Why positive daycare environments are just so important
Naturally, we all want the best for our children. Finding a daycare can be a nerve-wracking and frustrating experience. Not only does it have to be within your budget and vicinity, it also has to be an emotional fit. Do you have a good gut-feeling about the place? Do you trust the caregivers?
We would like to highlight the positive effects a nurturing and caring environment has on your children—some things to keep in mind when reviewing Kanata daycare options:
Positive relationships
Relationships that are positive and caring create the foundation for social growth and development in a child, especially in the early years. Seek out a daycare in Kanata that encourages and fosters caring relationships.
Caregiver connection
Children need to feel secure in their new environment. They often attach to one particular caregiver in a daycare. A secure attachment stimulates exploration, play, enthusiasm and confidence—the building blocks for healthy development. Ask the Kanata daycare centres about their staff turnover rates. If staff changes too frequently, children will be unable to form secure connections.
Consistency
As any parent will tell you, consistency is key! Being responsive to a child’s needs and enforcing consistent standards and behaviours are crucial to foster security in children. Young children need routines and constant interaction to develop into confident individuals. Ask to see the daily schedule of the daycares you visit.
Every child is different
If you come across a daycare in Kanata that operates with a ‘one size fits all strategy’—move on. Every child is different and has to be treated that way. Some are shy, some outgoing, others spirited. Daycares need to be able to adapt their caregiving approaches to provide as much support as possible to all children, taking unique characteristics and temperaments into consideration.
Play, play, play!
When reviewing Kanata daycare options, ask the caregivers about the importance of play. Is play-based learning supported? Play encourages creativity in children. It regulates emotion and stress, provides pleasure and peer interaction and is also important for the development of cognitive skills, language, literacy and the physical and emotional state of a child.
The African proverb “it takes a village to raise a child” summarizes these points so perfectly! Raising our children as confident and caring individuals is a team effort, which involves the parents, relatives, friends, neighbours, caregivers and peers. Give your children the opportunity to grow intellectually, socially and emotionally. Review your Kanata daycare options carefully to find the perfect fit for you and your little ones.
