Early Start Day Care
Education
"Babies who are talked to from birth are better prepared by the time they start school. It is never to early to start talking, reading and singing to your baby. Kids who are talked to early and often develop larger vocabularies, do better in school and make better choices." First 5 California.
When I started Early Start Day Care, my son and I began spending 20 - 30 minutes every day on the alphabet. He learned to write his name in record time. He developed a love of learning that has stayed with him throughout his life. He acquired a great deal of self-esteem from his educational accomplishments. My daughter astounded us every day with her language development and comprehension and my youngest son's fine motor skills gave him neater writing in elementary school than most boys twice his age.
If just talking and reading and singing to your baby can help them do better in school, imagine the extraordinary head start they will have from being in a preschool program. I give them ample opportunity to exercise those magnificent brains of theirs! Of course, not all children learn at the same pace. However, with a family daycare provider, your child will definitely receive personalized attention. Day care is not about teaching ABC's (even though I do); it is about giving children an early start. If a child has confidence and feels loved and secure, I believe that they will do better in school. If a child enjoys learning and books, I believe that they will do better in school. By coming to Early Start Day Care before enrolling in school, your child can learn the following skills:
social interaction shapes colors problem solving etiquette
recognizing feelings cooperation sharing visual tracking grouping / sorting
goal setting creative thinking left & right clothing skills fine & gross motor skills
numbers health / hygiene safety handling emergencies individuality
communication skills alphabet language skills
In such a small group, there are so many things we can do. I don't overwhelm the children. A little bit of information each day goes much further.
Arts & Crafts
You know all those things that you don't really want to do in the house because it's messy, sticky, destructive, irreversible...but your kids love it? Let them do it here. I'm always hunting for new ideas that allow the children to let their creativity explode. Children need to be allowed to do their own thing. That's why I focus on the creation of art rather than the completion. We paste, stick, cut, paint, bend, tie, draw, color, sprinkle and decorate. I hope you have a lot of refrigerator magnets. Oh well, if you don't , we'll make you some! We display the art until it's taken home at the end of the week. It's wonderful to see the pride they have when they drag their parents to see their masterpieces.
Exercise
Children of all ages need sunlight, fresh air, and exercise. The sights and sounds of "outside" are enchanting to babies. Toddlers love to experience the vast world awaiting them beyond the back door. Older kids need to play hard and loud. For those of you who have a yard for your children, this is not news to you. For those of you who don't, this will be a wonderful change for your child. We have an enclosed backyard so that they can safely climb, run, jump, throw, ride, catch, scream and laugh! They know that they're having fun, and we know that they are developing their gross motor skills and building a foundation for good physical fitness.
