Define Your Preferences
Do you want a daycare center near your home, workplace, or along your commute, so your child can attend preschool programs conveniently? Getting an affordable preschool might also be a top priority for you. Of course, we all want centers with high-quality early childhood education programs, but we also don’t want to feel unduly stressed about affording tuition and the learning materials required.
To that point, some daycares offer discounted tuition rates (often around 10%) for additional siblings enrolled. (Plus, some facilities prioritize siblings when enrolling or adding to the waitlist.)
Perhaps you want a daycare with full-time services because you have a tight work schedule. Even something as seemingly simple as ample parking can reduce your end-of-day stress.
Whatever your preferences are, define them in advance so you can narrow down your daycare choices.
Research and Weigh Your Options
Where should you start your search? Your friends, colleagues, relatives, or local parenting groups know one or two daycare centers they can recommend: Ask them! The good thing about asking for recommendations from people close to you is that they’ll tell you what they like and dislike about the daycare.
Don’t forget about another absolute must: Check online reviews and the facility’s website for testimonials. Raising a family takes a village and your village can help you find the highest-quality spot near you.
Once you have that information in hand, schedule a tour (virtual or in-person). This leads us to the next step…
Look for the Right Learning Environment and Visit
Sandra Chiu the Director at LadyBug & Friends Daycare and Preschool suggests compiling a list of daycares within your residential area and scheduling a visit to the facility. During your visit, observe how caregivers interact with children. Are teachers cheerful and compassionate? Take time to discover the different learning programs they offer.
Do they have an educational curriculum for infants, toddlers, twos, and preschoolers?
For example, Chicago-based daycare center, LadyBug & Friends Daycare, has an infant program that offers personalized care and activities to children aged six weeks to 15 months. They also have a toddler program that fosters your child to be independent. In early childhood, a few months can make a big difference in social and emotional learning skills.
Other questions you should ask at daycares are:
- What qualifications do caregivers have? Are they accredited or recognized by the education board?
- Besides classwork, do the kids get enough time to engage in age-appropriate outdoor activities? (Harvard Health reports on the importance of outdoor play for improved sleep and social skills.)
- What meals are provided, and how often?
- Are there fun excursions or field trips?
- How do caregivers monitor children’s development? Childcare professions are well-suited to recognize stages of cognitive development, social, emotional, and language development.
The answers daycare managers provide should guarantee that the facility offers the perfect educational programs for your child.
Curriculum Flexibility At Daycare Center
Another way you can find the perfect educational programs at your local suburban daycare is by looking for a flexible curriculum. A quality curriculum structure ensures flexibility in a child’s learning process. The child’s progress is observed and interests are noted and encouragement towards those activities are ensured.
If any school curriculum is designed to develop a child’s individuality then you that daycare is the one for your child. Flexibility also ensures ongoing adjustments by teachers to ensure kids learn at their own pace in an engaging environment. If a child’s attention is shifted towards new interests, incorporating that interest within learning can make learning fun.
What Is Daycare Curriculum?
A Daycare curriculum means a detailed plan of educational activities planned by the teacher. These activities are set by educational institutes to enhance students’ development skills. An educational institute teacher creates a stimulating and engaging environment where the child learns through these daycare curriculum.
These curricula might have games, videos, music, and activities that help develop children’s overall skills. Curriculum makes it easier for teachers to go about their day today activities of engaging children in the learning process.
Daycare curriculum offers practical learning for children. These curriculums includes different activities that ensure children’s language, cognitive development, physical and socio-economic development.
How to choose the best school for your child?
You must prioritize these three important points before selecting a school for your child. Firstly, if your child’s preference should be accounted for. This means what activities your child is interested in and search for those schools that offer these activities.
Secondly, look for schools with good teachers or educators and staff. Lastly, look at the infrastructure of the schools you want your kids to go to as most of their childhood will be spent there.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):-
Here are some of the frequently asked questions that people tend to search on the web. You might have the same queries hence why we have tried providing you with answers to these frequently asked questions.
Ans: The best type of early education or preschool education is the Montessori, Waldorf, Reggio Emilia, and HighScope models. You might have already heard about the Montessori model where passion for learning is incorporated among children.
Ans: The common types of childcare programs are:
⦿ Preschool care programs,
⦿ In-home Child care,
⦿ Child care centers,
⦿ Home-Based Child care,
⦿ Child Enrichment programs,
⦿ Before and After school programs,
⦿ School age programs.
Ans: You must prioritize these three important points before selecting a school for your child. Firstly, your child’s preference should be accounted for. This means what activities your child is interested in and search for those schools that offer these activities.
Secondly, look for schools with good teachers or educators and staff. Lastly, look at the infrastructure of the schools you want your kids to go to as most of their childhood will be spent there.
Summary: Finding the Perfect Suburban Daycare
If you know what to look for, the process of narrowing down the top local suburban daycare can be a breeze.
To summarize: When hunting for daycares that provide the best early childhood learning programs, identify and prioritize your child’s interests. Next, define what you want for your child and research top-rated daycares in your area. Most importantly, visit daycares in person to determine if they’re a perfect fit for your child. The perfect fit is out there!
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