Being a parent is a tough job. The day to day anxieties and the constant worry about whether you are doing the right things for you children can get overwhelming. And though it may provide you with some time to yourself, when you have to leave your child in the care of someone else, it can be just as stressful. Day care centers constantly advertise about why their day care facility is the best. But are they being truthful? What are some of the ways you can ensure that you are getting the best day care for your child?

Below we help answer some of these questions. Keep reading to get some tips on how to choose the best day care for your child.

Identify Your Priorities

A cookie cutter philosophy on day care is the first step to making a mistake. Not all day care centers provide what you need, and some of them may provide more than you need. Tailor your search to the specific goals and priorities of your family. If education is a priority, search out a child care center that incorporates learning and focused activities into their daycare. If you just need someone to keep an eye on your little one for a few hours a week, a curriculum might be a little overboard.

Do Your Research

When searching for a good daycare provider, a bit of research goes a long way to filtering out the inferior and inadequate centers. Ask friends and family members with children where they take their child to day care and why. Parents of children in daycare are usually not shy when asked their opinion about their child’s care. Often, they will be able to give a better review and may even share your same concerns and priorities.

From there, use the web and other local resources to get a list of day care together for your consideration.

Interview and Visit

Now that you have a good idea of which child care centers are best suited for you and your family, g=o and visit each. Ask the child care provider about what their day care can offer. Ask about things like safety, child to caregiver ratio and accreditations. Ask them about their philosophies on teaching and discipline. Make sure that these philosophies align with yours.

Check References

Ask the day care facility to give you a list of their references. Cal them all and see what other parents are saying. While there may be some bias, hearing from other parents is a great way to get a good idea of what the child care center is like.

Best Day Care in Colorado Springs with Young Scholars Academy

Young Scholars Academy in Colorado Springs is dedicated to providing quality childcare and day care in Colorado Springs. Come check out our programs and contact us today!

 

Fall is a great season to enjoy with the whole family.  It’s not quite as sunny as summer but still bright and cheerful just the same.  The weather and temperature is just right – not to hot and not too cold – to enjoy the outdoors with the kids.  There are a number of fun fall activities for kids that you might want to put in your bonding calendar.  Give these activities a try:

Autumn Collage

Take a stroll with your kids and set out on a mission to collect curiously shaped leaves for an autumn collage. You pick up acorns and small twigs too if you want.  If you have smaller kids, do not let them go off on their own.  You want to make sure that they do not get their hands on anything sharp or dangerous.  When you get back home with your stashes of leaves in an assortment of golden colors, you can start putting together your collage.

You can use ordinary bond paper or you can use a poster board.  Have some paint, glue, scissors, pencils, and coloring materials on-hand.  You can basically make any design or image you want by gluing the leaves you gathered on your choice of paper.  You and your kids can work together in one project or you can each have your own artwork.  You can also make several collages so you can have your own private exhibit at the end of the day (or week if you want more artworks to display).

Stamp Art

Make use of the apples and pumpkins that are abundant in the autumn season. You will have to cut shapes out of pumpkin and apples for your kids to use in their stamp art.  Start by cutting a good sized pumpkin and a couple of apples into slices that are about 2 inches thick. You can use cookie cutters are your guide by tracing the shapes on the pumpkin and apple slices.  Carve out the “flesh” outside of your traced lines to leave a raised area that will serve as the stamp.

When your stamps are done, put different colors of paint in small paper plates, lay out sheets of paper, and your art table is all set.  You and your kids can let your creative juices run and stamp away.

Sugar and Spice Bake Day

Since spices are often associated with the season, among the great fun fall activities for kids is to make sweet treats using spices. Apples and pumpkin are also ingredients that go well with spices like cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.  Recipes for treats like Gingerbread Cookies, Apple Crumble, and Pumpkin Pie are available in child-friendly versions that will be easy for you and your kids to follow.

Fun Fall Activities at Young Scholars Academy

Young Scholars Academy in Colorado Springs provides quality child care no matter the season. But we are especially excited about fall and the new school year. Young Scholars Child Care in Colorado springs offers child care programs for infants to school age children. We also have some exciting childcare enrichment programs! Come check out our programs and contact us today!

Do you remember how you felt when you were getting ready to go back to school? If you do, then you can imagine what it may be like for children. You can help them make this experience a fun and positive memory through these essential back to school tips for parents.

Back to School tips for Parents

 It goes without saying that the teacher is the adult who will be spending many hours with your child during most days of the week. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a positive connection with him or her. Before the start of school, get to know the new teacher – be it through a phone call, an e-mail, or in person – so that you can also help your child ease any fears he or she may have regarding the new teacher.

Choose school supplies with your child.

One of the most exciting parts about going back to school for a child is getting new stuff. As soon as you have acquired the class supply list, spend some quality time with him by getting to know his favorite colors, superheroes or cartoon characters, and other elements that can help you both have a worthwhile shopping experience.

After buying the new supplies, let your child use them even before the start of school, especially when it comes to new tools. That way, he will feel more confident when he starts using them in the classroom.

Help your child start new morning and evening routines for school

Good habits are especially important when it comes to gaining self-confidence and achieving goals, so help your child establish a set of good habits in the form of morning and evening routines. For instance, one important habit is for them to wake up early the same time each day. This habit should be instilled at least two weeks prior to the first day of school.

Work with your children in establishing their routine rather than you making it for them. Doing so will help them gain a sense of responsibility and make them more likely to follow the routine.

Back to School with Young Scholars Academy

Young Scholars Academy in Colorado Springs wants to help you make the transition back to school as smooth as possible. We offer quality before and after school programs for all ages. Come check out all our programs and contact us today! We look forward to hearing from you!