Kiddipedia
By Harmony Early Learning CEO Peter Warner
The five things you need to know when looking for the right childcare
Finding the right childcare or kindergarten for your child can be a daunting process and stir up a range of emotions. What’s important and what’s not so important? And what opinions do you need vs. not?
There are so many different factors to consider when you’re leaving the most precious person in your life in the care of another. If you’re unsure about where to start, here are our top tips on what to look for.
1. Do your background
A great first place to start is to gather parent recommendations from your friends, family, and other families. This will allow you to get personal insights on what’s worked for others and what hasn’t, to help you refine your search criteria and determine what’s a priority for you. It’s also super helpful to complete some desktop research – reviews are great because they’ll give you a good gauge of the highs and lows. There are also many Facebook groups out there for parents going through the same process as you where you can ask questions and compare notes.
2. Check out the centres in person
Early childhood education lays the foundation for your child’s future growth, so it’s crucial the environment where this takes place is nurturing, educative and encourages the imaginations of your child to flourish. And the best way to sense whether it’s right is to do it in person which even during COVID is still a possibility.
Most childcare centres have open days and offer personal tours where you’re able to talk to the educators to understand how they can assist your child on the transition from home to care. Plus, it’ll give you an insight on the cleanliness and structure of the centre, as well as witnessing how the educators interact with the children.
3. Know their curriculum – what makes it different?
A sustainable teaching and learning environment can bring heightened opportunities for your child to develop an understanding of, and care and respect for our world. It’s important that your child is considered as a confident and capable member of the learning community they are placed in.
Does the centre offer active exploration and purposeful play? Does the curriculum encourage confidence building, boost self-esteem and enjoyment? Taking a deep dive into the centre curriculum can help you gain an understanding of whether your child will improve in cognitive learning and social behaviour.
4. Make sure your child will be nourished
Healthy food, drinks, and habits can greatly impact the learning and growth of your child. Finding out if the centre provides nutritionally balanced and perfectly portioned meals should be considered to make sure your child’s daily nutritional requirements are being met.
Many childcare centres have onsite chefs with all meals prepared with fresh and wholesome ingredients. Ask whether their chefs follow Nutrition Australia’s national guidelines and recommendations, and ask if the centre is accommodating of individual allergies.
Creating pleasant and culturally appropriate atmosphere for children at mealtimes can also encourage social interaction and learning.
5. Discover if the centre will encourage your child to love learning
Childcare is where your child can develop their unique abilities and discover their future potential. Ask the centre educators exactly how they will support in the development of your child. Does their learning approach focus on both learning and playing? Having a holistic approach imbedded into childcare is how your child can grow into a strong, confident, happy and healthy individual. It’s a journey where your child can cultivate a self-awareness of their body, feelings, thoughts and attitudes. Be prepared to watch your child develop a deeper understanding of themselves and their connection with others.
About Harmony Early Learning
At Harmony, we believe that creating the right environment for play and learning is vital to every child’s early learning journey. Our focus on ‘space’ and our holistic approach to early learning and development is drawn from contemporary educational and human research, and the work of respected international theorists of early childhood.
