An Educator’s Tips To Choosing A Childcare Facility

This post is sponsored by KinderCare, however all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

Childcare. Ya I said it, the dreaded word. I know it is stressful to find the perfect environment to give your child love and let them thrive.

These is a lot of stress on picking the BEST place for your child to be a couple days a week… maybe even all week. Being an educator I feel I have a bit of advantage. My degree is birth through five education. I worked in many childcare centers before college, during and after.

So here is some advice from someone on the inside. Some things to think about when looking at childcare for your child.

1. Trust Your Gut

A parents intuition is real! Even if people rave about a childcare center, if you walk in and feel uneasy, consider those feelings. You should reflect on why you may have felt that way.

2. Watch The Staff & Children

Ask if you can peek in on a class or have a tour. Keep an eye out for how the staff talks to children & their body language with them. Is there a lot of affection for babies and toddlers 2 and under? Are kids 3 and up engaged, excited and smiling? Do the kids show pride in their work and does the class energy feel positive?  One cool things about the childcare facility KinderCare is you can actually read parent and teacher testimonials on their website.

3. Do Your Research

It is so important to ask around, mom groups on facebooks, friends, neighbors and even the internet. KinderCare is one childcare center that is found in 38 states. It’s brand has become set apart from other educational childcare facilities. They were first opened in 1969 and therefore have a long line of experience. They also pride themselves in employing dynamic educators and providing a loving and caring environment. These are some qualities that you want to hear when researching. On their webpage you can take a virtual tour, read about food and nutrition  along with their safety and security. One of the most important things to me, being an educator is checking out the curriculum which can also be found on their webpage. I loved reading how they value and understand the importance of purposeful play. They also break down developmental areas such as social and emotional, cognitive, physical and language development.

4. You Can Leave Anytime

You see issues or problems, you can leave. You can even make sure anything you sign states that before you sign. If you sense an issue once your child is enrolled maybe even consider stopping by unannounced to look around and see how everything is going. Don’t feel terrible if you pick a place and it ends up not working out, move on and try the next that was on your list.

Alright guys I hope this was helpful and maybe even elevated some stress about the search for a childcare facility. Trust your gut, watch the staff and children, do your research, and you can live anytime. If you are currently looking for childcare options take a look at KinderCare and peek around the website.

XO Eryka