Understanding Child Care Activities

Is this your first experience with daycare? There may be several child care centers in your area—but perhaps you're not sure which one to pick. Before enrolling your child in an early learning, preschool, or daycare school, take a look at the following questions to ask yourself.

What is Your Work Schedule?

More specifically, what is your work schedule, do you need child care during your entire work week, and how long will your commute take? Some parents may not need child care for their entire work week. If your spouse or partner will stay home with your child on a part-time basis or you have a sitter lined up, you may only need to choose a partial day or partial week pre-k program.

Along with part- and full-time care decisions, you will also need to consider possible additional hours. Even though you may work a traditional nine to five, Monday through Friday schedule, forty-five minutes each way in rush hour traffic will add at least an hour and a half to your child's daily daycare schedule. 

What Teacher Qualifications Do You Feel Comfortable With?

Daycare and early education teachers are experienced, knowledgeable child development professionals. But this doesn't mean that every teacher has the same background or qualifications. Think about whether you feel it's important for the teacher to have a bachelor's degree or higher in early education and how many years of experience are adequate. 

You may also want to know more about the teacher's disciplinary methods and overall educational beliefs. If the teacher uses a dramatically different type of discipline strategy than what you use at home or you aren't comfortable with their (or the school's) methods, continue your search. 

Is There A Specific Educational Philosophy of Curriculum You Want To Explore?

Some preschools and early learning centers ground their curriculum and activities in Montessori or other educational philosophies, while other schools may not adopt a specific approach. But this doesn't mean that a general preschool or daycare program won't use a well-researched, evidence-based framework for learning and developmental practices.

Talk to each center's director about the curriculum and classroom content. Do you feel comfortable with what and how your child will learn? Does it seem like the curriculum matches your child's learning style or meshes with their temperament? If you're not sure how well the curriculum fits your child's needs, ask to observe a class or two. This allows you to see the curriculum and lesson plans in action.

For more information, visit a daycare center in your area such as ABQ Childcare.