Five Tips For Picking The Right Childcare Centre
I remember how hard it was when my boys went off to a childcare centre for the first time. You really want them to settle in and be happy. It’s important to pick the right place. I felt much better when I had reassurance from the lovely staff. I thought it might be helpful to list a few pointers for picking the right childcare centre.
See What Is Available
The first step to picking the right childcare centre is seeing what is available. You can use a site like Toddle to list what your closest options are. But please don’t make distance your number one priority. Once you have that list, be open minded. The least convenient childcare centre distance wise might have the most experienced staff or better facilities.
Check Out Their Reputation
Ask people if they have any experience of your shortlist of childcare centres, whether it’s good or bad. Basically, get as much information as possible. Check online to see if they have any glowing recommendations or anything you find concerning. Don’t forget to read over the latest OFSTED inspection report either!
Visit Them
Once you have narrowed down your choice, make an appointment to visit what’s left on your list. Get a feel for the place. Do they have lots of drawings on the wall? showcasing the children’s work. Does the children’s area look safe and well-kept with plenty of toys? Do they have an outdoor space for children to play? It’s a good idea if they do as outdoor play is part of children’s healthy development. Watch how the staff engage with the children. I must confess I have been known to have a cheeky spy check on places too. Where you would go past a window to make sure everyone was happy!
Ask Key Questions
You could ask about staff qualifications and how you will be notified of your child’s progress. Find out further information on staff ratios and the type of activities the childcare centre will provide. Some places are better than others in that respect. Hopefully they should allow children the chance to be creative, younger children enjoy painting and sensory play. Do they have lots of resources available to them?
Check Their Policy
You need to make sure you pick a childcare centre that will continue the work you do at home. So somewhere with a similar outlook to discipline and learning. What about your child’ routine? For example, will they try to stick to your child’s nap schedule? Try and get as much information as possible so you make an education decision when finally choosing the childcare centre you want to use.
I think the best thing to do to help you decide is to visit the place and look at how they work with the children. If the children look happy it’s always a good sign.
I agree that a personal visit is essential – sometimes you think you have found the perfect place, then you visit and it’s not at all what you thought it’d be.
It’s such a hard decision isn’t it. I always just dropped by without making an appointment to see what they were like without having notice to tidy and tell all the staff
These are great tips but for me, one thing that help me more to find a right childcare centre for my child is to visit the place, from there you can ask them about the things that you need to know and you can see on how they work with children.
It really helped that we could go and see the childcare setting we were considering – we got such good vibes from it – it is a real relief.
I think guy feeling is so important. Lots of people raved about a particular setting when my daughter was tiny, but I felt drawn to somewhere else. And it was perfect for her
I don’t have any kids yet but I’m sure this is one of the most daunting things to decide when you have kids. The tips are very helpful and hope it will be useful to parents out there going through this choice.
These are great tips and one which I followed myself when I placed my kids in childcare centre. As a mum, leaving your child in someone else’s care is so daunting hence this list is crucial in assuring that the best decision is made
I think it is very important to visit a childcare setting to get a feel of the place. Handy to have a list of questions ready too.
These are great tips on choosing the right childcare. It is so important to visit them and have a list of questions ready to ask.
When things get a bit more back to normal and people are looking for childcare I’d certainly try and find personal recommendations. And checking reviews as you said is so important x
My daughter and son in law had to look into 4 different pre-schools before they got to choose the best one for their son. It did help them decide when these early childhood centers let parents “sit-in” and observe their daily activities and interaction with the kids.
It is really important that you visit the setting and the staff before you make a decision.
My wife and i did a lot over the years in investigations and visiting them and having questions lined up is a must, some great tips and advice here.