Inspirational and Empowering Child Care Business Owners To Build Successful Child Care Businesses

Archive for the ‘preschool’ Category

Quality Care is Hard Work

 

The picture that you see above, is a photo of my husband putting together a new playhouse for our playground.  The day that I took this picture, we were working at the center on a Saturday morning, preparing for Re-Accreditation.

My facility has been Accredited by the Missouri Accreditation of program for Children and Youth since 2006 and we are in the process of being re-accredited.  As I go through the accreditation process, I realize how much work is involved in providing quality childcare including;

  • Evaluating Administrative practices
  • Improving Health/Safety practices
  • Improving the physical environment
  • Improving the Curriculum
  • Evaluating Parent connections and so much more!

On March 20, 2012, an Accreditation Validation review team stopped by my center to evaluate our quality care practices. Now……. you would think that after going through three accreditation observations in my center and one in my home daycare, that I would not be nervous.

On the day of the visit, I was so nervous to have strangers in my center evaluating every little detail of the program. Then I had to give myself a positive talk and remind myself that I am an Expert at Quality Care and I have nothing to worry about!

I also had to remind myself that I focus on quality care, because children deserve quality care and parents want quality care. Moreover, there are many definitions of what quality childcare is, however, the highest form of quality care is Accreditation.

I want to inspire you to seek  Accreditation. If you cannot afford it, I am sure that there are some agencies in your area that would love to help pay for your Accreditation.

Quality Care is Hard work, however, when parents know that you provide quality care, they will choose you over other childcare programs. Furthermore…all the hard work of building a quality program is worth all the sweat and labor!

I want to invite you to check out my post on Accreditation and subscribe to my e Course, 7-steps to Quality Care.

 

With Quality Care in mind,

Shiketa

Category:

Accreditation, Child Care Center, Home Daycare, preschool, Quality Care

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Kids Love Sensory Play

“Creating a Child Care Business That Kids Love”

As I wrap up the theme on creating a childcare business that kids love, I thought it was appropriate to end the theme with ” Kids Love Sensory Play.” I chose sensory play, because it is open- ended and there is no right or wrong way to explore sensory materials.

In fact, kids love to play in anything that is messy! Today I want to inspire you to plan and encourage more sensory activities in your childcare program.

According to Elaine Lambe  (Educational Consultant), “Sensory play is currently seen as one of the key areas of play for babies and young children and a crucial part of their development. Sensory play is play that involves the use of one or more of the five senses, touch, sight, smell, taste and hearing. Our senses are our guide through the world around us and for babies and young children they provide endless opportunity for fascinating discovery.”

Today I want to share with you  five sensory play ideas that kids really Love:

Exploring Shaving Cream “It’s messy, yet it is fun! Kids can make shapes or even practice writing their name in the shaving cream.

Source: Cultivated Lives

Colored Rice Explorations. This is a Pot of Gold Activity planned back in 2011. The teacher dyed the rice yellow, by soaking the rice in yellow food coloring and by adding a small amount of alcohol. Then she let the rice air dry over night. The kids love to feel, scoop, sift, explore the color and measure the rice.

Exploring Cornmeal. The first time that I saw kids playing in cornmeal was in my child development laboratory Class back in 2002. I didn’t think it was quite educational back then, however, now we love to add cornmeal to the sensory tables to encourage the children to; explore the cornmeal by feeling, measuring, scooping, writing in the cornmeal and whatever they discover that they can do with the cornmeal that will enhance their play.

Source: Not Just Cute

Colored Water. This is a great way to teach children their colors or to spice up the water play!

Source: Not Just Cute

Styrofoam Fun! Don’t throw away anymore Styrofoam, save it for sensory play!

Source:Loving and Learning in Pre-K

I realize that many of the sensory activities above may not be appropriate for children under the age of three, however, it is appropriate for a toddler to explore water play or to play with edible  home-made playdoh or with pudding.

Whatever sensory activities that you decide to incorporate into your program, I know that the kids will enjoy it because Kids Love Sensory Play! Feel free to share sensory activities that you offer in your program and share your thoughts about this blog post.

With Your Business in Mind,

Shiketa Morgan

Resource Links

http://play-activities.com/blog/sensory-play-%E2%80%93-part-1-%E2%80%93-introduction-what-is-sensory-play/

http://childcareandbeyond.tripod.com/sensoryplay.html

Many family home providers are getting empowered in the Family Home Child Care Empowerment club! Take a sneak peek at the first 5 weeks of the club by subscribing to the 5-day mini course “It’s Free”! http://childcarebusinessowner.us2.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=237d43de3475bcab0f4337852&id=e56603be8d

Category:

Activities, Child Care Center, Curriculum, preschool, Quality Care

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