Child Care Centers offer an important service to the community. Early childhood education helps children with their social and emotional development. Children enrolled in an Early childhood educational program have a greater sense of responsibility and are helpful members of their classroom. The children are able to help with their own self-care tasks as well as tasks that are for the greater good of the overall classroom, such as having classroom jobs. Classroom jobs may vary, but they include things such as helping set the table for mealtime or wiping the whiteboard. Children can pick their own jobs on either a daily or weekly basis.
Look for a center where diversity is celebrated. The classroom materials should be reflective of this. In the house area, there should be a representation of different types of food, whether it is pretend or in pictures. The dress-up area should have clothing and accessories from various cultures.
Children involved in an Early childhood educational program have better language skills. From the ages of 3 to 5 years old, the child’s vocabulary will grow from about 900 words to over 2,500 words. Many Early Childhood classrooms are set up into “areas” or “centers.” This allows children to move freely through the classroom while picking from the different learning areas according to their interests. Some of the “areas” in an Early childhood classroom are Toy area, Block area, Book area, Music and Movement, Writing area, Sensory Table, Art Area, and House Area. There is also a dress-up area for dramatic play. Through a mix of teacher and child led activities, children are able to identify their interests and improve those areas in which they may be struggling.
Some things that parents should look for in an Early Childhood program are to see if the program has good reviews, does the program have an open-door policy. Many child care center west valley ut have some great programs. When you first walk in the door, it should be a friendly environment where you and your child feel welcome. The center should also be clean. There should be a daily schedule and a curriculum that they are following. You can also ask to see lesson plans to see what the children are learning. Staff should have CPR certification, and there should be some staff with some kind of Early Childhood degree or a CDA.
Safety is always a big concern when it comes to a childcare center or school. The outlets should be covered and there should be a gate on the stairs (if there are stairs). Each classroom should have a fire extinguisher by the door. As a parent, you should make sure that the center is operating in ratio. A quick google search will help you to know what the ratios are in your state. All childcare centers should be state licensed. If you are able to find a center that is accredited this is even better. There are three organizations that run accreditation of child care centers in the United States: National Association for the education of young children (NAEYC), National Accreditation Commision for the Early Care and Education Programs (NAC), National Early Childhood Program Accreditation (NECPA). If you are able to find a childcare center with one of these accreditations, it is a bonus.