For your little one, all you want is the best. You’re looking for high quality when it comes to daycare. Something close to your house or place of work. Yet the place you are looking for must also be affordable.
Is this too much to ask? Up until your research journey begins. The options available can overwhelm you. Or a lack of good options can also frustrate you.
But hold on, how can you tell which alternative will work better for you? How can you tell which reviews are trustworthy?
The quest to find a suitable daycare is going to stress you out, but don’t fret.
Thinking about childcare before the baby arrives is important. A good idea for working moms who need to go back to work straight after delivery is to start searching for a childcare facility in the second trimester.
The sooner you do this the better for everyone concerned. You can even use a Toddle’s subsidy calculator to determine other cost implications relevant to your child. Before your bundle of joy arrives on planet earth.
In your search, we have compiled a few tips to help you identify a good daycare center that will look after your little one well.
Fantastic reviews
A good daycare center will have a strong reputation. This includes positive reviews from current or previous parents.
Reviews are not only exclusive to those you will find online. You can also ask the daycare provider to give a few contact numbers from parents you can call for personal references. Alternatively, leverage your network. Ask your family and friends about their favorite local daycare center.
As you go through the reviews you find, try and observe if you see any patterns. These patterns can be either good or bad. No daycare center has its ducks in a row all the time. But if the same complaint keeps popping up, something is not right.
Look for a stimulating environment with joyful children
You’ll see and feel this energy the moment you walk through the door. In this regard, first impressions really do count. Is the environment, fun, clean and seem like a great space for your little one?
Walk around and observe if the environment is homely, inviting, and reflects diversity. Look for whether the environment accommodates age-appropriate displays for each age group.
For instance, does the room for infants have lots of floor space for babies who crawl and those who require tummy time? Or do kids in the older age group have tables and desks for doing craftwork or coloring in?
Credible caretakers who are passionate about what they do
Also, make sure that the caregivers in the care center you have identified have standard certifications. This is basically how you examine the adults in the room.
Most staff members should have qualifications that relate to early childhood development or be in the process of attaining a qualification. In addition to that, look to see if they are trained to manage a procedure like CPR and other emergency protocols.
Bonus tip
Finally, once you have identified the best daycare center for your little one. Ask the daycare facilitators how they plan to keep you updated on your child’s progress or about any special events that happen at the daycare center that you may want to participate in.
Ask them about their mode of communication, for example, e-mails or newsletters. It’s also worth knowing if the center provides a video cam for a parent to log on through their website to see how much fun their little one is having. So If you follow these tips and many others you will find that getting a good daycare center for your child will be easy as ABC.
