Tips for preparing your childcare center for summer break

The summer enrollment slump is felt by many childcare centers. This can be for a variety of reasons, most of which have nothing to do with the level of care you provide.

However, there are some ways you can prepare you childcare center for summer break to keep children engaged and parents happy with keeping their children enrolled or enrolling children.

1. Plan mini camps
   Some children leave your care in the summer to attend summer camps that focus on their interests, such as dance, music or sports. These camps provide a change of pace for children to express themselves through new hobbies as they grow and prepare for the next phase of schooling. Your summer camps donu2019t have to be super elaborate. It can be as simple as teaching children how to play a sport, like soccer, to get them outdoors and enjoying summer.
2. Plan field trips
   Field trips can be as simple as going to the local splash pad or visiting the zoo. Providing some variance in scenery for children can be nice and show parents that their children are still learning skills, like playing together, without having to sit through lessons on addition or letter recognition. Be sure to get approval from parents before leaving your facility and bring enough caretakers to provide a safe field trip environment based on where you go.
3. Market your summer sessions early
   Your childcare center can attract long-term clients by showcasing what makes it unique and special through summer activities. Donu2019t wait until you see declines in enrollment to start marketing your center. Staying proactive is the key to continued success of your center.
4. Share special moments with parents all summer
   Reassuring parents that they have enrolled their children in the right care should be constant. Itu2019s in the stories their children tell them after a fun day at the park and in the artwork they bring home. But you donu2019t have to rely on your tiny clients to do all the work for you. You can showcase the great activities children are participating in this summer with childcare management software, like iCare Software, which enables you to share photos with parents throughout the day. iCare goes wherever you go by being a web application you can reach from mobile phones and tablets while on the go.

Summertime is a fun time to engage with children and families in a new way as you look beyond the traditional classroom experiences to activities that engage and entertain children on summer break. With the right programs, you may even see enrollment rise as older siblings that are school aged join you for your camps, field trips and summer fun.