Updated August 7, 2019
Research indicates that a high quality child care program can position children for academic success for years to come. There are many criteria that parents must consider when selecting a child care provider for their toddler or preschooler. To help you research and qualify the best program for your child, we’ve outlined some useful tips.
Tip 1: Individualized Child Care
One of the most important challenges that parents face in finding child care for toddlers and preschoolers is finding an individualized program. Children in this age group are very active and they require a lot of care, but no one child is exactly like another. For this reason, a child care provider should have small class sizes so that each child is given the attention they need to meet their individual needs. The objectives of a good program should focus and target children’s individual strengths and weaknesses and the provider should work with families to understand the child’s needs.
Tip 2: Socialization
During this stage of development, a child should be socialized with other children around their developmental stage. Socialization is important for children to learn basic interaction skills as well as appropriate behaviors. Some of the most important social skills for children to learn are forming positive social interactions, sharing and taking turns, resolving conflicts, working together as a team and taking responsibility for their actions. When looking at different programs, ask teachers how they help children learn these various social behaviors.
Tip 3: Quality of Education
Children begin learning and developing from the moment they are born. For that reason, parents will want to choose a child care provider that provides educational opportunities to help toddlers and preschoolers become enthusiastic learners. Programs with a curriculum based on early childhood education standards is a good guideline. You’ll also want to look for programs that implement activities to help children become independent, self-confident and inquisitive. Education that fosters gross and fine motor skills, literacy, creative art, science, computers, music and pretend play is important for the building blocks of your child’s learning. The goal of preschool is to make sure children are ready for kindergarten and that should be an important part of any program you enroll your child in.
Tip 4: Classroom Environment
No parent wants to send their child to a location that is unsafe or to a program that is disorganized and unprepared. They want to know that staff is qualified, certified, and well-versed in toddler and preschooler care and that teachers are ready to handle the needs of their little ones. They also want to make sure that the classroom and playground environments are safe. Parents should look at the general cleanliness and layout of the classroom. Books, blocks, dolls, dress up items and other toys for free play should be readily accessible. Pretend play is important for a child’s development so having an area that encourages children to play creatively is a great quality.
Les Petits Cherubs offers toddler and preschool programs with certified staff, an advanced curriculum and accredited resources. If you have questions about our programs or would like to schedule a tour at one of our campuses, contact us.