Every parent of a young child will at some point be looking for a childcare facility in order to prepare their son or daughter for kindergarten. This is an important stage in every child’s life, and with that in mind, there is a lot more than location to consider when looking at suitable early learning programs.
Here are a few tips to help you find the right childcare facility for your son or daughter.
- Do some online research – In order to make an informed decision, you need to know what makes a childcare program a good one; Google is your best friend, and you can educate yourself and prepare a few questions for a potential candidate. Things such as inclusivity, learner-centred approach and social skills development are all important aspects that an early learning program should incorporate. A great example of a good program is the established child care in Merrylands, which has a great reputation.
- Browsing websites – Of course, every child care facility would have a website, so you should browse all venues that are within a practical area and create a shortlist of facilities to visit. It is never wise to simply turn up; rather, you can book a tour via their website, and that will give you a chance to observe daily activities and spend some time with the principal.
- Prepare questions – Of course, you would have quite a few questions that you would like to ask, and after taking a look at their site, it should be easy to formulate a few questions to ask the principal. You could, for example, enquire about their mission statement and values, which would tell you a lot about how they view early learning. Click here to find out about future trends in education that involve digital content.
- Touring the school – At some point, ask if you can sit in on a class and observe; 10-15 minutes would be enough, and what you should be looking for is student engagement, fun-based activities and a generally positive ambience. There should be student work on the walls, and the children should be given some time to engage with their favourite learning resources.
- Take your child for a pre-visit – Once you have made your decision, you should request a short visit to allow your child to experience the venue prior to the ‘big day’. This will eliminate any anxiety, both for you and your child, as they will know what to expect and their first day will be stress-free.
It is important to understand that the first seven years of a child’s life are critical; these are the formative years, and the right morals and values must be introduced, while creativity and imagination should play a major role in daily activities. Many parents are only focused on location and safety, which are obviously important, but there is so much more to take into account when searching for a suitable early learning program for your child.
