Sending your little one to daycare is a huge parenting milestone. Choosing the right nursery can be overwhelming and challenging! The thought of leaving your precious child in the hands of strangers all day is terrifying! will my child be cared for or soothed when needed? We are here to tell you that there’s no need to worry! A High-quality child care centre run by professional staff and highly qualified teachers is the most fantastic experience you can ever gift your child. It can provide a safe, engaging and friendly environment for young children to develop essential skills, like social & cognitive skills, confidence and discipline.
1. The Location & Facility
Cleanliness and safety go without saying. While visiting your child nursery, do not hesitate to ask permission to check the bathrooms, preferable during class hours ( Yes. You will get the look, but won’t lift an eyebrow 🙂 ) Check the Fire Exit; how quickly accessible is it? What fire safety procedure do they have in place? Does their fire escape route make sense to you? Is the outdoor area well fenced & secure? Bottom line, are there any safety hazards you should be worried about? Take time to look at these things when you’re at the facility and don’t shy away from asking! And finally, distance. If you are a working mom, you might want to choose a nursery close to your workplace to tend to your child when needed.
2. Teacher- Child Interaction
Observe and assess the teachers and staff in action. Be sure to learn more about the teachers’ and assistant teachers’ educational backgrounds and experiences when working with kids. For example, find out if they have well been trained for CPR. Having a full time qualified nurse at the nursery is a must. Keep a close eye on child- teacher interaction. Observe if they have an engaging interaction and respond well to their teacher. Also, notice their actions, body language, and words in communicating with kids.This is important to know if this daycare is in tune with your parenting style. For example, some invest more time in structured classroom activities while others emphasise outdoor trips and activities.
This leads us to our next point …
3. The curriculum
It’s never too early to ask about what your child will be learning, especially if you have a school in mind or your nursery is affiliated with a specific school. In addition, you will want to know if this school fits the program and culture you had in mind with your child. You’ll also want to ensure enough is allocated to playtime. Play is essential to young children’s holistic growth.
4. Recommendations
One way to know if you’ve made the right choice after researching and visiting the facility is to speak to other parents. Ask about their likes or dislikes. For example, was their child coming back home happy?
And finally, follow your gut feeling and intuition. The most important thing is you knowing ta hear that leaving your child in their care will positively develop your child social and emotional well being before heading off to big school 🙂
Are you currently looking into nurseries? Please feel free to share with us your concerns and recommendations!