If you're looking at child care options for the first time, you may be wondering what day-to-day life will look like for your child if you opt for a child care centre. Child care centres are popular with working parents due to being open for long hours and facilitating the transition from the home stage to primary school. Daily life in a child care centre will be varied, and the aim is to provide a stimulating, fun and educational environment for children. Structure is provided in the form of set meal times and circle time at the start and end of the day to allow children to transition between home and the centre, but what will fill your child's days? Read on to learn how children spend their time in a child care centre setting.
Free Play
Lots of free play time will be available each day, and this gives your child the opportunity to socialise with other children, navigate relationships and build important skills, such as asking for what they want, taking turns and resolving conflict. They will be able to play indoors or outdoors and will have a range of play equipment available, such as scooters, dressing-up clothes and balls.
STEM Activities
Activities incorporating science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) will regularly feature in your child's day. Your child will learn the basics of using a computer, play games that teach maths skills and have access to stimulating STEM-based toys and equipment, such as gears, magnifying glasses, building blocks and interactive books. STEM activities can help prepare your child to transition to school and develop a deeper understanding of the world they live in.
Creative Arts
Child care centres have an arts and crafts area that allows your child to get creative whenever the mood takes them. Your child will also be able to join in with more structured activities, such as drama workshops and music lessons. Some child care centres will also work with children across a term to create a concert or organise a play that will be performed for parents. These organised performances can give your child a sense of pride and allow them to develop crucial skills, such as working as part of a team.
Child care centres often have open days to allow families to come and see what they offer, but you can contact the manager of the centre you're interested in at any time to discuss their provision and arrange a visit.
For more information, visit a local child care centre.
Share18 April 2023
Finding a nursery that provides a stimulating and safe environment for your child can feel like a daunting task. I've used nurseries for all four of my children, and as my husband's job requires him to move around the country frequently, I have gone through the process of selecting a suitable nursery around fifteen times. I started this blog to provide a parent's view of nursery care and share practical tips you can use when choosing a nursery for your child. My posts cover a number of topics, such as spotting red flags, working in partnership with nursery staff, preparing your child for starting nursery and asking prospective nurseries for the right information. I hope you find my blog useful and informative.