15 Jun 10 things to consider when choosing a child care centre for your child

Child care centre, also known as day care centre are places where children across age groups are supervised and cared for because their parents had to put them there for various multiple reasons. The most frequent reasons are that the parents are busy with their careers that they don’t have so much time at hand, or that they have more than one kid younger than the other or that they are single parents. Whatever be the case, a good and suitable day care centre does the deed for you. Not only this, but these centres are also the birthplace of talent, creativity, confidence and an impressive personality fit enough for the society. These places help kids evolve and improve while inculcating in them values and good habits.

Whatever be the reason because of which you need to put your child to a child care centre, once you start researching about them thoroughly you realise how there are many options to choose from. But then how do you make the correct decision?

From our experience of several years we think that these are 10 things you should look for when choosing a child care for your kid-

• Do intense research-

Nothing beats a good deal of research. You can check up the testimonials of parents on the internet and reach out to parents alike you directly. You can communicate and listen to people in various social groups who are considering to put their child in a day care centre. However, the revies of a centre may differ from parent and parent and it is up to you to take a closer look and then select the child care centre which works the best for your kid.

• Does the centre vibe?

After asking multiple people, considering your options and visiting numerous centres, you have to trust your “gut feeling”. Was there any specific centre which resonated with you kid’s vibe? Does it simply feel correct? There you get your answer!

• Does the centre suit your kid?

The best thing we can suggest here is that you visit the centre with your kid and observe them in the place. Do they look interested, excited or happy? Or does the place make them feel nervous and distressed?

• Look for the people in the place

On your visit to a day care centre, observe the people in the place. How do they appear to you? Are they friendly, warm and welcoming? How are they behaving with the other kids? Do they appear to be positive and kid-friendly? People are the most important asset of any organization. And in the case of toddlers and kids the stated point becomes all the more important. At Mighty Minds we understand how we will play a very important role in building your child’s individuality as well as their future.

• Will the centre help your child grow individually?

Every child is special and all of them come with their unique individual needs. The child care centre you select for your child should be a place where they can play and learn, mingle with others as well as groom their personality. You should look for a place and child care program which helps your child explore various domains of interest and help them grow.

• Consider the transition process

When your child newly begins to visit a day care centre, it can be very difficult and stressing at the same time. To make the transitioning smoother, you have to consider the efforts put in place by the administration so that your child can settle in well and feel at home.

• Understand the vision, mission and policies of the centre

Understanding the philosophy of an institution aids in making the right decision for selecting an apt child care centre. This is because if the vision and mission of the centre aligns with your family values and suits your kid’s emotional needs than you are good to go. Moreover, going through each and every minute detail like their food menu and the parent teacher consulting sessions can also help a lot.

• Child-teacher ratio

This is the most important and the foremost thing to consider while putting your child in a day care centre. If there are too many children for a single teacher to handle than it can cause a lot of ignorance towards the child which might harm their growth and well-being. Thus, smaller the ratio the better the picture.

• Does the appointed teacher suit your kid?

The teacher appointed to your child should be loving and caring but at the same time able enough to teach the right life lessons. You need to pay attention to their teaching skills as well as their persona. Does your kid feel safe and happy in their presence? Do they seem like the right guardian choice for your kid? A detailed parent teacher discussion can give you many such insights.

• Routine of the centre

There is a set schedule which child care centres follow. You need to understand how comfortable your kid will be in one such setting. Will they enjoy it?

After considering all the above points, it is time you pick up the centre which feels the most right for you and your kid. We would suggest you to visit these centres, and reflect on them while keeping the above points in mind. At Mighty Minds, we understand how crucial a day care centre can be for kids across age groups and their parents. You can visit us here.