The Anatomy of a Great Childcare Center

The Anatomy of a Great Childcare Center

Every childcare center is unique and uses various market differentiators to talk about itself and set itself apart from other childcare providers in the area. But, there are some guiding principles that universally make for a great childcare center.

Take a moment and think through what parents are looking for when they do a site visit to see if your childcare center is right for them. These are the items that make up the anatomy of a great childcare center. To help you plan and market yourself, let’s take a look at what you need to be a great childcare center.

Organized classrooms
Your classrooms should show parents that their children will be learning in various ways throughout the day. The infant room should be free of choking hazards and other dangers and the toddler room should have toys and books for youngsters to explore. As the children get older, there should be room for arts and crafts, quiet reading nooks, interactive play and more.

Your classrooms say a lot about the student experience and your student-teacher interactions. Make sure they are saying the right things by ensuring they are tidy, well organized and age-appropriate.

Outdoor space designed for play
As exciting as your classrooms may be, parents also want to know that their children will be active throughout the day and spend time outside enjoying the weather. A playset or other outdoor toys can show parents you are well-equipped to promote and encourage learning through outdoor play.

This is another area where safety is crucial. Don’t leave yard tools laying around or tripping hazards as children will be moving quickly when playing outside.

Outstanding teachers
If you’re comparing your childcare center to anatomy, outstanding teachers are certainly the backbone. These are the individuals who interact with your students, day in and day out. They help them feel confident and guide them along their learning journey.

Parents will enjoy seeing teachers who are patient with their students and good educators. When providing tours or completing an open house, be sure to allow parents time to interact with your teachers. This will give them a realistic view of sending their child to your center.

Safe, secure environment
Think about how you would want your home for your own children to be. Tamper-resistant outlets, baby gates on the stairs, locked windows, doors that prevent little ones for sneaking outside without you knowing it – these are all the safety features a parent will be looking for as they walk through your facility.

But safety isn’t just in the physical building. Parents will also want to know about the tests and checks your staff must undergo to ensure caregivers are safe for their children. Additionally, talk about your check-out procedure for children and who is and isn’t allowed to pick up a child from your center without express approval from the parent or guardian. These policies all play a role in the safety and security of your facility.

Superb curriculum
Childcare is not just about watching a child for the day. Children need interaction and stimulation to promote learning. Discuss benchmarks you set for each age group and how your teachers build up the students and help them meet these learning goals.

Show parents some of your recent crafts, have them sit in during circle time, and discuss how you promote different styles of play and interaction with the other students. This will help parents feel confident that their child will be well-prepared for kindergarten.

Technology for relationship-building
It’s much easier for a parent to trust the childcare center or preschool their child attends when they get regular updates and have strong interaction with the school. A great way to build these relationships and trust is to use childcare software to stay in touch with parents and share precious moments via photos.

While a parent is away at work, messages and photos are the easiest way for them to stay connected with their child. It can also give them things to talk with their son or daughter about after work to build a relationship with their little ones.

iCare Child Care Software enables teachers to go from teaching to communicating with parents at the click of a button. The web-based application is easy to use on a tablet or mobile device so that it goes anywhere the teacher goes.

Your childcare is unique in the service it provides its customers but be sure the key structure is in place to have the anatomy of a great childcare center.

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