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Having pets can be an amazing experience for kids. Dogs, cats, fish, and turtles, are fun to watch and fun to play with. They can also be a powerful learning and development aid for children of any age. Animals in a childcare setting can teach responsibility by having kids take turns caring for the animals. Depending on the pet, they can feed, brush, walk, or help clean bowls or cages. Perhaps more importantly, animals allow children to express the natural aspect of nurturing. The children may also grow emotionally connected to the class pet, which strengthens their understanding of respect and attachment. Continue reading →
Category Archives: Voices from the Field
Pets in Childcare
Posted in Voices from the Field
Tagged animal in childcare, animals, pets, pets in childcare
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Does it Take a Community?
Research reiterates again and again that the greatest influence in the lives of children is their parents. Strong, nurturing familial relationships make navigating the growing-up years more positive and results in a new generation of confident adults. The impact of parental love or disregard, nurturing or neglect leaves a lasting impression and molds the attitudes and outlooks of children for the rest of their lives. Continue reading →
Posted in Voices from the Field
Tagged community, parent relationships, working with parents
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Tantrums in Childcare
Conner is cranky and whiney; and the minute you say, “Time to put the blocks away,” he snaps. No matter what you do, this kid just won’t quit. To make matters worse, while you’re busy manning the meltdown, the other kids in your care are ripping the classroom apart. Not exactly a good way to start the day. Where’s Mary Poppins when you need her? Continue reading →
Posted in Voices from the Field
Tagged diffusing tantrums, tantrums, what to do about tantrums
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You’re Wearing That?
Does how you look really make a difference? Do your clothes determine the quality of care you provide? Read what this guest author has to say and give us your opinion!
Presentation is everything in a business. So when childcare providers come to work looking unprofessional, it reflects poorly on the childcare center, and may give parents the impression that the providers aren’t taking their jobs as seriously as they would like. An unprofessional staff can also interfere with business growth because it makes parents think twice about signing their kids up for your program.
Just as a potential employer would choose a different candidate if you went to an interview dressed inappropriately, parents are likely to do the same. For instance, if a mom comes in to tour your childcare facility, and she notices a teacher conducting circle time wearing ripped and stained shorts and flip-flops, she may decide to choose another childcare.
Even home childcare providers need to dress professionally to gain the respect of their clientele. When you greet parents and kids at the door in your pj’s, parents may be concerned that you take the same relaxed approach to caring for their kids. For the sake of professionalism, make it a point to freshen up before welcoming children into your home childcare.
A professional looking staff adds credibility to a childcare, and lets others know that the childcare teachers respect themselves as professionals. A well groomed staff also gives moms and dads the impression that the providers are confident in their abilities as caregivers.
How to Encourage Professional Appearance of Staff
What’s considered professional is subjective. For this reason, it’s important for childcare center directors and owners to set clear guidelines of what’s acceptable with regards to the appearance of their staff.
Childcare providers constantly move and interact with kids, so they must wear comfortable clothes to do their jobs effectively. Center owners and directors must be realistic about what they expect their childcare staff to wear. Polo shirts and khakis, for instance, are professional, comfortable, affordable, and these garments allow ease of movement. Employers can also invest in uniforms that display the center’s name and logo, and require staff to wear them to work.
The appearance of your staff can have an effect on the way parents perceive your childcare center. Setting clear guidelines about how you expect teachers to look when they show up for work will ensure they always appear professional.
I Am a Childcare Provider
I am the guardian of the citizens of tomorrow. Now, more than ever before in our history, I am helping to shape the character of the future generation.
Every day – day in and day out – I am called upon to not only feed and shelter each unique little person in my care, but also, to guide and direct their energies on a path that will lead them to the highest and best that is in them.
Every week – week in and week out – I travel the gamut from the mundane to the magnificent. I not only provide shelter and nutrition for these little bodies, I also provide nourishment for these developing minds and an emotionally nurturing environment for these unique little personalities.
Always — I am aware that for most of their waking hours, I am the mirror that helps these little ones to form their image of who they are and how life is. The words I speak, the actions I take, the thoughts I think with regard to each child helps to shape the way they feel about themselves and their world.
I have the awesome responsibility of balancing the needs and demands of each of these children, their parents, our community and the ever-present regulations of the State and Federal Governments. All the while, I still manage my life outside of my childcare business.
I do all this gladly and with a humble appreciation for the opportunity to truly make a difference in so many lives. I do this because I am a childcare provider. My business is not a job…………It is a sacred trust!
Childcare Garden
“Mary, Mary quite contrary how does your garden grow?” We’re not sure about Mary’s garden, but your childcare center’s garden will thrive with water, sunshine, and lots of TLC from the kids. When childcare teachers provide gardening opportunities to children, it gives them an excuse to get their hands get grubby, and spend some time with Mother Nature.
Gardening not only allows children to interact with nature, this activity teaches them about nutrition, provides sensory experiences, instills valuable life lessons, promotes respect for living things, and introduces basic educational concepts.
The types of gardens kids can grow in childcare centers are limitless. Youngsters can grow flowers, herbs, vegetables, or they can mix and match. Kids can also center their garden around a theme. For instance, if children wanted to grow a salsa-themed garden, they would plant tomatoes, cilantro, and onions. The children in your classroom will enjoy thinking of creative ideas for their childcare garden.
Short on space? No problem. Vegetable plants and flowers can grow anywhere, as long as the weather is appropriate, and there is access to plenty of sunlight. Be creative. Use a corner of the playground, a sandbox, a wagon, or a few mid-sized pots. A childcare garden can also flourish indoors. If the garden is planted indoors, take the plants outside regularly for a bit of sunshine.
Nutrition
Kids are not always willing to try new foods. But when they grow their own food, they are more likely to eat it. Gardening is the perfect way for childcare providers to introduce children to new types of vegetables, and talk to them about the benefits of eating healthy.
Sensory Experiences
Digging in the dirt provides a calming effect that helps children relax. Feeling the earth between the fingers also provides sensory experiences that are vital to children’s brain development.
Basic Math and Science Concepts
During gardening activities children learn basic math and science concepts whenever they name plants, explore lifecycles, discover what plants need to survive, measure dirt and water, estimate plant growth, measure plants, arrange flower baskets, and learn about the critters that live their garden.
Life Lessons
When kids plant seeds, care for them, and wait for the plants to grow, they learn patience, responsibility, and how to nurture living things. By growing their own food, kids also learn self-sufficiency. These are all valuable skills youngsters can use throughout life.
Starting a childcare garden is not only fun for kids, this activity stimulates their brain development, teaches them about nature, helps them develop values, and gives them simple lessons in math, science, and nutrition.
Posted in Voices from the Field
Tagged activities, childcare garden, fruits and vegetables, garden
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Using Food as Crafts
When early childhood teachers combine food and crafts in the classroom, they get a recipe for sensory and creative experiences that have lifelong benefits for children. On any given day, it’s not uncommon for kids in childcare classrooms to paint with pudding, spaghetti sauce or yogurt; make collages out of dry beans and rice; use fruit and veggies to make imprints; craft spiders out of Oreo cookies; or create snow scenes with marshmallows. Continue reading →
Grandma’s Cure for Biting
In my Grandma’s day curing a small child of biting was real simple. I can still hear Gram’s voice saying proudly, “Ever’ one of my young-uns was a biter. I only had to bite em back one time to make em quit!” And then she would add with quiet resignation, “Cept for Jimmy Ray, had to bite him three or four times ‘fore he got the message…. hard-headed, that one.” As far as I know, not one of Gram’s 6 children suffered ongoing trauma from those bites and from all outward appearances, they became successful, well-adjusted adults – even Jimmy Ray. Continue reading →
Emergent Curriculum
How do children learn best? What type of set-up and/or setting is socially relevant for a child to learn in? Should it be visual? Should it be auditory? What about a child’s developmental stage? The answer to these questions – as well as others, will vary based on who you choose to ask. While there is a definition for emergent curriculum, there seems to be numerous opinions on how to use it appropriately. Before we go any further, let’s make sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to the definition of emergent curriculum. Continue reading →
Posted in Voices from the Field
Tagged emergent curriculum, learning styles, teaching styles
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Don’t Call Me The Babysitter
I didn’t always think of myself as a childcare provider. When I first started my childcare business many years ago, I advertised my services in the local newspaper as a babysitter. I don’t know how the dictionary defines it, but in my mind a babysitter’s job was to keep children physically clean and safe from harm while their parents were away. That was my job.
I can’t say exactly when my perception of myself began to change. Continue reading →
